Shaving
- Use either coconut oil or olive oil in place of shaving gel or cream.
- Simply smooth a small amount onto skin and shave as normal. (The oil will help your razor glide smoothly over the skin and also moisturise, nourish, heal and protect your skin.)
- Or, make a mousse by blending a cup of coconut oil with a quarter cup of olive oil. Add a very few drops of any essential oil(s) if you wish (two or three drops should suffice).
- Some essential oils to try:
- Eucalyptus and peppermint have a cooling effect on the skin.
- Tea tree oil can be added as an antiseptic in case of a cut.
- Citrus, lavender, geranium, rose or chamomile will add a sweet floral scent.
- Try oils like cedar, patchouli, juniper or ginger for a more spicy scent.
- For a soothing after-shaving powder, mix six parts cornstarch with one part bicarb and dust on with a sponge or brush. This refreshes skin and gets rid of the shine that skin sometimes has after shaving. (The same mixture makes an excellent deodorant and baby powder.)
Waxing
To make the wax
- Pour two tablespoons lemon juice, two tablespoons water and a cup of sugar into a saucepan.
- Heat the mixture on a medium heat while stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat when the sugar is dissolved and the mixture just begins to turn a darker, amber colour. Add a few drops of tea tree or lavender oil if you like, stirring well to disperse.
- Allow to cool slightly and pour into a wide-mouthed jar.
- When it has cooled further so that it has reached the consistency of honey and does not burn the skin, it is ready to apply. Do NOT apply before it has cooled sufficiently.
- You will also need some trips of muslin (about 7cm x 25 cm is a good size for leg waxing) and a flat ice lolly stick or butter knife.
To use the wax
- Before waxing, dust the skin with bicarb and / or cornstarch (the same mix of six parts cornstarch to one part bicarb as is used for deodorant, baby powder etc. is excellent here) to absorb excess oil and moisture. This will allow the wax to adhere to the hairs better and result in a longer-lasting wax. It also shows up finer hairs and areas still to be waxed.
- Use like shop bought wax. Spread an almond-sized amount of the wax onto your skin using a flat ice lolly stick or butter knife, following the direction of hair growth.
- Firmly smooth on a strip of muslin over the waxed area, leaving the lower edge free to grab.
- Pull the strip off swiftly, against the direction of hair growth.
- You can use the same strip two or three times with more wax.
- Wash the strips and knife or stick in warm water after use.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge and re-warm before use.
- This wax is water soluble so you can wash off any residue with water.
- Rub coconut or olive oil over skin after waxing.
