Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of brands Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story Waxing may seem like an intimidating (read: painful!) way to remove body hair, but the best at-home waxing kits make the process easy, mess-free, and as approachable as your favorite razor . Plus, there are unique benefits to waxing, anyway: It can reduce your risk of ingrown hairs and razor burn and lasts longer than shaving. So if you’re on the fence, changing up your routine could be worth it if you’re prone to post-shave irritation.
These days, many waxes are infused with ingredients like aloe, jojoba oil, shea butter, vitamin E, and other trusty moisturizers, which make them less likely to tick off your skin, says Vanessa Coppola , MS, FNP-BC a board-certified nurse practitioner and founder of Bare Aesthetics in Closter, New Jersey. And most kits have user-friendly features like precise wax strips , hard wax warmers that prevent burns, and pre- and post-wax skin care products, so you can feel even more comfortable giving them a try.
One thing to note: If you’re a total waxing newbie and have highly sensitive skin, rosacea, or eczema, consider seeing a pro before trying it at home, Lilin Alba , a licensed esthetician and founder of Alba Aesthetics in New York City, says. “A trained provider can assess whether waxing is appropriate in the first place,” she explains. Ready to give waxing a rip? These expert- and editor-approved kits make ridding yourself of unwanted hair a breeze.
What type of wax is best to use at home? What are common waxing mistakes to avoid? Meet the experts How we test and review products Our staff and testers Best Overall: Flamingo Body Wax Kit Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Flamingo
Allure shopping director Shanna Shipin using the Flamingo Body Wax Kit
Why we love it: An Allure Best of Beauty Award-winner three years running , Flamingo’s Body Wax Kit clears body hair in a matter of seconds and only hurts about as much as pulling a bandage off your skin (seriously). The soft-gel wax contains nourishing castor oil and comes ready to use on two sizes of strips, which are great for tackling hair on your legs, arms, and underarms. The kit also comes with six post-wax cloths to wipe away any residue (they’re also infused with vitamin E to help your skin recover if it’s red or stinging). And once the hair is gone, it stays gone: Our testers only needed to break out the kit every few weeks. They come in handy for upkeep between salon visits, working on the stubbliest of strands as short as two millimeters.
Tester feedback from shopping director Shanna Shipin
“I have superdark hair on my upper lip that frankly requires a lot of attention—and, unfortunately, I can't use any old wax strip or wax cream since my eczema-prone skin loves to come off…with my hair…if the product is too harsh. Thankfully, these Flamingo wax strips never let me down. The game-changing thing about these is that you don't need to warm them up! I cannot stress the sheer convenience of this when you're in a pinch and the stress of rubbing your hands together would just make everything worse. There have been plenty of times that I didn't (evidently) warm the strips up enough, and wasted wax and time. Instead, you get a perfect 10 when using Flamingo—whether it's the made-for-the-face strips or the body wax strips, which are easy to cut down to size to use wherever you need to. These strips lift the hair wit…