Lightening up unwanted hairs is an excellent solution to make dark hair less noticeable. Also, hair lightening products can be used in sensitive areas. Here's how to proceed without risk. The discoloration or lightening of unwanted hairs is an excellent way to make darker hairs less noticeable and invasive. Besides, cosmetics for lightening hair, unlike hair removal or epilation, can also be used in very sensitive and delicate areas such as the upper lip, without any particular inconvenience.
In short, lightening the hair allows you to avoid hair removal and still appear cured because the very light hairs are less noticeable on the body. And this is an effective method, especially for the very young, for whom it is perhaps too early for a concrete approach to waxing & Co.
Sometimes, however, even for us adults can be a viable alternative because we do not have time or desire, or because, more simply, we do not feel the need to shave but unfortunately our body does us a little wrong, leaving dark hair grow and evident in parts where we would not really like.
Bicarbonate and hydrogen peroxide
It should be noted first of all that discoloration is not recommended for those who have a particularly dark complexion, because it would increase the contrast between the hair and the skin making the problem even more visible. On the shelves of pharmacies, supermarkets and herbalists there are formulas specifically designed for this purpose, but you can also create your compound at home with a simple bicarbonate of sodium (the one you usually use to clean vegetables) and hydrogen peroxide: the mix of these two ingredients makes you get a lightening cream to be applied directly on the hair.
But be careful, because the discoloration of unwanted hair is not a real depilatory technique: it does not remove the hair shaft or root but only makes the extracutaneous part of the hairless visible, removing its natural pigment, that is, the melanin. This is why bleaching cosmetics contain alkaline and oxidizing substances, which can attack the keratin and induce changes to the hair structure, including the oxidation of melanin.
How to proceed with bleaching
The discoloration is ideal on the face, to hide the mustache, on the arms, to hide the hair on the forearms, and on the legs, in the back and inside of the thighs. We can also say that the best-known method to lighten the hair is hydrogen peroxide, (20-30 volumes at most). Here's how to proceed: you can apply with a special brush or pass a ball of cotton on the hair to be lightened. Leave to work for a few minutes and then remove the whole thing by rinsing with cold water. Remember to use gloves and follow this procedure with a nourishing cream to prevent irritation.
Laying times
How long should the compound be left in contact with the skin? The duration of the application can last from 5 to 15 minutes but this depends on the thickness and color of your hair. Usually, the hair is lightened once every 15-20 days, depending on the rate of hair growth and, once again, on its color and the area treated. A final recommendation: these products should never be applied in the presence of burns, skin inflammations, redness, swelling, itching, warts, pomphi, spots, cracks, abrasions or cuts.
Alternative natural remedies
Oxygenated water is not the only way to lighten unwanted hair. There are also other ways such as lemon, chamomile, and beer. In the first case, just cut a slice of lemon and pass it directly on the areas where the hair is present, leave to act for about 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly with water. Chamomile is also a natural lightener but, like lemon, its lightening action is very mild and requires a lot of constancy in application: three times a week make a 20-minute pack with a very concentrated infusion of chamomile. Finally, there is beer: in the 'blonde' variant, the hops contained are responsible for the discoloration. Open the bottle (or can) the day before to 'eliminate' the carbon dioxide and help yourself with a pad to dab it in the areas concerned.
Contraindications and risks
Although modern techniques make it fairly easy to get rid of hair - from classic waxing to pulsed light and laser - not all women like to undergo these treatments. But discoloring superfluous hair also means not exposing yourself to the sun or heat in the hours following lightening and doing an allergy test beforehand to make sure you don't run into irritation, redness or worse, bubbles.