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Skip the Appointment, Do It Yourself
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items A curated collection of hair removal, nail care, and body maintenance essentials that replaced my salon appointments. Built for sensitive skin that needs gentle, effective alternatives to shaving and harsh treatments.
Sections
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Prep, Remove, Recover: My Hair Removal System
My At Home Lash Routine
Polygel, Builder Gel, Gel X: I’ve Tried It All
Prep, Remove, Recover: My Hair Removal System
It took me a while to land on a system that actually works for sensitive skin. This section covers everything from exfoliation to my go to methods for each area, including why I sugar my underarms instead of shaving or waxing.
Hear me out: as a woman with coarse hair and sensitive skin, the men’s version just works better. Since it’s formulated for coarser hair, it works faster, you don’t have to leave it on nearly as long as the women’s version. It’s also built for sensit...
Veet Hair Removal Cream Men 5 Min Sensitive
This one feels more like a body polish than a true scrub to me, cream based rather than abrasive, which is why I like using it daily. Exfoliating regularly is key to preventing strawberry legs, especially if you’re waxing or doing any form of hair re...
Dove Brown Sugar & Coconut Body Scrub 15oz
This one is an actual scrub, gritty rather than a polish like the Dove one I mentioned. It’s gentle in the sense that it’s light cleansing, but it has real texture. I used this as a facial scrub as a teenager, though I don’t really use scrubs on my f...
Queen Helene Oatmeal & Honey Facial Scrub
I don’t use this one often, but I do reach for it on my underarms, switching between this and the Queen Helene depending on what I have on hand. This is a true scrub with a very gritty texture, small beads that really exfoliate. I don’t use it on my ...
Saltair KP Body Scrub 10% Glycolic Acid 10oz
I usually switch up my deodorants, but this is one I’ve actually stuck with. I bought two types from this brand and started with this one, no idea when I’ll move on to the other because this has made such a drastic difference. I’ve tried other ‘healt...
Saltair Serum Deodorant 2 Pack – Santal Bloom – 5% AHA Aluminum-Free – 2x 1.7oz Roll On
Facial hair as a woman is annoying enough, but especially when it’s a symptom of something like PCOS/PMOS or hypothyroidism. Shaving is hit or miss for me and waxing hurts too much, so this has become my go to. I also use it to shape my eyebrows.
NAIR Prep & Smooth Face Exfoliating Cream 1.76oz
Nobody wants an ingrown, especially the dark marks they leave behind. I chose this one for the mix of actives: BHA to clear out clogged pores, AHA to help hair actually break through the surface instead of curling back in, plus niacinamide and licori...
Peach Slices Ingrown Hair Treatment 1.69oz
Can you make your own sugaring paste at home? Yes. But who has the time, especially with so many different ratios and the risk of messing it up. I found this after searching for sugaring salons and discovering Sugaring NYC actually sells their paste....
SUGARING PASTE HARD 1.3kg FOR TOUGHEST HAIR
I know these get mixed reviews, but I only use them for sugaring, never traditional wax, and they’ve never caused me any issues. I stick to smaller areas like my underarms and eyebrows, so they work perfectly for my needs.
765 Pro Wax Strips – Tear-Resistant, 225 Large & 540 Small, Reusable for Warm Wax & Sugar Paste
Let’s be real, sometimes you don’t have time for the full routine, or you just need a quick touch up. This shaver is a lifesaver in those moments, genuinely one of the smoothest shaves I’ve gotten. Even if waxing or hair removal cream isn’t your thin...
Philips Norelco OneBlade Hybrid Trimmer QP2520/90
These are the replacement heads for the shaver I just added. I love that Philips makes replacements this accessible, I’ve owned shavers before where you basically had to buy a whole new device just to get a fresh blade.
Philips QP230/50 replacement blade, 3 pieces
My At Home Lash Routine
I chose clusters over strip bands because I wanted something I could apply and forget, not a daily on off routine. Individual lash extensions felt like sensory overload for me, so this became the perfect in between. Clusters typically last about a we...
Before placing lashes, cleaning is step one. I bought this kit for the basics, fan, rinse bottle, brushes, but I actually don’t use the included shampoo, I buy that separately since it’s the thing you’ll run through fastest and I like to stay consist...
Buqikma Lash Shampoo Kit with Mini Fan & Brushes
This is the lash shampoo I personally stick with. Always test new products cautiously, some reviews mention eye irritation, but that really comes down to your own skin. As someone with sensitive skin who’s dealt with shampoo burn and irritation befor...
BL Lashes Eyelash Shampoo + Brush, 50ml
Unfortunately my previous go to glue got discontinued or paused, so I needed a new one. Keep in mind lash clusters need their own specific glue, this isn’t interchangeable with strip lash adhesive. Some people push clusters to last a week or more, bu...
Mayhug Lash Cluster Glue Bond & Seal Kit
Now that you have your shampoo, lash kit, and glue and seal system, here comes the fun part, the clusters themselves. When I first started, I knew the general lettering system for curl types but had no idea what my own natural curl actually was. I ke...
QUEWEL Cluster Lashes 240Pcs 10D+20D D Curl Mix 8-14mm
Polygel, Builder Gel, Gel X: I’ve Tried It All
I’ve built out a full at home nail salon over time, polygel, builder gel, gel X, all of it. These are the products and tools that actually get me salon quality results without the appointment.
I’ve gone through three or four UV LED nail lamps, and this is by far the best. My previous ones always fell short somehow. This one has the timer settings, auto sensor that lights up when your hand goes in, and it’s genuinely DIY friendly, I can eve...
SUNUV SUN3 UV LED Nail Lamp, 4 Timers, 39 LEDs
When it comes to gel nails, it’s always best to use products designed to work together as a system. This is what I reach for when giving myself a gel manicure. Builder gel is great as a protective layer that helps maintain nail strength, and I also u...
GAOY Gel Top, Builder & Base Coat Set 3x16ml
I love all shades of brown, and this polish delivers exactly what I’m looking for. It applies smoothly and I haven’t had any issues with peeling, which is always my biggest concern with gel polish.
Born Pretty Gel Nail Polish 6 Colors Kit
If you’re like me, you’ve probably tried it all and your gel X application still ends up hit or miss. Switching to this instead of an extend gel has saved me so much time, and honestly, my sanity 😂. Since it’s a solid gel adhesive, it’s so much easi...
Makartt Solid Nail Glue Gel 15ML UV Cured
I love this jelly set because it gives me the best range of nude shades for a clean manicure or French tip. In my opinion, it’s the perfect match for both.
GAOY Milky Jelly Nude Gel Nail Polish Set
A great kit to get started with, though you’ll likely need to grab your own tips separately. It covers the basics of everything else you need, and it’s priced low enough that trial and error feels totally fine while you’re learning
GAOY Poly Gel Nail Kit UV Light 14 Colors