This is one of the most popular methods of removing large areas of unwanted hair and it has been around for hundreds of years. Basically hot wax is applied to the skin, as it cools it grips the hairs and once cool it is stripped off, nice a quickly (for the least amount of pain) so pulling away the hairs with it. Some methods use a cloth or paper strip pressed onto the wax to remove it and some waxes do not require heating at all.

Done both in salons and at home its main advantage is that because hairs are literally ripped out from the root the hair takes longer to grow back than with shaving and depilatory hair removal methods. It is also far cheaper than the permanent methods of hair removal.

Disadvantages include it can be painful, ingrown hairs if the skin is not exfoliated and good aftercare adhered to, hair can break off at the surface in some cases leading to no advantages over shaving and it can be very messy if done at home.