Choosing the best hair removal kit will depend largely on the desired method of hair removal. The most common methods include shaving, waxing, chemical, and laser. Shaving, the most common, tends to be the most economical and requires the least preparation, but the effects last only a few days and can cause skin irritation. To choose the best hair removal kit, it is important to know the tolerance level of the skin. It may also be useful to consider how much money you wish to spend and how much time you are able to commit to the process.
Waxing is the first alternative to shaving and is a very effective form of hair removal. Waxing kits range in price as well as in the type of wax used. Some hair removal kits of this type include wax that is ready to be used at room temperature, while others require that wax be melted before use. Though waxing is very effective at keeping skin hairless for a longer period of time, sometimes for weeks, it is also the most painful. Waxing can cause burning, skin irritation, pimples, and peeling. There is also risk associated with applying heated wax when it is too hot. Wax may also be sticky and difficult to remove, especially if it accidentally spills on fabrics.
Depilatory or chemical cream kits are also common. This type of hair removal burns the hair, causing it to become brittle and wipe off with little effort. This method is only about as effective as shaving; hair will return in less than a week. The negative effect of these products is that they can cause chemical burns and often have unpleasant odors. Chemical hair removal kits must stay on the skin for some time, so they are not as fast as shaving. Depilatories also tend to be more costly than shaving, but they do offer an alternative to using a razor.
It is possible to purchase an electrolysis hair removal kit for at home use, though professional cosmetologists claim these types are ineffective and sometimes unsafe. Electrolysis kits may be called electric tweezers, and they work by shocking the hair follicle in order to slowly kill it. Electrolysis requires multiple treatments of the hair follicle, so it requires some commitment and persistence in order to achieve permanent hair removal.
Though not sold in a hair removal kit, laser hair removal is a permanent form of hair removal. Laser hair removal is done by burning the follicle in which the hair grows thereby permanently preventing re-growth. Laser hair removal is the most expensive form of hair removal, but it is effective, fast, and relatively painless.