Hair Removal WAX STRIPS

Hard to give a pain-inducing product 5 stars, but in this case, it needs to be done. Apparently the Rogaine that I attempted to spray onto my hairless scalp caught a draft and ended up on my back. (And if the growth on my back is a direct result of the Rogaine, I can't recommend that product enough, the growth is amazingly thick and rapid) Regardless, my wife said we shouldn't shave it because the hair will just grow back thicker and quicker. I tried to explain to her that that happens to be an old wives tale (already a bad start with the "old wives" part) because if that were the case, my head would be more full of hair than the Steelers Troy Polamalu, given the fact that I shave it every other day. Following one eventful family movie night when my 7 year old attempted to "braid my hair", I decided it was time to address the ever growing issue. I ordered the Blue Steel Wax Strips based on the fact that it had good reviews (to be honest, more so because of the Ben Stiller Zoolander "Blue Steel" reference built into the name of the product). Upon receipt of the Wax Strips, I prepped my back with a nice hot shower, forgoing the shampoo and conditioner despite the need for it and asked my wife for assistance. After showing her the product (and waiting for the laughter to subside), she agreed to help. Her gentle touch and calming reassurance were no match for the in-your-face, kick-you-in-the-teeth strength of the wax strips. With the first removal of the first strip, my wife was able to remove 6 months worth of growth as well as a 37 year old mole and that pesky top layer or two of skin. But boy was the area soft! This was continued around the back and lower neck, half of which I was awake for while the other half the pain had luckily caused me to become unconscious. The neck and shoulder area were not too bad, the worst was the lower back (around where the love handles would be) as well as the sides on the middle of the back. Those are apparently sensitive areas. The strips removed the majority of everything on my back, there were some stragglers that would not be swayed to leave but a quick scouring with the tweezers left my back smooth and silky (albeit red and a bit tender). For as bad as I make it sound, I have ordered this product multiple times and will continue to do so. It is a great, mess free product that packs well for travel and just plain works.

I was surprised when I got these. It's such a little package. These are indeed double-sided, but to be able to use both sides, you have to warm the strips up (I just tuck them under my shirt for a few minutes), and then pull the plastics sheets apart painfully slow. Too slow, in my opinion. Then, apply to where you need, and give it a good rub or pat on the area. Hold the skin taut, and pull in the opposite direction of growth. These do a really good job of removing hair, and I can usually use each strip three times before I have to toss it. But, and this is a big but, it leaves so much residue! Luckliy, I still had some all natural azulene oil from another company's waxing strips. This has done the trick, except for one time on my legs. I absolutely could not get the sticky goo off, so my plan to wear a skirt that day was foiled. Two showers later, it was finally gone. I basically used a razor and shaved it off! These did cause minimal irritation for me, which may be because I was also following it with azulene oil. So, a mixed bag. I really like how much hair these remove, and it seems to be from the root, but I'm not sure if I'll buy them again.

I expected Wax Strips! What I got was a bunch of sticky, messy, glue-like stuff, sandwiched between thin pieces of plastic film. No wax at all! The sticky mess did not come off when I pulled the backing off my skin. The stuff on my skin could not be removed with soap and water. I had to use dry cleaning fluid to remove the mess. I should have read the other single star reviews before I wasted money on these !Review Update October 6, 2013Just a note to others contemplating buying Blue Steel Sports "WAX" strips. Seven out of the nine glowing five star reviews were submitted by people who have only one review. (Check the "See all my reviews" links)

I have hairy feet. No, not like "hobbit toes", I mean *really* hairy feet....more like Sasquatch or something. We were preparing to go on a cruise to the Caribbean, and the last thing we needed was Animal Control to be called in to shoot me with a tranq dart while I'm enjoying a foofy girly drink by the ship's pool. Preventative measures needed to be taken! My wife didn't want to deal with traditional waxing methods on my furry feet; so she decided to try this stuff out. For the most part, this stuff works great.PROS:- Easy to use, just separate the pads, take a hair dryer to them quickly, apply, and riiiiiiiiip....You'll have those sexy human feet you've always wanted- Not as messy as traditional waxing methods....for the most part. You do get some residue sometimes. Scrubbing the area with good hand lotion will remove it.CONS:- More expensive than traditional waxing at home- If the area you are waxing is cold (e.g. cold toes), the wax will fail miserably and stick to your hairy toes. Make sure your skin is body temp before using!- One box doesn't go very far. I was able to get my feet, shoulders, neck, and most of my back with one box. Fortunately, I only do this once a year...when we go on a cruise :).

These strips actually work better than any I’ve found, thus far. I will definitely order them, again. They are not sloppy or runny and that goes a long way. They seem to adhere to my skin better and pull off more hair than other products I’ve tried. I am well pleased!