A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

How’s that for a post title you don’t want to see on a Monday morning?  Woke you up a bit though right?

I’ve been receiving queries as to how the hair removal thing is going and I thought that it was high time for another update.  Have you had your first, second and third coffees of the day yet?  I’m not really sure where to begin…

It was 3 days after Christmas when I found myself in the changing rooms at House of Fraser.  I thought I saw a spot developing along my jaw line so peered into the mirror for a closer look and got more than I bargained for when I noticed 4 long, dark but fine hairs sprouting from my neck near my ear lobe.

Gutted doesn’t really begin to describe it.  I left the changing rooms feeling deflated, ugly and most of all ashamed that I hadn’t noticed them before now… floods of insecurity washing over me as I wondered how many people might have noticed them without telling me.

Mr. L tried to assure me that he hadn’t seen them before and perhaps they’d regrown overnight (bless him).  I’d done the best I could to prepare myself for this outcome, I’d even told myself that it was practically inevitable but it still didn’t help dampen the overwhelming disappointment that I was facing the possibility of hitting a snake instead of a ladder and finding myself back at square one.

Ironically, one of the reasons we were battling the House of Fraser New Year sales was to get Mr. L a snazzy new electric shaver and that night… he let me use it first.  I was frustrated to be shaving properly again only 2 months after finishing my SK:N laser hair removal sessions but on the plus side, I can totally recommend this shaver for women with facial hair… every silver cloud and all that…

So where does that leave me now?  And what about the iPulse Smooth Skin?

4 months on from Christmas and I’m nowhere near ‘square one’ as feared.  Infact, it’s barely any worse than when I first noticed the regrowth.  I shave every 4 days now and it takes me about 40 seconds to run the rotary shaver over the outer edges of my top lip, neck and jawline.

It’s fine, dark and pliable… not as coarse as stubble but neither is it downy.  I began to write that I felt I had experienced about a 60-65% improvement than before my treatment until Mr. L reminded me that I used to have a freaking beard by tea-time.  True ‘dat.  I’ll upgrade it to a 75-85% improvement.

How about the at-home device?  The iPulse Smooth Skin (use discount code: BSKN55 for £50 off purchase price) that I was supposed to be using every week to maintain my smooth hair-free state?

Well… I just couldn’t keep the routine going… It was an epic chore to use on my face and had me cursing everytime I pulled it out of the box.  Here’s why:

~ The device would get hot quickly and needed frequent cool-down periods during use.
~ It’s very difficult to get all 4 contact points lined up on the skin simultaneously on hard facial angles like jawlines.
~ When you’re working on your face, you need a mirror… which means that all movements are in reverse.
~ You need to pencil over your lipline with a white eyeliner before use.

Add the above up and it was taking me over an hour to do my lower face.

But do I think the iPulse Smooth Skin worked?

Yes, I think it helped.  I still don’t notice any regrowth on the ‘flatter’ areas of my chin/jaw/neck which would be the areas that I was able to ensure were treated by the iPulse.  Can I be sure?  No… but I am sure that the device was a total pain in the backside to use.  I think it’s probably great for people with either limitless patience or lovely, flat, easy-to-reach areas to treat whilst distracting themselves with Eastenders.  But until it remains cooler for longer, it’s not great to use on your face when it’s such a tricky area to treat anyway.

And the SK:N clinic laser sessions? Well… I wouldn’t have enjoyed a hair free Summer last year or still be enjoying an average 80% reduction in facial hair without those sessions, painful though I found them.

I’ve just taken a photo of my chin/neck showing 2 days worth of hair growth, which can be directly compared to last year’s photo from before I commenced treatment.  I really don’t think I have too much to be sad about.

I’m about to take the next step in my quest for that elusive pot of hair-free gold.

I’ve purchased a block of 5 IPL sessions at a local salon (this is a different type to the laser treatment I received at SK:N last year) and I’m looking forward to hopefully commencing them later in the month.  I WILL be hairfree again this Summer and if I’m not?  I’m gonna let it grow and dye it purple.

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If you want to read back through my experiences of laser hair removal, click here to read through my “adventures in laser hair removal” which naturally, makes it sound far more glamourous than it is!

* The iPulse Smooth Skin was a press sample and I was a guest of my local SKN laser clinic

** The iPulse Smooth Skin can currently be purchased for £281.90 online at Boots using £50 off code: BSKN55 at checkout

Oh god… I can’t stop talking.  I’m so sorry!  Condense… condense!

SK:N Clinic Laser Hair Removal Final Video Review from lipglossiping on Vimeo.

I shall take some well lit after photos in the next few days and show a quick before/after comparison too.

Is it Friday yet?

There’s not actually too much to report at the moment.  I’m about a week away from my 4th facial laser hair removal session courtesy of SK:N Clinic and things have generally been progressing well.

Remember how I told you guys about the ‘regrowth’ I was told I might experience around this kinda time?

Well, I’m experiencing it…

But let’s be honest, that’s kinda wimpy right?

I’m noticing a slight shadow under the surface of the skin.  Hell, that’s nothing I guess… I used to have a permanent and much, much darker shadow in the circled areas.

However, it’s definitely worth mentioning because it’s (once again) brought home to me how emotional this whole thing actually is.

Let me explain…

When I was warned about the possibility that after my 3rd/4th session, I may notice the hair appears to grow stronger, thicker and faster again… I took this on board.  I even mentioned it to you guys.  I was mentally prepared for the blip in the progress.

But really? Despite this awareness?  It still panics me.

“What if the hair’s just gonna return when the sessions finish?!”

“What if the laser can’t remove it more than this?!”

I’ll be completely candid.  I take my hair-free face for total granted now.  I would be devastated if either of the above scenarios occured.  Completely devastated if I had to begin shaving daily again.  Heartbroken if I saw a 5 o’clock lip shadow each time I looked in the mirror.

This is a big deal.

I’m looking forward to my 4th session next Monday, please let it put me back on the right path.  I’ve come to depend on these (so far) wonderful results.

While I’m here, I thought I’d link you to something I’ve just spotted on their home page.  It looks like they’re currently offering us the chance to get a skin assessment for the princely sum of £1.  I don’t have any specific details on this other than what this link tells you…. consider it a little heads up.

Trout Pout. I haz one.

A quick SK:N laser hair removal update… check out my swollen top lip!  I’m impressed… that thing could take over a small country, it’s like the Goodyear blimp!

I don’t generally have much of a top lip as you can see in my FOTDs, so it’s only when you realise this that you can appreciate just how hugely puffed up that top lip is!

Anyway, I had my 2nd facial hair removal session at my local SK:N clinic on Wednesday and I was looking forward to it and dreading it in equal measure.  I’ve already said that I found my first session quite painful but I was hopeful that with a lot of the hair already destroyed, this 2nd session would be easier to bare.  And it was!

It was about 1/4 as painful as the first.  The only bit that had my eyes watering was the upper lip which they thankfully left till last.  The rest?  Completely fine…. just light pinging sensations against the skin.  Nothing to worry about at all!  Relief!

Compared to last time’s post-treatment soreness…. I have nothing.  Literally nothing.  After about 12 hours, the redness had completely faded… all that is left are a couple of whiteheads on my upper lip which probably have more to do with slathering on copious amounts of Aloe Vera gel than anything else.  A true 90% improvement in irritation and discomfort over my first session.

Except for the swelling.

The whole lower half of my face has doubled in size again, perhaps even more so than last time.  I look like a Spitting Image character.  I’m assuming this is just the fluid rushing to protect and heal the areas that it feels are under attack… but still, not attractive!

Here’s a post-treatment video just like after the first session, apart from noticing how horrible my bottom teeth are… try to concentrate more on how much less skin irritation I have compared to the previous video.  If it keeps progressing like this, it’s gonna be a doddle!

SK:N After treatment #2 from lipglossiping on Vimeo.

It’s time I be brave and post a before treatment / during picture.  Now that the irritation and redness has completely subsided (took about a week) from my first Sk:n laser hair removal treatment, I’m thoroughly enjoying my new (relatively) hairless face!

I have 5 more treatments to go and I’m in it for the long haul.  6 treatments in total, each separated by a 4 week period to allow for different growth cycles means I should be finished in October.

Let me show you the (gruesome) photos first and then I’ll share my observations about the current hair growth.

Yeah, looking at this 6 weeks on is a little bit upsetting.  I can’t believe that I sruggled with this for so many years.  Maybe I’m being blase…. I don’t know that this is going to be permanent, but jeez… one session is all I’ve had.  One.  Look.

I catch myself stroking my chin with the back of my hand occassionally… surprised at the feeling of smooth skin… but mostly, I’m loving just not having to think about it at all.

I’m currently shaving every 3rd/4th day, compared to once or even twice a day previously.

When the hair does come back through, it feels finer and less coarse.  It’s still dark and the pinpricks of colour under the surface of my skin are noticeable if you look closely.  But what an astounding difference.

I didn’t expect to achieve such instant results.  I know I need to continue the ‘course’ and not be lulled into a false sense of security as I’ve been told the hair can sometimes appear to get even thicker than previously after the 2nd/3rd sessions thanks to the different growth cycles… but for now…. I’m on cloud nine.

This is the most horrific video and after watching it, I very nearly stuck to just still images for this post (and you’ll probably wish I had).  I was blatantly traumatised enough by the whole experience to think that filming a video in direct sunlight without a scrap of makeup on was a FABULOUS idea!  Perhaps the laser fried my brain aswell as my follicles?

Oh god… Don’t judge me bitches.

Ok, enough of all that…

So here’s an image showing the area around my chin and neck later on the same evening after my first full treatment at the sk:n laser hair removal clinic.

It was pretty much as sore as it looks.  Itchy too…  Bear in mind that my skin was completely clear when I woke that morning… so this is all from the laser.  I spent most of that evening with a wet muslin cloth pressed to the area to take the heat out of it.

Having known other women who have undergone the treatment, I honestly didn’t expect to develop such a strong reaction and seeing it in all it’s gory glory on here makes me feel a little bit better about being a touch wimpy during my first session.  Put it this way… if flinching were an Olympic sport, I’d have been high on that podium saluting the flag.

My cousin reminded me yesterday that I was the only one in the family group (as a child) who managed to get sunburned severely enough to need A&E treatment whilst on holiday in Devon.  In October.  I’m so pleased that my Sk:n therapist agreed it would be wise to turn the laser down for me!

I had a rough time that first night and didn’t sleep well.  The itching was driving me insane and I don’t know HOW I managed to keep my nails away from my skin.  The next morning, I woke up looking like I’d done a few rounds with Mike Tyson.

It’s not that easy to see here, but my upper lip was really swollen.  When I pressed my lips together, my top lip completely overhung my bottom and it was tricky to talk without sounding silly.

It wasn’t painful though, the best way I can describe it is thus… yano when you get a blister on your foot and you press lightly?  It feels slightly numb and cushion-y?  That was how my lower face felt.  Admittedly, not the most pleasant sensation.

You can see that the redness had subsided by the 2nd day, but the swelling is also apparent around the jawline.  Frankly, I felt pretty hideous.  I didn’t want to wear makeup, despite having been assured that I could if I wanted to… I just wanted to hide in the house, preferably under the bed.

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So, those last two photos were from the day before yesterday (Wednesday) and it’s getting better as each day passes.  Today (Friday) the whole area is back to being flesh-coloured and the swelling has completely disappeared.  The treated area is still covered with bumps where each dark hair-containing follicle has been zapped, but these are camouflageable with a bit of concealer and patience.  I’ve also still got a bruise coloured tache as in the 2nd photo, but it’s fading.

It’s been a tough few days since my first full treatment on Tuesday.  Tougher than I imagined it would be.  I honestly expected to go in and emerge 30 minutes later with some redness that would subside within a few hours.

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Back then, I was the only 9yr old getting her blisters popped in A&E and again… I find myself being the exception rather than the rule.  Whilst it’s beginning to look like I’m not your average ‘reactor’ to the treatment, I think that my experience is perhaps even more useful as a result.

It’s hard to underestimate just how DIFFERENT we all are and I’m starting to understand why there just can’t be any guarantees with something as personal as laser hair removal.  I’m also secretly hoping that this extra dose of irritation means that those bastard hair follicles are taking an extra battering and admitting defeat under the awesomeness of the laser.  Pee-ow, pee-ow!

Stay tuned…

So, last Friday (14th May) I had my first consultation and test patch for facial laser hair removal at the sk:n clinic in Southampton.

I had previously shared my concerns and nerves about this first meeting… but I needn’t have worried too much.  The staff and therapists at the clinic were very friendly and I was put completely at ease in their care.

When I arrived, I was given a few forms to fill out… general contact stuff like name, address, next of kin… and I was also given a consent form.

I asked if I could have a copy of the consent form and they were happy to oblige.  I really recommend you do this and infact, it would be great if they did it as standard.  It’s a well written document that summarises many of the important concerns about laser hair removal and if you’re signing your name on the dotted line… it’s good to have a reminder of exactly what you’re giving your consent to right?

So after these formalities, I was greeted by my therapist Hayley and led into a treatment room.  The laser device was the indimidating looking machine lurking in the corner looking a lot like a big photocopier with a hoover attachment.  It’s true… look…

Hayley went through a checklist of contraindications which included things like asking me if I were pregnant, suntanned (yeah right) and whether I was on any medication including steroids (I was assured that steroid inhalers didn’t count!).  We discussed which body areas were going to be treated and at this point I asked if it would be ok for me to pay to have a small patch on my chest included in the treatment area.  She grabbed a price list and gave me a quote for 6 sessions (just under £300) which I agreed to.

I was asked what I do to currently control the hair growth and I explained that I shave the areas daily.  She was pleased with this as it meant that the hair follicles would be intact and undamaged by the plucking or waxing process.  If you want to know more about why this would be important and how laser hair removal actually works (along with a video demonstration), check out this page on the sk:n clinic website.

The last thing we discussed was after care.  At this point, I was offered the option to purchase a ‘starter pack’.  What this basically includes is three products that are recommended for you to use after treatment to help soothe and protect your skin.

It’s obviously another string to sk:n’s money-making bow to offer you the option to purchase products directly from them at the time of treatment.  I don’t think they’re particularly marked up (although the seperate purchase price of £15 for a SPF30 Sunblock seems quite expensive).

Anyway, here’s the “Starter Pack”:

• Aloe Vera Gel
• Spray Water
• SPF 30 Sunblock

If you already have these… you don’t HAVE to purchase them.  For me, it was a convenient time to pick them up.  I’ve already been through a lot of the Aloe Vera gel and I’ll be buying another tube (albeit from Holland & Barratts!).

You’re advised not to use your normal skincare for a few days… simply because you don’t want to expose your skin to any lotions and potions that could cause extra sensitivity on an already sensitized area.  However, I made sure to check that wearing makeup wasn’t a problem!

The single most important aspect of aftercare however, (and Hayley drummed into me!) is sunblock.  Do not leave the house unless you’re protected from the sun.  To be blunt… don’t risk a tan whilst you’re undergoing treatment.  The whole premise of laser hair removal is that it targets melanin, the areas of pigmentation (i.e. dark hair and the follicle under the skin).  You start getting tanned bits and you lose the contrast making the treatment less effective and more likely to burn the skin.

Dun, dun, dun! It was time to hop up on the couch and get on with the test patch… my mouth went a bit dry at this point…

I was handeed a pair of sunbed goggles… you know, the ones that kinda fit the shape of your eyeballs and don’t extend much further… these are total blackout, so it’s immediately a little more unnerving as you can’t see a thing.  A side effect of this is that your hearing becomes a touch more acute… so when the machine (which was right by my head) fired up… I’m not ashamed to admit that my heart beat a little faster.

Hayley was constantly talking to me, explaining what she was doing and reassuring me that everything was as it should be.  I’m glad she was chatty… it really helped to put me at ease.  I’m such a wuss!

As the (I’m not sure what to call it!?) laser head bit was put over a small area on my chin… I felt a slight vacuum-y/cooling sensation before the laser fired and I felt a sharp twang on the surface of my skin.  It’s not painful… but the anticipation is uncomfortable for me.  It’s a bit like waiting for a balloon to be popped.  I think that as I get used to it and into the swing of a full session, this feeling will fade… but I was really aware of anticipating the next laser fire.

What I wasn’t expecting however, was the smell.  Burnt hair… really quite unpleasant and thanks to the treatment being carried out around my chin and top lip, right under my nose!  I think I’ll breathe through my mouth next time!

Immediately after, Hayley sprayed my skin with thermal water and applied copious amounts of Aloe Vera Gel which I forgot to rub in and spent the next ten minutes looking like I’d sneezed on myself.  My skin immediately turned a shade of lobster pink and I was sent on my merry way with an appointment for my first full session (Tues 18th May) and my starter pack of after-care products.

You can see how my skin looked 12 hours later and read my concerns at the time by reading my update here.

It remained hot to the touch ’till Sunday evening (60hrs after treatment) but the redness and swelling have now subsided.  There’s still visible signs of irritation, but it doesn’t feel ‘burnt’ anymore.  I’m a lot happier that my skin isn’t reacting in some unusual way.  It also would have helped if I’d read the aftercare sheet FULLY and not just scanned it thinking I recognised everything I’d already been told:

2. …the treated area may become red and swollen and may remain so for several days after treatment.

Sorted.  My skin probably isn’t going to fall off then.  I am Norman normal, just perhaps a teeny bit more sensitive than hardier types!

You’re gonna have to excuse the hair… I have shaved twice since my test patch on Friday… I guess you can see why I so desperately want this treatment done huh?  Anyway, at the risk of stating the bleedin’ obvious… the red bits are irritation and these photos show the affected areas 60hrs after treatment.

Honestly, I’m kinda dreading what I’m going to look like on Wednesday morning after my first full session.  I’m thinking Freddy Krueger.  Don’t forget I’m practically having the whole of my lower face lasered…  I’m not sure I’ll be able to leave the house for a few days if the test patch was anything to go by.  I guess it’s something I didn’t consider.  Oh well, I think it’s time to stop worrying and wait and see what greets me in the mirror on Wednesday morning.

So that’s it really… a full on update.  In total, I’ll be having six sessions and although I won’t be updating with as much detail as this after my subsequent treatments, I’ll still be doing progress reports and posting photos when appropriate.

I guess that if I’ve got something worth sharing, I’ll be letting you guys know about it.

Here’s a vid that Mr. L shot when we went for a cup of tea afterwards, please excuse the sillyness at the end.  Apparently, I’m boring, unlike the dude that walks behind me with a giant red erection… no, really (40 seconds in).

sk:n consultation and test patch from lipglossiping on Vimeo.

Ok, so I have another video update on the way…. it needs a little bit of editing and I’m totally new to this video lark so still learning how to do all that stuff! I’m happy to overshare… but not look like a total moron, hence the need for editing.

I thought I’d give an impromptu update on the test patch I had at the sk:n clinic today in preparation for my course of laser hair removal. More of what actually happened during the consultation will be revealed in the vid, but as of a quarter to one in the morning following my consultation and test patch, I just wanna say…

Owwie! (please excuse the hint of boob-age)

The technician lady/laser thingy operator said that the redness (and any swelling) usually fades after an hour or so… but this is still going strong 12 hours later. It feels hot to the touch and slightly stingy but not too bad. I’m guessing it’s laser burn.

You can see that the hairs in that area *blush* are unshaved and I think this is the cause. She said that it’s best if I shave on the morning of treatment as the skin can suffer from burning if there’s much hair above the actual skin surface.

The lady was very nice and explained everything very well… but I kinda wish I’d known about this before hand. Or that they had disposable razors onsite that they could have offered me to quickly remove the surface hair and avoid this discomfort. I’ve been applying Aloe Vera like it’s going out of business ever since.

My first video… eek, no edits!  Video queen I ain’t…

If you have any questions (no matter how silly you think they may be) about professional IPL treatment at a clinic, please ask and I’ll either be able to answer them through my own experiences or find out on your behalf.

If you don’t feel comfortable asking questions in the comment box, feel free to email me privately.

To find out more about the sk:n clinic and the treatments they offer, visit their website here.

EDIT 13/05 20:51:

I wanted to quickly update to say…

Firstly, thank you SO much for being supportive and generous in wishing me the best of luck with the treatment, it’s really appreciated and very good of you.

But I also want to clarify something…

I don’t feel brave and I don’t think you should think me brave either.  Save that for someone who writes openly about something like this without being rewarded with many many pounds worth of free treatments in an attempt to fix it.

Honestly?  I wouldn’t be discussing this on my blog if it weren’t for that fact.  I’m certainly no martyr to the cause of hirsutism!

I seriously contemplated limiting my experiences, review and photographs to my upper lip.  It’s the least ‘freaky’ area to suffer from excess hair and the place where most people would be able to relate.  But the simple fact is that receiving this free treatment puts me in a privileged position.  I’m not a bonafide beauty writer… I’m a lucky girl dedicated to her blog and I think I can suffer a little bit of indignity if it:

a). helps highlight the more embarrassing aspects of excess hair in a sympathetic way.

b). brings a small amount of comfort to even one person who may read this and realise that there’s literally loads of women with the same problems.

c). (if the treatment works) bring hope that there is an effective solution to the problem.

d). (if the treatment doesn’t work) potentially save someone a good deal of money, or encourage them to explore other options first.

Regardless, from now on… if I see any of you checking out my FOTDs with a magnifying glass… you’re off my Christmas Card list FOR GOOD!