Leg waxing is the removal of body hair by forcibly pulling it out by the roots using some forces of adhesion.

The ritual of removing body hair is a regular part of modern life for most people in this day and age. Either the regular removal of moustache/beard stubble, or the less frequent leg shaving and armpit shaving, using depilatory creams (if you can withstand the smell of the cream), or anything involving bikini lines. Or for the thrill-seekers, there's always waxing.

Tips for Leg Waxing

Many people prefer to use the natural warm wax (sugar based) that comes in a big pot with a wooden spatula.

The easiest way to warm this up is to bung it in the microwave for a very short amount of time. If it bubbles and steams, it is too hot. Do not put it on your skin if it is bubbling; it can retain its heat for quite a while, so care should be taken at all times. Do not just slap it on your leg and hope for the best. This is a surefire way to burn yourself a lot.

The warmer it is the thinner (and better it goes on). You may find that you need to reheat it a little (only 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave) every now and then.

Spread it on as thinly as possible, and in the direction of hair growth (ie, down the leg towards the foot).

Speed is of the essence - firmly smooth the cotton strip onto the wax immediately (again in the direction of the hair growth).

And now the good bit - pull off the cotton strip as fast as possible, in a smooth swift movement parallel to your leg (ie directly up towards the top of the leg). The theory of removing plasters works here - a short, sharp, shock. And hey presto, a clean smooth hair-free patch of leg (apart from all the hairy bits left behind).

If the wax on the cloth is still warm, and not too hairy, you can smooth it back on and pull it off again - speed is again of the essence - this is great for getting rid of the straggly bits left behind from the first attempt. It also saves time, and is economical on wax - that is if you can cope with the feeling of hairy waxy cloth.

Although it is not totally pain free, the tingly sensation is pleasant and should be enjoyed.

The Bad Bits

• Leg waxing can be a bit messy - days afterwards can be spent cleaning wax off bathroom surfaces, towels, clothes, the cat etc.

• You have to wait until your legs are dead hairy again before you can repeat the process.

• If you get it wrong - eg, if you bottle it and don't pull the cloth away at the right angle, or fast enough - it can be painful.

Why Bother?

Body hair should not be a political issue, it should be a personal one. Shave if you wish, wax if you wish, grow hair and be merry (or hairy) if you wish. There should be no pressure to be free of body hair. If you don't want to, don't bother. Hair in all forms can be beautiful.

But think of all those lovely waxing tingly sensations you are missing out on.