Hair Off mitts: my experience

Hair Removal Methods Friction
#1

The other day I picked up some Hair Off mitts to see how they worked.

The ones I got slip around your hand, with a rough flat side that goes over your palm area.

The rough surface is a little smoother than an emery board. It’s like superfine grit sandpaper.

It came with instructions to rub gently in circles. You shouldn’t rub too hard.

OK, this next tip is a little gross. One thing is for sure, you definitely want to have well-exfoliated legs before you use it, and no moisturizer. My first one got kind of gummed up with dead skin (yucko!). I tried to wash a lot of it off, but it seemed kind of stuck. It made the surface a little too smooth to be effective.

I found it worked best right out of the shower, with my skin a little damp. Some people like to use it dry, I guess.

Besides taking off the hair pretty well, it left my legs feeling kind of smooth and shiny. I imagine that with regular use, they would be a pretty good option, but I’m mot sure I’d personally use it for anything beyond touch-ups between waxings.

I definitely wouldn’t use it on really coarse hair or sensitive skin. I’d say that chest, armpits, bikini area, face, would probably not be a good idea. Legs and arms, though-- I think some might find it a nice alternative to shaving, especially since the exfoliating properties can help reduce ingrown hairs.

[ May 07, 2002, 09:58 AM: Message edited by: Andrea ]

#2

Well I think you are right, I have sensitive skin and course hair and tried it on my chest and it defintley didn’t work too well for me.

[ May 08, 2002, 02:39 AM: Message edited by: Ted Striker ]

#3

ted striker,

  i know this is the wrong part of the forum but what were your experiences with kalo?
#4

Just to offer up something else … I tried these mits VERY GENTLY on my face. The instructions tell you not to do it and I’m not urging people to ignore instructions, lord knows I don’t wanna be responsible for anybody tearing up your skin! But … just as a purely anecdotal thing … I ignored the instructions, used it VERY GENTLY on my face, and found it to be my favorite method so far of extra-temporary hair removal. Unlike some other methods, it didn’t require hair to be long - it wiped up the stubble, and the stubble didn’t come back quite as quickly as with shaving.

#5

I tried these on my legs, and I guess I had to rub to hard to get the hair off. It stung like crazy, and all in all, shaving was a much better alternative.

#6

Yeah, I actually think it’s a little better for small areas like the face than big areas like the legs. (Even though most brands say not to do it - I found a brand that didn’t warn that though! So, I don’t know. Can’t remember which brand lacked the warning.)

Anyway, the trick, at least for me, was working on the same spot for a full minute or so, VERY LIGHTLY - almost no pressure at all, in quick little clockwise and counter-clockwise circles.

It almost feels like you’re not doing anything when you do it really lightly. But surprise! Feel your skin in a minute and it’s totally smooth. If you do this too heavily, as you say, you’ll “friction burn” your skin.

I like it better than shaving for the sideburn area because it just seems to last longer and grow back in a more merciful way. And it gives you the same “total smooth” of shaving. But for a big job like the legs - yeah, that might take forever! I know what you mean.

#7

I am currently using what is called a ‘Silky Mitt’ on my face, well under my chin to be precise. I am mulling over the idea of getting electrolysis or LHR on this area so have stopped plucking to get rid of ingrown hairs I always seem to end up with.

There wasn’t anything to say I couldn’t use it on the face and as anon said if you’re really gentle it works great. I use it in the morning and it makes my skin lovely and smooth. Afterwards I put on a soothing balm, not that it hurts or is red, but just to make sure it’s OK! By lunch I can feel a bit of hair growth and by evening I definitely can but you can’t really see it and it feels completely different to stubble from shaving.

I keep one in my bag just in case I need a top up but so far I haven’t needed to.

:smile:

#8

Thanks for the info, Honey, and definitely keep us posted!

#9

Didn’t have a wonderful experience with this myself. I have course hair and sensitive skin.

after i finished using it i liked how smooth my legs felt, but the hair become quite prickly soon afterwards and it irritated my skin quite badly.

#10

I have hairs on the side of my face, cheeks and chin - I cut them with scissors at the moment as I’m terrified to shave and end up with stubble or do anything to make them any worse than they are. I used to wax but I think it’s made the hairs thicker and more prominent. They’re getting me down and making me feel very self conscious as they are long and noticeable in light or sunshine if I cut them. I’ve considered using something like a hair off mitt specifically for the face - does anybody have any recommendations on which one to use and the long term consequences. I was kinda hoping that it would just eventually wear the hairs away - kinda like some mens socks do around their ankels!! Am I so wrong?

#11

You are Soooo Wrong.

That only works on the legs because they are legs. Blood is to hair as fertilizer is to grass, and the legs are notorious for poor circulation. Most people have fewer hairs on the legs as they age without doing anything. This will never be the case on the face.

If you want to rid yourself of facial hair, you need Electrolysis with a good practitioner.

#12

Hi everyone!

Just discovered the Friction forum! I’d like to ask you about your experience with “hair mitts” vs. pumice stones or other abrasives such as sandpaper–which method is the most effective?

It seems that if the pressure or rubbing of socks on the lower leg leads to less hair, then pumice or sandpaper might also be effective. If anyone has tried this, let me know! What is the most effective way to use friction–dry or wet? Were the results longer lasting than shaving? How much irritation does friction cause?

Regards,
smoothlover

#13

Maybe you did not understand, a person who walked around bare legged for their entire life, would still tend to lose leg hair at they age due to the lessening of circulation that occurs as people age. The worse your circulation, the more hair you lose.

Now don’t go thinking that you should cut off circulation to gain your hair removal goals, as that would lead to other problems.

#14

I tried the mitt on my face and legs. My hair is very thick & course so in order to remove the hair I also removed some skin it was like having a really bad rug burn.
I hope you have better luck!!!

#15

Where can I find one of these mitts?

#16

I use silky mitts as a change from shaving and waxing on the lower legs. I find them a good alternative as it takes all the dead skin away and since doing this i dont suffer so much with ingrowns, i think its because all the hard skin has been removed so the hair can get through easier.
I use on dry skin and a cirular motion and dont press too hard. then use plenty of moist.
I suffer from picking at my legs and now all the marking has almost all gone as I dont need to pick at the ingrowns.