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These tips from Wendy Allred, Bliss Spas' education manager, will take the agony out of your appointment

1. Schedule your wax for the week after your menstrual cycle, when you are less sensitive to pain.

2. Before waxing, dab Orajel ($7; at drugstores) on your bikini line to help numb the area.

3. Ask your aesthetician to warn you before she removes a strip. This way you can breathe out to distract your body from feeling the pain as she pulls. It works.

4. Your waxer should press down after yanking the strip to calm nerve endings. If she doesn't, do it yourself.

5. Give yourself three to six months off Accutane before waxing. This medication causes your skin to shed at an accelerated rate, which means waxing can cause bruises and burns.

Legs

Ideal option: Shaving
Ouch factor: None

Why it's best: Convenience and speed make this the go-to grooming method for Day. "There's also very little risk of ingrown hairs and irritation," she says. "Waxing makes more sense in winter since you have to allow the hair to grow out before removing it."

Do it right• Reach for the razor within 10 minutes of stepping into the shower; otherwise, the skin swells and you won't be able to get a close shave.

• Look for a shaving cream that contains enough moisturizers, such as jojoba oil or shea butter. Try Whish Almond Shave Crave shaving cream ($24; skinstore.com).

• A multi-blade razor reduces the number of times you have to sweep an area and staves off uncomfortable razor burn. Try the five-blade Venus Embrace ($12; at drugstores).

• Irritation results from a dull blade and too much pressure. There's no need to press down -- let the razor glide over skin. And toss your razor after three to five uses.

• Hang your razor upright to fully dry -- a damp blade encourages bacteria growth.

Underarms

Ideal option: Shaving
Ouch factor: None

Why it's best: It's quick and easy.

Do it right• Apply shaving cream so the razor can glide without pulling. Try Geo F. Trumper's Rose shaving cream ($20; bigelowchemists.com).

• Underarm hair grows in many different directions, so you'll need to follow the patterns.

• Afterward, apply a deodorant with moisturizers like Secret Flawless Touch with Olay, ($5; at drugstores).

Brows

Ideal Option: Tweezing
Ouch Factor: It feels like pinpricks.

Why It's Best: "This method won't remove too much at once," Day says.

Do it right• Keep tweezers clean to avoid spreading breakout-causing bacteria. Try Tweezerman Animal Print Slant tweezers ($25; sephora.com).

• First, press a warm washcloth to the area to relax the follicles.

• Grab each hair close to the root, yanking one at a time.

• Afterward, fight inflammation by holding an ice pack to the skin.

Upper lipIdeal option: Teeny-Tiny Pre-Waxed Strips
Ouch factor: About the same as tweezing

Why it's best: "Only a pro should apply hot wax to your face," says Cindy Barshop, owner of Completely Bare spas.

Do it right

• Strips no wider than 1 1/2" mean more precision. Try Sally Hansen Naturally Bare Waxing Strips for Faces & Little Spaces ($6; at drugstores).

• To avoid removing too much, work in three sections: right, left and middle.

• Calm redness by applying an OTC hydrocortisone cream like Aveeno 1% Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream ($6; at drugstores) after waxing.