At Home Waxing Options

Go to a salon! For multiple reasons -
1) Its your big cruise! Make it special, make it professional, you'll glow! :) Actually, try going to a salon to get your arms/legs waxed first, and see how you feel about the experience. See how your body/skin reacts to it. If all goes well, go for the full thing 2 or so days before you actually leave for your cruise.

2) Since you haven't tried it before yourself, waxing bikini area and even arms and legs can be tiresome and you may end up bruising your skin here and there. If you've regularly used wax before, then it may be another thing

3) Salon assistants have seen it all, and people of all ages, sizes, coloring, skin textures, etc etc (u get the picture) get it done. Don't worry about what they'd think or see. If you feel like gold, then you feel like gold! :))

4) If you are interested in trying hair-removal by yourself, Sally Hansen and Nair are two good brands. I used them a couple of times and found them decently effective. Just follow their instructions on how to very properly. Experiment first before trying it just before your vacation.

Have a wonderful cruise! :)

Cold wax does not work on the bikini area. You have to use a wax that you warm and is hard in it's natural state. Zip is one brand but I think Sally Hansen makes a hard wax as well. Do only one small area at a time and don't use any muslin or other cloth, just pull the wax. Also, give yourself a couple days to heal since your skin may not be used to waxing. You are right, shaving is not a good idea.

try nair. or have your husband wax you or a good friend. i waxed a friend before she went on a cruise it was akward at first but we talked and did a lot of catching up in between her ouches.

I've used the Sally Hansen brand strips you can get at walmart/target etc... The trick is to make sure your hair is long enough (1/4 inch or longer, which means you need to have let it grow out for about 3 weeks to a month or more). Then, warm them REALLY good in your hands by rubbing them. Then you apply the strips in the direction of the hair growth and you don't rip the strips outward and up, you keep it really close to your leg as you rip it off. If you aren't used to using wax strips, it may be more of a painful lesson till you get the hang of it. If I was you, I'd just go into the salon for your first time so it's done right and you don't have strange red landing strips for your vaca from a botched home job. It is embarassing at first but the salon people have seen it all, trust me:) I've done waxing in a salon and at home for years so I've gotten real used to salon professionals, it's really no big deal.

I have used the wax strips that are on like a parchment paper. YOu warm it up with your hands by rubbing. Put it on and then let it cool and pull off.
It wasn't bad on the bikini line, but nothing like a good, professional, wax job.
I have to tell you there was a moment when I looked down at that strip and realized "I have to pull that off now." It was a bit nerve racking, but I did it. If a first timer - do go to the salon. (Oh I also use these strips on my shins because I hate shaving my shins!)

Magic Shave. It's in the ethnic hair care section, it's a depilatory product for black men to use on their heads. Stuff smells nasty, but works great and can be used in all the sensitive areas. My friends and I call it a brazilian in a bottle. Truthfully - this stuff is awesome.

Go to a salon and don't end up with a bad home job that would end up with you not being able to wear your swimsuit or worse having to see a Dr. to fix it.

Salon associates have seen it all, take an Aleve tablet and go do it right!! It is ok.