The Earliest Form Of Body Hair Waxing

Given that most people have had a waxing session that has felt more sensitive and sharp than they expected, a lot of people have had that inevitable moment whilst feeling sore where they question why body hair even matters. 

Of course, that thought passes away as the pain fades and is replaced by the delightfully smooth feeling of your skin that lasts far longer than other methods, but whilst waxing can seem like a relatively new type of treatment, it is far older than you might expect.

In fact, not only does hair removal date back as far as civilisation itself but there is also an early form of waxing that has been in use for nearly 5,000 years, one that some people swear by.

Alongside natural exfoliators, early depilator devices and sharp materials such as flint and the edges of seashells, the earliest form of waxing was found in Persia, in regions that form part of modern-day Iran.

This region, then part of the early region of Mesopotamia, has the somewhat good fortune of being close to the earliest sources of sugar, including sugar cane and honey.

This honey, mixed with water and citrus fruit (often substituted for lemon in modern mixtures) forms a sticky paste, and with the help of powder applied to the part of the skin to be waxed, forms a sticky solution that grabs onto hairs and can quickly be pulled up.

Because it does not grab onto skin in the same way waxes can, it can be significantly less painful for people who do not have sensitive skin; it can still cause redness and irritation in those cases.

It can also be used at room temperature, unlike some waxing products that need to be warmed up to make them sticky.

Because it is less abrasive on the skin, it can be repeated after just ten days, rather than having to wait up to a month as is required for waxing.