So, Here Are 8 All-Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Body Hair
When it comes to my eyebrows and the nooks and crannies of certain areas down below, you can best believe that I'm gonna go to my wax appointment as if my life depended on it. As far as my legs and underneath my arms, I'm a shaver. Yet the older I get, when it comes to where I put a razor—and also the cream that I put on my super faint mustache every couple of months—I've been on a mission to use it less and less. What's helped me to reach my goal are natural hair removal methods.
Before I share with you what some of them are, let me just say that many of these are most effective if you've got facial hair and/or when it comes to places where your hair isn't super coarse. Also, if you're looking for methods that will get rid of unwanted hair immediately, these aren't those. On the other hand, if you are a patient person, you're consistent with your beauty regimens and you want to fade your hair over time, I've totally got you on that.
The following eight all-natural hair removal remedies can have you on your way to less hair in a few months without any chemicals, expenses or drama. Ready to check 'em out?
1. Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek is a type of herb that is really good for you on a few different levels. For instance, if you're a vegetarian or vegan, it's a good source of protein and iron (it's got a fair amount of fiber too). Also, if you're looking for a way to lower your cholesterol, fenugreek has got your back. Thanks to its inflammation properties, fenugreek can help to heal mouth ulcers, chronic coughs, boils and even bronchitis. As a doula, I can personally vouch for the fact that it's helpful if you're a new mommy who's having trouble getting your breastmilk to come (or stay) in. Word on the street is it can boost a man's libido too.
If you drink the seeds in a powder form, it can deep cleanse your skin, reduce blemishes, soften the appearance of dark circles underneath your eyes, slow down signs of aging and even help to prevent hair loss (for instance, if you put the powder into your conditioner and let it sit for 10 minutes on wash day).
Fenugreek also makes the hair removal list because the properties in it can also help to weaken hair follicles. If you mix two teaspoons with a tablespoon of rosewater (rosewater will hydrate and protect your skin while also reducing any redness that you might experience) and let it sit on the areas where you want hair removed for 20-30 minutes, once a week, your hair should appear finer in about three months.
2. Papaya Paste
Papaya is a fruit that's in season, starting early summer and runs through the fall. It's good for you because it is a good source of fiber, protein, antioxidants and vitamins A and C. As far as specific health benefits go, if you eat it a few times a week, it can help to strengthen your heart, improve digestion and fight body inflammation. On the beauty tip, papaya is cool because the enzymes in it can help to decrease breakouts, the lycopene in it can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and, if you mix one-half a papaya with a one-half cup of coconut oil and a tablespoon of honey, it can be a pretty potent hair conditioner too.
So, why does it work at removing body hair? Well, there's an enzyme in papaya that's called papain. When it's consistently applied to your body, it can weaken hair follicles and hinder regrowth.
I already know some of y'all are like, then why would I use it as a hair conditioner? Remember, these remedies require consistent use. Conditioning your hair once a month with papaya is not the same as slathering it on your legs and letting it sit for 20 minutes, a couple of times a week. Anyway, a couple of tablespoons of raw papaya mixed with three teaspoons of turmeric (its chemicals help to slow down hair growth too), applied to clean skin and left on for 15-20 minutes before thoroughly rinsing off, can help you to see a noticeable difference when it comes to having less body hair in around three months or so.
3. Rosewater and Alum
If you've never heard of alum before, the long name for it is aluminum potassium sulfate. It's a chemical compound that is typically attributed to salt. Anyway, when it's used in powdered form, it can do everything from treat a canker sore and help to heal an eye abscess to soothe cracked heels and even naturally aid in alleviating body odor.
Alum is also pretty popular when it comes to getting rid of body hair because of its abrasiveness. You already know how rosewater helps. One half-teaspoon of alum powder mixed with one teaspoon of rosewater needs to be applied to your skin after you shave it. That way, it can help to weaken your hair follicles at the root, making it harder for it to grow back after, say a couple of months or so (you must do this regularly for it to be effective). By the way, you can cop some alum powder at stores like Target or even your local grocery store.
4. Oatmeal Scrub
If you basically want to eat a multivitamin, start off with a heaping bowl of oatmeal. It contains fiber, protein, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, antioxidants and a good amount of different forms of Vitamin B too. The combination of all of these nutrients can cause oats to lower your cholesterol levels, improve your blood sugar levels, relieve constipation and even decrease asthma symptoms in children.
One of the reasons why you should try using oats from a beauty angle is because its nutrients and semi-rough texture makes it the ultimate kind of exfoliant. Plus, it contains a chemical called saponins which can help to deep clean your pores.
Since oatmeal is such a powerful exfoliant, this is why it's an effective way to remove fine facial hair. A tablespoon of raw oats, five drops of fresh lemon juice (the acid can weaken your hair follicles) and the moisturizing properties of one-fourth of a banana is a great combination. Blend everything and apply to your face. Let it sit for 15 minutes and rinse with cool water. Facial hair should get finer in 6-8 weeks if you do this 1-2 times a week.
5. White Pepper and Camphor
Whenever I'm cooking, sometimes I prefer to go with white pepper instead of black. It's less "harsh in taste" is the best way that I can describe it. As far as health benefits go, white pepper is good for you because it contains anti-inflammatory properties that are able to boost your immune system as well as properties that protect your body from cardiovascular diseases, will detox your system and can also increase blood circulation. Camphor? Well, it's an organic compound that is full of antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties that are able to relieve skin irritation, reduce pain, treat toenail fungus, soothe congestion and speed up the healing process of acne, hemorrhoids, muscle spasms, earaches and warts.
Believe it or not, if you combine these two things, they can also help to rid your body of hair over time. The texture of the white pepper along with the strong properties of the camphor make for the kind of scrub that works really well if you're trying to reduce the amount of hair that is on your legs (matter of fact, this particular remedy is so potent that you avoid putting it on your face altogether). Simply mix two tablespoons of white pepper, two tablespoons of camphor along with a tablespoon of your favorite carrier oil and apply it all to your legs for no more than 15 minutes (beyond that could irritate your skin). Rinse thoroughly with warm water. If you do this twice a week, you should notice thinner hair within six weeks.
6. Baking Soda and Turmeric
I don't know about y'all but when I was growing up, baking soda was used for three main things in my house—deodorizing carpets, keeping food fresh in the fridge and brushing teeth so that they stayed pearly white. When it comes to what is also known as sodium bicarbonate, there are other bonuses with using it including the fact that baking soda helps to treat heartburn (by putting a teaspoon of it in some water and drinking it slowly; run this by your doctor first); healing pimples (by making it a paste with water and applying it directly onto your pimples; it's an ultimate overnight remedy); relieving itchy skin (by pouring a cup of it into your bathwater); eliminating odor and naturally whitening your laundry (by putting a cup of it into your laundry detergent); getting pesticides off of fruits and veggies (by soaking them in a solution of water and one-fourth cup of baking soda for 15 minutes) and so much more.
Due to the gritty texture of baking soda, applying the combination of one teaspoon of it with one teaspoon of turmeric (along with enough water to make it a paste) and then putting where you want to see less hair for about 15 minutes, can reduce the appearance of hair in 8-12 weeks. (You might want to avoid this on your face. Baking soda can be a little too harsh if constantly used over time.)
7. Basil Leaves, Onion and Garlic
Basil leaves are good for you because it helps to reduce oxidative stress, fight the growth of cancer cells, decrease body inflammation, fight the kind of bacteria that causes respiratory and urinary infections and lower your blood sugar levels. Now put a pin in that. When it comes to the other ingredients in this tip, something that onion and garlic have in common is they both contain a lot of sulfur compounds. Why is this a good thing? For one thing, sulfur is beneficial because it plays a key role in the synthesis of proteins throughout your body. That's why sulfur supplements are oftentimes used to help treat osteoarthritis, dandruff and allergies. On the beauty tip, I am all about sulfur; using sulfur soap is what finally got my pimples under control while evening out my skin tone in the process.
As far as hair removal goes, using onion and garlic on your unwanted hair can help to break down your hair's proteins, so that it's harder for them to grow back. And what about the basil leaves? Not only are they an awesome moisturizer, they're a potent fungus fighter too.
Make a paste out of all of this by mashing up one-fourth an onion, crushing two garlic bulbs and the smashing 5-6 basil leaves and applying it to the areas where you don't want any hair for 20 minutes, twice a week. You will see less hair in a couple of months. And what about that sulfur odor that's left behind? Soaking in a tub that has a cup of apple cider vinegar in it or taking a shower and then putting on some lemon or orange essential oil that's been mixed in with a carrier oil can nip the odor in the bud (no worries, it fades on its own too; it's just annoying until it does).
8. Sugaring
If you've never heard of sugaring before, I guess you can chalk this up to being your something new for the day. Long story short, if you combine sugar, lemon and water and turn it into a paste-like consistency, it has the ability to remove body hair in a way that is less painful than waxing; plus, it can reduce how much hair grows in the areas where you are doing the sugaring process over time.
There are people who apply this hair removal method to all parts of their body, although it should go on record that different parts need different amounts of time (you can "sugar" your underarms in 5-7 minutes while your legs may take 30-45). Another benefit of sugaring is the results can last for 3-5 weeks. For tips on how to make your own sugar paste and apply it, check out this video, this video and this video. Enjoy!
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It's kinda wild that, in 2025, my byline will have appeared on this platform for (what?!) seven years. And yeah, when I'm not waxing poetic on here about sex, relationships and then...more sex and relationships, I am working as a certified marriage life coach, helping to birth babies (as a doula) or penning for other places (oftentimes under pen names).
As some of you know, something that I've been "threatening" to do for a few years now is write another book. Welp, October 2024 was the month that I "gave birth" to my third one: 'Inside of Me 2.0: My Story. With a 20-Year Lens'. It's fitting considering I hit a milestone during the same year.
Beyond that, Pumas and lip gloss are still my faves along with sweatshirts and tees that have a pro-Black message on them. I've also started really getting into big ass unique handbags and I'm always gonna have a signature scent that ain't nobody's business but my own.
As far as where to find me, I continue to be MIA on the social media front and I honestly don't know if that will ever change. Still, if you need to hit me up about something *that has nothing to do with pitching on the site (I'm gonna start ignoring those emails because...boundaries)*, hit me up at missnosipho@gmail.com. I'll do what I can. ;)
Exclusive: Melanie Fiona On Making High-Vibrational Music & Saying Yes To Partnership
Melanie Fiona is back! After taking a little more than a decade-long hiatus, she has officially made her return to music and blessed us with two singles, “Say Yes” and “I Choose You.” While both singles are very different from each other, they both reflect who she is today and the type of music she wants to make. In our conversation, the mom of two expressed what she learned during her time away.
“It's interesting, even when I said it is like coming back, I don't ever feel like I really left because I was always still performing. I've still been public. It's not like I went into being this recluse person or version of myself, but the thing that I really learned in this process is that I think things take time,” Melanie says in a xoNecole exclusive.
“I think often we're so caught up in it, being on the timing of demand or popularity, or, like, striking while the iron is hot and the thing that I've learned is that everything is on God's time. That's it. Every time I thought I would have been ready, or, like, things were taking too long, I had to reship some things, personally, professionally, in my life. I also gave myself permission to make a living, not just make a living, but make a life for myself.”
Making a life for herself included getting married to Grammy-nominated songwriter Jared Cotter, starting a family, and embracing new landscapes, such as podcasting as a co-host of The Mama’s Den podcast. She also began doing more spiritual work and self-care practices like meditation, sound healing, Reiki, acupuncture, and boundary setting, which allowed her to get in touch with her inner voice.
“I wasn't putting out music, and I wasn't experiencing a number one record, but I was being a number one mom,” she says.
“I was experiencing things that were allowing me to heal and get in touch with myself so that I could make new music from a space of joy and freedom, and excitement again because I definitely feel like I did lose some excitement because of just politics and industry and what it can do to your mental health and even your physical health. So giving myself the space to really just say, ‘Hey, it's okay. Everything's right on time.’”
The joy and excitement are felt in one of two new singles, “I Choose You,” which is more of a lovers rock vibe, a tribute to Melanie’s Caribbean roots. While the Grammy award-winner is known for ballads like “It Kills Me” and “Fool For You,” she is becoming more intentional about the music she makes, calling it high-vibrational music. She says her music is a “reflection of my life,” as it captures every facet, from hanging out with friends to riding around in her car.
“Say Yes” has the classic R&B vibe Melanie is known for. However, both songs are inspired by her relationship. Melanie and Jared got married in December 2020, and the Toronto-bred artist dished on their relationship. Fun fact: he is featured in the “Say Yes” music video.
“When we first started dating, I had come into that relationship post a lot of self-work. I had gotten out of a long-term relationship, I had a year and a half to date and be by myself and do a lot of work on myself alone. And when we met, I remember feeling like this has to be my person because I feel it,” she says.
“And so when we went into that relationship, and we started dating, I was very clear. I was like, I know what I want. I'm very clear on what I need, and I'm not going to withhold my truth about myself in this process because of pride or fear of rejection. I know you love me, but I'm coming with my heart in my hand to let you know that if we're gonna get there, we have to put fear aside and say yes. So that was kind of like my open letter to him, which is why the video is us having a conversation.”
Melanie also shares that saying yes to her partner has empowered her in many ways, including motherhood and showing up for herself. Her new EP, also titled Say Yes, will be available at the top of 2025.
Check out the full interview below.
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The 'Success' Salary: Is $588,000 Per Year Reasonable For Black Women?
According to a recent survey by Empower, a financial services company, many Americans say a yearly salary of $270,214 means you’ve made it. It’s the kind of earnings that reflect success. That sum, which is three times more than the median household income, accounts for just 10% of U.S. households that earned more than $234,900 last year, according to CNBC. When broken down by age, millennials (ages 28 to 43) set their “success” salary at $180,865, while Gen Z (ages 18 to 27) set their expectations even higher. They said it would take $587,797 to be successful, according to the Empower findings.
The research also found that 49% of Americans feel “less financially successful than others,” which is “part of the reason they say they’d need such a high salary to feel accomplished, " Rebecca Rickert, head of communications at Empower, told CNBC.
In terms of overall net worth that defines a “successful” life, Gen Z noted the average at more than $9.4 million, while millennials noted more than $5.6 million. The numbers reflect unreasonable, pie-in-the-sky notions about success, with 47% indicating that “they’ll never achieve the level of success they’re seeking” and 42% of women considering themselves financially successful right now.
Black Women and the Wealth Disparity
Black women professionals, in particular, face a major challenge to this perception of a successful salary in the form of the wealth gap, earning 66 cents for every dollar white males make and earning $96 for every dollar their Black full-time counterparts make.
Black women's weekly median earnings were $935 in the third quarter of 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is more than $44,800 gross yearly. Elder millennial women (ages 35 and older), as a whole, earned median weekly earnings of $1,160, which is more than $55,600 yearly. Gen Zers ages 16 to 24 had the lowest median weekly earnings at $720 (or more than $34,500 per year).
And of course, the salary increases based on education and experience, but numbers still did not reach the “success” salaries of respondents in the Empower survey.
Alternate Pathways to Wealth
For Black women, the traditional path of just keeping a “good job” for 30 years doesn’t align with the “success” notions from the Empower findings, however, there are other paths to wealth building. Based on the success of high-net-worth Black women, the common themes are ownership, investing, and entrepreneurship. Women like Oprah Winfrey, Sheila Johnson, Rihanna, Serena Williams, Emma Grede, Fawn Weaver, Iman Abuzeid, and several others, all have those three things in common.
While there are still very real barriers to Black women reaching a multi-million-dollar net worth (and the aforementioned women are indeed outliers), investing in stocks, real estate, art, and other methods of making your money work for you are ways to increase one’s income as a full-time employee. And, according to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, home equity has accounted for the largest share of Black wealth since the start of the 20th century.
Starting a lucrative side hustle, launching businesses, buying into a franchise, or owning a proprietary trademarked process or service can also be a great way to double or even triple your net worth.
Redefining Definitions of Success
While it is great to strive for wealth or riches, the way you define success is directly connected to your worldview and values. Not all of us link an abundance of money to success. The same respondents from the Empower research said their personal definition of success is “often at odds with what society prizes,” with 43% defining financial success as “having a certain amount of money or assets.”
Only 27% ranked “wealth” as the “highest measure of financial success,” with 59% stating that “happiness” is the most important benchmark (i.e., having the ability to spend money on the things and experiences that bring the most joy, doing what you love.) Thirty-five percent indicated success is defined by “the luxury of free time to pursue personal passions.”
If there's a yearly salary that denotes success, what happens if, when you finally achieve it, you can't really enjoy it? What do you think the salary of a "successful" person is? Is "success" truly defined by how much money you earn? The jury is out on that one.
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