Have I mentioned that I can''t feel my lips?

[Gypsy]

This thread could alternately be titled: Adventures in Facial Hair Removal II (for the first installment in this series click here.)

So I was at Nordies today shopping for fake eyelashes and lipstick for the wedding (don't ask me why I'm paying over 500 dollars for hair and makeup and still have to shop for my own lipstick, that's another story) and I notice... OMG I have the mustache from hell. Okay so not that bad, but still... not attractive. AND I'm growing in my eyebrows for the wedding so I look like Groucho Marks.

And I have my engagement pics tomorrow. *Sigh*

So I decide to stop by the drug store and pick up some facial hair bleach to take care of the mustache (the hair is really fine so it bleaches okay) and to take a shade off the black eyebrows so that they aren't so noticeably shaggy and un-plucked. AND I get this bright idea to try a hair remover creme.

Sally Hansen for hard to remove hair, if you are wondering what to avoid.

Got home, put it on. And well... I'm pretty sure I burned off all the skin on my lips. And um.. since I had the brilliant notion to use the stuff on the whole lower half of my face AND my neck... there too.

Splochy, irrated, burned skin. I put aloe on it (stuff has alcohol in it dontchya know... burned like the dickens, cats were entertained by the pain-dance though), put Neosprorin on it (not the petrolium one) which I ALSO suspect has alcohol in it (cats couldn't keep their eyes off of me) and I'm now waiting for that stuff to wear in before I try Solarcaine (which I should have used first).

So... um. Did I mention I have an engagement photoshoot tomorrow?

When I told John, bless him, he says, "So umm... tell the photographers to shoot from a distance and in black and white only?

I'm thinking that might be the solution. Yikes.

*Banging head against wall* I feel like such an idiot. I could have just .... OUCH OUCH OUCH. SOLARCAINE STINGS TOO!!! Oh, MOMMA!!!

*Sigh*

 

[fieryred33143]

Everything you wrote was Hilarious with a capital H.

Is their swelling? You can try an icepak

 

[Gypsy]

Oooooooooooh ICE. That sounds great. Off to get the peas (lost ice pack a while back).


Happy to make you laugh BTW. I figured, if nothing else, there is entertainment value in this. Not for me, mind you.

 

[WishfulThinking]

Oh Gypsy... that''s horrible! You''re so funny that I''m laughing hard as I read it, but I feel guilty for doing so.

Heal soon, and good luck with the photos tomorrow. Photographers can work magic, dontchya know.

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

ahahhahh man that is funny... thank god for photoshop. they shoul be able to make ur skin look flawless anyway...

poor u.... just use lots of cover up an a good foundation...

 

[snlee]

Oh no! That''s horrible! But the way you wrote it made it so funny. Hopefully the ice works and it looks much better for your photo shoot tomorrow!

 

[neatfreak]

Awww Gypsy! For future reference if you want to go downtown they do great brows at Cinta salon, so I assume their other waxing is good too. Very gentle.

My waxer always tells me to put Neosporin on my brows and ICE ICE ICE. Good luck honey!

 

[Gypsy]

It feels better.

John got home, started muttering about chemical burns and the fact that my skin looked really bad and dragged me off to urgent care. They made me rinse my face for 10 minutes straight then perscribed me a hydrocortisone and an antibiotic cream. Apparently I did a number on my skin.

I''m still gonna try to do the e-shoot tomorrow. I have to be careful with the makeup, so I bought all sealed new makeup, can only wear it for a short time and have to take it off immediately and re-apply the antibiotic ointment. That''s all assuming my skin isn''t crusty tomorrow.

YAY!

Neatfreak, thank you for the recommendation. Amber Gretchen and my makeup artist both have good brow people in the city too, so I''ll have to intestigate all these places in the city. I''ll probably get my brows done a the week before the wedding. I can maintain it for a couple weeks myself so I''ll likely be okay. As for the rest of the face. Justr bleach. GENTLE bleach.

Snlee honey! HI!!! *WAVING MADLY*

I haven''t seen you in a while! How are you?!?!

 

[blondebunny]

im sorry put when I read that I giggled, I actually did that once, my mom was obsessed with me having no hair on my face (mind you its blonde and u cant see it) so she''d either make me wax it (which HURT!) or one time I decided Id try to use hair remover stuff... ya I got red everywhere and was almost like a rash/scabs all over my face

Im sooo sorry I bet its painful and stuff...

What I put on it that helped alot... is Vitamin E oil, usually by the other vitamins and stuff in the stores, and it worked miracles, I will def attest to that...

Goodluck...

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 8/9/2008 11:46:51 PM
Author: blondebunny
im sorry put when I read that I giggled, I actually did that once, my mom was obsessed with me having no hair on my face (mind you its blonde and u cant see it) so she''d either make me wax it (which HURT!) or one time I decided Id try to use hair remover stuff... ya I got red everywhere and was almost like a rash/scabs all over my face

Im sooo sorry I bet its painful and stuff...

What I put on it that helped alot... is Vitamin E oil, usually by the other vitamins and stuff in the stores, and it worked miracles, I will def attest to that...

Goodluck...

Hey BB... yeah. Rash and scabs. That''s about accurate. John was worried about blistering too and the fact that it just hurt so much. I''m sorry it happened to you too. Thanks for the Vitamin E reccomendation!!

 

[snlee]

Date: 8/9/2008 11:33:47 PM
Author: Gypsy
Snlee honey! HI!!! *WAVING MADLY*

I haven''t seen you in a while! How are you?!?!

Hi Gypsy!

I hope the hydrocortisone and an antibiotic cream helps your skin heal quickly!

I''m 7.5 months pregnant and on bed rest. I could be better but I''m hanging in there. You''ll probably see me around PS more. I''m bored!

Your wedding is next month? How exciting! I''m so happy for you!

 

[Skippy123]

Oh Gypsy, you poor thing, what we endure for look a tiny bit prettier than you already are! hehe

Your wedding will be here before you know it! How exciting!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Oh my Gypsy!!

Sounds like everything went a bit crazy...I hope your lips are feeling better! Here''s some happy lips and beautiful e-pics PS dust ((hugs))! How have you been and how is your new job? I miss ya!

Anyway, have fun tomorrow I hope we get to see the e-pics!

 

[anchor31]

OMG! That sounds horrible Gypsy!

Trying new products on your face the day before a photoshoot or the wedding is never a good idea... Sending you PS healing dust for your skin and good luck dust for the photoshoot.

 

[lauralu]

Oh Gypsy I am so very sorry this happened. How Horrible. You know the old saying...tell your story and if you can help just one person it is worth it... Well my daughters are going to be reading this. They are always asking me to buy them that stuff for their legs and upper lip ect. My oldest has PCOS and trouble with facial hair and periodically has to put me through the argument about why she can''t just get that cream it would be so easy. I always tell her that the burn after would not be easy....again I am sorry and I sure hope today your feeling better. That is just horrible. Take care

 

[lauralu]

okay I have to edit my above post to ad....telling your story does not in anyway make what happened worth it. I meant that telling your story is worth it, not getting burned. Sorry if that came out wrong.

 

[vintagelover229]

OMG I AM SO SORRY! I hope you get better soon! I also hope your pics come out well despite the pain your going through! *HUGS* I''m sure you look great anyways!

 

[Maisie]

Ohhh Gypsy! That sounds painful! And I am sorry for giggling. Its just the way you tell it!

Date: 8/10/2008 12:55:04 AM
Author: snlee

Date: 8/9/2008 11:33:47 PM
Author: Gypsy
Snlee honey! HI!!! *WAVING MADLY*

I haven''t seen you in a while! How are you?!?!

Hi Gypsy!

I hope the hydrocortisone and an antibiotic cream helps your skin heal quickly!

I''m 7.5 months pregnant and on bed rest. I could be better but I''m hanging in there. You''ll probably see me around PS more. I''m bored!

Your wedding is next month? How exciting! I''m so happy for you!

Sorry to hear you are on bed rest Snlee. I had to stay in bed for 2 months in one of my pregnancies. Its so boring!!

 

[jerseygrl]

Gypsy- I am so sorry to hear what happened! I hope your engagement photoshoot goes well!

I have very sensitive skin and have tried every hair removal product out there...

What works best for me is GIGI tea creme wax with the professional wax warmer. IT IS REALLY WORTH IT!! The wax warmer can be set to medium temp, preventing any type of burns. Also, they sell a bunch of after wax cremes to help soothe the skin. Waxing at home can create a mess in the bathroom, but I just use nailpolish remover to get the wax off the skink.

In regards to bleach: JOLEN brand for sensitive skin is the best one- I used it for many years before I started waxing...

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Oh, Gypsy, it sounds like you have everything under control now and it''s just going to take a couple of days to heal. I just wanted to offer my sympathy, I know how painful/frustrating/slightly embarrassing walking around with chemical burns on your face can be. Photoshop does wonders for skin tone and soon you''ll be right back to normal!!

Now whenever I use a depilatory cream I wash it off the second it starts to burn--chemical burns are something you never do twice, haha. Like JerseyGrl, I have a home waxer and after trying every wax on the market, the milk chocolate creme wax is the only wax I can use on my upper lip without any fear of more than hair coming off.

I hope you feel better soon! I think many of us have been there!

 

[ljsmith001]

I can''t believe that happened to yoU! I used that stuff back in the day before I decided to go with laser hair removal! I have really dark hair though so I needed it! Did you leave it on too long? Ouch! I would recommend any kind of powder makeup that is made with minerals. I use it right after my laser treatments and it completely hides the red, irritated skin! Use a makeup brush and dust it on the red areas and it should cover it right up for you! Good LuCK!!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Hope the e-shoot went well in spite of the hair fiasco!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Omg Gypsy, I am sooo sorry! Hope it gets better before the shoot! You do have an amazing gift for telling stories though - I felt bad for you, but on the other hand, the way you told it was so funny!

The hair removal stuff is HARSH. I got some of the stuff for sensitive skin and tested it on my arm to make sure there were no allergies - good thing! It really felt like a burn - red, sensitive, rashy - if that''s for sensitive skin, I don''t want to go within 10 feet of the regular stuff.

I''ll keep my fingers crossed for you!

 

[Octavia]

Yikes! Gypsy, how did it go? Are you feeling any better?

 

[Gypsy]

Oh WOW. Lookit the responses! You guys are the best-- promise to respond individually (just can''t tonight, its pretty late). The PS dust worked, I think along with the cortisone, motrin and antibiotic ointment. This morning it was crusty in parts (like around my upper lip especially) but looked way better-- not too puffy and horribly red.

Applying makeup to crusty skin made a few parts of it weird textured but overall, it was MUCH better than I thought it would be. The photoshoot was actually fun and like bonding time. I can''t wait to see the pics! I will post a few when we get them, promise. Just not sure when we''ll get them yet.

THANK YOU ALL for the good wishes and advice and commisseration. As usually PS dust and good wishes win the day! I think it will heal up in a few days more and stop feeling so senstive and raw, which will be nice.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

I am glad it went well!!

Sleep well!

 

[bensbride]

Ugh, this sounds horrible! I don''t know why on earth they would sell something that is that damaging to your skin!!! This also reminds me of a story from a coworker. She was preggo and couldn''t properly groom her *lady* area. So.....she tried hair removal gel. Same sort of thing happened. Blistering ouchieness. As awful as it sounds, just be glad your *lady* area is intact!!

 

[doodle]

i''m glad i read this after you posted that it was healing nicely--it alleviated some of my giggle guilt!

only some, though!

my mom''s sisters are 7 and 10 years older than her, so when she was a kid, she was always getting into their makeup, etc. well, apparently, when she was about six, she stumbled across a bottle of nair and slathered it all over her entire face because she thought it was lotion. there are VERY few pictures of my mother in elementary school...because her eyebrows were courtesy of those little red maybelline pencils. just had to share that! can''t wait to see your e-pix!

 

[jas]

Wow, what an ordeal! I''m glad you were able to take the photos -- can''t wait to see them!

 

[miraclesrule]

I waited to post until I knew how the engagement photo shoot turned out. Thank Gawd it went okay.

Now I can chastise you!! What were you thinking? No chemicals on the face...no, no, no. Even bleaching facial hair just leaves you with too much white peach fuzz on your face.

For a really cheap price, you can buy Queen Helene wax at any beauty supply store and heat it up and use popsicle sticks...(well you buy them in a pack, they haven't been in a popsicle). You heat up the wax on your stove, once it cools the right consistency you swirl it around on a stick and apply it to your lip and then rip it off. It's awesome and inexpensive.

You do this after you have paid someone to do it for you so they can show you how it's done. I have been doing it for 20 years.

I put Nair on my legs once. OMG, not pretty. I can't even imagine what it did to your face. I am so glad John hauled your face off to the medical facility. Guys must think we women are nuts!!