RICA Brazilian Avocado Butter Liposoluble Wax 400ml

The frustration with most waxes is short, stubborn hair: the wax comes off and half the hair is still there, so you go over the same patch twice and the skin pays for it. This is RICA's answer to that, made specifically to grip short and coarse hair on the bikini area, face and underarms.

Brazilian avocado butter carries it, with olive oil and argan oil in support. Those keep the wax pliable enough to work into short hair while still setting firm enough to pull it out cleanly. The base underneath is the same patented Italian formula as the rest of the line, free of petroleum derivatives.

Because it grips harder, technique matters more here. Thin layers, skin held properly taut, and a fast pull. Rushing the pull is what causes breakage at the root, which is what leaves you with stubble two days later instead of two weeks.

Which RICA wax? Sensitive or easily irritated skin: Aloe Vera. Bikini line and intimate areas: Brazilian Orange. Short, coarse, stubborn hair on face, underarms or bikini: Brazilian Avocado Butter. Dry skin: Strawberry or Banana, which are the same formula in two scents.

You will need a heater. This is a 400ml tin, so it needs a can-type wax warmer with a thermostat. It will not fit a roll-on cartridge heater, which takes 100ml cartridges instead. Check what you own before ordering.

Worth knowing: 400ml tin. Hair needs to be a few millimetres long for any wax to grip, so resist shaving in between. Avoid the same area twice in one session, since going over freshly waxed skin is what turns redness into proper irritation.