Between battling chafing, painful ingrown hairs, and making endless trips to the salon, keeping your body hairless and smooth seems to be more of a challenge than anything. Getting your hair removed professionally will quickly burn a hole in your pocket. For a full-body wax, you can expect to pay at least a hundred dollars and even more if you opt for laser hair removal. Save yourself some cash this summer, and try a couple of these natural hair removal techniques:

1. Shaving

If you are in need of a quick fix, disposable razors are the way to go. However, if you have been shaving for some time, you know that it is quite easy to cut your skin by accident or wake up to an ingrown hair or razor bump. Both razor quality and proper technique are key. Exfoliate your skin beforehand to get rid of any dead skin so that you are less likely to develop ingrown hairs, and always shave in the opposite direction of your hair growth. Use shaving cream or a carrier oil of your choice to develop a protective barrier between your skin and the razor.

2. Waxing

If you are familiar with spa culture then you know a thing or two about waxing. While it definitely gets the job done, it is one of the more expensive options unless you get a home waxing kit. Though there are several variations of these kits, they usually come in the form of wax strips. Waxing is a great route to go because unlike shaving, it removes the entire hair from the root to the tip. Just be sure to apply a cold compress an hour or so beforehand to ease the pain.

3. Sugaring

Though it has been around for some time, sugar waxing, also known as sugaring, has only recently gained recognition for being one of the most effective natural hair removal techniques. The concept is very similar to regular waxing, but it is less painful and has been known to permanently reduce hair growth over time. You can purchase home sugaring kits at the supermarket, or you can prepare the wax yourself with just a few kitchen ingredients. All you need to do is boil a mixture of water, lemon, and sugar until it becomes frothy, let it thicken as it cools down, and there you have a perfect batch of sugar wax.

4. Threading

Over recent years, a lot of people have traded waxing in for a more innovative method: threading. Threading is a quick process that involves hair removal using only a piece of thread. The results tend to last a bit longer than waxing, and it is quite inexpensive. Threading is primarily used to remove facial hair, but it is effective on all areas of the body.

Your expensive biweekly trips to the salon are now a thing of the past. You can achieve the same flawless results for just a portion of the cost in the comfort of your own home.