Shaving, waxing, or laser hair removal? An honest comparison

Anyone who’s tired of hair removal faces the same dilemma: should I keep shaving, switch to waxing, or invest in laser hair removal? We’ll compare them honestly—including how much it will have cost you in five years.

Shaving: Inexpensive per shave, but expensive over a lifetime

Shaving is quick and painless—that’s the good news. You know the bad news: within 1 to 3 days, you’ll feel stubble, and many people struggle with razor burn, red bumps, and ingrown hairs. If you do the math, you’ll quickly find that you’re spending €100 to €150 a year on razor blades, shaving gel, and after-shave products. Over ten years, that adds up to more than €1,000—for a result that disappears every two days.

Waxing or sugaring: smoother for longer, but it keeps coming back

Waxing keeps you smooth for 3 to 5 weeks, and the hair grows back softer than when you shave. But: it hurts, you have to let the hair grow out first before you can wax again (that “stubble phase” that nobody likes), and ingrown hairs are a risk here, too. If you visit a salon every 4 to 5 weeks, that adds up to €300 to €600 per year—year after year, with no end in sight.

Laser Hair Removal: An Investment with an End in Sight

Laser hair removal requires the largest upfront investment and a course of 6 to 8 treatments on average. On the other hand, after that course, 80 to 90 percent of hair growth is permanently gone. No stubble, no ingrown hairs, no weekly routine. The treatment feels like warm taps on the skin—the Gentlemax Pro Plus cools the skin during each flash, making it much more comfortable than waxing.

The 5-Year Projection

• Shearing: Approximately €500 to €750 in materials + hundreds of hours of your time.
• Waxing: About €1,500 to €3,000 in salon visits, every month.
• Laser treatment: a one-time course of treatment—followed by no more than one maintenance session per year.

Which method is right for whom?

Keep shaving if it doesn't bother you and it's worth 5 minutes a week to you. Choose waxing if you have an event coming up and want to be temporarily smooth for weeks. Choose laser hair removal if you're done with the recurring routine, suffer from irritation or ingrown hairs, and want to make a one-time investment in a long-lasting result.