| How to Make Epilating Hurt Less Posted: 03 May 2021 05:00 PM PDT Epilators are a great alternative to tweezing or waxing—but man, using one can be uncomfortable! If you've tried epilating before and are considering giving up because of the pain, there are a few things you can do to make your experience a little less excruciating. The good news is that epilation gets less painful every time you do it, so practice makes perfect! [Edit]Take a painkiller 45 minutes before you start. - Painkillers can help reduce swelling and inflammation. Try taking ibuprofen or aspirin before you start epilating to help with the pain.[1]
- If you forget to take a painkiller before epilating, you can take one afterwards to help reduce the swelling.
- Always follow the dosage recommendation on the back of the bottle.
[Edit]Take a warm bath or shower before epilating. - When you're warm, your pores are more open, which makes epilating hurt less. Indulge in a soothing, warm shower or bath before you begin.[2]
- As a bonus, your skin needs to be clean before you start epilating, so you can kill two birds with one stone.
[Edit]Exfoliate your skin. - Lots of dry skin can make the epilator hurt more. Rub an exfoliating cream over your legs, face, or arms, then rinse it off thoroughly.[3]
- This is especially important for areas on your face, since those tend to get the driest.
- You can use a chemical exfoliator or a physical one; it's your choice!
- It can feel like a habit to put lotion on after exfoliating, but save that until after you're done epilating. Lotions and body butters can clog your epilator up.
[Edit]Get your skin wet if your epilator is waterproof. - If your epilator is waterproof, use it in the shower or the bath. Make sure your skin is dripping wet before you start.[4]
- The moisture will help the epilator glide over your skin more easily, leading to less pain and irritation.
- If your epilator isn't waterproof, make sure your skin is really dry to avoid damaging your device.
[Edit]Use a numbing cream. - Topical numbing cream can reduce pain by numbing your skin. Look for over the counter cream with Lidocaine in it, then spread a pea-sized amount on the area you're going to epilate.[5]
- Numbing creams can get kind of expensive, so save them for the really painful areas of your body, like your face and bikini line.
- Always read the instructions on your numbing cream before you use it.
[Edit]Set the epilator at the lowest speed. - Going too fast can lead to a lot of pulling and tearing. When you first start out, set your epilator to the lowest speed by moving the dial on the side.[6]
- Using a low speed will also help you get a closer, smoother tweeze.
- If you feel like your speed needs an adjustment, you can turn it up after a few minutes.
[Edit]Hold the epilator at a 90-degree angle from your body. - Tilting it too much could lead to pulling and tearing. Make sure your epilator sticks straight out when you first put it on your skin.[7]
- It can also help to start in an area that isn't as sensitive, like your lower leg. Then you can work up to more sensitive areas, like your bikini line.
[Edit]Pull your skin taut. - This will give the epilator a smoother surface to work on. Use your free hand to hold your skin tight against your body as you go.[8]
- This is especially important in areas that have looser skin, like your face.
- It will also help the epilator grab shorter hairs in hard-to-reach places.
[Edit]Keep going. - The more often you use your epilator, the less it will hurt. Try to use your epilator every time you remove hair to get your skin used to it.[9]
- Take a break in the middle of epilating if you need to!
- Your first time epilating is always the worst, but it can only get better from here.
[Edit]Soothe your skin with aloe vera after epliating. - Your skin might look a little red and bumpy afterwards, and that's okay. Use a bit of pure aloe vera or aloe vera based moisturizer to soothe any stinging or burning.[10]
- Most skin irritation disappears overnight. If you don't want to deal with red skin during the day, try epilating close to bedtime.
- Make sure the moisturizer you're using doesn't have alcohol in it, as that can irritate your skin more.
[Edit]Do small touch ups throughout the week. - Epilating a small area is usually less painful than a big one. If you notice a few stray hairs here and there, epilate them as you see them. That way, you can avoid epilating your entire body at once.[11]
- Some hair might grow faster than others, so you could vary which parts of your body that you epilate.
- If your hair is growing back faster than it normally does after epilating, it might be because you snapped the hairs instead of pulling them up by the roots.
- If you're prone to ingrown hairs, exfoliate your skin a few days after you epilate.[12]
[Edit]Warnings - If your epilator isn't waterproof, make sure your skin is fully dry before you start to avoid breaking your epilator.[13]
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Use Linseed Oil on Wood Posted: 03 May 2021 09:00 AM PDT Boiled linseed oil is a popular substance used to coat and protect a variety of different wooden surfaces, such as hardwood floors or pieces of furniture. Also known as a penetrating oil, this finish helps to prevent future scrapes and potential water damage. If you're using bare or previously finished wood, set aside some time to clean and sand down any imperfections and old layers of gloss and finish. Next, use a clean cloth to rub the oil into the wooden surface. If you're looking for a subtle and simple way to recolor and protect your hardwood floors and wooden furniture, then boiled linseed oil treatment might be a great option for you! [Edit]Cleaning and Sanding the Wood - Wear a respirator or safety mask before working with sandpaper. Depending on the size of your project, you might be generating a small or large amount of dust. To protect yourself, take a moment to guard your nose and mouth with a respirator or safety mask. If you'd prefer to take extra precautions, set up a fan within your workspace as well.[1]
- You can find respirators or safety masks at your local hardware or home improvement store.
- Sand down the wood with 60-grit sandpaper or disks. Take a piece of coarse sandpaper and begin rubbing down the surface of your wooden project. As you go, try working the sandpaper along the grain of the wood, so your project can look as smooth and beautiful as possible. If you're working on a larger section of wood, like a hardwood floor, you might have an easier time using a drum sander or floor polisher with sanding disks.[2]
- Always start with coarser pieces of sandpaper. These help get rid of any initial roughness, so you can start smoothing the surface with finer sandpaper later on.
- If you're using a drum sander or floor polisher, remove all furniture from the area so these items don't collect dust.
- Repeat the sanding process with 80- and 100-grit paper or disks. Continue going over the wooden surface, using sandpaper sheets or disks with finer grit levels. Work in long, consistent motions along the surface of the wood, keeping the sandpaper in line with the grain. As a final buffing layer, use 100-grit sandpaper to fully smooth over the surface of the wood.[3]
- Feel the surface of the wood after each sanding. If the wood feels smooth and free of imperfections after an 80-grit sanding, you might not need to worry about the 100-grit paper or disk.
- If you're using a floor polisher, you might have a larger variety of sanding disks on hand.
- Soak a rag with mineral spirits or ammonia. Pour some mineral spirits onto the surface of a clean cloth or rag until the material is drenched. If you don't have any mineral spirits on hand, create a 2:8 mixture of ammonia and tap water. Whichever product you use, check that the rag is soaked, but not dripping wet.[4]
- Ammonia can change the color of your wood's finish.
- If the rag is dripping wet, wring it out before wiping down the wood surface.
- Rub down the wood surface to get rid of any grime. Use long, even strokes to wipe down your wooden floor, furniture, or other fixture. Focus especially on the areas that you've just sanded, or any area that you plan on finishing with boiled linseed oil. To finish up, continue wiping until you've cleaned off your desired surface.[5]
- Dry off the wood with a clean cloth. Take a clean rag and rub it over the newly cleaned surface. As you work, use small, circular motions to buff and wipe away any excess mineral spirits or ammonia. Continue buffing until the entire surface is dry, clean, and smooth. [6]
- If you're drying a wooden floor, you might need more than 1 clean cloth to finish the job.
- Clean up excess sawdust with a shop vac. Avoid using a traditional vacuum cleaner to suck up the leftover sawdust from your workspace, as this could end up clogging it. Instead, use the attached tube to clean up as much dust as possible, so you won't accidentally inhale any foreign particles.[7]
[Edit]Applying the Oil Coating - Wear a pair of gloves before handling any oil. Slide on a pair of work gloves to protect your skin. While boiled linseed oil isn't toxic, you don't want to get the substance on your hands and arms. If you don't have any work gloves on hand, try a different pair of gloves to cover your hands.[8]
- You can find work gloves at most hardware or home improvement stores.
- Boiled linseed oil dries more quickly than regular linseed oil.[9]
- Pour oil onto a section of wood. Open your bottle of oil and cover at least ⅓ of a section of wood. If you're working on a larger project, like a hardwood floor or piece of furniture, don't try to coat all of the wood at once. Instead, work in small sections, so the boiled linseed oil can be applied as thoroughly as possible. Work in a linear path, so you can keep track of the wood that you've already oiled.[10]
- It's better to apply too much linseed oil at first than to not use enough.
- Use your best judgment when applying boiled linseed oil to your wood. In any project, always pour out enough oil to fully coat the surface.
- Rub the oil into the wood in circular motions with a clean cloth. Spread the oil around the surface of the wood, using small, circular motions to completely coat your project. Try to follow the grain of the wood, so the linseed oil can be worked into the wood as evenly as possible. Continue rubbing the oil until the small section of wood is fully coated.[11]
- The cloth should be soft and non-abrasive, like cotton.
- Don't worry if there's any excess linseed oil on your wooden project—you can always wipe it off later!
- Work in small, linear sections to coat a larger project. Continue pouring boiled linseed oil over small, sections of your hardwood floor or furniture. Keep rubbing the oil in circular motions, following the grain of the wood as you go.[12]
- Cover the entire surface with oil before wiping anything off.
- Wait 15 minutes for the oil to soak into the wood. Set a timer for 15-20 minutes, then step away from your project. In this amount of time, the linseed oil can properly adhere to and soak into whatever project you're working on.[13]
- If you don't let the linseed oil soak into the wood, then your finish won't be as protective or effective.
- Wipe away any extra oil with a rag. Take another clean cloth and rub down the wooden surface. Use long, even strokes to soak away any extra oil lingering on the surface of your flooring, furniture, or other wooden fixture. As you work, check that you've wiped down all areas of the project; if any excess oil is leftover, it will leave a sticky finish.[14]
- Wait 1-2 days for the wood to dry completely. Leave your wooden surface alone for at least 24 hours, so the boiled linseed oil can completely dry and set into the wood. If you're working on a large section of flooring, try to limit foot traffic in the area. In the meantime, don't apply any extra oil to the surface.[15]
- Check the wood after 24 hours to see if it feels dry. If the wood still feels a little damp, give the project more time to dry off.
- Brush off any dust from the wood's surface. Take a clean cloth and wipe down your project. This doesn't need to be intensive—instead, try to remove any obvious specks of dust or dirt that have littered the surface during the drying period.[16]
- You don't want any dust specks getting caught in your additional layers of linseed oil.
- Apply a second coat of oil and let it soak for 15 minutes. Follow the same procedure that you did before, using a smaller amount of oil in the process. Use a rag to rub the substance into the wood, working the cloth in circular motions that follow the grain. After rubbing in the oil, wait about 15-20 minutes for the substance to soak and set into the wooden surface.[17]
- Try setting a timer to remind yourself how much time has passed.
- Use a clean cloth to wipe off any extra oil after 15 minutes. Take a clean rag or cloth and get rid of any excess oil lingering along the surface. As you work, try moving your rag in long, consistent strokes while following the wood's grain. Continue wiping until any latent oil is completely gone.[18]
- Reapply some boiled linseed oil when the wood is no longer glossy. Check on your wood surface once every 2-3 weeks. If your hardwood floor or piece of wooden furniture is used on a regular basis, you might see a rapid decline in glossiness and finish on the surface. Whenever this happens, apply 1-2 layers of boiled linseed oil to your wood, giving the item enough time to dry off in between coats.[19]
- Always wipe off any excess linseed oil before applying an additional coat.
- Dump any oily rags into a metal can or plastic bag. As you finish using each oil-soaked cloth, toss the used rag into a separate metal can, plastic container, or bag. Once you've set aside all your rags, fill up the rest of the can with cool water. Finally, seal off the container with a lid. Before throwing this can into the trash, call your garbage company and see what their policy is on disposing potentially hazardous material.[20]
- When left unattended, rags soaked with boiled linseed oil can randomly catch on fire. If you keep any used material in a small, water-filled container, you shouldn't run into any issues.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Cleaning and Sanding the Wood - Respirator or safety mask
- Sandpaper
- Clean rags or cloths
- Mineral spirits
- Ammonia
- Shop vac
[Edit]Applying the Oil Coating - Boiled linseed oil
- Clean rags or cloths
- Metal can or plastic bag
- Fan (optional)
- Drum sander (optional)
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Actively Listen Posted: 03 May 2021 01:00 AM PDT If you want to get involved in deeper conversations, listening with your full attention helps you understand the topic better. Even if you think you're already a good listener, it's sometimes tough to engage with another person. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to stay focused on what the other person is saying. We'll start with some tips on body language and move on to things you can say to make the other person feel heard. [Edit]Get rid of distractions. - Give the other person your full attention to show respect. When you're about to have a conversation, put your phone away, turn off the TV, and avoid looking around the room. Set aside anything that you're working on so you're not tempted to fidget or lose focus. If you're in a loud room, see if you can move to somewhere that's a little quieter so you can avoid the background noise.[1]
- This goes for mental distractions as well, such as fixating on the speaker's mannerisms or daydreaming.
- It's still okay to have quick, casual conversations from across the room, but move and face the person speaking if you're talking for a long time.
[Edit]Maintain eye contact. - Look at the other person while they're speaking so they know you're focused. It's okay to look away every now and then, but try to keep most of your focus on the other person's face. That way, you'll build a deeper connection and give your undivided attention to them.[2]
- We know that it can be hard to make eye contact if you're shy or uncertain, so try focusing on the space between their eyebrows or their mouth. You can even practice making eye contact with yourself in a mirror.[3]
- In some cultures, it's taboo and rude to make prolonged eye contact. Learn the customs of who you're speaking to so you don't make them feel uncomfortable.
[Edit]Lean in toward the person. - If you slouch back and cross your arms, you come across as disinterested. Instead, lean your body closer to the person speaking so you're more attentive and can hear them better. Keep your arms at your side to help you look more open and accepting to what they have to say.[4]
- Stay aware of your body language throughout the conversation and correct your posture if you realize you're closed off.
[Edit]Smile and nod. - Encourage the other person to keep speaking with simple facial expressions. Be mindful of your facial expressions so you don't accidentally make it seem like you're disapproving or disgusted. Instead, offer a kind smile and nod along with what they're saying to show you understand what they're saying. With a little bit of encouragement, you'll make the speaker feel more comfortable about opening up and truly saying what's on their mind.[5]
- Make sure your facial expressions match the tone of the conversation. For example, you probably shouldn't smile if you're talking about relationship issues or another difficult topic.
[Edit]Give short verbal affirmations. - Saying something like "mmhmm" or "I understand" keeps you engaged. If there's a brief pause, let the person know you're listening to them with a short, positive phrase. Be mindful not to speak over the person or interrupt them. The other person will get that you're understanding them and feel comfortable going deeper into the conversation. Other things you can try saying include:[6]
- "Okay."
- "Go on."
- "Oh?"
- "Then what happened?"
[Edit]Avoid being judgmental. - Let the other person speak their mind so you hear their perspective. Even if you don't fully agree with the person, don't let your personal prejudices get in the way of what they're saying. Rather than rudely putting the speaker down or asserting your opinions, keep an open mind and try to picture things from their point of view. Focus on their perspective of the topic and let them describe their thoughts.[7]
- Let go of any assumptions you have on the topic and approach the conversation with curiosity. That way, you can be exposed to new points of view you haven't considered before.
- Check the person's body language for any underlying emotions they might be feeling. For example, if the person thought you promised to do chores around the house in the morning and you didn't do them, they might feel a little upset.
[Edit]Stop thinking of what to say next. - Thinking about your side of the conversation distracts you more. Rather than waiting for your turn to talk, shut out those thoughts until the person is done speaking. Listen completely to the other person until they don't have anything else to say so you can fully reflect on how they feel about the topic.[8]
- Try not to get fixated on how you'll respond to a minor thing the person says. Instead, listen to their entire side of the conversation so you can understand where they're coming from better.
[Edit]Let them finish without interruption. - Avoid cutting the other person off so you don't seem rude. Even though you may want to point out something the person says in the moment, hold the thought until they explain everything. If they pause in the middle of a sentence, let them collect their thoughts and finish rather than interjecting. When it's your turn in the conversation, take everything they said into consideration before bringing up your points.[9]
- Try not to rush the other person through what they're saying. Let the person go through the details they want to go over since it might be important to how they're feeling.
[Edit]Ask open-ended questions for clarification. - Encourage the person to speak more so you can understand them better. Open-ended questions also show that you were listening to the points they were making and that you're genuinely interested in understanding them. Some questions you can try out include:[10]
- "What did you mean by that?"
- "What are some of the other possibilities?"
- "How else could you explain this?"
- "What alternatives have you considered?"
- Be cautious using "why" questions since they might make the other person more defensive. For example, the question "Why would you think that?" could sound like you're questioning how they feel.[11]
[Edit]Restate their points in your own words. - Repeat things that they've said to ensure you're hearing them correctly. It's okay if you don't understand them completely since they'll be able to correct you while you're summarizing what they said.[12]
- For example, you could say, "Let me see if I'm clear about this, you're upset because I didn't wash the dishes this morning. Is that correct?"
- As another example, you could say, "So you're feeling angry because I made plans this weekend without asking you. Am I understanding that right?"
[Edit]Validate the other person's feelings. - Show empathy for them to show you really care. It takes a lot of courage to open up and really talk through things, so let the person know that you understand their emotions. Don't get defensive or try to question them, but instead let them know that their feelings are valid and justified. It doesn't matter if you fully agree with them, but it still makes the person feel like you care and shows that you listened to what they told you.[13]
- For example, you could say, "I completely understand why that situation made you frustrated."
- As another example, you might tell them, "I sense that you're upset and that makes complete sense."
[Edit]Avoid giving advice. - The other person might not be asking for a solution to their problem. Rather than trying to solve the issue the person is going through, just be there to listen and validate their experiences. You don't need to tell them about a similar experience you've been through or offer any help if they aren't looking for it. Before you give any words of advice, make sure you understand their perspective completely and ask them if they're looking for helpful responses.[14]
- For example, you could say, "I understand what you're saying. Is there anything I can do to help out or did you just want to vent?"
- It's okay if there's silence or pauses in the conversation. Take that time to really reflect on what the person said before responding.[15]
[Edit]Warnings - Avoid making jokes or sarcastic comments while the other person is speaking since it can be distracting and take away from their emotions.[16]
- If someone doesn't want to share information when you're trying to dig deeper, don't force them to talk. They might feel uncomfortable about the topic or want to keep it private.[17]
- Try your best not to get defensive about what someone says. If you disagree with them, try to consider things from their perspective.[18]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
No comments:
Post a Comment