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The décor is lively and bright at the Capitol Hill Wax On.

As the weather continues to warm up, it's time to pull out those cute shorts you bought in April and hit the beach in your bikini. That also means it's time to eliminate all that unwanted, unsightly hair. (Hirsute women have yet to be in vogue.)

Most spas and salons offer waxing services, and prices are generally competitive, so I focused on spots that specialize in waxing and what's soon to be the newest beauty rage — sugaring. Read on to find out where to go for hairless legs and other body parts.

WHERE TO GET WAXED

Wax On
The vibe: The Capitol Hill and Belltown studios have a hipster urban vibe, big art, and boutique items such as body products and sexy panties. Treat yourself to a pair for enduring the discomfort of becoming beautiful.

Anne Uhlir has been rendering Seattleites hairless since she opened Wax On in 1999. Uhlir is a pioneer of the Brazilian bikini wax in Seattle and is best known for artistically shaping the little bit of hair that's left after removing the rest. This is one-stop shopping for your beach look too. Uhlir offers air-brush tanning and carries locally designed Blacksheep swimsuits by Tanya M. Demarco.

Full leg: $50
Bikini: $30-$40
Brazilian: $65

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The peaceful interior of the Bee Waxed Spa has a calming effect on clients.

Bee Waxed Spa
The vibe: The space of this West Seattle spa reflects the calm demeanor of owner Bren Sullivan. The interior is simple and serene, but spiced up with Sullivan's art displayed on exposed blonde-colored brick walls.

An aesthetician for several years, Sullivan's been a one-woman show at this spot for almost two years, specializing in brows, Brazilians and bikini waxes. She emphasizes post-wax care (stay out of the pool, use after-care products to prevent bumps and ingrown hairs) and isn't adverse to those who need a sip of wine or a stiff cosmo beforehand to relax for their beauty treatment.

Full leg: $50
Bikini: $30-$40
Brazilian: $55
Full leg and bikini: $70

High Maintenance Skincare Studio
The vibe: A chic but welcoming beauty spot where you're treated like the princess you really are. Have a cup of tea, play with the makeup, sample the skin care products and chat with the aestheticians in the relaxing lounge before your treatment.

Owner Naomi Lewis searched relentlessly for the kindest, gentlest wax — and her clients swear by it. She uses the Lycon hard waxing system from Australia — also known as a stripless wax — to ease the pain of hair removal from delicate areas. Lewis's relaxed and down-to-earth manner puts clients at ease; you'll almost forget your exposing your most private parts.

Full leg: $60 and up
Bikini: $30 and up
Brazilian: $60 and up

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Salon Dewi owner Travis Powell.

Salon Dewi
The vibe: An exotic, island-y getaway on Capitol Hill, this spa has lush plants, beach towels and batik-print sheets on the treatment tables, and teak wood hutches and Balinese accents from the owner's travels.

Whether owner Travis Powell is a self-proclaimed "Waxing Diva" or was dubbed that by the legions of devoted women (and men) who come to him for sleek, smooth skin, it seems a deserved title. The personable Powell has perfected the art with special techniques to eliminate the discomfort and has become a master of decorative design with remaining hair. He emphasizes extensive training with his staff.

Full leg: $60
Bikini: $35 and up
Brazilian: $60
Bikini and full leg: $80

Ancient Secrets of Beauty
The vibe: Persian palace decadence in Kirkland. Owner Suzan Tajer offers Persian tea and cookies on etched brass trays and a giant TV with over 100 channels so you can lounge around before or after your appointment.

Tajer's passion for her profession makes services seem more like a party than a chore. The exuberant Tajer delights in making women silky smooth and she sings and practically cha-chas around the room to lively music as she quickly removes hair. Tajer has developed a special technique that gets you in and out in 15 minutes for both a bikini and full leg wax. A Brazilian takes her five minutes. She'll have a private space at the Bite of Seattle on July 22-24 if you want to check it out.

Full leg: $70
Brazilian: $50
Bikini and full leg: $110

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The Beauty Bar Spa & Boutique offers a casual atmosphere and a darn good wax.

Beauty Bar Spa & Boutique
The vibe: With its lived-in comfy look, this new West Seattle spa features homey touches such as powder-blue retro couches in the lounge area and vintage dressers in the treatment room.

Owners Dejha Colantuono and Lisa O'Leary have a collective 12 years of waxing experience. Colantuono worked with Damone Roberts in Beverly Hills, perfecting her art of hair removal. The spa is designed with a "come as you are" attitude of non-attitude, but as Colantuono points out, "You'll leave looking better than when you arrived."

Leg: $55
Bikini $30
Brazilian $65
Full leg and bikini $75

WHERE TO GET SUGARED

First, what is sugaring? It's the next hottest thing when it comes to hair removal. Why?

1. It's all natural — you can even eat it. A mixture of sugar, lemon and guar gum is applied much like wax, but in the opposite direction of hair growth and quickly peeled away. Then, voila! No more hair.
2. It's allegedly more sanitary than waxing since it avoids the "double dipping" that occurs during waxing. The sugar paste is used once on one client, then it's pitched.
3. Some clients swear it's less painful than waxing. "I'm Irish and my skin is sensitive," says sugaring client Joeanna of West Seattle. "It's much less painful."
4. It's applied at a lukewarm temperature so it doesn't burn.
5. Hair only needs to be 1/8 inch (even 1/16 inch) in length before being removed. That's about seven days' growth as opposed to waxing, where you typically need 2-4 weeks of growth.

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The Sweet Spot owner and sugarer Lara Olsha kneads a mass of sugar, lemon and guar gum.

The Sweet Spot
Sweet Spot owner and sugarer Lara Olsha has been in the sweet and sticky business for two years. She's moving on from her career as a respiratory therapist, so smitten is she with the business and physiology of hair growth and eliminating all traces of it from unwanted areas. Expect to see more spots for sugaring in the future; Olsha was recently certified as an instructor to teach the sugaring technique.

Full leg: $55
Bikini: $30
Brazilian: $65
Designer Brazilian: $75

Coming July 21: Where to buy swimsuits to show off your hair-free body.

Kathy Schultz is a free-lance writer who lives in Seattle and loves to shop. If you have a shop, sale, event or great product tip you'd like to share, e-mail her.