With the onset of summer comes many wonderful things. Swimming, sunning, watermelon, neighbors taking their arguments to the back deck so the whole street can listen in and pass judgment on what Todd said to Jill and whether or not he should be welcome at the Independence Day barbecue. Sweet summer living.

For many women, however, there’s also a downside to summer. It’s called bathing suits. Even if you’re pretty pleased with your bod (and we do so hope you are) there’s always the annoyance of body hair removal. That’s why we’ve compiled this guide to waxing, arranged according to associated pain levels.

Most painful waxing option: strip wax

You may also see strip wax referred to as soft wax. It’s the most common form of waxing found in salons because it’s pretty quick and because large areas, like a patch of leg, can be done at once. Strip wax involves a warm, malleable wax being applied over the area. A cloth or wax strip is then smoothed over the wax. Ultimately, the strip is ripped away, bringing the wax and applicable body hair with it.

Medium-painful waxing option: hard wax

The name hard wax makes it seem like this would be the most screech-inducing waxing option, but the experts unanimously disagree. Hard wax is ideal for areas like underarms where hair may be thick or coarse. A thick swatch of wax is applied and left on until it cools, or hardens. It’s then torn away without the use of cloth or paper strips.

Least painful waxing option: sugaring, or honey wax

Isn’t it appropriate that the sweetest sounding version of waxing is also the least painful? Not only are these options all-natural, but they can be applied cool so there’s zero risk of burning. These waxes adhere only to the hair, not your skin, so that’s how your pain is minimized.

Regardless of which type of waxing you and your esthetician choose, there are a couple of tips you’ll want to keep in mind. The morning of your wax be sure to shower and give yourself a good scrub using an exfoliator, like Dead Sea Premier’s Dead Sea Salt Scrub, to remove as much of your body’s oils and dead skin cells as possible. Whatever you do, do not moisturize. You can’t risk your hair getting slick, because that will mean more than one pass with the wax.