Abstract: A depilatory wax stick which is simple, low cost and easy to use, particularly on facial and neck surfaces and other small areas and even in delicate areas where very fine wax deposition is required. In a preferred embodiment disclosed herein, the wax stick is generally cylindrical and is about 10 cm long and has a slightly tapered shape with a 1.8 cm diameter base and a 1.5 cm diameter free end which is rounded to form about a 1.0 cm application tip. Because there is no required flow of wax through an aperture or passage or onto a roller, the stick may be shaped in virtually unlimited ways to facilitate extremely fine application control. In its simplest form, the base of the stick is held in a tapered plastic cap which provides a stable flat surface. An external housing may be provided to promote convenient storage and to prevent contamination of the wax between uses.

Abstract: An integrated pressure-responsive liquid-release valve has a first layer formed of a resiliently-deformable non-porous material and a second layer bonded to the first layer and formed of a deformable, preferably resiliently-deformable, porous material. A plurality of normally-closed slits are defined in and through the first layer of non-porous material. The slits are configured so that the application of material-deforming pressure to the first layer causes the slits to operatively open for passing liquid through the open slits, and the cessation of the applied material-deforming pressure causes the slits to close under the resilient return urgency of the non-porous material. The porous material receives liquid passed through the slits of the non-porous material first layer when material-deforming pressure is applied to the a non-porous material to open the slits.