We all have body hair, and although some of us have more hair than others, you may want to remove yours for whatever reason. You could easily grab a razor (check out our shaving guide here), but if you want your results to last for weeks without stubble, then at-home waxing might be the answer for you.
Whether at home or in the salon, all waxing needs to be completed safely to avoid injury or infection. Here is the ultimate guide to tackling at-home waxing with safety and confidence.
How To Prepare Your Skin For Waxing
Waxing removes hair from the follicle; in other words, it pulls your body hair out by the root, which allows germs to enter the open hair follicles!
Waxing also removes the top layer of dry, dead skin cells in many situations, leaving the skin smoother but more prone to discomfort. Alongside these risks, heated wax, if used wrong, can burn the skin.
Basically, there’s a lot that can go wrong with at-home waxing. But with proper preparation, waxing practises, and aftercare, you will be able to safely wax your hair away and enjoy the results for weeks to come.
Exfoliate Away
Exfoliate with a light scrub, brush, mitt, or loofah a day or two before waxing to eliminate dead skin cells that surround the hair follicles. We suggest you use a physical exfoliant rather than a chemical one before a wax, as a chemical exfoliant may cause your skin to be extra sensitive.
Exfoliating helps release ingrown hairs and improves the outcomes of waxing. Remember that scrubbing too hard will irritate your skin, which isn't ideal for waxing.
Exfoliating with a body scrub - To avoid hurting your skin, make sure your body is properly soaked and softened with warm water before applying a body scrub. Cover your skin with an adequate amount of product and massage it into your skin in circular motions. Scrubbing should not be done every day but rather twice or three times a week.
Exfoliating with a dry brush - Massaging your body with a dry, stiff-bristled brush on a daily basis will gently buff away flaky skin, clear pores, and encourage lymph flow. Begin at the bottom of your feet/ankles and work your way up, using long, fluid strokes on the limbs and circular motions on the chest and back. There should only be a few strokes per location; too many can cause the skin to tear.
Clean & Dry The Skin
Waxing should always be done on freshly cleaned skin. Scrub away any bacteria, sweat, oil, makeup, grime, or other residues with a mild soap. Oily skin and hair might prevent wax from sticking, and dirt raises your chances of getting infections.
Wax also won't stick to wet hair either, so use a clean towel to dry the area thoroughly. Also, a pinch of talc-free body powder. If you're sweating from the heat or a bit of a nervous sweater, the powder can help absorb excess moisture. It also aids in skin protection during the painful pull.
Shave First
It may seem counterintuitive to shave before you wax, but hair that’s long can make waxing a lot more difficult and painful. Generally, your hair needs to be a ¼ inch or ½ a cm long to be waxed, so it’s suggested that you shave a few days before you plan to wax.
Choose Your Wax
There are three main types of wax: hot wax, cold wax, and sugar wax.
What Is Hot Wax?
As the name implies, hot wax is wax that has been heated to between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius. A wooden spatula is then used to apply it to the skin. Before removing the wax and the hairs, you wait for it to cool and solidify.
Strip wax is a sort of hot wax. The hot wax is applied to the treated region once more. The wax is then covered with a disposable paper or cotton strip and waits for it to cool. When the strip is cool, removing it brings the wax and hair with it.
What Is Cold Wax?
Cold wax is applied in pre-shaped strips for a specific body part, such as the upper lip. They are applied to the affected area before being removed. These are commonly used for waxing at-home.
What Is Sugaring?
Sugaring removes body hair in a similar way as waxing by swiftly plucking the hair from the root. This mixture is far more natural and environmentally friendly than wax, making it an appealing hair removal option for the environmentally conscious.
The cooled sugar paste is applied against the direction of hair growth and withdrawn in the direction of hair growth. This is opposed to waxing, where the hair is pulled out in the opposite direction of hair growth, making the hair more likely to break in half and cause irritations.
It's also worth noting that because sugaring paste does not stick to the skin, it can only be used to remove hair. Waxing, on the other hand, sticks to the skin and can irritate it even more, making sugaring the best choice for sensitive skin.
Tips For A Painless Wax
Although waxing will always cause some slight discomfort, there are a few steps you can take to make the waxing process as painless and easy as possible.
Wax should be applied in the direction of hair growth. Always smooth wax onto the skin in the direction of the growth, whether you're using a strip wax or a stripless wax. In the same direction, apply your strip.
Pull in the opposite direction. Follow the instructions for your specific wax because some waxes need time to solidify before they can be pulled, while others can be pulled practically instantly. Hold skin taut with one hand, then, in one swift move, pull the strip of wax off with the other hand against the direction of hair growth.
Reduce the pain by the pull. Take a deep breath and exhale as you pull hard to reduce the sting. Then, to relax the skin that has just been waxed, place your hand on it and apply light pressure.
Remove wax residue. Many waxing packages include products to help remove any residual wax from your skin. If not, a few drops of olive or jojoba oil will be enough. Pick off any residual remnants of wax and pluck any stray hairs with tweezers.
Apply an aftercare product. You want to use a product that calms the skin right after a wax, but the trick is to use one that also fights bacteria. Our Daily Treatment Oil is beneficial for inflamed skin conditions and for soothing irritation after waxing and hair removal.
Final Tips
If you're new to waxing, it may be a good idea to go to a salon for your first wax and observe an expert in action.
Choose a body part that you can reach with two hands and easily see, for your first DIY wax. Begin with a small patch and see how things go before moving on to a larger section or a hairy part that is more difficult to reach.
No worries if you decide waxing isn't for you. There are various hair removal options available to you. You can also keep your fuzz in place and flaunt it. It's entirely up to you.