Our top Waxing tips for silky smooth skin.
With summer comes the all too familiar pulling down of the sundress in the hope that no one will notice your cactus legs. Constant shaving can not only be a real pain but can also leave your skin irritated and red.. So what do you need to know before you book your first wax:
- Clients who opt for waxing often think trimming the hair in areas such as the bikini line may ease the pain as the hairs will not be so long but this is not the case, in fact if the hairs are too short they will break at the surface rather than come out at the root. The hairs should ideally be about one eighth of an inch for the best waxing results.
- During the menstrual cycle you can be more sensitive to pain so best to avoid waxing for that reason. In fact your pain threshold can vary for many reasons, if you are tired, not in a great mood, perhaps haven’t been sleeping, all of these things can make you feel a little more sensitive to pain. Some clients advise us they take a couple of paracetamol or ibuprofen prior to waxing, and in their opinion it takes the edge of the pain however we could not recommend this.
- If you are taking any medication make sure you let your therapist know especially Accutane, or creams containing AHA’s or Retin A, these are not compatible with waxing and could lead to skin burns or the skin lifting.
- It’s important to avoid hot baths, showers and sun exposure following a waxing treatment as the skin will be extra sensitive for 24/48 hours.
- Once the skin has settled, try to exfoliate two or three times a week as thing will lessen the likelihood of ingrown hairs.
In most cases you should find your waxing treatment will last around four weeks, six if you are lucky. It is a definitely a more permanent option than shaving and also less time consuming as you aren’t reaching for the razor every day. - Don’t forget your SPF, newly exposed skin can be photosensitive especially in the first 24- 48 hours.
- Do not mess with ingrown hairs. Do not pick them. So tempting. Do not squeeze, pinch, or otherwise terrorize with tweezers .Once tormented they become prone to infection and they look terrible.
It can be confusing deciding which bikini wax to go for and often our clients are embarrassed to ask ‘which is which’ so to clear this up for you here are our most common types of bikini wax:
- Standard Bikini Wax. This is simply hair removed from the sides of the pant line
- Californian Bikini Line. This is as above but with hair also remove above the pant line (lower abdomen)
- Brazilian Bikini Line. This leaves a thin strip of hair at the front with all the hair removed from sides and back.
- Hollywood Bikini Line. As above but with all hair removed.
Book your appointments in advance. Salons can be very busy over the summer months and if you can’t get the appointment you want, the temptation to shave may be too difficult to resist. Waxing is a commitment. Don’t do it once and then never again. You can, but it’s kind of pointless. The repetition of the act keeps the hair follicles from rooting in, so each time you wax, there is less hair and the discomfort is not as severe.
- If you have never had a wax before you should have a patch test first, ask your skincare therapist for advice.