Getting Waxed? Tips To Prepare Your Skin Before Waxing

Whether you’ve gotten hair waxed before or this is your first time, there are a few key things to routinely be aware of beforehand, to make the best out of your waxing service experience.

Observe your skin

Especially the areas you wish to have waxed.

• Broken or damaged skin will need to heal before a waxing.
• Moles and beauty marks may need to be covered to stay protected during the waxing service.

Let it grow!

Wax is meant to grip hair so that it may release from the skin. When the hair is too short, the wax cannot get a good grip, and when the hair is too long, waxing may be painful. A good rule of thumb to ensure that the hair is at optimal length (about ¼ inch), is to grasp it between your fingers.

If you find that you’re grasping your skin as well, the hair is not long enough. Let the hair grow for some time (usually around 3-5 days) before your scheduled waxing session.

Time your exfoliation and moisturization.

Exfoliation is great for keeping dead skin cells away and preventing ingrown hairs; however, it is not a friend of waxing. Exfoliating too close to a waxing session takes off a protective layer of skin that will be removed by waxing. Avoid exfoliation for a week before the waxing session to avoid a painful experience.

Moisturizing, on the other hand, is more imperative to help relax the skin in the days leading up to waxing. Remember to skip the moisturizer on the day of the waxing appointment, as it could coat the area, making the hair too slippery for the wax to grip. Moisturizer could also clog the pores after waxing. It’s best to avoid applying moisturizer to the skin for about 24 hours surrounding your waxing appointment.

Cleanliness is always a good thing.

Keep your skin as clean as possible, especially the sensitive areas. Use a mild soap to cleanse the areas that are to be waxed, and after they dry you can follow up with wiping the areas with rubbing alcohol to ward off any excess bacteria or moisture. Waxing opens the pores of the skin and leaves them vulnerable to infection, especially in areas that stay warm or damp. Keeping these areas as clean as possible can help to avoid infection. Waxing doesn’t have to be painful! Keep these few key factors in mind when making an appointment to get waxed, and your experience will be the best it can be.