Whether you’ve had a thousand bikini waxes, hair removal by waxing before (your legs, for example) or you’ve never been near a pot of wax, a bikini wax takes some prep (and this includes trying not to think of the hair in that area being ripped out from the roots by a stranger…)!
It’s important to remember, your therapist probably really has done a thousand bikini waxes and yours is just another one, no different to any of the others. Professionalism is always at the core of any treatment, especially bikini waxing. Expect a salon to provide a clean and comfortable environment, most importantly a private one, and often paper undies to wear throughout.
All salons should use either pre-made wax strips or single use applicators to apply hot wax. With no double dipping. Ever. So you should be confident that there’s no chance of any nasties being transferred.
Hot wax isn’t actually too hot. It’ll feel warm on the skin but shouldn’t burn you. The therapist will then apply a clean piece of muslin cloth over the wax, flatten it down, and immediately rip it off, taking the hair with it. It’s a very quick process, neither of you really want it to last any longer than necessary, and your therapist will be professional and friendly to put you at ease. The level of pain is different for everyone but it shouldn’t be too painful, or hurt for any longer than an hour or so after treatment.
If there are any stray hairs left, your therapist will remove them with tweezers and then apply a soothing after-wax cream. You can get dressed straight away. Expect some redness probably for the rest of the day, then smooth, hair free skin for weeks!
Types of Bikini Waxes
Here’s a quick lowdown on the different types of bikini wax you can book in for, starting from the modest up to the most hair removed possible.
Standard Bikini Line
Great for a first foray into bikini waxing. This wax will tidy and neaten up around the edges and remove any hair above a modest knicker line, around the sides and down the legs.
The French Wax
This removes hair from the front (on the pubic bone) and sides, but leaves the middle part and around the back untouched. The remaining hair can be fashioned into any shape from the popular landing strip, to a small triangle or square.
The Brazilian
One of the most popular bikini waxes, this involves removing all hair from the front, sides, middle and behind. So, pretty much everything apart from some hair left on the top, in whatever shape you like (although don’t go too complicated as waxing against the direction of hair growth can result in nasty ingrown hairs). As with the French wax, the landing strip is most popular, or why not opt for a heart shape?! You can also go for a ‘floating’ patch of hair left behind, a bit higher up, again, in whatever shape you like. This is often a triangle and is comically known as the ‘desert island’.
The Hollywood
For the bravest of souls, this is an all off wax. That is, no hair is left behind. Simple, clean and easy!
Top Bikini Wax Tips
Don’t be tempted to trim hairs before a bikini wax as this makes them harder for the wax to grip onto. Also, try to resist shaving between waxes as this leaves the root behind and can make the skin bumpy and uneven, bad for waxing.
Always exfoliate regularly between waxes to reduce the risk of ingrown hairs. Never use a sunbed or sunbathe in the 24 hours after waxing as skin will be super sensitive.
And although alcohol might seem like a good idea to numb the pain, it can dehydrate you, causing pores to tighten making hair more difficult to remove.
Waxing your own bikini line can be tricky and messy and is usually best left to the professionals. Shaving is obviously easier at home, but has to be done every other day or so. The regrowth is itchy and stubbly as the hairs are cut blunt, rather than being pulled out from the root.
