The Complete Guide to At-Home Wax Hair Removal

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📅 November 22, 2024 ✍️ By Anthony Singh ⏱️ 7 Mins Read 🗂️ Blog 🕒 Last updated: November 23, 2024

Summer is almost here and the season calls for tank tops, short shorts, and summer dresses. However, for most of us, booking our next in-salon waxing appointment is not a possibility right now.

The good news is that at-home waxing kits have evolved to be easier and more user-friendly than ever. The problem is...where do you even begin? Ahead, we speak to three experts to share their tips to kickoff your smoothest summer yet.

Put Your Razor Away

As tempting as it is to banish your peach fuzz, if it’s your first time waxing, Nad’s brand ambassador and beauty expert, Natalie Ismiel, recommends waiting at least two weeks after shaving before waxing. “After your first wax, you should wax every three to four weeks. As you continue to wax, your hair follicles become thinner, resulting in smoother, hairless skin,” she explains. How long you wait between waxes depends on how fast your hair grows and what type of wax you’re using. For example, soft wax can grab shorter, finer hairs, so anywhere from a few days to a week of growth is enough. “Just make sure your hair is at least 1.5mm (or 0.059 inches) long for the best results,” she adds.

Press Pause on Chemicals

Popular skincare ingredients like retinoids, vitamin C, and salicylic acids can make your skin more sensitive, so be extra careful (especially if you’re waxing your face). The same goes for sunburns or any type of existing sensitivity. To avoid a potential waxing disaster, always conduct a small patch test. “You want to make sure your skin doesn’t react poorly to anything in the formulas you’re using before fully diving in,” explains Flamingo General Manager, Allie Melnick. “The inside of your arm is a good spot for this.” Another hack? Wax at night before you go to bed, to give your skin a few hours to recover before you face the world.

Harper + Ari Sugar Scrub Cubes

$33 at Amazon

Credit: Harper + Ari

Exfoliate Like You Mean It

The first rule of waxing body hair? Always exfoliate first. “A well-timed scrub has plenty of benefits,” adds Ismiel. “It helps removes dead skin cells that block the hair follicle, the true cause of undesirable ingrown hairs. Exfoliating also boosts circulation, encourages cell regeneration and improves skin tone and appearance.” However, if you have a sunburn, forget about it! You’ll only irritate your skin further.

Keep It Clean

Unlike shaving, waxing requires you to be one-hundred percent dry. Sadly, wax won’t adhere to wet skin. But, that doesn’t mean proper hygiene is out the window. “Clean the area you’re about to wax, and don’t apply any lotion,” says Kim Lawless a.k.a. The Wax Queen. “You want the area to be nice and dry. If you’re really hot (or sweaty), apply a small amount of talc powder before you start waxing.”

Set The Mood

In general, at-home waxing, and waxing is going to hurt a little bit. “There’s no way around that,” explains Melnick. “But stop if at any point you’re in pain you can’t breathe through. Normal pain could look like a wince, a single tear, or squeak.” To assist in your endeavor, create a chill, comfortable environment aka your bathroom or bedroom. “Depending on which body parts you’re waxing, some contortion may be in order, so make sure you have a thick towel or mat, some good lighting, a handheld mirror, a good friend on speed dial—whatever is going to make you feel brave and confident,” she adds.

Follow Your Hair’s Lead

With all areas, you should apply the wax in the direction of hair growth (not against), then pull the strips or hard wax in the opposite direction. For best results, make sure that you always pull the strip parallel to the body, not in an upwards motion. This causes the hair to break—rather than remove from the root—you can tell if you did it incorrectly because you’ll feel stubbly again the next day.

Start Slowly

If it’s your first time waxing, start with your legs. “The bikini, armpits, and facial area are trickier to navigate, so it’ll help to get used to the process before you move into those areas,” shares Melnick. “For more delicate areas, like bikini and face, smaller strips are easier to maneuver and let you be more precise with which hair you’re removing. Your face is sensitive, so only wax your upper lip or eyebrows once in a 24 hour period. If you read nothing else, believe me on this one,” she emphasizes.

Keep Your Schedule Minimal

After waxing your bikini line, it is recommended to avoid working out, soaking in a tub or jacuzzi, avoid saunas or anything with high heat due to the area being sensitive. “After 24 hours, it is crucial to exfoliate your skin every day to avoid ingrown hairs,” explains Lawless.

“Post-wax, apply some Sudocrem straight after waxing the face and underarms,” she adds. “This can help stop you feeling sore and prevent those little white spots. For larger body areas, opt for a body lotion that contains calming ingredients like aloe vera or chamomile.” Listen, a cold compress never hurt anyone either!

Best for Face

Flamingo Face Wax Kit

$10 at shopflamingo.com

Treat your skin to the ultimate pamper session with heatless soft gel wax strips, hydrating post-wax cloths, and a soothing recovery serum.

No Mo-Stache

$12 at Amazon

This upper lip waxing tin comes with hypoallergenic strips and a soothing aloe cream to minimize irritation.

Glee Women's Face Wax Hair Removal Strips

$9 at Walmart

These ready-to-go jelly wax strips are infused lychee extract, which give them a heavenly scent.

Nad's Eyebrow Shaper Wax Kit

$13 at Amazon

Pros

Cons

Never fear butchered brows again. This gel wax formula easily washes away with water and can be precisely applied with its pen-like applicator.

Best for Bikini

Bliss Poetic Waxing Hair Removal Kit

$22 at Amazon

The bright blue color of this wax makes precise application and thorough removal a breeze.

Parissa Hot Wax Strip Free Kit

$10 at Ulta Beauty

Beeswax and chamomile-derived azulene make this wax ideal for the sensitive area around the bikini line.

VidaSleek Hard Wax Kit

$16 at Amazon

Short, course stubble doesn’t stand a chance against this extra-strength wax, which can remove hairs that are only ¼ of an inch (that’s half the length usually recommended!).

MOOM Organic Hair Removal with Tea Tree

$27 at Amazon

This naturally-derived formula only has four ingredients: cane sugar, chamomile tea, lemon juice, and tea tree oil.

Best for Body

Waxup Roller Waxing Kit

$75 at Amazon

This roll-on applicator comes with an electric heater to warm the wax to an ideal temperature.

GiGi Mini Pro Waxing Kit

$60 at Sally Beauty

Bring the professional wax experience home with this all-in-one kit, which includes cream wax, before and after skin treatments, spatulas, a warmer, and cloths.

Cirepil The Original Blue Wax Beads by Perron Rigot

$24 at Amazon

Customers ranked this as the best hair removal wax on Amazon for three reasons: it’s minimally painful, easy to work with, and doesn’t require paper strips.

Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit for Body

$7 at Target

Choose from three different sized strips to effectively wax every area of the body.

Janell M. Hickman-Kirby

Janell M. Hickman-Kirby is a contributing writer for Cosmopolitan.com.