There is no debating that waxing is an effective solution for hair removal in both the body and face. However, speculations usually arise when it comes to safety, particularly involving its minor side effects like redness and inflammation. For those of you considering facial waxing for eyebrows, you may see these temporary discomforts as reasons to stay away from this treatment. Before you conclude that waxing may not be safe for you, we’re here to set a few things straight!
First (and the most important) of all, temporary redness and inflammation are completely common side effects of waxing. It can happen right after hair removal or it may come later on in the day. Whatever the case may be, it is usually due to a few things. Let’s start by looking at the facts.
Why Are My Eyebrows Still Red After Waxing?
First of all, side effects like redness and irritation are to be expected if you have naturally sensitive skin. As with most beauty treatments, your skin is bound to react in one way or another, which usually just means your body is healing from the process.
Secondly, even if you don’t have sensitive or irritable skin, redness could still happen, especially when waxing certain parts of the body. Areas with thinner skin are more prone to these reactions, like parts of our face, as well as the bikini area.
Sure, the thought of redness and inflammation can be intimidating at first, but it’s truthfully not that bad and does not automatically point to skin damage.
Unlike shaving, which only cuts hair at the surface, waxing targets unwanted hair from its root. Once applied on your skin, it is pulled off with great force against the direction of your hair growth, removing every single hair from the follicle in the process. The aggressive nature of this technique is what causes slight redness and sensitivities, but it fortunately leads to benefits like slower hair growth and more long-term results!
So if your goal is smooth, hair-free, and flawless skin, then these slight discomforts are merely small prices to pay!
How Long Does Redness After Waxing Last?
First, you should remember: Do not to immediately panic at the sight of any redness or irritation!
In most cases, they are harmless signs of temporary irritation, which should all subside within the day. The individual hair follicles may stay red for up to a day, but your skin should feel calm in a matter of a few hours.
Now, if you do experience redness and inflammation beyond what is normally expected, then chances are you may be dealing with a bigger problem! In such cases, it may be due to one of two things: Either (1) the ingredients of the wax, or (2) the technique of waxing. Allow us to break these points down for you.
Ingredients: What Facial Wax Is Made Of
Most facial wax blends are usually made of resin. However, there are some that contain more natural oils like cocoa oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil to name a few. Other wax combinations also include artificial colours and fragrances. If you’re allergic to any of these ingredients, you may end up having adverse reactions and irritations like persistent redness, inflammation, or worse, skin bumps! As we mentioned, the skin on our face is more sensitive than the rest, moreso the eyebrow area which may even affect our eyes.
In that regard, you should make it a habit to ask your beauty therapist for the kind of wax they use before proceeding with any session. Moreover, you can ask them to do a patch test on your skin to make sure that everything is safe and clear come the day of your eyebrow waxing treatment. This should include all the products to be used on your skin, including aftercare soothing products.
Here at Lovoir Skin Body and Beauty, we typically ask our clients to fill out a form to find out if they are allergic to any ingredient and are compatible with our hair removal products. Your client profile will provide us with the right information, which will allow us to create a suitable and safe treatment for you. With our customisable waxing treatments, you can rest assured that you are in good hands! Which brings us to our next point.
Technique: The Correct Way to Wax
Even with safe ingredients, you may experience skin irritations if the waxing procedure is done by inexperienced hands. For example, if the wax is too hot, it may end up burning your skin. Similarly, if it’s too cool, it may not detach from your skin properly and safely. Additionally, waxing over an area more than once can also lead to further redness and inflammation! It’s these seemingly obvious steps that may actually cause the worst damage, especially if you are not aware of the do’s and don’ts.
There are many DIY articles and videos offering information about the right way to wax, as well as home kits sold in pharmacies that let you have a go yourself. And although waxing may look easy enough for nearly anyone to do on your own, it is crucial to have it done by a trained and skilled professional, especially when dealing with small facial areas like our eyes. Apart from these safety issues, one small error in waxing could result in uneven brows, or worse, no eyebrows at all!
All things considered, if you find that the skin on your brows develops a rash or feels pain for more than 24 hours, then we advise you to pay your doctor a visit. And more importantly, make sure to go to an experienced professional the next time around! It is pretty clear that experiencing slight redness and throbbing should not be an issue if done by the right people who make use of the right products. As long as you’re particular about these must-haves, you should be able to breeze through these minor side effects with your hair-free end goal in mind!
For those of you still wary about what’s to come, we’ll leave you with these DIY tips that may help remedy any discomforts and provide immediate relief.
What To Put On Eyebrows After Waxing
You can apply aloe vera gel on your brows once a day, as long as the product is safe for facial use. Aloe vera has healing and cooling properties, which will help soothe skin inflammation and redness from waxing.
If you can’t find aloe vera, you can try any cooling gel for the face. Apart from redness, it helps reduce eyebrow swelling after wax.
You can also use tea bags (brewed then cooled!), placing them on both brows to reduce redness. Ice cubes, ice packs, or a bag of frozen vegetables are good soothing alternatives too! Just make sure not to put the ice directly on your skin – use a piece of gauze or thin cloth in between.
How To Soothe Eyebrows After Waxing: Other Easy Tips!
- Wear loose clothing during your recovery period. This will help you avoid accidentally grazing your face when you change in and out of clothes.
- If you need to go somewhere right after your treatment and don’t want people to know where you’ve been, you can apply some light makeup on the area. Powder is recommended, as it enables the waxed area to breathe, compared to using concealer or foundation.
Go To The Best Brow Waxing Provider
So many spas and salons offer eyebrow waxing and other hair removal treatments, so you should be extra careful where to have yours done. Ask about their credentials, read reviews, and observe how they conduct treatments and business overall. Their process can tell you a lot about whether the spa is, indeed, qualified to take care of brows.
Our brow technicians at Lovoir Skin Body & Beauty are all equipped with the knowledge, skills, and modern resources to ensure that your brows are well taken care of before, during, and well after the procedure. We take the time to understand your needs so that we can recommend the best options for you. Check out our hair removal treatments, which include waxing, threading, and electrolysis. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us! Give us a call or visit us at the salon.
Book eyebrow waxing here
Visit our Beauty Salon & Day Spa at Lovoir The Crossing:
