Sep 16, 2023
If we may say so, waxing is honestly the biggest pain in the arse—waking up and realising that it’s time to hit the salon and get those legs waxed is not the most exciting thought! But then, if you’re going to be inflicting pain upon yourself, you might as well get the most out of it, right?
Here are a few things you need to remember before you go waxing to ensure that your skin looks its best...
- Exfoliate a few days before waxing
- Wear comfy clothes
- Wax in one direction
- Avoid moisturising your skin before waxing
Exfoliate a few days before waxing
A great way to prep your skin for waxing is through exfoliating. By doing this a day before your appointment, you open up the hair follicles and make the hair more accessible for the wax to grip. This can even help aid the pain. However, you need to ensure that you exfoliate lightly, as over-exfoliation can also lead to the over-sensitization of the skin
Don’t do it too often
Timing your waxing appointments to the growth of hair is important. You should be waxing approximately every 4 weeks, however a better way to decide is to measure the hair length: a quarter of an inch is a good marker—once your hair has reached this length, you know that you can book an appointment. If you wax when your hair is too short, the wax won’t be able to grip the hair effectively, and conversely, when your hair is too long, it can become very painful.
Wear comfy clothes
This is an obvious one—don’t wear your yoga pants to the salon or you’ll regret your decision to wear spandex, when you have to put it on after your wax. First off, you’ll be sticky; tight clothes will only make you more uncomfortable. As the material is so close to the skin, the friction can also cause skin irritation.
Minimise sweat
For those of you amazingly motivated people that scheduled a workout right before your wax, you should reconsider—the moisture from sweating prevents the wax from adhering to the skin, making it harder for it to effectively remove the hair. If you had to arrive in a rush, a great way to minimize sweat is to apply ice or a cold pack to the main areas to cool down the skin.
Wax in one direction
If you prefer to wax at home, make sure to pull the strip in the opposite direction of hair growth. Try to do this as consistently as possible to ensure that the hair growth remains aligned. Holding the skin taut will further make it easier to remove your hair.
Avoid waxing when you are chumming
By avoiding waxing during your period, you’re doing yourself a massive favour. As your body is at its most sensitive during this time, the already-painful process of waxing will only get worse if you happen to do it during that time of the month.
Avoid moisturising your skin before waxing
While it may seem that lathering lotion over your legs is necessary, you should avoid this before and after your waxing appointment. This is because the moisture makes it harder for the wax to attach to the hair, ensuring that you have to wax the same spot more than once just to get rid of the stubborn ones.
