Have you always been intimidated by waxing? Me too. But as crazy as it might sound, I would rather use a home waxing kit than go somewhere for an appointment. I’m more scared of someone else waxing my eyebrows off than I am of doing it myself. Hopefully, I’m not crazy for feeling that way. So I decided I needed to figure this out once and for all. I know the perks of waxing, and I’ve always wanted to try it!
My brother in law was actually the first person to help me wax. He’s basically a pro in my book because he has been doing it for his family for so long. The boys have issues with unibrows if they aren’t on top of things, so he does it more often than the girls. Anyway, I have never tried a home waxing kit all by myself, but I’m determined to learn everything there is to know. All the tips, tricks, and things people forget to tell you. I think it’s time to explore our options!
You might think that there are just the wax strips and the hot wax. That’s the impression I’ve always had. But I was wrong about that. There are a variety of options and so many different opinions about which one is the best for hair removal. So I might not be able to tell you which one is the best for you. But I can certainly give you all the details you need to know to figure it out for yourself.
Wax Strips
As far as a home waxing kit goes, waxing strips are pretty straightforward. You can get them at most drug stores or online. So you have a lot of options! There are just a few key things you need to know first, and these rules apply to pretty much any type of waxing. So you might notice that I repeat myself a lot throughout this post. Bear with me!
- First, exfoliate and clean the area you are waxing.
- Use baby powder to absorb excess moisture
- Warm the strip between your hands by rubbing it for about 5 seconds. You could also use something warm like a candle to warm it more effectively. Just be careful not to make it too hot or burn the strip.
- Apply to clean skin and press down firmly.
- Leave on for only a few seconds before pulling off in opposite direction of hair growth. Pull your skin taut while doing so to prevent extra pain, damage, or swelling.
- Apply pressure or rub the area after waxing to prevent swelling or bruising.
- Apply a moisturizer such as an aloe vera afterward or use the aftercare product provided.
- Should last around 3-4 weeks between treatments.
There you go, wax strips are simple and effective! You can also get them for specific areas of your body. Make sure to get the appropriate ones for each particular area of your body. Otherwise, you may need to cut them down to size. Typically you can find face or body waxing strips. Nad’s Body Wax Strips are very popular on Amazon. They come in a 24 count pack and are a very affordable option! The Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit For The Face is another fantastic option. They are a very popular option for face waxing strips and are super affordable. This pack comes in a 34 count pack and contains different three sizes. It is appropriate for use on your eyebrows, upper lip, and even your sensitive bikini area!
Soft and Hard Home Wax Kits
I never knew that there were different kinds of waxes. It doesn’t matter which one you use; it really depends on personal preference. There are a variety of different options, so it was hard to figure out the ones I wanted to recommend to you. So I decided to give you all the best home waxing options I could find based on customer reviews.
Soft Wax Kit
So a soft wax kit typically comes in a container like a tin can that can be placed in a wax machine, otherwise known as a wax warmer. A highly recommended brand by professionals is the Cirepil Blue Wax. But you could also get the complete Gigi Mini Pro Waxing Kit that comes with everything you need in case this is your first time buying all your supplies. You will need non-woven waxing strips, wooden applicator sticks, a can of soft wax, and your wax warmer. You can buy very affordable waxing tools on Amazon in case you run out! But before you start online shopping for your supplies, there are some things you need to know before using a soft wax kit.
- Soft wax must be used with waxing strips. Otherwise, it will be stuck to your skin and hard to get off. You can’t peel it off on its own like hard wax.
- Soft wax adheres to your skin. So you will only be able to go over an area one time. If you aren’t careful, you will run the risk of tearing or bruising your skin.
- It must be applied in very thin, almost translucent layers. It has a much thinner consistency than hard wax for this reason. Applying it in thin layers will ensure that it properly sticks to the non-woven strips and comes off easily.
- It is considered more cost effective because you use so much less wax per application.
- Be very careful before applying to a large area when waxing at home. Make sure you test the temperature on an area like your wrist, so you don’t burn yourself. Wax warmers should keep it at a comfortable temperature without an issue.
- Make sure to exfoliate and cleanse the area before you use wax. Also, make sure that the area is dry before you use the wax.
- Apply in the direction of hair growth.
- Pull your skin tight and pull in the opposite direction of hair growth.
- Moisturize after waxing. Aloe vera is a great option!
Hard Wax Kit
Hard waxhard wax beads
But before you choose this method of waxing, I wanted to go over some important details about hard wax.
- Hard wax is applied in thick layers. Unlike the soft wax, you do not want to be able to see your skin through the wax. It is a thicker consistency, so this should be easy.
- When warming this wax, make sure it is hot enough to drip off your application stick slowly. You do not want it to be a very thin consistency because you need to apply thick layers. Plus when it is as runny as soft wax, it is too hot to be applied to your skin comfortably. Be careful!
- Hard waxing at home is much better for sensitive skin. It does not stick to your skin, only to the hairs. So you can go over each area a few times when trying to get those stubborn hairs.
- Exfoliate and cleanse the area before you apply. You also want to apply a small amount of something like baby powder to the area. This will absorb any excess moisture for a better result.
- Apply in the direction of hair growth in a thick layer while applying pressure. Pull off in the opposite direction. Wait until the wax has cooled long enough that it is no longer sticky or tacky. But you don’t want it to be so cool that it is no longer flexible.
- Apply pressure with your hand to the area after pulling off the wax.
- Make sure to moisturize after waxing with something like aloe vera. Just like all the other waxing methods.
- Most professionals seem to think that hard wax is the best hair wax, mainly because it is more useful for removing coarse hair and is less likely to tear your skin. This also makes it perfect for leg waxing. It is also the type of wax you would use for your nose hair because it does not adhere to your skin.
Overall, learning how to wax at home doesn’t need to be complicated. You just need to have all your supplies on hand and ready to go. Make sure you follow all the steps. Exfoliating and cleansing the area beforehand and moisturizing afterward, are very important! You also need to make sure that you know which direction you are applying the wax and which way you should be tearing it off. Following all the steps carefully will make your home waxing experience much easier in the long run. It will also be less painful if you stick to waxing or shaving, rather than alternating between the two.
Other Hair Removal Options
There are a few more things you could try if you are looking for the best hair removal at home. There are DIY wax and chemical or natural hair removal options. Laser hair removal is another, more expensive option. But I won’t get into that one now since I’m focusing on things you can do in the comfort of your own home. One of the most popular is Nair Hair Removal Cream, which is something I actually use on a normal basis. But I wanted to give you recipes for two DIY options you could use to make your own home waxing kit. Only using things you could find in your kitchen!
Sugar Wax DIY Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of granulated sugar (for soft wax) 2 cups (for hard wax)
- ¼ cup of lemon juice
- ¼ cup of water
Instructions:
- Combine your ingredients and bring them to a boil in a saucepan for about 5 minutes. Be careful to stir constantly and avoid burning or overcooking your sugar wax. You only want to cook it until the liquid comes to a light amber color.
- Once it is done, put the sugar wax in a warm jar. Preferably one with a lid for any leftovers.
- Apply when it is at a comfortable temperature. Make sure it is cool enough to avoid burning your skin but warm enough to spread easily!
- You apply this differently than you do with regular wax. You want to apply in the opposite direction of hair growth and peel off in the same direction as hair growth. But everything else will be the same. You will need waxing strips for the soft sugar wax but not the hard sugar wax.
DIY Hair Removal
Ingredients
- One pack of plain gelatine
- Two teaspoons of raw milk (unpasteurized, warmed but not boiled)
- ¼ teaspoon of honey
- A pinch of turmeric
Instructions:
- All you need to do is mix everything while it is warm. It might take a few minutes because the gelatine will want to clump up on you. Then you just need to apply it to your face (using a makeup brush might work best.) And wait about 30 minutes until it has dried completely. Then you can peel it off!
- It works similarly to a pore strip or a wax strip. You just have to peel from the bottom while pulling upwards. It will probably be a little painful the first time. But it is a natural hair removal option!
Wax On, Wax Off!
So waxing is not as terrifying as I thought it would be. It will certainly be painful, but as long as you follow all the appropriate steps, you will be just fine. I would probably recommend a hard wax kit for first-time users, like the Bouvetan Waxing Hair Removal Kit. It is harder to mess up and hurt yourself because hard wax does not adhere to your skin. So as long as you keep it at a suitable temperature, it will be much easier to get it right. Good luck while waxing!
Related Article: 10 Best Home Waxing Kits for 2018
