It is time that you skip the salon if you are thinking of waxing that unwanted hair off. Pick up that waxing kit from the market and prepare yourself for a home based wax. Many people remain undecided whether to give a green signal to waxing and that too if the procedure is to be done at home. There is just a need to get acquainted beforehand of the precautions that are to be taken when waxing at home so that you don’t end up in pain or hurt your skin.
Just keep the following precautions in mind and get started to rid off the excess hair from your body:
Clean Your Skin:
Before you plan to start waxing make sure that the first step you take is to clean any dirt, make up and oil from the skin area to be waxed. This ensures that the wax clings on to your hair easily and you are saved from the problem of Post-wax Breakouts. Post-wax break outs refer to pimples which are a common side effect whether in the form of white heads, tiny bumps or any bigger one. To prevent such a situation from occurring use a wash cloth with warm water prior to waxing to remove dead skin cells. You can even use a pre-wax cleanser having anti-microbial properties.
Start with Legs:
If you are giving yourself a wax for the first time, then it is recommended that you start with the legs first as you will have a good watch at what you are doing. Moreover the skin is a little tougher there minimizing the risks that you might fall off the bath tub after you pull your first wax strip. Then move on to other areas as you gain confidence to wax.
Use Baby Powder:
Use baby powder on the area which is to be waxed. This absorbs extra moisture from your skin so that the strip and the wax adheres properly and there is less pain while pulling off the strip.
Temperature Test:
You would never want to burn yourself with a wax that is too hot. So make sure that before applying the wax you check its temperature on your wrist. Moreover applying hot wax on the skin it causes its discoloration. You need to be patient till the wax cools down to a temperature that your skin can bear and then apply. Over or under heating can slow down or mess up the whole procedure.
Exfoliate Skin:
It is recommended that you exfoliate your skin one or two days prior to waxing with either a bath pouf or a body scrub or a wash cloth. It will ensure a slower re-growth of your body hair by bringing the hairs which are too small to come to the surface before you wax.
Hair Should be the Right Length:
If your hair is too short then you should wait till it becomes the right length. The right length here means that ideally your hair should be between ¼ or 2/4 inch long. If the hair is shorter than this length then the wax won’t stick to your hair and if the hair is longer than this length then make sure that you trim off your hair by a small scissor before waxing without injuring yourself, otherwise waxing is going to be one of your most painful experiences.
What You Should Avoid Doing?
There are certain things that you should avoid from the very outset before and during waxing. Keep in mind the below suggestions for a safe and effective home waxing:
Don’t Double Dip:
Use a fresh stick each time you dip the stick into the wax pot even if the application is for your own personal use. This ensures that if your skin has any infection the same doesn’t go through the spatula back into the product making the whole wax solution harmful for your skin.
Don’t Pull-off in the Direction of Hair Growth:
One of the commonest mistake that is made while waxing at home is pulling off the strip in the direction of hair growth. After you apply wax on your skin in the direction of hair growth, lay the strip on top of it and rub firmly over the strip surface in the direction of application of wax as it helps the wax adhere to hair. Don’t wait much and remember to pull off in the opposite direction of hair growth. The other way round increases the pain and decreases the effectiveness.
Don’t Wax On-Off Thrice:
Regardless of whether you have sensitive skin or not don’t wax over the same area more than twice as it can lead to bruising, burns, irritation and torn skin. For those stray hairs that are still left out after waxing, you can use tweezers to remove them but don’t attempt on-off wax on your skin.
Don’t Pick Those In-Grown Hairs:
If might appear tempting to you but never pick at ingrown hair as it may lead to infection. For an obdurate ingrown, soak that particular skin area in warm water to soften the skin, exfoliate the area and then treat it with salicylic acid. Even if you are really bent upon picking out, use only sterilized tweezers and that too on that ingrown hair that are at the surface.
Don’t Attempt Brazilian Waxing:
Trying to remove all hair from your body at home is not a good idea at all and it can be an extremely difficult procedure to perform. An obstructed view plus a hot wax combination is all what you will be faced with. Leave this job to the professional.
Don’t Apply a Thick Wax:
Don’t apply too thick a layer of wax layer on your skin rather go for a thin layer that easily clings on to your hair and removes it out without much pain and time.
Don’t Wax During Medication:
If you are suffering from sunburn, acne, immune system or circulation disorders and taking medicines for the same as it makes your skin extra sensitive, then it is highly recommended that you don’t wax for the meantime.
Aftercare Tips
You have successfully attempted waxing at home, but there are some precautions that you need that you need to keep in mind after you wax so that your waxing home experience becomes a pleasurable one. Here are those aftercare tips:
- You need to look out for those pimples and prevent their occurrence after waxing. You can apply a witch hazel on the waxed area with a clean cotton ball as it has antiseptic properties and make sure that you don’t touch the waxed area again and again with your bare hands as it may lead to bacterial infection.
- For the next two days after you wax, stay away from pedicure, whirlpool and sauna sessions as it might lead to complications.
- Don’t do anything that makes you sweat a lot.
- For the next few days try wearing an outfit that is not too tight as the skin needs its bit of breathing!
- If you get a pimple, resist the urge to pop a pimple as it can spread the bacteria. Make sure to apply a bit of tea tree oil on the affected area rather tan using any chemicals.
- Avoid sun exposure to the waxed area for at least 48 hours.
- A baby oil post-wax can moisturize your skin and help remove any residual wax.
Your time and money can be saved if you use a waxing kit at home. It might take more preparation time and patience but the results last longer than other methods of hair removal. As you become accustomed to waxing, you notice that the pain decreases and the hair follicles also become smaller. Its better that you calculate the time before hand and thereafter you will find that with time, the waxing doesn’t appear to be too cumbersome a procedure than is normally thought of.
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