Q & A: The Basics of Waxing

To begin our Q & A section of our blog, we wanted to start with the basics of waxing… answering the questions from before, during, and after your waxing experience. We hope the mysteries behind waxing become clarified and you learn something new. If you find yourself with a different question than we have answered here, please feel free to post a comment with your question!

What do I do before waxing?

Before waxing drink plenty of water and take an Ibuprofen to help ease any inflammation and pain. The hair should have at least two weeks of hair growth (1/8th of an inch). You don’t need to cut or trim your hair as your esthetician can do this for you. It is best to clean the area before waxing with wet wipes or wet cloth. If you have thick coarse hair, you can gently exfoliate before your wax using a loofah mitt to help release hair from skin. Exfoliate using a backward circle motion against the hair growth.

Also, always be sure to communicate with your skin care therapist on any medication you’re on or areas which are more sensitive than others. Example, the inner thigh bone area is a delicate part for most women to have waxed. If you have any concerns or questions, don’t be afraid to ask your skin care therapist! They have heard it all before and will be better able to wax you!

What should I expect during waxing?

You should be in a clean private room and will be ask to remove all clothing below the waist including underwear. If you need privacy to cleanse ask for it! Don’t be afraid to ask! If you’re with a professional they should be very understanding and sensitive to this, as it may be an uncomfortable moment for you!

The esthetician will ask how you prefer your hair. If you decided to leave hair and how you would like it.

Be sure your skin care therapist is wearing gloves and has plenty of wax sticks and strips ready for use. The wax will feel warm and depending on your level of sensitivity may even feel hot for a brief second. Especially if you have some form of a number on. However, it should never feel like it is burning.

The wax will be applied and you should help by holding your skin taunt. The tighter you hold your skin the less pull you will feel. Your waxer will apply a strip of muslin and should pull very fast to get a perfect removal of hair. This should be a fast process and take no longer than 10 to 15 minutes for a complete Brazilian wax front and back!

After your front is wax your backside is next. This is where estheticians may do it differently. We have you flip over face down and have you help by holding your cheeks open and very quickly before you know it the wax is on and off. I have heard of women going on all fours, legs over their heads, or if they are pregnant on their side.

If it is your first time waxing, you will feel it and it will be sore. But if your waxer is fast, before you know it is over! Also keep in mind, after the first time it won’t be as bad. With our clients we have amazing results with 50% less hair and thickness after just the first wax. So the next wax is less painful!

Also, don’t shave or it will be like starting all over!

What do I do after waxing?

You may feel a little sticky! Your skin may be sore and feel like a sunburn. This is all very normal.

The skin is fresh skin and should be taking care of. Be sure to keep area clean and not to work out. You may want to take a shower or put on an oil base. We use a gentle solution of grapeseed oil with Himalayas extract which helps sooth and nourish the skin while killing any bacteria on skin surface. This oil solution will also help with the stickiness.

What are the benefits of waxing?

The hair becomes finer taking up to 4 weeks to grow back. It will also become more sporadic and eventually parts will not ever return. Waxing also helps with ingrown hairs and razor burn. Waxing is much cleaner compared to shaving and leaves no stubble.

Also, your skin will feel super soft and smooth… even when your hair is growing back. Waxing won’t itch or irritate your skin as the hair is growing in. Plus, you feel much cleaner and fresher. Especially with the backside!

What are the alternatives of waxing?

Alternatives to waxing include shaving, hair removal creams like Nair (for some body parts), and laser treatments.

Am I going to bleed?

Depending on the person you may bleed. If you’re a diabetic, chances are you will. If you have thick coarse hair, pulling hair from the root can cause slight bleeding. Your follicles can also react, but this is normal and with a few more waxes your skin will get trained. This is common with men and getting their back waxed. Once the skin is used to it (usually second or third wax) you will no longer have that issue.

Is waxing painful?

Waxing can be painful and sore for some, but keeping hydrated is important and will help with the pain. The more hydrated you are the less your hair holds on.

What should I expect after waxing?

You should book your next appointment for 4 weeks out to maintain the wax and really see the benefits. You may be a little tender and may not want to do any heavy exercising.

How do I keep the inflammation down?

Alternating exfoliating and hydrating the area will help with inflammation along with Ibuprofen prior to waxing. After waxing you may use cortisone cream, if the area seems to have a hive look to your skin. This can happen with coarse thick hair. Visualize a plucked chicken’s skin…

Also, we carry a product in our online store called PFB Vanish that also helps with inflammation and ingrown hairs.

How do I deal with ingrown hairs?

If you are prone to ingrown hairs, you are more likely to have a few. But you will have less and not as inflamed ones with waxing. It is very important to exfoliate before waxing and after waxing with a loofah mitt, gentle body scrub, or even a wash cloth in an upward circle motion. Keeping hydrated before and after waxing is also important.

You can also purchase PFB Vanish which we love and it works really well. If that doesn’t work, we find with our most extreme cases a 5% or 10% glycolic acid will do the trick. Your skin care therapist should also be able to extract your ingrown hairs for you, if needed with a safe and clean way to remove hair.

That concludes our first Q & A blog about the Basics of Waxing! If you have more questions about waxing or any other skin care topic, post a comment or send us an email at urban@urbanskincare.com!

In Health and Beauty,

Erin and Larissa