You can save a lot of money by doing your own waxing, but there are some tips and tricks you should know before you try it.
There are some people who like to keep their body hair and sometimes dye it crazy colors, and then there are those who prefer to remove it. If you fall in the latter category, you probably dislike summer because it means you have to shave on a frequent basis or your trips to the salon drastically increase. If you haven’t tried at-home waxing, you should. It can save you a lot of money, the regrowth is slower than shaving, and it isn’t as complicated as you think, provided you’re not attempting to give yourself a Brazilian for your first DIY attempt. (You should leave that one to a pro.) Waxing your legs is a fairly straightforward and a good place to start. However, there are a few tips and tricks you need to know before you grab the wax strips.
Here are the important things to know before you trying at-home waxing:
1. Put down an old towel and keep the post-wax cleanser close by
Whether you use a pot and wax strips or ready-to-use strips, things can get messy with all of the sticky wax. Sit on an old towel so you don’t get wax on the floor, and keep the post-wax cleanser or Baby Oil nearby. You don’t want to be walking around with sticky legs or opening cupboards with waxy fingers.
2. Make sure your hair is the right length
Your hair should be at least 1/4 inch long and no more than 3/4 inch. If you attempt to wax stubble, the wax won’t have anything to adhere to except for skin, and you don’t want to be pulling that off. If your hair is too long, trim it with a pair or nail scissors. Waxing too long hair is messy and ineffective.
3. Apply a bit of baby powder to your skin
You may have seen them do this at the salon. Applying a bit of baby powder gets rid of any residue on your skin and allows the wax to adhere properly.
4. Do a patch test
Patch tests can seem like such as unnecessary step, but you will definitely regret not doing one if you break out in a red rash. Try waxing a small part and wait 24 to 48 hours to see if the area gets irritated. When you’re waxing, sometimes things seem fine, but the inflamed skin can show up later. If you move on from waxing your body to your face, do not forget this step.
5. Don’t be tempted to slather on the wax
No, more wax doesn’t equal more hair coming off. If you put too much on, you won’t be able to rip the strip off in one smooth movement. Apply the wax in a thin, even layer and rip it off as soon as you can.
6. Keep the wax at the right temperature
You don’t have to worry about this if you choose cool wax strips, but if you are using hot wax, it’s important to pay attention to the temperature. Ensure it isn’t too hot before you apply it to your skin; otherwise, you’ll burn yourself. You can tell your wax is too cold if it is lumpy, and you can’t spread it easily. You want a runny liquid honey consistency.
7. Apply the wax in the direction of hair growth, but rip it off in the opposite direction
This is how all the pros do it. After you apply the wax, pat down on the strip a few times to really adhere it to the skin before you go to rip it off.
8. Make sure that you are holding your skin taught when you take the strip off
You may wish that you had an extra hand but do your best to hold that skin tight. The strip will come off easier, and it will be less likely you’ll rip the skin off or bruise.
9. Don’t hesitate when ripping that strip off
Do not try to rip it off slowly because you think it will hurt less. That will do nothing. Just do it. Period. Rip the wax strip off in one smooth motion. (Remember what we just talked about holding the skin taught.) Don’t pull the wax strip up.
10. Do not keep waxing the same area
If you have a few hairs that didn’t come out, resist the urge to keep waxing until they do. You’ll start to rip off layers of skin. Gently remove the hairs with tweezers and apply pressure to the area to soothe it post-wax.
11. Thoroughly apply the post-wax cleanser
The oil will get rid of any leftover wax residue and help moisturize the skin. Take your time applying it. You don’t want your pants to be sticking to you afterwards. The oil is more effective than regular soap and water.