There are thousands of hoaxes and myths surrounding waxing. However, there are a few guidelines to follow after your salon appointment (or at your home). You may not realize it yet, but you make at least ten mistakes after waxing that could endanger your skin. To avoid irritation, a list of depilatory “infractions” to keep in mind. Take our word for it: waxing can be a breeze if you know what you’re doing.
Hot waxing is a popular method among all the women worldwide.
According to a Veet study, hot waxing is women’s most crucial beauty ritual before summer. Due to the touch, it leaves on the skin and the timeframe of its results; waxing is the preferred method for 7 out of 10 women. Do you realize what to do and what to refrain from doing before and after waxing with this in mind? Most likely not. I’m sure you wax and rush to the beach, right? Not to mention how little we begin preparing our skin before waxing (exfoliating, you’re on your own). It’s okay; we didn’t adequately inform us, and simple things like trimming your hair so you don’t come in with too much hair or sunbathing after hair removal can be extremely damaging.
What should you avoid doing after waxing? That is the query. Grab a pen and paper because waxing season isn’t over yet: your skin needs you, and you’ll take better care of it than ever before.
1. WAIT BEFORE SUNBATHING
A crucial rule: you should wait (at least) 24 hours after waxing before sunbathing or self-tanning. Did you realize that? If you expose yourself to UV rays instantaneously after waxing, the hair follicles are unlikely to close correctly, resulting in an irritating effect all over your legs. Stay strong! And if you can wait 48 hours, all the better, but if you want to have them all with you, take a short, cold shower before tanning to close your pores.
The same is true for “after-sun” – applying hot wax after sun exposure is prohibited. Why? Because waxing has the potential to cause skin spots (excess pigmentation).
2. ALWAYS BEGIN WITH WAXING
Yes, we know what you’re thinking: ‘No big deal…I tan after waxing, and that’s it!’ Baby, not so fast. If you wax after tanning your skin, you will have what we call ‘the zebra effect’ because you will appear striped. Waxing removes more than just hair; it also removes some (very little) of the top layer of skin. That means you’ll go in with exquisitely golden skin and leave with stripes. You’ll thank us later if you take our advice.
3. AVOID STEAM BATHS
Nothing beats a good sauna session for sweating out your problems. Your limbs are more limber, muscle tension has dissipated, and your pores are sparkling clean. Right now, we can’t think of a better way to unwind. Sadly, the best thing to do after waxing is to avoid steam baths, saunas, and their variants for about 24 hours. For starters, the heat will aggravate any irritation caused by the wax, and opening up the pores will make them more vulnerable to infection and ingrown hairs. Allow enough time to recover from the tugging before applying heat to the area.
4. BEWARE OF MEDICATIONS
Inform your stylist if you are taking any medications. Certain medications, such as steroids or acne medications like Roacutan, thin the skin, making waxing impossible. Waxing is too assertive and can cause more unpleasantness and bleeding when the skin is weaker, so consult with your therapist in advance and have them check for any interactions.
5. DO NOT TRY TO TRIM THE HAIRS
If this is your first time waxing or you haven’t waxed in a long time, we understand the desire to trim your hair beforehand. You’re concerned that your stylist will be surprised and embarrassed. We’re here to tell you that is not going to happen. First, your stylist will have seen everything in the salon; second, trimming them risks making your hair too short for the wax. If you have very long hair, the stylist will adjust to a faster tempo to minimize your discomfort, but in general, long hair is always preferable to short hair for a perfect wax.
6. DO NOT GO TO THE BEACH FIRST
You’ve been waxed, your skin is silky smooth, and you’re ready to hit the beach. But not so quickly! Pool chlorine and sunscreen can irritate open pores. We would never recommend sunbathing without proper protection, so stay dry and in the shade until the suggested 24 hours have passed to avoid the risk of skin infection.
7. AVOID ALCOHOL WHEN WAXING
While we wait for our salon appointment, a glass (or two) of liquor may sound appealing. However, alcohol and caffeine contain stimulants that, once in our bodies, can make our skin more sensitive before waxing; no coffee, vermouth, or Red Bull. That’s too bad.
8. EXFOLIATION IS ESSENTIAL
Exfoliating is essential for preventing ingrown hairs on your skin because it opens the pores and removes them. As a result, not exfoliating the skin before waxing is a prevalent mistake. What will happen if we don’t exfoliate? In addition to the hair, excess epidermal cells will be removed, potentially resulting in minor skin wounds. Dermatologists advise using a horsehair glove.
9. STOP THE GYM
Are you one of those people who can’t go a single day without going to the gym? We understand that exercise is essential, but we recommend you avoid going to the gym on the day of your waxing. Oh, no, not doctor’s orders. Going to the gym right after a wax is a bad idea for several reasons: first, wearing very tight clothing will cause too much friction on the area, resulting in extra redness and possibly ingrown hairs; second, sweat will cause a bacterial infection in the area. One day should be adequate time for your skin to recover before returning to your routine, but try to wear as much loose clothing as possible.
10. KNOW YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE
If bikini waxing causes pain, we recommend you consider your menstrual cycle. The sensitivity of the pelvic area increases in the days leading up to menstruation so tries to schedule your appointment accordingly. Reduce the risk by scheduling your waxing session at least a week before your period begins. The best part is that waxing becomes less painful as the hair in the area weakens. Your period, on the other hand, has an impact.
