When you first get into waxing the process can seem kind of daunting. We’re often reminded of how painful waxing can be instead of spending time thinking about all its benefits. Regardless, most of us still go through it and bear the pain. But what if I told you there’s a way of making these appointments less painful? Luckily there are, and it’s not just the fact that the more you go the less painful the process becomes. Here’s a list full of ways to prep for your waxing appointment to make your experience less painful! So wipe the fear off your face because waxing is going to get a whole lot easier.
1. Grow Out Your Hair!
Growing out your hair may seem counterproductive as the whole point of getting waxed is to get rid of the hair. However, growing out your hair to at least one quarter of an inch in the desired waxing area will make the process less painful. The one exception to this rule is facial hair as it will likely not grow out this much.
With your hair being at least one quarter of an inch long or approximately that size, the wax has more hair to latch onto. This means that the esthetician won't have to go over the same spot multiple times as the wax will be able to grab onto more. The shorter the hair the harder it is for wax to stick on and pull. If by any chance the hair is ‘too’ long the esthetician may trim the hairs for you. This hair length is also ideal as it ensures that you are not waiting too long between waxing sessions, yet gives you just enough time to start growing out your hair again.
2. Avoid Waxing When Skin Is Sensitive
This one goes without saying as the more sensitive skin is, the more pain you may feel. Unfortunately unless we have a recent laceration or burn that we know of, we don’t usually consider the skin to be in a “sensitive condition”. If by any chance you do have any minor cuts let your esthetician know so that they can be more gentle in those areas.
For women the worst time getting waxed is either during or right after your period. Women should be waiting at least one week before getting waxed because your body and skin are more sensitive during that period of time. As a general rule of thumb, you should also avoid waxing for a few days after being in the sun. Most importantly, completely avoid getting waxed after getting a sunburn as your skin is extremely delicate.
3. Know Your Skin
Before getting waxed make sure you know everything there is to know about your skin or health conditions. You don’t have to be an expert on skin but just know if you have any sensitivities or allergies that you should tell your esthetician. If you have very sensitive skin the esthetician will also try their best to be extra gentle with you.
There are many different types of waxes with different ingredients and the same goes for the wipes used to remove any leftover wax. Although letting your esthetician know about this fact may not make your waxing experience less painful, it’ll save you from a painful post waxing allergic reaction.
4. Exfoliate Your Skin
As exfoliating is the process of removing dead skin cells from your skin, you’re probably wondering what this has to do with waxing. When you’re waxing the wax tends to cling onto everything it can and pulls everything away with it - this includes skin cells. Dead skin cells don’t always fall off and tend to cling onto hair particles. The more dead skin cells you have, the less wax will be clinging onto your actual hair.
By exfoliating and moisturizing your skin prior to a waxing appointment you are also actively reducing the amount of ingrown hairs that you may get after an appointment. This is due to the fact that you’ll have less skin dead skin cells left lying around blocking the growth of new hair. The more you exfoliate and the more you wax, the less amount of hairs you’ll have to wax over time as your hairs will start to grow in unison without getting stuck behind dead skin cells. If you do take on this practice don’t forget to moisturize after each exfoliation.
5. Hydrate Your Skin
On the day of your waxing appointment it's important to take a warm shower to reduce potential pain later on. The warm water will help hydrate your skin and open up your pores to make it easier to extract the hairs. After you take your shower, make sure you do apply any of your regular lotions or moisturizers to the waxing area as it may compromise the waxing experience.
A few days prior to your appointment you can even use your warm shower or bath time to scrub with a loofa to help exfoliate the skin. During the days before your appointment, you should also keep up with your regular moisturizing routine in one to keep your skin as hydrated as possible. Overall, hydrated skin makes waxing less painful as the wax will not be clinging onto dead or dry skin.
6. Wear Comfortable Clothing To The Appointment
This tip will not make the waxing itself less painful, but it is an important tip to keep in mind for ensuring you are comfortable after the appointment. When going to a waxing appointment you want to make sure you have loose and comfortable clothes that won’t be sticking or irritating your skin. In other words, keep away from jeans, bodysuits, tight dresses or pants and seek out the softest and comfiest clothes that you have. Your skin will thank you as it has room to breathe and is not constricted.
