The Importance of Pre & Post Waxing Care

If you’re new to waxing it can seem rather intimidating. There are a lot of people who get waxed once and say “Never again!”, and unfortunately these are usually the people telling their horror stories. But the truth is, 80% of waxing success falls onto the person getting waxed. As a professional we can only control the actual waxing process, and the information we give you. The rest is up to you at home to maintain your skin. Luckily, you’re in the right place to learn everything you need to have successful waxing experiences, and the smooth skin of your dreams!

One of the most common complaints about waxing I've seen is the fact that the hair needs to grow out before you can get it done again. And while this is technically true, when you've been consistently waxing for some time, the hair grows back thinner in both density and thickness. Not only this, but results last much longer than when shaving or using a hair removal cream. I typically start to see hair growing back after week 2, and even then it is very, very minimal. And 1-2 weeks later you're ready for another wax! Instead of spending 30 minutes shaving every few days, you’d be spending 30 minutes every month getting waxed. That's about 5 hours a month saved!

All this takes to achieve is consistency. For the first 3 appointments, your hair will be syncing up to the same growth cycle. This is important because it extends the time that you're hairless exponentially. The first wax will always be the hardest, but even after that first time you will start to see results! Consistency is Key #1!!

So you're ready to get started…

Before your first wax, there are a few boxes you need to check. First is finding a Cosmetologist or Esthetician who will deliver on an experience that's as painless as possible. Luckily if you’re in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area, The Fern Salon has got that covered for you! During the experience, both the techniques, products and wax used are all formulated to ease discomfort. 

Next, you just have to wait. If you’ve shaved recently, the hair needs to be grown out for at least a week, or the length of a grain of rice, for the wax to effectively grip onto the hair. Once your hair is long enough to wax, you're ready to book your appointment!

Two days before your wax, it is highly recommended to exfoliate your skin. This will help remove dead skin cells that can trap hair under that layer, and cause difficulties with the waxing process. It's important to note that waxing itself is a form of exfoliation, so if it's 3 hours before your appointment and you realize you forgot to exfoliate, don’t do it late. The safest thing to do is let your waxer know you forgot, so they can be prepared and let you know there may need to be an extra clean up strip.

Finally, it's the day of your appointment. Start the day with hydrating your skin. This could be a lotion or body oil. Do this at least 3 hours before, as you want it to be fully absorbed into your skin before you lay on the table. Having hydrated skin will help significantly with waxing related pain, as dry skin starts pulling moisture from the wax, causing it to grip more onto your skin. Throughout the day, drink plenty of water and be sure to eat! 

It's time!

Great job! You've successfully prepared for your waxing service and are ready to push through the hard part! Once you're on the table, the area will be prepped by cleaning the skin, and if it's an area that tends to build sweat, talc-free baby powder may be used to keep the skin dry. Some areas hurt more than others, and everybody is different, but a good guideline for what to expect is that the more density, the more painful. For example, the hair on my chin is very fine, but when I wax there is so much hair the strip could be used as an area rug for a mouse. Whereas the hair on my legs is thicker and visible, but the hairs are more spread out and the strips are much less painful in my opinion. It is likely your waxer will need to do a clean up strip or two to grab stubborn hairs. This is completely normal, but it's important to note that only hard wax can be used over the same area. If the wax needed to be removed with a strip of paper or cloth, it is not safe for the waxer to go over the area with that same wax. They should know this from their education, but it never hurts to be prepared. 

And now, you've done it. Bravo! You made it through the hard part and you don't have to be back for 4-6 weeks! At The Fern Salon, once the waxing is finished, your self care professional will apply an ingrown hair oil to prevent ingrowns and to calm down the skin. If your skin is particularly irritated, we offer masks for the bikini area that sit on for 10 minutes, and are both cooling, and soothing. And your time on the table is officially over.

As mentioned earlier the care you provide at home is 80% of what determines the smooth results. Before you leave, your provider will go over what you have at home, and what you may need to keep your skin healthy. Along with a formulated care plan that fits with your routine and habits. 

Your turn!

Now the reins are handed to you as you head off to the rest of your day. Your aftercare for the day is taken care of from the service, but there are a few activities to avoid for 24 hours while your skin barrier resets. It is best to avoid tanning (both spray and sun), soaking in water such as pools, hot tubs, or baths, and anything that will make you sweat, like working out or saunas. Also avoid thicker products such as Vaseline, deodorant, and body butters. The reason for this is to avoid anything layering on the skin and causing bacteria to be trapped, which can result in breaking out. As for sun tanning, with the recent exfoliation, you're likely to experience increased sun sensitivity. If you're planning to be outside, be sure to wear a light-weight sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF, and clean the skin thoroughly when you come inside. Lastly, wait 2 days before exfoliating. You don't want to over exfoliate as this may cause discomfort.

When it comes to at home care, there are 3 goals you want to hit. Ingrown prevention, exfoliation, and hydration. For the bikini area, it's also important to check for gynecologist approval and that the product is pH balanced. But don't stress, you don’t need to go out and search because everything you need is in house! We offer Bushbalm products, which include Ingrown Hair Oils and Scrubs. Ingrown hair oils will prevent build up in the pores while hydrating the skin, so you're checking 2 boxes with one product! This should be used daily, on clean skin for the best results. (A little goes a long way!) And of course the scrub will clean off any dead skin, keeping you silky smooth while preventing regrowing hairs from getting trapped and causing an ingrown. This should be done 2-3 times a week. Remember, consistency is Key #1!!

“But Self Care Professional, I have other skin concerns too, not just ingrowns!” Don't fret! While I can't address every single concern you may have premeditatively, the next most common concerns I've seen are dark spots, hyperpigmentation, or chafing. And we’ve got that covered too! Don't hesitate to bring up your skin concerns at your appointment because you deserve to have the skin of your dreams. If there happens to be something we can't advise on, we won't just leave you hanging! We will let you know if it's best to see a dermatologist.

You did it!

You have successfully obtained the knowledge to start your waxing journey! The most important aspect of learning is asking questions so feel free to reach out! You deserve to have everything you need to feel confident in the process, the aftercare, and your skin! So book that self care day! You deserve it <3