You asked, we answered. We’re excited to share expert answers to your top waxing questions with the help of Fur Professional Lexi Bodem. Lexi is a licensed esthetician, sales trainer, and franchise owner of Hello Sugar in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. So without further ado, here’s what you need to know about waxing—for newbies and waxing regulars alike.
1. Does waxing hurt? How can I manage the pain?
Yes, waxing can hurt—but, it will vary person to person, and can change depending where you’re at in your waxing journey.
The best thing to know is that after the first one, the second one typically hurts way less, and so on! I use the analogy of tattoos. Asking if waxing hurts is like asking if a tattoo hurts. You know it's going to hurt, but how big is it? Where is it on the body? There's a million things that go into every individual's pain tolerance, but 95% of my clients say it's not as bad as they thought it was going to be after they're done.
To make waxing less painful, these are my tips:
Don't have caffeine for at least a couple of hours before your appointment, as it makes your skin more sensitive.
Before and during your period, you’re more sensitive,so avoid booking during those time periods if you’re worried about pain.
Taking ibuprofen an hour before your appointment can help. (Please note, this is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice.)
Consult with your esthetician for their tips tailored to your skin type, where on the body you’re getting waxed, and so on.
Is it normal to bleed when you get waxed for the first time?
The only bleeding you should have is pinpoint bleeding—tiny, little red dots. That kind of bleeding is good because it means we got the roots of your hairs out.
Can you wax with sensitive skin?
The gentlest type of hair removal is sugaring, which is typically going to be the best option for super sensitive skin. However, sugaring might not be the best choice if you’re removing longer hairs—so your esthetician will be able to make the best recommendation for you. If you’re nervous and it’s your first time, you might want to try and find a spot that offers both waxing and sugaring, that way they can customize your visit to both your skin type and your needs on that particular day.
2. How to avoid ingrown hairs after waxing
The two main things you want to do to prevent ingrowns is exfoliating and hydrating. Everyone’s skin varies, but for most people, exfoliating two times per week is great to prevent ingrowns. You want to clear the dead skin out of the way, so those hairs can come through and ingrowns can’t form. Hydrating daily will help soften the hairs, so when they come through, they don't get stuck as easily.
Post-wax, ingrown-preventing routine
Unclog pores with Silk Scrub 2-3 times per week.
Use the Finger Mitt (included in Ingrown Concentrate box) to gently exfoliate ingrown-prone areas).
Out of the shower, apply a few drops of Ingrown Concentrate to bumps daily or more as needed.
Apply Ingrown Eliminator Serum to any active, inflamed ingrowns for a powerful spot treatment.
Apply Fur Oil daily to areas that need a hydration boost, or that you plan on getting waxed.
Spread Stubble Cream to moisturize larger areas of skin, such as legs, arms, and sides of bikini line.
3. What are the top tips to prepare for a wax?
Exfoliate the day before, so that all the dead skin is out of the way.
Be hydrating leading up to your appointment. Apply a couple drops of Fur Oil in the area(s) you’re getting waxed every day for at least a couple weeks before so your hair comes out nicely.
Don’t have caffeine before, and drink plenty of water.
Remember that it’s not as bad as you think it’s going to be!
What to wear to a waxing appointment?
Wear clothes that make sense for the treatment you’re getting, knowing that wherever you’re getting waxed will be exposed. Layering can help!
If you’re getting an underarm wax, you could wear a tank top.
If you’re getting any lower body waxing, wearing a dress might help, so you don’t have to take more clothes off than necessary.
If you’re just getting a bikini line wax, most estheticians aren’t going to require you to take your underwear off. But, they’re probably going to have to pull the underwear to the side in the area they’re waxing so it’s exposed, and so they don’t get wax on your clothing.
4. How long should I grow my hair out before waxing?
You want your hair to be about a grain of rice length. So if you shave, that’s going to be about 12-14 days post-shaving. If you had a wax last, that’s going to be about a month from your last wax. A little bit longer is better than a little bit shorter. Short hair is stubborn and can be tough to get out.
What if your hair is longer than a grain of rice in length?
It depends on the waxer and where on the body you’re getting waxed. Some places will trim, some won’t, so I would reach out to your waxer and ask. If it’s an inch or beyond, a little trim is probably going to be a good idea. But when you’re trimming, aim for longer than a grain of rice because it’s very easy to trim too close by accident.
5. What’s the best remedy for hyperpigmentation post-wax?
You want your skin to be prepped very well, so a basic routine of hydrating and exfoliating before even attempting to do anything about hyperpigmentation is smart so that you get good results when you do try to treat it. To get rid of hyperpigmentation, you’ll want to focus on using products brightening ingredients, and being consistent!
Does waxing darken your skin over time?
In rare cases. If someone is super prone to pigmentation, it’s possible that could happen. For the vast majority of people, though, it won’t and shouldn’t. For those who have sensitive skin, I would recommend sugaring instead of waxing, and a good aftercare routine.
6. What are the top things a waxing newbie should know?
Avoid drinking caffeine on the day of your appointment, because this can make your skin more sensitive to pain.
Prep your skin: Exfoliate the night before, and hydrate consistently.
Wear loose clothing and plan to be potentially a little more irritated that first time.
Don’t work out or engage in strenuous activity on that same day, especially because it’s your first time and you don’t know how your skin’s going to do. Err on the side of caution,
Know that everything will be easier after you get through that first one!
How do you know if your waxer is reputable?
I always recommend looking up the business on Google and Yelp and reading the reviews, plus making sure they have a legitimate website. Finding businesses on Instagram is great too, because a lot of small businesses or individual service providers focus on Instagram and social media. They should have their licensing and accreditations on the wall of their salon, but if you want to verify before you go in, you can always ask their license numbers and verify online by state.
What does a waxing session look like?
It should start with a consultation. You should be filling out a consent form and having a discussion about what you want and what service is being provided. That all should be happening prior to you getting on the table. The esthetician should clean the area being waxed, and the waxing can begin!
7. How do you best care for your skin after waxing?
Your esthetician will be able to recommend the best aftercare for you, but in general, I like to recommend hydrating regularly and very light exfoliation once or twice a week. It’s important to establish a good, basic home care routine to keep the skin healthy. You want to minimize any trauma to the skin, because dry skin will become more easily irritated. So for post-wax aftercare, you want to make sure to calm that inflammation right away and use something with brightening ingredients on the regular to keep that pigmentation away.
8. What’s the best week in one’s menstrual cycle for hair removal to provide the least discomfort?
The week after your period ends is best, because skin’s sensitivity is higher right before and during your period. If you need to get waxed during your period, it’s totally ok to wear a tampon or menstrual cup, just make sure it’s fresh and you let your esthetician know.
9. Are waxers really never grossed out or shocked by anything they see?
Wholeheartedly, 100%, I think that’s true. I’ve never met a waxer that is grossed out at all! If you’re the type of person who is grossed out or weirded out, you don’t go into this job. Body waxers have to be that person that is unbothered. We are some of the least judgemental people ever. Just follow good etiquette (see below!) and you’ll be good to go.
10. What does good waxing etiquette look like as a client?
I think taking a shower before you go in is great. If you’re out working all day, or if you work out beforehand, I think it’s courteous to your waxer to just take a shower. It’s going to be good for your skin anyway to not clean skin coming into a wax. You want clean skin because your pores are about to be open post-wax, and you don’t want to put dirty clothes on either. I think a great tip, too, is to bring a fresh pair of underwear (unless you literally showered and came right in!). So it’s clean fabric going on your skin, with those open pores. But as long as you’re showering, you don’t need to do any crazy skin prep. Like we talked about, a light exfoliation the day before is great.