New to waxing? Waxing is one of the most popular ways to get rid of unwanted hair because, unlike shaving, it lasts for several weeks. It’s wonderful not having to deal with excess body hair for a month, but the waxing process is definitely not a fun one – especially if you’re new to it! Here are my top waxing tips to make the process go smoother and hopefully, reduce some of the pain that comes with it!

Before Waxing

Do Exfoliate

Dead skin cells and oil can clog the pores on your skin. Waxing grabs hair by the roots inside your pores, so you want to allow the wax to get inside for the closest hair removal possible. Exfoliating before waxing cleans out your pores, so the wax can reach more hair.

Do Take a Warm Bath

Before you wax your body hair, take a warm bath to open up your pores. This will help make waxing easier and allow the wax to remove more hair without causing so much pain.

Do Apply Powder

Your skin produces oils and sweat, even if you can’t see or feel it. They make your skin slippery and greasy, which can affect how the wax peels off of your skin. Sprinkle some body powder on your skin just before waxing to absorb any excess oil or sweat.

Don’t Wax Broken Skin

If your skin is cut, scraped, or otherwise broken, let it heal before waxing.

Don’t Moisturize

Waxing regularly can damage the hair follicle. This can cause your hair to grow thinner, which makes it less painful to wax in the long run. You’ll notice that over time, your waxing sessions will hurt less, and you might even be able to go longer between waxing because your hair will grow at a much slower rate, yay!

When you’re ready to remove the wax strip, use one hand to make your skin taut. This helps open up your pores so it’s easier for the hair to escape.

During Waxing

When you’re ready to remove the wax, work fast. Going slow will prolong the pain and can mix some hair. Remove the strip fast for better waxing results.

Don’t let your hair grow too long between waxing. If the hair is too long, it can get tangled in the wax or even become knotted with other hair. This can make waxing more painful, and you might miss some spots.

Conversely, don’t try to wax hair that is too short. The wax needs some hair to grip onto. If your hair is too short, the wax will grip your skin instead of your hair and pull off your skin. Ideally, your hair should be about ¼ to ¾ of an inch long.