Do you struggle with ingrown hairs due to waxing? Results in the waxing room will only ever be as good as your at-home routine. I am here to help guide you outside of the waxing room so that you’ll get the smoothest wax time after time.
Why you should follow your waxer’s aftercare routine
By following your esthetician’s at-home care routine you are lessening the chances of getting ingrown hairs. Ingrowns are formed when the hair is trapped underneath dead skin and has nowhere to grow. A red, sometimes painful, bump will form where the hair is trapped underneath the skin’s surface.
*Disclaimer: I can only give general advice, I would need to see your skin to properly identify any issues and make suggestions as to what at-home care would be best for your skin type and skin concerns. Please ask your esthetician what they think would be best for your skin type and skin concerns. Estheticians are not doctors, please seek medical attention if you have any pustules, signs of infection, painful bumps or chronic ingrowns.
*Check that your esthetician doesn’t carry something before buying it off Amazon or other 3rd party sites. By purchasing directly from your esthetician you are helping their business, so please try to purchase from your esthetician when you can.
Physical Exfoliation:
When you wax, your hair is completely removed & your skin is deeply exfoliated. This exfoliation will only last a couple of days though, which is why you should start exfoliating 48 hours after your wax.
Exfoliating is extremely important in preventing ingrown hairs from forming. Exfoliating helps remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. The hair that will start growing back will be finer and thinner than what you’re probably used to with shaving. Exfoliating is important when shaving but since your shaved hair is thicker and stronger it will be able to push through the dead skin cells at the skin’s surface. When waxing, however, the hair that grows back is extremely weak and it is nearly impossible for that little hair to grow through those dead skin cells, causing it to roll and grow back down forming an ingrown hair. About two weeks after your waxing appointment your hair will begin to grow back, this is the prime time for ingrowns to begin forming if you’re not keeping up with at-home exfoliation.
At-home exfoliation should start about 48 hours after your waxing appointment. You should then continue to exfoliate every other day until your next appointment. This will ensure that at your next wax, no hair is trapped under the skin’s surface. When hair is trapped under the skin’s surface, not only will it cause ingrowns, but wax will not pick it up.
My favorite physical exfoliation products:
#1 Dry brushes:
By far, we see the best exfoliating results with dry brushing. Dry brushing has so many lovely benefits such as lymphatic drainage, blood circulation, as well as exfoliation. Since we are waxers, we love dry brushing for its amazing exfoliation capabilities.
Dry brushing should be done every other day starting 48 hours after your wax. It can be done on the entire body, making sure to hit those freshly waxed areas. You can dry brush before or after the shower, just make sure that both you and the brush are dry. To begin dry brushing, hold the brush gently against your skin then begin moving it in small circular motions or strokes towards your heart. You do not have to press firmly at all, let the brush do all the work. Repeat over each area for 10-30 seconds, then you’re done.
We recommend replacing your dry brush every year to make sure the bristles are firm enough to actually do their job.
#2 Scrubs:
Scrubs work wonders on rough and bumpy skin, we just recommend using a scrub that is in a tube, rather than a jar. Scrubs packaged in a jar are the perfect place for bacteria to collect since you are dipping into the product with your fingers. Placing a scrub like this on freshly waxed skin is a nightmare waiting to happen. Scrubs that come in a tube don’t have any way of collecting bacteria since the unused product hasn’t been exposed to outside elements.
Make sure when purchasing a scrub you are getting one safe for the brazilian area. There is nothing worse than a yeast infection because your aftercare products disrupt your pH.
#3 Exfoliating Gloves:
Unless you plan to replace your gloves at each of your waxing appointments I would suggest skipping this purchase. Just like scrubs, gloves can harbor bacteria and cause more harm than good to your freshly waxed skin.
No matter what exfoliating product you go with, please make sure you’re exfoliating every other day until your next wax, starting 48 hours after your last wax.
Chemical Exfoliation:
Another, more intense form of exfoliation is chemical exfoliation. We suggest chemical exfoliation to clients who struggle with persistent ingrowns that aren’t minimized with physical exfoliation.
Chemical exfoliation is a form of exfoliation using ingredients such as lactic, glycolic, or salicylic acids. These acids eat away at the top layer of dead skin which will help any new growth trying to break through. Chemical exfoliation does dry out the skin a bit more than physical exfoliation so it’s extremely important to replenish the skin with a moisturizer, which I will get to in the next section.
My favorite chemical exfoliants:
I have tried them all, Tend Skin, PFB, my acne cleanser (ouch!). Tend Skin was extremely irritating to my skin, I would only recommend this product to be used as a spot treatment.
PFB has been my tried and true for years now, I use it about 2-3 times per week and they even have a formula that helps lighten any dark marks. I have found that the formulation was a bit drying for my skin, so just make sure to use a good moisturizer afterward.
Check with your esthetician before adding any chemical exfoliants to your at-home routine, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Moisturization:
Hydrated skin means hydrated hair. Why is that important? Dry and brittle hair will snap and break during your waxing appointment causing an uneven wax. Whereas hydrated hair will stretch and easily glide out when the wax is applied resulting in a smooth wax.
Adding hydrating also allows for the hair to slide right out. Imagine you’re setting up a slip-and-slide, and your kid comes running outside, “Oh cool! A slip and slide!” Then before you get the chance to turn on the water, he jumps on, then he just flops. That’s your hair during a wax without any moisture. Moisturize daily before your next wax, it’ll be way less painful and allow us to easily remove all the hair.
So, what should you use to moisturize? We suggest a noncomedogenic moisturizer or a moisturizer that won’t clog your pores, such as our Down Under Oil!
Noncomedogenic moisturizers are typically oil-based products such as grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, or sunflower oil. These oils will ensure that your skin, as well as your hair, stays moisturized up until your next wax without the chance of any clogged pores.
The perfect aftercare routine:
Daily – Moisturize
Every other day – Exfoliate
Make sure you’re on a good 4 week schedule with your waxes. Been 4 weeks since your last wax? Check our availability here!
It’s that simple!
I know I can be very long-winded, but I just wanted to provide you with all the information I could so that you can have the best results when it comes to waxing. I really hope you got some valuable information from this article and feel more confident now that you know exactly what to do after your waxing appointments to achieve the smoothest results.
How To Prevent Ingrown Hairs | According To A Waxing Expert
