How To: Waxing At Home

Hair. Everybody has it, and we all get it in places we don't necessarily want it. Warm waxing is a great way to remove hair as it is quick and effective in removing any unwanted hair on the body.

Before I was studying my Beauty Therapy NVQ in 2013, I had only ever attempted to wax my legs a few times with at home wax strips bought from high-street stores such as Boots or Superdrug. I was extremely nervous being waxed for the first time, and was worried that my classmate; who was new to waxing too, would hurt me more than my tutor who had years of waxing experience would. Still, as we were all learning, we had to be each others guinea pigs, and I was surprised how little it hurt. My poor attempts at waxing at home prior to learning how to warm wax had me convinced that waxing was too painful to even consider, and that I would rather shave than wax.

With spring being here already, and summer fast approaching, I thought I would write a post explaining how to wax, as well as mention some important things to consider when waxing to ensure you are doing so in the most effective and hygienic way.

YOU WILL NEED:

• Wax Heater
• Warm Wax
• Wooden Spatulas
• Wax Strips (these can be material or paper)
• Cotton Pads
• Tweezers
• Pre Wax Lotion
• Baby Powder
• After Wax Lotion

SETTING UP:

Before you start waxing, consider a suitable location to do so. Ideally set up a space in a bathroom or other room without carpet, just in case of spillages. If you have to wax in a carpeted room, use old towels to cover the chair and floor area you are going to be sitting over. You could use kitchen roll to place your wax heater on so that wax does not drip onto your surfaces. Plug in your wax heater and insert the wax. Make sure you turn the wax heater on! There has been numerous times I have plugged in my wax heater and forgot to check the heat setting was high enough to heat the wax! It will take about 30 minutes for the wax to heat up, check the wax periodically and stir with a wooden spatula.

THE HOW TO:

• Wash your hands! Make sure you use soap to get rid of germs and bacteria before starting the waxing treatment.
• USE YOUR PRE WAX. Apply a small amount of the pre wax product to a clean cotton pad and gently wipe over the area to be waxed. This helps to clean the area prior to waxing, and also assists the wax in gripping the hair. 
• **TIP** If you have waxed previously and found it to be painful, you can apply a small amount of baby powder to a cotton pad and gently swipe it over the area to be waxed. This helps the wax to grip the hairs and reduces pain.
• Apply the wax. Dip your wooden spatula into the wax. Wipe clean one flat edge of the spatula and allow excess wax to drip off.
• **TIP** I usually pick up a wax strip with my other hand to use as a “drip catcher”, basically I hold the wax strip below the spatula as I move the spatula from the wax pot to the client’s skin.
• ALWAYS apply wax in the direction of hair growth. You should have the spatula at a 45 degree angle from the skin; this helps to get a thin and even application of wax that will allow optimum hair-grabbing. 
• Apply the paper or material wax strip over the wax and smooth down in the direction of hair growth; use your fingers to rub the wax strip applying pressure and keeping the wax warmed. 
• STRETCH THE SKIN! Hold the skin taught, this will assist with quick and easy hair removal, as well as reduce the pain. Hold the skin with one hand and grab the base of the wax strip with the other. 
• PULL FAST! The slower you pull the wax strip, the less effective it will be, and will also increase the pain for the client (or yourself). Pull the wax strip against the hair growth in a quick manner again at about a 45 degree angle from the skin. 
• Re-apply the wax strip to the area to remove excess wax and hair that was missed. 
• **TIP** - You can re-use a wax strip a few times before disposing of it. This will keep your costs down and also make the process quicker.
• **TIP** Don't over wax an area. Ideally you should only wax an area once, any few remaining hairs can be tweezed out. I wouldn't recommend re-applying wax to the same area more than twice as the skin will be very sensitive and you can cause pain. 
• Once you have waxed the area completely, use your after-wax lotion by applying on a cotton pad and then rubbing over the skin. Not only does the after-wax have soothing properties, it will also help in preventing any infection. 

AFTERCARE:

After waxing, it is essential you take care of your skin over the next few days. If you have slight soreness as well as red and bumpy looking skin do not worry. This is a common temporary reaction to waxing and these symptoms should subside within the next 24-48 hours. However, if you experience persistent redness or irritation you should contact your GP for advice. The basic gist of aftercare is to keep the area clean, avoid heat and do not apply products to the area for at least 24-48 hours. Here are a few more in-depth aftercare instructions you should follow after any waxing treatments regardless if you waxed yourself at home or had any waxing done in a salon.

• Avoid heat. No hot baths or showers, use cool to lukewarm water only. This includes no saunas, hot tubs or other steam treatments. 
• Similarly, avoid tanning for a few days. This means no sunbathing, sun beds or fake tans. The UV rays as well as heat of the sun or sun beds can seriously damage your skin especially where it is recently tender due to waxing.
• Don’t sweat it! Don’t take part in any sport, gym work or other exercise.
• Don’t touch it! Avoid touching the treated area, especially with unwashed hands. The pores of the area will be open, and unnecessarily touching can spread bacteria and cause infections. 
• Avoid using deodorants, body sprays, powders, lotions and other products on the area unless they have been recommended by a beauty therapist or are specifically made for use after waxing (e.g., after wax lotions).
• Re-apply antiseptic creams or after-wax lotions to the area regularly for the following 3 days or as needed. Make sure you wash your hands before applying any products to the area. 
• No exfoliation for at least 2 days! After a few days, you should exfoliate at least 3 times a week to prevent ingrowing hairs. Ensure you keep the area moisturised as this will keep the skin supple and assist new hair to grow through normally. 

If you notice a small amount of hair regrowth after a week or so, this can be normal. If you are new to waxing, it can take up to 4 treatments for your hair to get into a growth cycle that gives the best result from waxing. You should avoid shaving between waxing as this will hinder the growth cycle of your hair. To maintain your smooth appearance you should wax regularly, every 4-6 weeks depending on hair growth. 


This post turned out a lot longer than I anticipated, but I wanted to give you all as much information as possible to help your at-home waxing techniques. I am relaying the information I was taught when I was learning, and obviously if any fellow beauty therapists are reading this then you may have been taught differently than myself. Please get in touch with any questions you have for me. You can do this by leaving a comment, tweeting me or using my Facebook page Amy Rose Beauty. All the links are in my profile.

Amy Rose Beauty xo