Maybe you’re an avid bikini-waxer. Perhaps you’ve gone a few times but generally think it too expensive to make a habit. Or maybe you’d just like to have a clean bikini line for summer. Whatever your reasons are, you can wax at home for far less cost and less pain than at a beauty salon.
If you’ve become a monthly bikini-waxer, you may come to find that it’s a rather expensive grooming ritual. Even if you only wax once every few months, the cost can add up. With most salons and spas charging upwards of $70, it may benefit you and your pocket book to learn how to wax at home. If your pain threshold just barely gets you through a professional waxing, this may not be a viable option for you. But if you’re able to withstand inflicting the pain on yourself, and you’re insistent on a clean bikini area, then you can be assured, there’s no reason you can’t do it yourself.
There are dozens of different kinds of waxes available although not all waxes are created equally. Some are incredibly painful and not all that helpful. For the at-home waxer, avoid any wax that’s applied cold or is pre-applied to muslin strips. These rarely remove much hair, and simply cause a sticky, gooey mess that is annoying to clean up. Sugar wax, such as Sally Hansen’s, are essentially the same sort of wax that you’ll find used in a salon. These work well enough in theory, but they can be problematic. Firstly, the wax needs to be applied very thinly, the muslin strip pressed down firmly, then pulled up quickly from the skin in the opposite direction of hair growth. It can be difficult to apply the wax in the appropriate thickness. When this happens and the wax is too thick, the cloth strips stick and instead of pulling off cleanly, tug at the skin instead of the hair. This can cause bruising that is both painful and unsightly. Not to mention, it does not remove the hair. This sort of wax is very good for use on legs or any area where you can easily see the skin and the surface you’re working on is smooth, for example, a shin or thigh. This wax is great for salons to use, but for the do-it-yourself girl, it’s more work and pain than it’s worth. The only upside to sugar wax is that it can be washed off, so if you change your mind after applying it, you can remove it without pain.
Hard wax is the easiest and least painful wax that can be used. Two major brands can be found in most local drug stores. Surgi Hard Wax for Private Parts and Sally Hansen’s Brazilian Wax Kit both work quickly and nearly painlessly, and won’t break the bank. Each cost under $10. Depending on how much you conserve, and the size area you’re waxing, you’ll probably be able to get at least two waxing sessions out of one container. The difference between hard wax and other kinds of wax used for grooming is fairly straightforward. When the container is opened at room temperature, the wax is hard as opposed to soft and gooey. Both brands come in microwavable containers and have a skin softening oil along with a variety of other useful tools.
Instructions for use
Sally Hansen may be a better choice for beginners if only because Sally Hansen’s comes with a small mirror and scissors for trimming the area, both of which will be useful. Otherwise, both waxes are virtually the same. First, make sure you’ve had a professional wax done before. If you haven’t, call your local spa or salon and schedule one. This is not an at-home procedure that should be attempted by anyone who has never had a professional waxing. Especially when using the hard wax, make sure you’re ready and willing to go through with it. Hard wax can only be removed by pulling it off and it will remove the hair with it. That being said, this is a less painful removal than any other form of wax. Because it doesn’t need a muslin cloth, the wax pulls up more cleanly, concentrating on the hair follicles and not on your skin.
Once you’ve had at least one professional wax and you’re ready to brave the at-home waxing endeavor, you can follow these instructions. First, make sure the area is fully washed and cleaned. Hair should be no longer than half an inch in length, and must be at least a quarter inch in length for the wax to adhere properly. Sally Hansen’s wax includes a small scissor and mirror that can be used to trim hair to the appropriate length. Once skin is clean and dry, apply the soothing oil included in either kit. Sally Hansen’s doesn’t indicate to do this, the oil is intended for after the hair removal. However, applying the oil first keeps the wax from sticking to your skin. It pulls the hair out more easily and the top layer of skin is protected. Apply the oil (at this point, baby oil can also be used) so that it completely covers the skin. After wiping your hands clean, microwave the wax according to the directions included. Because every microwave is different, you may need to use more or less time. Because you never want to use wax that’s too hot, you should always check the consistency. If the wax is runny and almost like water, it’s too hot to use. When stirred with the wooden spatula, the wax should be smooth but substantial enough to stick to the wood. It should be near the consistency of warmed honey, if not just slightly less sticky.
Before applying, make sure you’ve got a good area set up. Try using a full-length mirror or a cosmetics mirror with lights. You’ll need either a lamp or lantern to add light to the area, as overhead lighting will be shadowed. For easier clean-up, lay newspapers down on the floor and wear rubber-soled shoes to keep any spilt wax off your feet. Wax can be messy and the easier the clean up, the better. Once situated and ready with warmed wax, begin applying the wax, starting with the outer most edge of your bikini line near the thigh. Spread the wax smoothly so it covers an area about one inch wide and three inches long. Unlike other waxes, it’s okay to layer this wax on slightly thickly. Make sure that you have a good amount of wax at the end of the strip and before it hardens, lightly lift a corner up so that you have an area to grip. Once the desired area is sufficiently covered in wax, let it cool. This can take anywhere from 20 seconds to 2 minutes depending on how thick the wax is. Make sure the wax has hardened and is not sticky to the touch, but still warm (don’t wait 10 minutes) before removing. To remove, pull the skin as tightly as possible. Grasp the wax from the slightly lifted corner at the bottom and pull upward in a swift, smooth motion.
Continue working from the outer bikini area inward, alternating sides. If you’re planning on waxing a full Brazilian wax you’ll need to have special resolve and good lighting. This area is not pleasant to remove hair from, but with the hard wax it can be quickly and completely done. Always remember when waxing any region, whether bikini line, leg, under arm or face, to make sure that you can see exactly where you’d like the hair to be removed. Apply the wax while holding the skin as taught and smooth as possible. Continue holding the skin while the wax cools. This helps the wax cool more quickly and evenly. Make sure the wax can cool and be untouched until you’re ready to remove it. Remove the wax quickly and swiftly. If you find the wax is not coming off cleanly, let it cool for another minute. Although all waxing instructions will say to always pull wax upward in the opposite direction of hair growth, it is not always necessary to do this with the hard wax. Because the oil is protecting the skin the risk of ingrown hair is greatly reduced. Also, if the hard wax is allowed to cool properly the hair will be completely removed along with the follicle. At times it may be easier to pull the wax in the same direction as the hair growth areas where hair is thicker.
After you’ve finished waxing, reapply the soothing oil to the skin and let it rest for 30 minutes or so. Don’t wash the area or submerge it in water for about two hours. This usually gives the skin enough time to recover and re-hydrate from the soothing oil. If you have any pain, apply a lightly covered ice pack to the area for twenty minutes. Aspirin may also alleviate any discomfort you may experience.
Because waxing removes the follicle as well as the hair, the skin will stay smoother for longer, keeping you bikini-ready for several weeks versus shaving which regrows quickly and sometimes painfully. Eventually the hair will become noticeably more sparse and with continued waxing, the hair removal will become permanent. Although salon waxing is also easier on the skin than shaving and lasts much longer, the hard wax process is by far the most gentle and most effective. If you’ve been paying an aesthetician at a salon for bikini wax now is the time to take matters into your own hands. Make sure you can handle the pain involved and be sure you can finish once you’ve started. With the new at-home waxes available, there’s no reason to continue paying a salon when you can buy a kit for much less. Even though this wax is designed for the bikini area, it’s perfectly safe to use on nearly any area for hair removal. The lack of cloth strips also means that for small areas, like toes or fingers, there’s no cutting the muslin into smaller strips which makes the process much quicker and also, less wasteful. The only area not suitable for this kind of wax is the eyebrows. This wax cannot be removed without removing the hair as well and a more easily removed wax is suggested for the brows because the wax must be applied in a very precise manner. Otherwise, hard wax is the perfect solution for at-home waxing. Far less expensive than a salon and far more effective than other varieties, you’ll enjoy the switch.
