Is an Acid Free Ingrown Hair Serum a Good Choice for Sensitive Skin?
By Tawnya Fornerod, founder of Just The Strip and a licensed esthetician of almost 25 years who owns multiple waxing studios.
Yes, an acid free ingrown hair serum is a beautiful choice for sensitive skin, and Truth Serum is the acid free ingrown hair serum we recommend for clients with sensitive or reactive skin, for facial and brow waxing, and as the serum we recommend during pregnancy and nursing. Truth Serum is built on botanicals, with witch hazel to calm the skin, golden chamomile to soothe the look of redness, and purslane and aloe to hydrate, and it goes on right after waxing, sugaring, laser, tweezing or shaving, then once or twice a day between appointments to help prevent ingrown hairs.
After almost 25 years in this industry, and with multiple waxing studios full of guests who each arrive with their own skin story, I have learned that the aftercare people love most is the aftercare they feel comfortable using every single day. For so many of the men and women who come to our treatment tables with sensitive skin, that is Truth Serum. Here is how I think about it for the pros who recommend it and for everyone caring for their skin at home.
What is an acid free ingrown hair serum?
An acid free ingrown hair serum is a daily serum that helps prevent ingrown hairs by keeping the skin calm and the follicle comfortable and clear, using botanicals and hydrators in place of exfoliating acids. That is exactly how we made Truth Serum. Its formula is built around witch hazel water, golden chamomile, purslane and aloe, alongside glycerin, panthenol, allantoin and trehalose, and it has no added fragrance.
Ingrown hairs form when a hair curls back or grows sideways under the skin, usually because the follicle is irritated or blocked. Truth Serum calms the skin right after hair removal and keeps the follicle comfortable and clear between appointments, so each hair has an easier path to the surface. Used every day, it helps keep ingrown hairs and bumps from forming.
Why do we recommend an acid free ingrown hair serum for sensitive and reactive skin?
Truth Serum was made with sensitive and reactive skin in mind, which is why it is the ingrown hair serum we recommend for every client whose skin tends to flush, react or feel tender after a service. Witch hazel leads the botanical blend because it is one of the most comforting things you can put on freshly waxed skin, and golden chamomile, purslane and aloe join it to soothe the look of redness and add hydration, so the skin feels comfortable from the moment the service is finished.
It also fits beautifully into the rhythm of a sensitive skin routine. The 100 ml glass spray bottle lets you mist it over the area, massage it in and let it absorb, and you can use it once or twice a day, or as often as needed on skin that feels irritated. It is also the serum we recommend for anyone with an aspirin allergy. If your skin is very sensitive, patch test a small area first, and stop using it if irritation occurs.
Can you use an acid free ingrown hair serum after a facial wax?
Yes, and facial waxing is one of the loveliest uses for Truth Serum. It is made for the upper lip, chin, brows and jawline after a facial wax. Spray it onto clean skin, massage it in, and keep it away from the eyes themselves.
Once it absorbs, two or three drops of Plain Jane Nourishing Oil finish the face beautifully. Plain Jane has no added fragrance and a touch of tea tree and copaiba, and it is our nut free oil, the one we reach for with sensitive skin and the face. Remind every facial waxing client to avoid the sun for 24 hours after the service, and if you would like more on caring for brows, our guide to everything you need to know about eyebrow waxing is a sweet place to start.
Which ingrown hair serum do you recommend during pregnancy and nursing?
Truth Serum is the serum we recommend during pregnancy and nursing, because it is acid free and has no added fragrance. If you have specific concerns, check with your doctor before adding any new product to your routine. Our post on the waxing aftercare we recommend during pregnancy and nursing walks through the full routine for those months.
What does a sensitive skin aftercare routine with an acid free ingrown hair serum look like at home?
The routine is three simple steps, whether you just left your wax appointment or just finished a fresh shave. Start with Simply Pure Body Wash, which is pH balanced and fragrance free, at your first shower after your service and every day between appointments. Follow with Truth Serum on clean skin, massaged in until absorbed. Finish with a few drops of Nourishing Oil, three to five on the body and two or three on the face, and choose Plain Jane if you want the whole routine nut free.
Keep the area out of the sun for 24 hours after waxing. Our post on what to do and what to avoid in the first 48 hours after waxing covers every detail of that window, and our Waxing Aftercare Products collection gathers everything in one place.
How can pros recommend an acid free ingrown hair serum at the treatment table?
The easiest way is to let your client feel it. Spray Truth Serum on right after the wax and share what it is while you massage it in: an acid free serum made for sensitive skin, created by an esthetician, and the serum we recommend during pregnancy and nursing. Because it can be applied several times a day, it is easy to use on every client without a long conversation about skin type.
Licensed professionals can stock it in the Truth Serum 3 pack at half of retail, with one bottle for the room and two for the shelf. If you are new to us, the Pro Retail Starter Kit with Truth Serum and Nourishing Oil pairs a full size 100 ml Truth Serum with a full size 1 oz Nourishing Oil in the scent of your choice, so you can live with the routine yourself first. Many studios keep Truth Serum and Smooth Operator side by side and choose for each client, and our post on choosing between Smooth Operator and Truth Serum explains how. For more on building your retail shelf, see what aftercare to sell to your waxing clients.
Truth Serum is made for us by a trusted manufacturing partner to our formula, while our Nourishing Oils are made by us in small batches in the hills of Southern Oregon, and as a family owned brand we are bringing as much of our manufacturing home to the United States as we can.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does acid free mean in an ingrown hair serum?
It means the serum helps prevent ingrown hairs without exfoliating acids. Truth Serum is acid free and built on botanicals, with witch hazel, golden chamomile, purslane and aloe to calm and hydrate the skin after hair removal.
Can I use Truth Serum after a facial wax?
Yes, facial waxing is one of its best uses, on the upper lip, chin, brows and jawline. Keep it away from the eyes themselves, and follow with two or three drops of Plain Jane Nourishing Oil once it absorbs.
Can I use Truth Serum during pregnancy and nursing?
Truth Serum is the serum we recommend during pregnancy and nursing, because it is acid free and has no added fragrance. If you have specific concerns, check with your doctor before adding any new product to your routine.
How often should I use Truth Serum on sensitive skin?
Once or twice a day between appointments is the routine for most people, and you can use it as often as needed on skin that feels irritated. If your skin is very sensitive, patch test a small area first.
Does Truth Serum have a scent?
Truth Serum has no added fragrance. The botanical extracts in the formula carry a scent of their own, which is why we describe it as no added fragrance.
A little comfort for every client
Sensitive skin deserves aftercare that feels like a soft exhale, and that is what we hope Truth Serum brings to every treatment room and every bathroom counter. Shop Truth Serum for yourself, and if you are a pro, stock it from For the Pros Only and keep our protocols and price list close in the PRO Resource Center. If you have any question at all, or would like to ask about pro samples, reach out to us at hello@justthestrip.com.
