Written by Tawnya Fornerod, licensed esthetician and founder of Just The Strip, with almost 25 years in the beauty industry and multiple waxing studios of her own.
The short answer: Caring for your skin after waxing starts before you ever reach the treatment table. In the days before your appointment, exfoliate gently, keep the skin hydrated, and let the hair grow to about the length of a grain of rice. Arrive with clean skin and loose clothing. After your wax, apply an ingrown hair serum and a few drops of oil, skip heat, sweat, sun and scented products for 24 hours, wait 24 to 48 hours to exfoliate, and keep a simple cleanse, treat and hydrate routine going every day until your next appointment.
How do you prepare your skin before a wax?
A smooth, comfortable wax begins with skin that is ready for it, and a little preparation in the days before your appointment makes the service easier for you and for your esthetician.
Exfoliate in the days before your appointment
Gentle exfoliation with a scrub, an exfoliating glove or a silicone scrubber lifts away the dead skin that can trap hair and get in the way of a clean wax. Keep it gentle, and skip it on the day of your appointment so the skin is calm when you arrive.
Keep your skin hydrated between appointments
Skin that is hydrated every day between waxes is softer, more flexible and more comfortable to wax, and it settles faster afterward. A few drops of Nourishing Oil after your shower is an easy habit to keep. Plain Jane has no added fragrance and a touch of tea tree and copaiba and is nut free, while the scented oils all contain sweet almond oil, so choose Plain Jane if you have a nut allergy.
Let the hair grow
Your hair needs to be about a quarter inch long, roughly the length of a grain of rice, for the wax to grip it well. Shaving between appointments cuts the hair at an angle and restarts regrowth, so let it grow out from one wax to the next.
Arrive clean and comfortable
Come to your appointment with freshly cleansed skin, especially for a bikini or Brazilian wax, and wear loose, breathable clothing so nothing rubs the area on the way home.
What happens to your skin during a wax?
Waxing removes each hair from the root, and it also lifts away a thin layer of dead skin along with it. That is what makes skin feel so beautifully smooth afterward, and it is also why freshly waxed skin is more sensitive for a day or two, with open follicles and a slightly thinner surface layer. Many professionals apply a pre and post wax oil before and after the service to protect the skin and lift away any wax residue, which gives your aftercare a calm, clean starting point.
How do you care for your skin after waxing?
The first 24 hours matter most, and a few small choices go a long way toward calm skin and fewer ingrown hairs.
- Treat the follicle right away. Apply an ingrown hair serum to clean skin right after your wax, then once a day between appointments. Our Smooth Operator uses salicylic, glycolic and lactic acids to keep the follicle clear, and our new formula is coming soon. Truth Serum is our acid free serum built on botanicals, and it is the serum we recommend during pregnancy and nursing or for very sensitive skin; check with your doctor if you have specific concerns.
- Hydrate. Once the serum dries, finish with three to five drops of Nourishing Oil.
- Cleanse gently. When you shower, use lukewarm water and a pH balanced, fragrance free wash like Simply Pure Body Wash, then pat the area dry.
- Give your skin 24 hours of rest. Skip hot tubs, saunas, sweaty workouts, swimming, sun, tanning and scented lotions for the first day, and wear loose clothing.
- Leave bumps alone. Picking or squeezing can break the skin and leave a mark that lasts far longer than the bump would have, and a cool compress is the kindest thing for redness.
- Exfoliate after 24 to 48 hours. Once 24 to 48 hours have passed, exfoliate two or three times a week until your next appointment.
For a closer look at the first two days, our guide to post wax care in the first 48 hours walks through every step, and our guide to ingrown hairs after a bikini wax explains why bumps happen and how to help prevent them. You can shop the full routine in our Waxing Aftercare Products collection.
Frequently asked questions about skin care before and after waxing
Should I exfoliate before waxing?
Yes, gently, in the days before your appointment. Exfoliation lifts dead skin that can trap hair, which helps the wax grip cleanly. Skip it on the day of your wax so your skin arrives calm.
How long should my hair be before a wax?
About a quarter inch, roughly the length of a grain of rice. Shorter hair is hard for the wax to grip, so let it grow out between appointments instead of shaving.
How long should I stay out of the sun after waxing?
Avoid sun and tanning beds for 24 hours after your wax, and wait 48 hours before a spray tan or self tanner. Freshly waxed skin has a thinner surface layer and is more sensitive.
When can I exfoliate after waxing?
Wait 24 to 48 hours. After that, exfoliate two or three times a week until your next appointment to help prevent ingrown hairs.
What should I use on my skin between waxing appointments?
A simple daily routine works best: cleanse with a gentle, pH balanced, fragrance free body wash, treat with an ingrown hair serum, and hydrate with a few drops of oil, plus gentle exfoliation two or three times a week.
