About Ingrown Solutions
Ingrown hair serums and treatments for skin after waxing, sugaring, laser, or shaving, from a licensed esthetician.
Ingrown hairs are the number one reason clients think hair removal does not work for them, and the fix is almost never more waxing. It is what happens to the skin in the days after. This collection is our answer, built by a licensed esthetician who has spent almost 25 years looking at post wax skin, and it works the same whether the hair was removed by waxing, sugaring, shaving, laser, or tweezing.
Smooth Operator is our original ingrown hair serum, a salicylic, glycolic, and lactic acid blend for clients who struggle with stubborn ingrowns and razor bumps, gentle enough to use right after a service. Truth Serum is the acid free alternative, built on witch hazel and botanicals with no added fragrance, and it is the ingrown hair serum we recommend during pregnancy and nursing, for sensitive or reactive skin, and for facial and brow waxing clients. Our Nourishing Oils follow either serum to hydrate and support the skin barrier, and the Cactus Bikini Scrubber and body scrub keep dead skin from trapping hairs in the first place.
If you are a client, start with one serum and one oil and use them daily, and you will find the complete three step routine in our waxing aftercare products. If you are a licensed professional, every product here is available in PRO 3 packs at half of retail for your treatment room and your retail shelf, and you can find those in our For the Pros Only collection.
Questions, answered
Ingrown hair questions, answered by a licensed esthetician
Still have a question? Email us and a licensed esthetician from our studios will write back.
Email hello@justthestrip.comWhat is the best ingrown hair serum for the bikini area?
The best ingrown hair serum for the bikini area is one you apply right after your wax and then every day between appointments, and we make two so you can match it to your skin. Smooth Operator combines salicylic, glycolic, and lactic acids for stubborn ingrowns and razor bumps on the bikini line and after a Brazilian, while Truth Serum is acid free and built on witch hazel and botanicals for sensitive skin and for anyone who is pregnant or nursing. Both were created by a licensed esthetician with almost 25 years of waxing behind her and used on real clients before they were ever sold.
What is the difference between Smooth Operator and Truth Serum?
Smooth Operator and Truth Serum solve the same problem in two different ways. Smooth Operator is our original ingrown hair serum, a blend of salicylic, glycolic, and lactic acids that exfoliates inside the follicle, and it is the stronger choice for stubborn ingrowns and razor bumps. Truth Serum is acid free, made with witch hazel and botanicals, has no added fragrance, and is gentle enough to use several times a day, which makes it the right pick for sensitive or reactive skin and for facial and brow waxing clients. If you are not sure, start with Truth Serum and move to Smooth Operator if the ingrowns need more help.
Salicylic acid or glycolic acid: which is better for ingrown hairs?
Salicylic acid is better at clearing inside the follicle, while glycolic acid is better at smoothing the surface, and ingrown hairs respond best when you have both. Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it reaches into the follicle where a trapped hair starts, while glycolic and lactic acids loosen the dead skin that can seal a hair under the surface. That is why Smooth Operator uses all three together, and why Truth Serum is the acid free choice for skin that does not tolerate acids.
Which ingrown hair serum can I use during pregnancy?
Truth Serum is the ingrown hair serum we recommend during pregnancy and nursing, because it is acid free, built on botanicals, and has no added fragrance. Smooth Operator contains salicylic acid, so it should be skipped during pregnancy and nursing and by anyone with an aspirin allergy. A client with specific concerns should always check with their doctor.
When should I start using an ingrown hair serum after waxing?
Start right after your wax, on clean skin, before you get dressed, then use it once a day between appointments. The follicle is open in the first minutes after hair removal, which is when it is most likely to trap a hair, and daily use keeps it clear as the hair grows back. Let the serum dry fully, then finish with a few drops of Nourishing Oil.
Do these work after sugaring, laser, or shaving, or only after waxing?
Our ingrown hair serums work after any hair removal method, because an ingrown hair can follow waxing, sugaring, laser, electrolysis, tweezing, or shaving. Smooth Operator and Truth Serum both care for the skin around the follicle rather than the removal method, and Nourishing Oils hydrate and support the skin barrier afterward, so the routine stays the same whatever the service.
Do I still need to exfoliate if I use a serum?
Gentle exfoliation helps the serum do its job by keeping dead skin from building up over the follicle. The Silicone Cactus Bikini Scrubber is designed for daily use in the shower on the bikini line and body without over scrubbing, and a body scrub two or three times a week does the rest. Wait 24 to 48 hours after a wax before you exfoliate, then bring it back into the routine.
What causes ingrown hairs after waxing or shaving?
An ingrown hair forms when a new hair curls back or grows sideways under the skin instead of up through the follicle, usually because dead skin has built up over the opening or the hair was cut at an angle that lets it pierce the skin. Waxing and sugaring remove the hair from the root, and for a few days afterward the follicle is open and easily blocked, which is why a serum, a light oil, and gentle exfoliation make such a difference.
Is it an ingrown hair or folliculitis after waxing?
An ingrown hair is usually a single bump with a hair trapped under the skin, while folliculitis is irritation of the follicle itself and often shows up as a cluster of small red or white topped bumps. Mild irritation after a wax usually settles within 48 hours with a gentle wash and your ingrown hair serum. Anything painful, spreading, hot, or filled with pus should be seen by a doctor.
Do ingrown hair serums fade dark spots on the bikini line?
No, our ingrown hair serums are not dark spot treatments, and we do not promise to lighten or brighten skin. What they do is help prevent the ingrown hairs and irritation that so often leave marks behind, so using a serum every day between appointments protects your skin from new ones. For marks you already have, a dermatologist is the best person to ask.
I am a licensed professional. How do I buy these for my studio and retail shelf?
Every product in this collection is available in PRO 3 packs at 50% off retail in our For the Pros Only collection, with no application and no login. We confirm professional status on every PRO order, so please check out with your business name and email, and a Pro Retail Starter Kit is an easy way to try the routine on yourself and a few clients first.