So Lessons in Waxing 1 laid down the basics for home waxing. I recently mentioned to a friend that I was loving home waxing, and she looked at me like I was crazy! There are several reasons I love doing it myself:
* Cost! Waxing in NYC at a decent (ie: NOT the nail salon's backroom) place can add up. Full leg waxes average $60, and underarms $20. The wax I buy costs $18, and lasts for 3 full leg waxes and 3 underarm waxes. Despite the startup costs, home waxing quickly pays for itself.
* Comfort! I can lay a few towels down anywhere in the apartment and do my waxing while watching tv or listening to music. Really, whenever I get bored and think it's time for a wax, I can easily take out my supplies and get to work.
* Cleanliness! I'm the only one using my wax. Even though salons are supposed to follow certain standards (wearing gloves, never double dipping into wax, etc.), many don't. Doing most of my waxing myself totally satisfies the germaphobe in me.
* Convenience! I can do this on my own time. Not try and fit it into an already busy day.
Obviously, many people think the convenience of having someone else do the deed is worth the cost. I honestly don't mind the process and find it oddly relaxing. It barely hurts now, and the more you wax, the easier and quicker the process becomes. (Exception for bikini waxing, see below tips).
Step-by-step:
1) Place the uncovered wax in the warmer, plug in warmer, and set the heat to high. It should take about 15-20 minutes for the wax to sufficiently melt. Use an applicator to give the wax a good stir until it is smooth and uniform.
2) Test the wax temperature on your wrist before proceeding. I keep my wax heated at a high setting throughout the process (but I also take super hot showers, so heat clearly doesn't bother me). The directions advise turning the heat down to medium after the wax is melted, but I've found that the wax starts to harden a bit and doesn't spread as well when you do this. I'd say use the highest heat setting you can comfortably tolerate.
3) Prep the skin by making sure it is free of lotions and creams. Rub some baby powder over the area to be waxed, making sure there is no excess powder lingering.
4) Dip the applicator in the wax, slowly turning it until the wax stops dripping. Spread a layer onto a section of skin. Smooth the cloth over the wax, rubbing a few times in the direction of hair growth.
5) Holding the skin as tight as possible, grab an edge of the cloth, and quickly pull the strip off in the opposite direction of hair growth. You must go in the opposite direction, otherwise you won't remove much (if any) hair. You want to pull fast and remain as close to the skin as possible. A good rule I've heard is that your pull should be parallel to the skin. Fold over the cloth to use the opposite sides. Any remaining wax can be picked up using clean cloth pieces - just dab and pull up quickly.
6) Move on to the next section of skin. I like to slightly overlap, to ensure that I really get all the hair. My skin turns redder and slightly lighter just after the wax is pulled, so it's easy for me to figure out the next section.
7) Once you're finished with the waxing, tweeze any remaining stray hairs. Then, rub a generous amount of wax remover (I like baby oil) all over the area. This will soothe the skin and loosen any leftover wax.
Waxing tips:
* Buy the best wax for your skin type and the body part you are waxing. A wax designed for use on the face probably won't be very effective on your legs or underarms. Similarly, a creme wax might work better for sensitive skin than a hard wax or honey. Gigi Tea Tree Creme Wax works well for me, but I've read reviews from people who swear by the honey-based waxes.
* I gave the bikini line a third try, and it was (again) a giant fail. Leave this one to a reputable professional. I had marginal luck using the tea tree creme wax and smaller strips, but nowhere near perfect. I'm going to a recommended salon, armed with my No Scream Cream for the nether-regions.
* Hair should be at least 1/4'' long. I have more success when the hair is longer, meaning more hair is pulled from the roots, rather than broken or left in the skin.
* Unlike traditional rules, I apply wax slightly thicker than recommended and still have great results. There is a thickness threshold though, which you'll quickly figure out through trial and error.
* Re-waxing the same area doesn't irritate my skin too much, but I also wait a bit before repeated attempts. It definitely won't feel nice doing the same area twice in a row.
* Lower legs are fairly easy, since the hair grows uniformly downward, and you can get the job done with at least 5-6 full-size strips. Knees and upper legs are tricky. For the knees, I cut small sections of cloth and work in sections. For upper legs, I take care of the weird pattern growth first (inner thighs, back of legs), where the hair tends to grow sideways. Underarms are even more complicated - the hair on mine grow in circles! I use the same method as knees, working with cut strips and small sections in several directions.
*As far as the pain factor, lower legs hurt the least, and underarms hurt the most. You could try a numbing cream before attempting the underarms.
* Strangely, I barely feel anything when I tweeze away the strays. Possibly because the hair follicles are newly shocked? Or maybe because the hairs have been removed from the follicles, but not the skin.
* A handheld mirror and good lighting are very very useful.
* When you first start, you may find that you have regrowth in as little as a week or two. This is totally normal. You're catching the hairs at various growth cycles, so it'll take a while for all hairs to get on the same pattern. Eventually, you should get to where you only need a wax every 3-4 weeks, and any regrowth is very fine and not noticeable.
* Do not wax your face if you use Retin-A, Differin, or any other retinoids. You'll just tear the skin because it's so delicate. If you use any acids (like salicylic acid), you'll want to lay off them for at least a week beforehand.
* Your skin will definitely be tender post-wax, and will probably remain delicate the next day (even though it may look fine). Don't shave or sit in the sun for at least 48 hours afterwards (you may get a painful burn if you do).
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