Waxing – A Complete Hair Removal Solution
Waxing is a complete hair removal solution suitable for both men and women. People tend to enjoy the benefits of waxing because they last longer than some other types of hair removal. But we know that you probably have lots of questions if you are new to waxing. This complete guide to waxing covers everything you need to know.
Waxing works by removing the hair from the root. As long as it’s done professionally, most people can have a wax and enjoy the benefits.
There are two main types of wax:
Waxing is one of our most popular beauty treatments, and with good reason. So if you’re getting bikini ready for the height of summer, or simply love the smoothness that waxing brings, read on.
Waxing is fabulous at quickly, affordably and safely removing hair from most areas of the body. We offer waxing for the upper lip, eyebrows, chin, underarms and arms, as well as legs and bikini areas.
Waxing lasts longer than shaving, which is the usual alternative. Whilst you’ll be reaching for the razor again within a day or two, with waxing you can be hair free for as long as six weeks.
Waxing Treatment Packages
Brazilian Bikini Wax
The removal of underneath hair, leaving a small amount of hair on show.
Hollywood Bikini Wax
The removal of all bikini hair.
High Bikini Wax
The removal of hair outside of the knicker line.
Leg Wax
The removal of all leg hair using strip wax. Option to have half or full leg wax.
Leg & Bikini Wax
A half or full leg wax and either a high bikini, Brazilian or Hollywood wax.
Under Arms Wax
The removal of hair underneath arms.
Arm Wax
The removal of unwanted hair on your arms. Option to have half or full arm.
Eyebrow Wax or Threading
Waxing or threading is used to create perfectly tidied and shaped brows.
Chin Wax
Waxing or threading to remove any hair from the chin area.
Lip Wax
The removal of all hair on the upper lip by waxing.
Brow & Lip Wax
An eyebrow wax with an upper lip wax.
Brow, Lip & Chin Wax
An eyebrow wax with an upper lip wax and a chin wax.
Different Types of Waxing
There are two methods of waxing: hot waxing and warm waxing.
With warm waxing, the wax is applied directly to the skin using a spatula. Strips of fabric are smoothed over the wax and then removed quickly, removing the wax and hair from the skin.
Hot waxing uses hot wax applied directly to the skin. The wax is left to cool and harden on the skin. The corner of the wax is then lifted up and the wax is pulled directly off the skin.
Hot waxing helps to open the pores more before the strips are removed, making it better suited to more sensitive areas. For us, hot wax benefits outweigh those of warm wax in most scenarios.
Benefits of Waxing
So let’s dive right on into the benefits of waxing.
Less regrowth
The best known benefit of waxing is that the hair doesn’t grow back very quickly.
Waxing removes the hairs from the root. With shaving, the hairs are cut off close to skin level. Even with a very close shave, this still leaves a considerable amount of the hair just below the surface ready to appear in a day or two. This is really important to understand if you are considering whether waxing is better than shaving.
As a result, with waxing you get an incredibly smooth finish. No post-shower stubble or missed areas! Even those who experience fast regrowth can expect to enjoy the benefits of waxing for 3-4 weeks.
What’s more, if you make waxing a routine habit with your beautician, then you’ll find the right frequency for you, ensuring you see less regrowth overall.
Finer regrowth
It’s not just about the amount of regrowth, it’s also about the type of regrowth you’ll experience.
With shaving, as we said, you cut off the hair. This results in a blunt cut. Hairs aren’t naturally blunt! It’s why hair regrowth after shaving feels stubbly.
With waxing, the hair is removed at the follicle. This means that when the hair regenerates and grows back, it does so with a finely tapered end. This end is finer and not stubbly, meaning that even whilst waiting for your next wax, your skin won’t feel as hairy as it would do post-shaving.
Over time, individual hairs may stop growing back altogether and you end up with a sparser coverage of hair.
Waxing is like exfoliation
A build-up of dead skin cells and grime on your skin can cause outbreaks, blemishes and dryness. It’s why we exfoliate, in order to remove it all.
With waxing, all of this is removed for you, as part of the process. The result is that the waxed area is smooth, radiant, clean and fresh. That said, it’s not specifically an exfoliation method, and for best results we recommend you exfoliate a few days before having a wax. Don’t exfoliate for 48 hours either side of your waxing appointment as this can make your skin more sensitive.
Waxing banishes shaving rash
Shaving rash is inflammation of the skin caused by irritation. If you’re prone to shaving rash then one of the main hot wax benefits is that you should be able to avoid it ever again. With shaving you’ll be exposing the area to friction every few days, which only makes inflammation worse. With waxing, you can avoid this for over a month at a time giving your skin a chance to calm down.
Fewer ingrown hairs
Shaving can be a disaster for many people in terms of ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs can be painful and look unsightly. At worst, they can become infected and lead to scarring.
A professional waxing specialist will knowledgeably ensure they remove the wax strips in the way best proven to reduce the risk of ingrown hairs. This involves a fast removal whilst the skin is held tight.
If you’re particularly prone to ingrown hairs then let your beautician know, and also make sure you exfoliate and moisturise well, two days after the wax.
Waxing says goodbye to itching
Many people find that immediately post-shave they experience itching, and then as soon as regrowth starts, the itching ramps up again. With waxing, you’ll experience the brisk sting and a subsequent prickle, but then you should be itch-free for longer.
What’s more, you won’t need to reach for any shaving products which irritate your skin or make the itchiness worse.
Waxing means no more shaving cuts
You may have had twenty years’ experience shaving your legs and still somehow nick your ankle with the razor. It’s not surprising as you need a good lather for a clean shave which means that you, your hands and the razor are all slippery!
A professional waxing treatment will not result in nicks or cuts, or any type of skin damage.
It’s an opportunity for pampering and you time
Shaving is a beauty chore. Booking in for a wax, is a chance to be looked after and cared for by a professional beautician, and a chance to take some time out of your busy day to do something to make you feel good and beautiful.
There may be the quick sting of the strips of wax being removed, but the soothing warmth of hot wax, and the professional touch of the beautician, is definitely pampering.
Preparing to be waxed
If you’ve decided you’d like to have a wax then you’ve probably got lots of questions about how to prepare for it.
Choose a professional and skilled beauty therapist.
Not much preparation is needed. Simply be clean and your therapist will explain what they need you to do. Some clients like to exfoliate the area a few days before the wax, to improve the results and loosen any ingrown hairs.
“Allow me to gently tend to your every hair-removal desire, from the delicate threading of your brows to the smooth waxing of your legs, at my little corner of serenity…”.
Hot wax, as its name suggests, is wax that is heated to between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius. It is then applied to the skin using a wooden spatula. The therapist waits for the wax to cool and harden before removing it directly, along with the hairs.
A type of hot wax is a strip wax. Again, the hot wax is applied to the area being treated. The therapist then applies a disposable strip over the wax, and then waits for it to cool. Once cool the therapist then removes the strip, bringing the wax and hair with it.
The heat and thickness of hot wax means that pores open slightly more, and the wax is more successful at removing all of the hairs in one go.
Hot wax vs strip wax: There’s a long standing debate about hot wax vs strip wax and which is better. Both, if done professionally, can result in an exceptional hair free finish. We find that it depends on what area is being waxed, and the preference of the client. Typically, strip wax is excellent for large areas, such as legs, back and arms, where skin is also less sensitive. Hot wax is good for sensitive areas, and where hair is thicker, such as the bikini area.
Cold wax comes on strips which are already shaped for a particular body area, such as the upper lip. They are applied to the area before being pulled off. These are typically used for home waxing, but they are less efficient and often need to be repeated multiple times.
There are some people who we recommend choose a different form of hair removal. Individuals who suffer from hypersensitive skin, haemophilia and diabetes should choose different options. If you have current sunburn, a rash, or any contagious skin condition, then you need to wait until your skin is healthy once more. If you are having electrolysis treatment, do not have waxing in the same area. We will discuss waxing during pregnancy, and during your period, later in this guide.
The amount of time waxing lasts for is dependent on the body area, and how quickly your hair grows. For example when clients ask how long leg waxing lasts, we usually advise that they can expect smooth legs for up to six weeks. For bikini waxes, it’s usually more like three to four weeks.
Once you’ve had a waxing treatment, you will get to know how long your wax lasts, and how soon you want to book in for a new treatment. How often you should wax is an individual decision, but our waxing therapists find clients wait 4-6 weeks between treatments.
Waxing does involve pulling the hair from the root, so it is more painful than other hair removal options. However, this is dependent on a few things, and most of our clients say that the discomfort they feel improves over time, disappears quickly, and is worth it for the smooth finish.
The amount of discomfort someone experiences is also down to the skill and experience of the therapist. At Secret Spa, we ensure that all of our therapists are expertly trained and know how to minimise the discomfort experienced. The more regularly you have an area waxed, the less uncomfortable it will be.
A good tip is to take ibuprofen, if you can, around 45 minutes before your treatment.
You can get a wax on your period. However, we recommend that you schedule it for more than a few days before your time of the month. This is because your skin is more sensitive during your period and therefore it can feel more uncomfortable.
Women may wish to consider whether their usual waxing regime should stay the same during pregnancy. It can do, and waxing during pregnancy is usually safe, but the increased hormones and blood flow can make your skin more sensitive.
You can find a complete list of which areas of the body our therapists wax here. These include the upper lip, chin, eyebrow, under arm, half leg, full leg and arm. We also offer a high bikini wax, Brazilian and Hollywood.
High bikini
A high bikini wax gets you bikini ready, removing the hair at the front, leaving a small triangle and the hair between the legs.
Brazilian
A Brazilian wax will also leave a small triangle of hair at the front but will fully remove the hair between the legs from front to back, leaving the area very smooth.
Hollywood
With a Hollywood wax, all of the pubic hair is removed from the whole area, front to back.
One of the frustrating realities with waxing is that the hair does need to be a certain length to get a good result. We’d usually recommend the hair is around 3-5 mm: about the length of a grain of rice. With shorter hairs it can be difficult to get a complete finish.
