Waxing Made Easy: Everything You Need to Know

Emma Thomas, owner of Great Looks Beauty shares the fundamentals of a good wax . . . making it both convenient and effective.

Advantages of Waxing

o Hair is removed at the root, so the re-growth period is a lot longer – typically 4-6 weeks.

o Hair grows back more sparsely – not all the follicles grow at the same rate.

o Hair grows back “softer” – without a razor line . . . these are “baby hairs”, trying to start again.

o Eventually your hair follicle will “give up” and just not have the strength to grow back – ever again!

o The small amount of pain is greatly offset by the convenience factor.

o Cost – burning through razors versus wax products.

o No more “spiky” spots for your “significant other”.

Types of Wax
Hard Wax

If you’re using hard wax, you need to use a waxing oil on the skin. This stands the hairs up, making it so the wax doesn’t stick to your skin. This is what you’ll use for facial waxing, eyebrows, chin, our famous “as-we-get-older moustache”, and that peach fuzz on the sides. You’ll use an orangewood stick to apply the wax, a great tool because they will never splinter and they have a sharp point for precise application. With hard wax, there are no strips and you have to know when it’s ready to come off – basically when it’s “set”. You can tell by tapping it – it’s no longer “sticky”, but it’s not “hard”.

Soft Wax and Sugar Wax
These are great for larger areas like legs or men’s backs and shoulders; can also be used on smaller areas like “bikini” and underarms. You’ll use a dusting powder to absorb oil from the skin (not baby powder, which contains fragrance that can irritate skin). Dusting powder is also nice because you can see where you’ve waxed, and where you’re going. Soft and sugar waxes don’t set up like a hard wax, so you need muslin strips to remove the wax. Rotate the strip till it’s “full”, and your fingers are about to get “sticky”. Keep using the strip in the same direction, and then fold over the top, so you maximize the strip.

Sugar waxes require an applicator. Their “hold factor” is not as good as either “hard” (the best) or “soft” waxes. Sugar works well for less coarse hair. But clean up wins the prize: get in the shower and wash the small wax remains off.

Sugar and Soft Waxes are stickiest when on your skin. DO NOT let them cool off!

Pre Wax Skin Treatment

o Apply a liquid treatment that prepares the skin for waxing by removing oil, make-up, and deodorant.

o Use a topical anesthetic spray to reduce discomfort.

o Select the appropriate wax for the part of the body you are working on.

Technique

Understanding the way hair grows is critical. All wax should be applied in the same direction as the hair growth and pulled off in the opposite direction; keeping the wax (in the case of a hard wax), or your strip (in soft and sugar waxes) very close to the skin. Keep the skin taught with your other hand, to prevent damage to the skin as a result of pulling “up” rather than “along” the skin. Placing your hand on the skin immediately afterwards has a calming effect.

Clean-Up

o Apply “Wax-Off” for the skin. There will always, always be a little amount of wax that you can’t get off.

o Use “After Wax Cooling Gel” to take the red out.

o In place of the above options, you can use Azulene oil, which both soothes and calms the skin and also “slides” the wax off your skin.

o Use “Sure Clean” to clean off any spills – be it on the counter or any mistakes while you’re learning.

Great Looks Beauty carries all of your favorite beauty products.