Waxing at home can be a daunting task for beginners, and mistakes will be made. However, the benefits are enormous: savings on salon bills, absolute comfort and the ability to have smooth skin in minutes. With a little practice and technique, you’ll become an at-home hair removal expert in no time. To help you out, here are the most common waxing mistakes (with solutions!) that we see regularly.
1. Preparing your skin the wrong way for the wax you are using.
To wash or not to wash. It depends on the type of wax you use!
Wash your skin: If you are using a sugar-based wax, wash your skin before waxing. Sugar wax is water soluble, and it doesn’t like residual oils on the skin. Clean, dry skin will help the wax cling to the hair for optimal hair removal.
Do not wash your skin: If you are using a “salon” type resin-based wax, do not wash your skin before waxing. Resin-based waxes are oil soluble. You actually need the skin’s layer of natural oils to stay. This reduces discomfort because the wax sticks less to your skin, but it will still grab and remove hair without issue. Don’t worry too much if you have washed your skin, but in this case it is highly advisable to use a little talcum powder or soft powder to give that layer of protection between the skin and the wax.
2. Applying too thick a layer of wax.
This point concerns liquid waxes which are removed with strips of fabric (hair removal). With these waxes, the key to getting good results is to apply a very thin layer of wax. Does this seem weird to you? Wouldn’t more wax give better results? No. A thick layer of wax does not remove hair as well as a thin layer. This is a very common mistake, which causes some beginners to abandon these types of waxes altogether. Now repeat after me: “For liquid waxes removed with cloth strips, a thin layer of wax is key“.
Correct temperature, and therefore correct viscosity, is necessary to apply a thin layer of wax. Liquid waxes should all be heated using a microwave or wax warmer. If the wax is too cold, it will be thick and difficult to spread. If the wax is too hot, it will be too thin and could even burn you. The right consistency of the wax is like liquid honey. Think Goldilocks, the perfect temperature is as important for wax as it is for porridge.
3. Waxing when the hair length is too short.
The caller: “The wax didn’t work.”
Parissa Wax: “Tell me where you used the wax?
Questioner: “My legs, I usually shave them. I used your sugar wax.
Parissa Wax: “When was the last time you shaved your legs?
Caller: “A little less than a week ago.
The caller: “The wax didn’t work.”
Parissa Wax: “Tell me where you used the wax?
Questioner: “My legs, I usually shave them. I used your sugar wax.
Parissa Wax: “When was the last time you shaved your legs?
Caller: “A little less than a week ago.
This is a very common mistake! We strictly advise the “two week rule”. You really need to wait at least two weeks before waxing, especially if you’ve previously shaved that area. The length of the bristles should be approximately ¼ inch or 1 cm. This will allow the wax to cling to enough hair for the best results.
If you combine insufficient hair length and using the wrong type of wax (previously shaved legs require wax strips or hot wax), you may end up disappointed with the hair removal.
Although it’s tempting to wax right away when new hairs appear, it’s always best to wait at least two weeks before waxing again. This will help ensure the hairs are long enough for effective hair removal and super smooth results.