Wax hair removal: methods, means, procedure, pros and cons

One of the most annoying problems a woman has in self-care is unwanted hairs, which we rarely manage to get rid of once and for all. But you can delay the process of the next hair removal, for example, by using wax, which has recently become very popular not only in beauty salons, but also for home use.

How to choose a wax epilation product

In fact, waxing, or waxing, came to us from ancient times: Cleopatra herself, and then the oriental beauties, trusted their bodies to this painful but effective method. Since those times, little has changed - until now, a woman’s skin should ideally be smooth and soft as silk. And wax hair removal itself did not bring about any drastic changes.

For waxing, 3 types of wax are used, depending on the characteristics of the body, skin and pain threshold.

• Cold wax. The most painful and despite the fact that hair removal using this method takes a very long time, it has the least effect, so cold wax is used only on thin, sparse hairs.
• Warm wax. This is what women most often use at home.
• Hot wax. Unlike other types, hot wax can be used several times, but it requires a fair amount of experience and should ideally only be used by professionals.

Wax for hair removal also exists in 3 types: in solid briquettes or granules, which must be heated until hot; in soft form as a paste that needs to be slightly warmed up, and wax strips that just need to be rubbed a little in your hands.

Film wax for hair removal

Film wax is one of the ideal types of wax hair removal for home use. Even though it doesn't need to be heated hot, it is almost as effective as hot wax. Film wax comes in the form of granules, which when heated become one sticky mass, and in the form of ready-made cassette cartridges, which are very convenient to use in small areas.

Wax strips for hair removal

Still, one of the most convenient methods of waxing remains wax strips, which, moreover, are easy to take with you on a trip or business trip.

Wax strips are small sheets of paper on which a thin layer of wax has already been applied. Depending on the area of ​​epilation, wax strips have different sizes and shapes. For convenience, the sheets are glued together, so it is very easy to rub them with your hands before heating, separate them and stick them to the area for depilation, ironing them well. After a couple of minutes, tear off the strip with a sharp movement.

Epilation wax in cartridges

For home use, wax in cartridges or cassettes is very convenient; when heated, the wax can be easily applied to the skin using a special nozzle and just as easily removed in the direction of hair growth. Cartridges usually last several times and are ideal for home hair removal in hard-to-reach areas, as it is easy to hold in your hand when using. In addition, such cassettes are relatively inexpensive.

Waxing machine

For the convenience of wax hair removal, including at home, modern cosmetology markets offer the so-called “wax melter” - a device for heating wax to the optimal temperature using a built-in thermostat.

If you are so carried away by waxing that you cannot imagine other types of hair removal, then such a device will be very useful to you, since using it, you can heat the wax to a hot state, avoiding the risk of getting a skin burn, then the effect of wax hair removal will be like after visiting a salon. But there is one “but” that unscrupulous sellers often take advantage of: regardless of the price of the wax melter, the principle and result of its operation will be the same, the only difference is the wax volume capacity, which may well be minimal if you plan to use the device at home.

Hair removal areas: face, arms, armpits, intimate area, legs

These are the five main areas of skin epilation. Women call the hair in these areas “undesirable” and constantly strive to get rid of them in every possible way.

Due to an excess of male hormones, even a very young girl can develop unwanted facial hair, which brings with it a lot of complexes. Of course, it is best to get rid of such hair using laser hair removal, destroying the follicle of each hair with laser beams. But this procedure, due to its high cost, is unfortunately not available to everyone and women make many mistakes that lead to more disastrous consequences. Shaving and epilator only make the situation worse. Therefore, if you cannot afford laser hair removal yet, then waxing is the most suitable method. It does not injure sensitive facial skin as much, wax does not accelerate hair growth and the hairs themselves will grow softer and sparser.

And for your hands, shaving your hair is completely unsuitable if you don’t want to wake up the next day with rough stubble that will be scary to touch not only for you, but also for those around you.

It is quite difficult to remove armpit hair - as a rule, it grows in different directions.

Waxing in the bikini area is becoming increasingly popular, especially during swimsuit and beach season. But many women still cannot overcome their shyness and entrust epilation of “that” area to a professional. And in vain. The bikini line is everything that is hidden by a strip of panties. A deep bikini involves removing hair not only from the pubis, but also between the buttocks and the labia.

If not all, then certainly 95% of women in our country remove leg hair. Although, for some lucky women they do not grow there at all. But those who regularly epilate their legs do it differently. And we are not talking about the method of hair removal at all. Some people remove hair only from the lower legs, while others do not leave a single hair even above the knees. Therefore, when making an appointment for waxing at a salon, always clarify this point so as not to end up with unjustified expectations.

Preparation before waxing

If you decide to wax hair removal, then the first thing you need to do, or, more precisely, not do, is under no circumstances to remove hair in these areas for at least 1.5-2 weeks. Because wax will not capture very short hairs and this is perhaps the most significant disadvantage of wax hair removal.

The day before waxing, do a deep peeling skin to remove dead epidermal cells and lift ingrown hairs as much as possible.

During hair removal, the skin should be as dry and oil-free as possible, so use talc or baby powder. If there is any damage to the skin, then it is better to refuse hair removal in this area.

Proper home waxing

For waxing at home, warm wax, such as film wax or cartridge wax, is best. Before use, prepare your skin, as we wrote about above. The optimal hair length is about 5 mm. The main rule is to apply wax strictly according to hair growth, and remove it against hair growth - this will prevent it from growing into the skin. After the procedure, wax particles will remain on the skin, which can be easily removed with any body oil. Next, soothe your skin with a pore-tightening moisturizer.

Possible side effects after waxing and their elimination

Like any other cosmetic procedure, waxing also has its side effects, depending not only on the correctness of hair removal, but also on the characteristics and sensitivity of the skin. The most common is redness and irritation. Make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients in the wax. Cooling sprays, ice cubes and tea bags are good for soothing the skin.

If you do not stretch the skin well during hair removal, then there is a risk of bruising and bruising; this often happens if the specialist has little experience or if you carry out the procedure yourself.

In the summer, dark spots may appear on the skin some time after hair removal. The thing is that wax makes the skin more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, so in the sun these areas can tan faster than others. To avoid this, use sunscreen and avoid going to the tanning salon for at least 2-3 days after waxing.

Is it possible to do waxing while pregnant?

Of course, while expecting the birth of a baby, a woman should not forget about self-care, including hair removal.

For home hair removal for pregnant women, wax strips are most convenient. But even here you need to be as careful as possible, especially if the pregnancy is difficult. Do not forget that the hair removal procedure is still very unpleasant. Therefore, there is a risk of releasing stress hormones, which does not have the best effect on the baby’s nervous system, not to mention a possible painful shock. Therefore, it is highly advisable to change the hair removal method to a less aggressive one during pregnancy.

Waxing: pros and cons

Based on everything we described above, we can highlight the pros and cons of wax hair removal. The advantages undoubtedly include:

• each time new hairs grow thinner and less frequent, and grow more and more slowly;
• Waxing tools are inexpensive and easy to purchase yourself;
• waxing is suitable for doing at home;
• wax has a minimum of contraindications and side effects;
• with caution, but still suitable for pregnant women (consult a doctor);
• the components in the wax have a beneficial effect and nourish the skin;
• The result lasts longer each time and can reach a maximum of 6 weeks.

But, no matter how effective the waxing procedure is, it also has disadvantages:

• painful procedure;
• ingrown hairs into the skin;
• Although there are few contraindications, they still exist: varicose veins, diabetes, heart disease, infections, skin damage, allergies on the components in the wax.

One way or another, women are increasingly choosing wax hair removal to take care of themselves, without fear of pain or possible side effects. And seeing result procedure after the first time, most cannot refuse it again and again. So go for it, because beauty requires sacrifice!