It can be too easy to leave your Brazilian wax appointment feeling smooth, confident and with a bounce in your step without another thought until 4-6 weeks later when it’s time to wax again. But the Brazilian wax aftercare can just as much effect the overall results as what happens in your waxing appointment.
Avoid Excessive Heat & Sweating
This includes, but not limited to, sauna, steam room, gym, hot yoga, swimming pools, indoor or outdoor tanning. The wax applied to your skin is already warm, if you then apply more heat this can result in the skin lifting. Imagine having a sun burn and then having a hot shower, although this is an extreme example heat on already heated skin is a recipe for some unhappy follicles and potentially a burn.
Sweating can also cause bacteria to enter your open follicles which can cause breakouts. This also includes no sexy time either…
On a brighter note, take this as the perfect excuse to skip the gym 😉
Keep the area clean
It is very tempting to want to touch the area that has just been waxed but like sweating, bacteria from hands into your open follicles can cause a breakout. This is more likely to happen on your face and an area that has not been waxed before. Sometimes when you wax an area for the first time the skin reacts as if it has undergone some sort of trauma. This causes white blood cells to rush to the area which can either cause what looks like breakouts or hives. Both are nothing to worry about and will disappear on their own within a day or 2 but initially it can be alarming.
The final cause of a breakout after waxing is the hygiene practices of the salon/studio you visited. Check for hygiene practices such as no double dipping, the use of disposable gloves during the service and the towel/surface you are laid on. Unfortunately first impressions are usually correct in these instances. If you walk in and don’t get that ‘medical-grade’ cleanliness vibes, then you’re probably risking getting some breakouts…or worse…
(See blog post on ‘What to look for in a good wax technician’)
You may also want to attend your Brazilian waxing appointment wearing loose fitting clothing allowing the skin to breath post-wax. For Brazilian waxing it is even worth bringing a change of underwear. Nothing like putting on a fresh pair of underwear after a freshly waxed hoo haa.
Long story short – No touchy
No lotions, potions, sparkles or glitter
As well as keeping the area clean there is no need to apply anything to the skin after your brazilian wax for at least 24 hours. Your wax technician should apply some sort of antibacterial soothing cream, gel or lotion immediately after your wax and that should be enough for 24 hours.
Exfoliate, exfoliate, EXFOLIATE (and moisturize)
This is probably the most important point to remember in your Brazilian wax aftercare. I have made a detailed post about ingrown hairs but in a nutshell exfoliating is key to preventing them. Buffing off the dead skin allows the hair to have a free path way to grow back through the surface. Moisturizing also keeps the surface of the skin soft and supple also allowing the hair to grow back through easily. No hair will be growing back for around 2 weeks after your Brazilian wax so need to rush home to start exfoliating. At the same time you do not want to miss that precious window where the hair is just starting to grow back in and you wait a few days too late to start exfoliating.
Exfoliating too early will also be too sensitive for the skin, wait around 3-4 days after your wax. Then just make it a routine. Everyone’s skin and hair is different. Some people never exfoliate a day in their life and don’t get a single ingrown hair, others are more prone to them.
It is easier to prevent them than trying to get rid of them when you have them. Start exfoliating every day in the shower, then maybe try every other day. You will work out a balance that works for you and your hair. Using an exfoliating body glove or cloth is your best defence against those pesky ingrown hairs.
Keep a wax schedule
Ideally returning to get another Brazilian wax within 4-6 weeks ensures your results are maintained. Your waxes are as comfortable as possible and you avoid the tempting lure of the razor. Shaving or trimming between your waxes will encourage your hair to grow back thicker and stronger.
(See blog post on ‘Waxing – Long Term Results)
Following these Brazilian Wax Aftercare tips will ensure the best results before, during and after your wax
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