Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Planning ahead
• Part 2 of 3: Prepare during the days before the appointment
• Part 3 of 3: Getting ready for the appointment
• Tips

Going to an appointment for a wax treatment can be scary if you don't know how to prepare. Before the appointment, prepare your skin so that the treatment runs smoothly and you do not suffer from irritation. You will have to do some things days or even weeks before your appointment. Plan your waxing at least a month in advance so that your skin is healthy and ready.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Planning ahead

1. Grow your hair. Do not make an appointment for a waxing treatment until you have not waxed your hair for at least one to two weeks. The hair to be removed should be about half an inch long. Waxing hurts less and works better if you wait long enough for the treatment.
   • The exception to this is fine hair, such as facial hair in women. Fine hair can be shorter, but try to grow it several weeks in advance.
2. Don't opt ​​for a waxing treatment if you have sensitive skin. Sensitive skin makes waxing unpleasant. The best time for a wax treatment is a week after your period when your pain threshold is highest. Do not make an appointment for a wax treatment during your period. Also, do not schedule an appointment just before or after a day when you will be outside a lot. Your skin will hurt a lot after a wax treatment if it burns.
3. Don't get your hair waxed for the first time for a special occasion. Don't schedule a resin treatment for a special occasion, vacation, or photo shoot. Your skin can respond to waxing in different ways, especially the first time. Your skin can turn red, become irritated, and you can bruise. Try getting your hair waxed for a special occasion for a few weeks so you know what to expect.
   • If you experience skin irritation after waxing, you can avoid irritation the next time by applying a coat of coconut oil, baby powder, or softening lotion right after waxing.
4. Talk to your beautician before your appointment. When you have found a beautician, tell her about your allergies and if you have sensitive skin before the appointment. The beautician can then choose a type of resin that suits your skin type in order to prevent skin irritation.
   • Let your esthetician know if this is your first waxing treatment. She can tell you how best to prepare for the treatment.
   • Also tell your esthetician what creams you put on your skin, as that can also affect how sensitive your skin is.
5. Get tested for allergies before the resin treatment. Resin can contain chemicals that can irritate the skin, so see your doctor or dermatologist to have your skin tested for allergies. It is important that you know how your skin can react when this is your first waxing treatment. Let your esthetician know if your skin reacts to a particular chemical or fragrance.
   • It may take a few days for any irritation to show if you get tested for allergies, so schedule the test well in advance.

Part 2 of 3: Prepare during the days before the appointment

1. Check your skin for irritation, sunburned spots and pimples. Treat rashes and sunburns before your appointment to avoid waxing wounds. Also watch out for cuts and bruises. Even minor cuts from shaving can be irritated by a wax treatment.
   • If you are prone to breakouts in a particular area, don't get that area waxed. Waxing often doesn't work well on areas with hormone-induced pimples.
   • If your sunburn or rash doesn't go away, delay the appointment and wait for your skin to heal.
2. Do not sunbathe during the week before your appointment. Spending time in the sun will make your skin sensitive. Even if your skin does not burn, your skin will become more irritated after sunbathing. So don't spend too much time outside the days before your appointment.
   • If you do need to go outside, use sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 50 or higher and reapply every few hours.
3. Exfoliate your skin. Before your appointment in the shower, exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin and lift ingrown hair. Exfoliating reduces the risk of ingrown hair after the appointment. Using a loofah or washcloth, rub an exfoliating cream in circular motions on the area you want to wax.
   • Rub gently. Applying too much pressure can irritate your skin.
   • Don't exfoliate your legs on the same day you want them waxed. Do this several days in advance to avoid itching and redness.
   EXPERT TIP

   "If you get your skin waxed regularly, try exfoliating it 1-2 times a week. However, don't exfoliate the day before your waxing."

   
   

   Hydrate your skin. After exfoliating, apply moisturizer to your skin. This way you moisturize your skin and keep it soft until the day of the appointment. Exfoliating can dry out your skin, so always apply moisturizer afterwards.

Part 3 of 3: Getting ready for the appointment

1. Take a warm bath to moisturize your skin. On the day of your appointment, take a warm bath to moisturize your skin. Dry skin is painful to wax because the hairs are more difficult to remove. If you don't have time to take a bath, soak the skin to be waxed in warm water for five to ten minutes.
   • Drink plenty of water before your appointment to avoid a rash after the treatment.
2. Use a moisturizer. After taking your bath, use a water-based moisturizer that does not contain oil. Using a moisturizer will prevent your skin from burning during waxing. Make sure you treat your skin with a moisturizer several days before the appointment, as well as the day of the appointment itself. Thus, the resin treatment will work as well as possible.
   • Do not use an oil-based lubricant like coconut oil for waxing, as this will prevent the resin from sticking to the hair. After your appointment, you can use an oil-based moisturizer to prevent infections, as it is a great help to disinfect the skin.
3. Cover all moles and blemishes. Moles, skin flaps and other blemishes can be torn from the skin during the wax treatment, increasing your risk of cancer. Cover them with band-aids so you don't forget to tell your beautician about them before the treatment.
4. Take a pain reliever. If you have a low pain threshold, take ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory pain reliever before your appointment to relieve pain and inflammation. Take the pain reliever an hour before your appointment so that it works when you need it and continues to work during your appointment.
5. Wear loose, comfortable clothes to your appointment. Do not wear skinny jeans or tight clothing to your appointment. After getting your hair waxed, it is best to wear soft, comfortable clothing. Wear soft, baggy clothes to avoid skin irritation after the appointment.
   • Do not wear new clothes to your appointment. Choose clothes you know and love.
   EXPERT TIP

   "Keep your skin clean after the wax treatment. Don't shave off stray hairs and exfoliate your skin regularly."

   
   

   

   Melissa Jannes

   Licensed Esthetician and Brazilian Waxing Instructor Melissa Jannes is a Licensed Esthetician and Owner of Maebee’s Beauty Studio in Philadelphia, a one-man business by appointment only, providing quality services and individual attention to customers. She is also a lecturer for National Companies, the leading and sole supplier to more than 30,000 spa professionals in 47 countries. In 2008 she received her esthetician degree from The Beauty School of Middletown and her license to work in both New York and Pennsylvania. In 2012 she received a Best of Beauty award from Allure Magazine for her work in bikini waxing.

   Melissa Jannes
   Licensed beautician and Brazilian waxing teacher

Tips

• Moisturize the skin again after the wax treatment and do not expose your skin to the sun too much for several days after the treatment. Skin waxed with wax burns a lot faster.
• You can use the same tips for waxing your hair yourself if you find it more convenient. Find information on how to wax your hair yourself at home so you know what to do.
• There is another type of resin that is most suitable for each hair and skin type. Ask your beautician or the store clerk where you buy the resin which type of resin is best for you.
• Make sure you don't eat or drink anything containing caffeine the day before your appointment or on the day itself. Caffeine can lower your pain threshold.