Prevent Ingrown Hairs with These Tips
Nothing ruins a good wax more than ingrown hairs. Getting a leg, bikini or Brazilian wax can be stressful enough for clients without the added frustration of irritated skin and ingrown hairs post wax. The good news is those bumps can be a thing of the past by just following a few steps pre-and post-wax. Here’s how to help prevent those ingrown hairs in between waxes and instead enjoy baby smooth skin instead.
Exfoliation is the Secret to Success
Pre-and-post wax, educate your clients on the importance exfoliation plays in bump-free skin. They should be exfoliating the areas they are having waxed on a daily basis using a body polish exfoliation kit with ingredients such as pine essential oil, bladderwrack and a touch of glycolic to cleanse the skin of toxins while providing gentle exfoliation when applied with gloves. This process removes dead skin cells and keeps the hair soft which helps prevent ingrown hairs. This is a great time to remind your clients not to use bar soaps of any kind, even those that are glycerin based. Some bar soaps will leave a residue on the skin that can contribute to ingrown hairs.
- Pre-wax exfoliation tips: Exfoliate daily in between wax appointments by gently scrubbing from the neck down, focusing on any dry, flaky areas as well as waxed areas.
- After showering, be sure to use a good body lotion made with vitamins and botanicals (e.g. plant-based oils or butters) to keep the skin moisturized and in good condition.
- Post wax exfoliation tips: Begin exfoliating the skin 24 hours after any wax appointment, using the same body wash and exfoliating gloves, focusing on waxed areas. This will also help the hair point up and grow in the right direction—opposite of the skin.
Other Pre-and Post-Wax Tips to Prevent Ingrown Hairs
Emphasize these additional tips with your clients so they can perform proper at home care before and after their appointment. Remind them to:
- Moisturize before their appointment: If their skin is dry, or they have not been exfoliating, the hair will break off at the skin level instead of being removed from the root. Moisturize up until the day of the wax appointment (don’t moisturize day of).
- Keep it simple the day of: Arriving clean to a wax appointment means a better outcome. Showering before is good, just don’t apply anything too oily to the area being waxed, and no self-tanners and body sprays or deodorants.
- Post-wax, remind them to wait 24-hours before working out for their first few wax appointments. They should also stay away from tight-fitting clothing for a few days. Letting the skin breathe can go a long way in healing the skin and preventing ingrown hairs.
- They should avoid direct heat or sun and be extra diligent about applying sunscreen. As the professional, you can reinforce this by applying sunscreen on exposed and newly waxed areas as the last finishing product.
- They should apply a blemish control product at home, morning and night, several days post-wax for best results.
- What to do if they do get ingrowns? Remind them not to tweeze or pick. This could lead to scarring. Just continue a post-wax treatment of gently exfoliating and use of a blemish control product to help with healing.
- Finally, it is critical the clients come in regularly for their appointments. One of the worst things an ingrown-prone client can do? Skip their appointments. Coming in every four weeks like clockwork will go a long way in controlling their hair and skin response to wax treatments.