We offer a variety of services in the salon, including waxing – both facial and body. The questions we mainly get are about body waxing. There are a lot of different ways to remove unwanted hair—shaving, waxing, bleaching, etc. and questions about how young you can start waxing or should I wax before vacation. So, let’s break it down a little bit.
Which is Right for Me?
Many guests wonder if waxing is better than shaving. While shaving is generally the quickest and cheapest route to remove hair, waxing has its benefits as well. With shaving the hair can be any type (fine or course) or length. There’s usually less pain associated with shaving and shaving is done in the privacy of your own home. With waxing, the hair needs to be at least an ¼ of an inch long, the wax needs something to adhere to, but it can’t be any longer than ½ an inch. While waxing can be painful, it’s generally less painful the finer the hair is, and it’s usually only during the actual process. There are at-home waxing kits available, but we highly recommend having it done by a professional because there are less chances of burning the skin, removing the hair correctly, and less mess at home.
The beauty about waxing is that the hair gets pulled out by the follicle, so it takes longer to grow back. You can go 3-6 WEEKS between sessions vs 3-7 DAYS with shaving. And long term, with waxing, the hair begins to grow back finer and thinner which means it’s less noticeable, the skin tone can become lighter in that area, and it’s less painful. The side effects of each are about the same with shaving as waxing. You can have some skin irritation, ingrown hairs, bumps, and sensitivity. However, if the proper preparation is done for either, some of those side effects can be avoided. You should not tan or be in direct sunlight, go swimming, exfoliate, use cream/lotion before any shaving or waxing services.
When to Wax When Going on Vacation
If you are going on vacation, we highly recommend waxing 3-7 days before you leave for your trip. This way the skin has time to return back to normal but there isn’t any new growth while you’re gone.
Bleaching
When it comes to facial hair, some ask about bleaching the hair instead of waxing. While that is an option, bleaching doesn’t remove the hair. If the facial hair is darker, bleaching may not lighten it enough, making the hair more noticeable than before. We also suggest to use caution with these at-home kits as they can also lighten the skin of the area you’re bleaching. If you’re looking for smooth skin, waxing would be the way to go.
Kids and Waxing
A lot of moms ask when their child can start waxing their eyebrows (or any area). We suggest that they be around 11-13 years old. We recommend that they watch their mom get their own brows done so they can see what is happening. Mom should have a conversation with them about how it will hurt for a little while but the pain will go away and if they want to maintain the look, they will have to continue waxing every 4-8 weeks. A great way to start would be just waxing the unibrow. The child can then get a sense of what it’s like without completely reshaping the whole brow.
We’re Here to Help!
There’s a lot of information to consider when wanting to wax. Ultimately, it’s completely up to each individual which route they want to go when if comes to hair removal. Do your research and ask lots of questions before making your decision. The great part is, if you don’t prefer waxing, you don’t ever have to do it again. We are always happy to answer any questions or to make an appointment for your next waxing service.