Waxing: why and how?

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Many methods are available to temporarily get rid of unwanted hair. Razors, depilatory creams, electric epilators… Here, we will show you why depilatory wax is the most effective and how to use it!

Why use wax?

When you shave, the hair is not completely removed; it is merely shortened. As a result, when it grows back, it appears thicker. This is where the myth that hair grows back coarser and darker after shaving comes from.

Depilatory wax, while potentially inconvenient, yields much more satisfying results:

1. Wax doesn't cut the hair; it pulls it from its root, which allows for much slower regrowth.
2. It promises much softer hair regrowth, as the hairs will be much newer and therefore thinner and less visible.
3. It makes the skin smoother, leaving no prickly sensation when touched during regrowth.

How to choose your wax?

First, avoid waxes sold in supermarkets. Most of the time, they are not of good quality and simply cannot work. If you want to achieve optimal hair removal, we strongly advise you to purchase professional waxes sold in specialized stores.

On what skin type should wax be used?

Depilatory wax is perfectly suitable for all skin types, whether oily, sensitive, dry, or normal! Every skin type will have the chance to be epilated without post-epilation consequences, provided that the wax is chosen correctly. However, we do not recommend using hot wax if you have blood circulation problems.

There are, however, waxes for sensitive areas that will allow even the most delicate among us to get through this ordeal more easily.

Wax pot or wax cartridge?

Professional wax can be sold in different formats: in a pot, in a cartridge, or even in the form of pebbles or pastilles. Wax pots or pastilles must be melted in what is called a "wax warmer". Cartridges, on the other hand, are heated in cartridge warmers.

The difference? There isn't really one, as the concept remains the same. These types of wax require the purchase of a suitable device. However, it is clear that cartridge warmers are much less expensive than pot warmers. For at-home waxing, it is better to opt for cartridges. The cartridge warmer is more precise and will prevent wax from dripping everywhere.

In any case, absolutely avoid microwave-heated waxes.

Discover Beautélive's Silky Leg Hair Removal Kit

For a complete professional wax warmer hair removal kit at a competitive price, try Beautélive's Silky kit. You will achieve perfect, long-lasting results thanks to this comprehensive and effective equipment.

The kit contains:

• 1 Professional roll-on wax warmer
• 4 100ml liposoluble wax cartridges
• 1 packet of 250 disposable waxing strips
• 1 250ml Beautélive "Care" Post-Epilation Calendula Oil
  

Discover the Silky leg hair removal kit

How to wax?

Before any hair removal, make sure to properly prepare your skin. We recommend taking a hot shower to thoroughly cleanse your skin and open your pores. This way, hair will be removed more easily when you apply the wax. Once clean, take the time to dry yourself completely, and then you can move on to the serious stuff.

To save time, while drying, you can start your cartridge warmer or pot warmer.

There are several types of wax, each with its own function, and you should choose according to the area you wish to wax. Among the 3 types of wax, we have:

Cold wax

Cold wax comes in the form of strips with gel or paste spread on them. It is the fastest and most convenient method. There are several sizes and shapes of ready-to-use strips, which is ideal for touch-ups in case of unforeseen circumstances.

To use them, simply warm the wax strips by rubbing them between your hands, then separate them in two before applying one to the skin. Place it in the direction of hair growth, parallel to the skin, then rub it onto your leg. Next, with one hand, pull the skin taut at the bottom of the strip, and with the other hand, pull sharply towards you. You remove the strip against the direction of hair growth. Be careful not to pull your hand upwards; always keep it parallel to the skin.

It should be noted that cold wax strips adhere much less than hot wax.

Hot or warm wax for hair removal

1. With a roll-on cartridge warmer!

The simplest method to use. Beginners will tend to opt for this hair removal practice.

First, you need to insert your wax cartridge into the cartridge warmer device. Adjust the device's temperature using the thermostat.

Wait at least 30 minutes for it to be sufficiently hot. Be careful not to overheat it. To avoid any risk of burns, find our article "How to heat your wax cartridges?"

Using the roll-on, apply the product to the area to be waxed. Wait a few seconds for the wax to adhere well to the hair and remove it with a strip in the opposite direction of hair growth.

Remove any wax residue with a post-depilation cleansing oil.

Watch our video for explanations on waxing and a presentation of our Silky hair removal kit.

2. With a pot warmer

Waxing enthusiasts can use pots of wax! To help you with cleaning, you can find our article "How to clean my wax warmer?"

Strip wax

Strip wax is a wax you find directly in a pot. It is used for legs, arms, chest, and back. For legs, the easiest way is to apply the wax at the knee, pull with the strip (always parallel to your skin and against the direction of hair growth). Then move down towards the foot little by little. Once dry, you must pull it off with a sharp tug!

For the arms, the principle remains the same: apply the wax in the direction of hair growth using the metal spatula. Then, pull it off in the same way as explained previously.

Remove residue with a post-epilation oil.

For more details, consult our article on arm waxing .

Peel-off wax

Peelable wax can be used on more sensitive areas such as eyebrows, lips, underarms, and bikini line, and is available in different formats:

• In beads, Beautélive's rosin-free wax is suitable for sensitive and delicate skin. Practical because you choose the quantity you want to put in the pot.
• In pebbles, available for both professionals and individuals. Perron Rigot's CIREPIL was designed for the most sensitive and very dry skin. It also allows you to dose the amount of wax.
• In a pot, several references are available depending on your skin type (Azulene: for sensitive skin, black: for dry skin, Honey: for all skin types, Rose: for normal skin).

First, grab suitable spatulas depending on the areas to be waxed. Use peel-off wax, heat it in the pot warmer.

Apply the wax to the area to be waxed in the direction of hair growth after checking its temperature. Always create a small bead at the end to make it easier to remove.

Wait a few seconds and rip off the wax against the direction of growth.

For each area, you will find a detailed article to guide you in performing your gluteal cleft hair removal, your underarm hair removal and bikini line, but also lip hair removal.

The more you practice, the more precise and automatic your movements will become. Go for it and be persistent!

It may be that the initial results are not satisfactory, or at least that they take some time, due to a lack of mastery.

Which areas?	For whom?	Advantages
– Eyebrows – Lips – Underarms – Bikini line	– People who want lasting hair removal – Sensitive and reactive skin	– Very effective technique – Pulls hairs out by the root

 

Oriental wax

• easily made at home (with water, sugar, honey and lemon)
• provides an exfoliating action thanks to its richness in sugar and honey
• it is not the simplest method as it requires practice before achieving a flawless result
• mix two glasses of sugar in a saucepan (~50g), half a glass of water, the juice of half a lemon and two tablespoons of honey. Heat over low heat until you get a homogeneous paste with a golden color.

 

Which areas?	For whom?	Advantages
The entire body	Sensitive skin	– It can be applied all over the body – It is economical and ecological

How long does waxing last?

At the beautician's, the time it takes for an epilation will depend on the area you want to epilate. Let's list them:

• Eyebrows and lips : 15 minutes each
• Underarms : 15 minutes
• Arms : 20 minutes
• Torso : 30 minutes
• Bikini : 30 minutes (for full)
• Half-legs : 15 minutes
• Full legs : 30 minutes

For men, the time can be increased by 15 minutes per service, as hair growth is not the same.

If you wax at home, you can add 30 minutes to the services, unless you are already an expert, of course! You also need to factor in the wax warmer's heating time.

Thanks to waxing, your hair regrowth will be delayed by 3 to 4 weeks.

 

Our favorite products for a top waxing experience

Smooth and soft legs for several weeks are possible thanks to the products we are about to offer you.

• Peggy Sage's Ultra Neutre talc: it absorbs moisture, allowing for better wax adherence.
• Perron Rigot's pre-waxing lotion: removes greasy substances like cream, oil, or deodorant traces, always with the aim of better wax adherence. It also refreshes your skin.
• Beautélive's Epil'Easy kit: it's the waxing kit to take everywhere with you!
• Kaeso Beauty's anti-redness spray: a gem for sensitive and reactive skin. It will soothe the desired area.
• Beautélive tweezers: essential for perfect hair removal.

 

Our tips for successful waxing

• Exfoliate your legs the day before your waxing session. This will remove dead skin cells and prevent ingrown hairs.
• Perform hair removal on clean, dry skin. The area to be waxed should not have any moisturizing cream residue, otherwise the wax may not adhere.
• Check the wax temperature on a small area (inside of arm) before applying it to the entire area.
• For leg waxing, start by applying the wax to your knee, then move down towards the ankle in a single stroke.
• After waxing, apply a post-epilation oil to remove wax residue. If you have reactive skin, it will soothe your skin.

What you need to know about waxing

• If you previously only used a razor, know that you will have to wait 2 to 3 weeks before you can wax. The shorter the hair, the harder it will be to remove. In addition, regrowth will occur within a few days. To give you an idea, the ideal length is 5 mm on the legs and 6 mm on the bikini line.
• If your bikini line hair is very long, prepare for waxing by trimming the longest hairs with scissors, and a few days before waxing, apply an exfoliating lotion.
• If you go to a salon, make sure the wax is for single use to avoid infections.

Stop sticky legs after waxing

Waxing has real advantages, however, let's be honest, it also has a big drawback: wax residue. Do you also have sticky skin after waxing? Well, don't worry, we have found the solution to get rid of wax residue. But even better, we have listed the steps to avoid having any. No more hassle!

How to avoid wax marks?

👉 Moisturize your skin

If you want to maximize your chances of having no wax residue, moisturize your skin intensely a few days before waxing. However, do not apply any oily products just before waxing, as the wax may not adhere to the hairs.

👉 Use talc

To prevent over-adherence of the wax, apply talc just before waxing. Talc will also help absorb excessive perspiration. Be careful not to use too much; a light dusting is all you need for this trick to work.

👉 Stretch your skin tissues

Wax easily gets into crevices and folds, so it's important to stretch the tissues to minimize this problem as much as possible.

This applies to both wax application and strip removal. The tighter the skin, the easier the hairs will be to uproot.

Another, and not least, point: pain. Indeed, you will hurt much less by applying this technique!

👉 Rip off the wax strip in one swift motion

Okay, it might be scary when you do it yourself... But believe us, it's the only technique that works to avoid too much pain.

In addition to hurting less, it eliminates the risk of having wax residue everywhere.

Steps to remove wax from your skin

👉 Choose THE right product

First, you need to choose the right product, one that is effective and also suitable for your skin type.

To effectively remove wax from your skin, opt for an oil, as it will be more oily than other skincare products. Moreover, if you have sensitive skin, a moisturizing vegetable oil like sweet almond oil will best soothe your skin.

There are also post-epilation oils that, in addition to removing wax traces, will nourish and regenerate your skin.

👉 Apply the oil to the affected area

It is possible to apply the oil directly to the entire area you have waxed. However, if you are afraid of getting it everywhere by pouring it directly onto your body, we have found an alternative for you.

Use a cotton pad soaked in oil, then place it with pressure on the area where the wax is stuck. Rub lightly if the residue has not disappeared after 30 seconds.

We recommend Beautélive's Monoi post-waxing oil. It perfectly removes wax from the skin. Formulated with Calendula and Jojoba, it soothes the warming sensation caused by waxing. Jojoba, for its part, is known for its moisturizing benefits.

Using this oil will be even more pleasant thanks to its sweet Monoi scent.

👉 Cleanse your skin

After removing the wax residue, cleanse your skin with warm water and soap.

Then dry your skin with a clean towel. To avoid redness, do not rub your skin.

👉 Apply a moisturizing treatment

Last step, apply a body lotion. This helps remove any remaining wax stuck to your skin.

Nacomi's body butter is ideal thanks to its unctuous texture, which will instantly deeply moisturize your skin to make it softer and silkier.

It has a nourishing action due to its richness in natural active ingredients such as precious oils and shea butter.

Waxing now holds no more secrets for you! No excuses are possible. Enjoy your soft and smooth legs. :)