Most brides choose to wax before their wedding because waxing removes hair for a longer period of time and a pre-wedding wax has better results than any other hair removal method.
Waxing removes the hair at the root and not just at skin level and typically lasts anywhere from three to six weeks so is the ideal hair removal option for your wedding day and honeymoon.
So if you’re thinking about waxing before your wedding day, we asked the founder of Ministry of Waxing, Cynthia Chua, all the key questions about a pre-wedding wax…
How soon before the wedding should you have a wax?
We recommend to wax 2-3 days before your big day – it’s a huge no-no to wax on the day of the event, especially if you are new to waxing!
Those with very sensitive skin might incur slight redness or blotchiness, which will calm down in a day or so. If any skin irritation arises, apply some soothing post-wax gel or cream for instant relief.
How long until the hairs grow back after a wax?
As waxing removes hair straight from the root, brides can expect smooth and hair-free skin for about 2-3 weeks. Hair re-growth will also be finer, or even a lower volume if you wax often, as your hair follicles weaken over time.
Most will get a wax about 4-6 weeks after their last treatment. The ideal length for an optimum wax job is 6mm in length for a Brazilian wax.
What’s the difference between hot wax and strip wax?
Hard wax, such as M.O.W’s specially formulated Berry Chocolate wax and Strawberry wax is soft and gentle on the skin, which is excellent for sensitive areas such as the Brazilian and the underarm.
The wax hardens and shrink-wraps around hair strands very quickly, before Waxperts pull off the hardened wax pieces along with the unwanted hair. This method greatly reduces contact and tugging of the skin during hair removal.
Strip/soft wax, on the other hand requires a piece of strip cloth to aid hair removal. Waxperts will apply a thin layer of wax onto the skin, smooth on the strip cloth which is pulled off to remove hair.
Soft wax is great for larger body parts such as the legs and arms, as the process is much faster and aids in the exfoliation of dead skin. However, soft wax tends to tug on the skin surface more, thus it is not recommended for sensitive areas.
Sugar waxing
Sugar waxing is great for sensitive skin types and is most effective against fine to medium hair types because of its gentler nature and more natural formulation; it’s usually just sugar, lemon and hot water, applied either as a sticky ball or like a soft strip wax. most effective against fine to medium hair types.
There are no chemical additives to irritate the skin and it causes fewer ingrown hairs and even can last longer than regular waxing. It’s also water-soluble which makes clean up much easier.
Pre-made wax strips
Pre-made wax strips are perfect for at-home bikini waxing – if they are used correctly. They come ready with the cold soft wax attached, making them perfect for beginners. After warming the strips with your hands, separate the sheets slowly and apply in direction of hair growth, then very quickly rip off.
Which waxing method is less painful?
It is not always a case of no pain, no gain. Depending on the body part, different waxing methods would be more suitable.
As a rule of thumb, always opt for a hard wax for Brazilian as it shrink wraps and removes the hair gently without tugging the skin.
You can always opt to take an aspirin or ibuprofen about 30-45 minutes before waxing to help reduce discomfort, especially if you are waxing sensitive areas such as the Brazilian or chest. Do not wax a week prior to menstrual cycle because the skin is more sensitive during that period.
Should you trim before getting a bikini wax?
Shaving or plucking hair prior to the wax appointment might cause the hair strands to be too short to be removed efficiently. Hair strands should preferably about 4-6 mm in length.
How can you prevent ingrowing hairs?
Shaving is the leading cause of ingrown hair, followed by wearing of tight clothing and being waxed by inexperienced therapists. Ingrown hair is an unsightly and uncomfortable problem that can lead to infection and scarring if not treated.
To prevent this condition, regular exfoliation to removes dead skin and moisturising helps keep skin soft and supple. Pores will be less clogged, because congested pores can lead to inflammation or ingrown hair growth.
Applying a good ingrown hair cream also helps to gently exfoliate the skin without dryness and irritation too!
Any waxing aftercare tips?
For the next 24 hours post-treatment, no tight clothing covering the treatment area or intensive exercise including swimming, hot showers, saunas or steam baths. For the next week, no scrubbing or sun-tanning.
For best post-treatment results, apply a hair growth inhibitor for better results. Moisturise with a natural product such as aloe vera or shea butter twice daily. After one week, lightly scrub the treatment area twice weekly to prevent ingrown hair.
Waxing at home
Whether you’re caught short, want to save the pennies or want to test-run an at-home wax pre-wedding, these at-home methods are great options.
Acorelle Hair Removal Strips, £8.99
Acorelle Hair Removal Strips have soothing Aloe Vera and Beeswax, removing bikini hair from its root leaving skin smooth and hair free for up to four weeks. They also have a hypoallergenic formula to minimise skin reactions.
Sugar Coated Wax, £12.99
Sugar Coated is a 100% natural vegan sugar wax and does not contain any citric acid, resins or additives, which means our formula gives a smooth application and gentle results.
Sugar Coated features the optimum blend of pure sugar syrups for absolute ease of application and easy, fast, pain-free hair removal. Simply heat the jar in a microwave for 40 seconds. The jar then retains the heat so that you have plenty of ‘playtime’ to apply the product to the areas you wish to blitz.
Then, smooth the pliable paste onto skin using the spatula, and press the strips over the sugar, then whisk off the fabric strip to reveal ultra-smooth skin underneath. (You can then wash the strips to reuse, in future.)
Mylee Precision Wax Pen, £12
Perfect for those moments you’re caught short, or on the go! Even beginners can achieve a professional finish with this ready-to-use waxing pen, which doesn’t require any heating before application. The fine nozzle makes the wax pen easy to use, simply apply the wax directly to the skin and swiftly remove it with a strip for a fuzz-free finish.
After preparing the skin, slowly turn the base of the pen to dispense the required amount of wax and apply in the direction of hair growth. Place a strip over the wax, pressing down firmly. Using one hand to pull the skin taut, swiftly pull off the strip in the opposite direction of hair growth. Continue until all unwanted hairs have been removed.
Read More:
- The Best Bridal Skincare Products for a Perfect Wedding Day Glow
- Best Bridal Makeup Products for Your Wedding Day
- Wedding Hairstyles: The Ultimate Guide to Bridal Hair
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