Question: How Can I Calm Sensitive Skin After Waxing?
Answer: One of the most common waxing side effects, some degree redness or inflammation will usually occur right after the waxing especially for the sensitive-prone, but usually subsides throughout the day. It’s not only pulling hair out of the follicle, but also tugging at skin which causes most of the redness.
Calm Sensitive Skin After Waxing:
- Check the label. Let's start with prevention. Make sure the wax doesn’t contain any ingredients you’re allergic to that can leave you unnecessarily red. Often, waxes are made up of resin but may be based on a certain ingredient like: tea tree, lavender, chocolate and so on.
Many also are made up of artificial colors, fragrances and ingredients. While you can be allergic to almost anything- natural or not- artificial ingredients are allergic triggers for many. Don’t forget about checking the products for prepping the skin, removing the wax and soothing the skin as well.
If you're getting it done professionally, you should be asked to fill out a form to make sure you're compatible with waxing and list any allergies, but this doesn't always happen. So don’t be afraid to speak up before waxing and tell the technician of anything you're allergic to, and ask them write it on your client profile to avoid future reactions.
- Apply powder or oil. If you're waxing yourself, after cleansing skin apply powder if using soft wax and oil for hard wax. These will act as a buffer, so the wax adheres more to the hair and not the skin. Thus, lessening the amount of redness. See more about body waxing supplies.
- Use the right technique. At home, be sure you're holding the skin taut while pulling hair out will help lessen any redness, and using a wax made for sensitive skin, cream usually works the best (compare prices). Don’t wax over an area more than once, as this can cause you to become very red and inflamed, not to mention removing your skin too.
- Soothe skin. Applying an after wax cooling product or aloe based gel (compare prices) to help soothe skin and help subdue the redness and inflammation after ridding hair and cleansing skin. Tea bags brewed and then cooled placed on the eyes also helps after waxing the brows.
- Cover it up. So you have somewhere to go, and don’t want everyone there to know you got waxed? Apply some mineral makeup, it’s light on the skin and allows it to breathe more than liquid or cakey foundation and concealer.
- Know when it's not normal. If the skin is extremely painful for days, bleeds, is torn off or scabs, then something isn't right. Waxing isn't for everyone, read waxing precautions for the full list.
- Try another method. No matter what you do, you may not be able to calm sensitive skin after waxing. It's just too hard on the skin for some. Threading and sugaring are two other alternatives that also remove the hair follicle from the root but are much easier on the skin, and lead to less redness and pain.
