While it's helpful to go to a wax salon for larger areas, sometimes when you're in a bind (and hairy!,) you want to just do it yourself and head out the door. Smaller areas like the chin and lip require precision and a delicate touch in order to protect the skin and efficiently pull those hairs [1]. That's why it's important to get some tips from the pros and to avoid common waxing mistakes [2] that can happen when you're taking the reins yourself. Here are a few errors to watch out for!
Eyebrows: Not Measuring Before
"Without knowing the correct measurement for where the arch should fall to their facial structure, and properly mapping it out prior to at home waxing, often the brows will become asymmetrical resulting from taking off too much hair," says Ann Balaguera, National Director Esthetics at The Red Door Salon & Spa [3]. "The safer approach is to apply the wax with space between the main brow line, and then tweeze to clean up the arch," she says.
"One can map their own brows at home by taking an eyeliner or brow pencil and lining it up, beginning from the base of your nose straight upwards," she says. "This is where the center of your brows should begin, moving the pencil like a protractor to line up with the beginning of the eye begins the arch, then across the retina, which is where arch should peak."
Lastly, line up the pencil at the end of the eyeball to mark where the brow should end. Then, just connect the dots to map the perfect brow for your face.
Lips: Using the Wrong Wax
The lip area is super sensitive, so you need to use the right kind of wax to avoid irritation. "It is not recommended to use the same wax you would on your legs on your lip or face. The incorrect wax can result in improper hair removal, damage to the epidermis, and further skin sensitivities," says Balaguera. Plus, "even though the lip is a small area, it is recommended to remove hair in small sections, starting from the outer edges and moving towards center."
Soft wax is done with paper or muslin strips, and hard wax is removed without strips. In general, hard wax is used to remove hair on the bikini, underarm, and face area; soft wax is used on larger areas of the body, such as the legs or arms.
Chin: Not Fixing the Angle
"Because of the angle of the chin it can be difficult to remove the wax properly, which can often lead to ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs are most commonly caused by breaking the hair, instead of removing it from the follicle," says Balaguera. This can result in redness and swelling, often looking like a pimple on the skin. Ugh. "As it heals, this can also cause hyperpigmentation," she says, which is a top anti-aging skincare concern.
"Exposure to heat, UV light, breakouts, and hormonal fluctuations are all triggers of hyperpigmentation throughout the year. It results from an excess production of melanin in the skin, in which daily gentle exfoliation can help by ridding the skin of damaged surface cells," she explains.
Bikini Area: Waxing All at Once
Don't take off too much at once! "This can be the most challenging to do at home because the area is sensitive and the hair is more coarse," says Balaguera. "To properly wax the bikini area it is important to keep the skin taught and remove the wax/hair in smaller strips. All of this can be challenging, trying to keep the skin taught and remove wax, at the same time," she says. It is not uncommon to cause bruising, when done incorrectly, too. Ouch. Those "hard-to-reach areas" are best handled by a professional, she says.
All Areas: Waxing in the Wrong Direction
"Apply the wax in the direction of the hair growth. This is the best way to wax. Going against the hair growth can break your hair follicle, which will cause hair will grow in much faster than its supposed to," Natalee Davydov, Manager and Waxing Specialist at Wax Club NYC [4], says. "Growth should happen within four to six weeks if you wax the right way; four days to a week if administered incorrectly."