Wax On, Wax Off.

I don't know about elsewhere, but here in Yorkshire we are finally starting to see some glorious sunshine! This means one thing ladies...getting those pins out. We want to look silky smooth for summer so before we hit the height of it, start preparing with waxing now, that's right, waxing. I felt I needed to do a post on this because many people can be quite scared of waxing but I am here to put you at ease and to hopefully ensure you never have to pick up a razor again.

So let's start with the most asked question and the most likely reason for why people are put off from waxing...Does it hurt?

I'm not going to lie to you, yes it will hurt but only for the first few times! To begin with, your hair is going to be thick and coarse and therefore more painful to be pulled from the root, however, over a period of a few sessions, you will notice that the pain does subside.

To stop me bombarding you with paragraphs and paragraphs of information (I easily could, history of waxing, the science, you name it), I will simply list a couple of pro's and the con's and some do's and don't's as well. If you have any further questions feel free to leave a comment.

How it works - There are many methods of waxing however the two main methods are:
Strip Waxing - The most common and found it pretty much every salon. This is where warm (usually honey) wax is spread onto the area with a spatula, a waxing strip is then pressed onto this and then quickly pulled away.
Hot Wax - Designed for our more sensitive areas, this wax is spread onto the area but rather than taking off with a waxing strip, it is left to harden and then peeled off. A lot less painful than waxing but can be more time consuming on larger areas.

Pro's

• Waxing means the hair is being pulled directly from the root, as opposed to shaving where you are just taking off what you can see on the surface. Being pulled from the root can actually cause damage to the hair follicle meaning the hair is less likely to grow back...wahoo! (Don't worry, damaging the follicle won't have any other effects)
• Over time, a lot less hair will grow back and the hair that does will be much finer, making it less visible in the regrowth stages and also less painful when it comes to waxing day.
• The results last up to 4 weeks. For the first couple of times, your hairs will be at different growth rates so you may find you need to come more often in the beginning and once this has settled, you can leave the regrowth gap for longer. This is why it is best to start a couple of months before summer or before a holiday so you don't have random hairs growing where others have just been waxed.
• It's amazing not having to worry about shaving every 2 days or feeling the prickly reminder.

Cons

• As mentioned previously, it will be uncomfortable at first...it's a slight 'stinging' sensation but as quick as it appears, it goes.
• You do have to let your hair grow in to a couple of centimetres in between waxes for a better result. This means that dress you were hoping to wear for the weekend, might now have to be disco pants until your waxing appointment next week. But once your waxing appointment has been, you get those legs out girl!

(Image not mine)

The Do's and Don't s and how to be prepared

Do take some paracetamol for the first few times you have waxing done, about half an hour before your treatment. Although it won't eliminate the ouch factor completely, it will certainly make it more bearable.

Do exfoliate the night before a treatment. This ensures all dead skin is removed from the area and the wax is pulling the hair directly, rather than through a layer of dead skin. This will also result in less ingrown hairs.

Do allow the hair in the area you wish to be waxed to grow to between 1 and 2cm. This is the perfect length. Any shorter and the hair won't be picked up, any longer and you will experience slightly more pain than necessary.

Do try to wear baggy clothing for afterwards, anything tight such as skinny jeans or leggings will aggravate the area and cause it to become sore.

Do buy some Tea Tree gel, especially after your first one or two treatments. Apply to the area and allow it to sink in to calm and soothe.

Don't put any make-up on the area for a few hours until after the treatment ( if you can, it is best to leave it 24 hours) as this will clog up pores and is likely to leave spots.

Don't go for a fake tan before or after your waxing. If you go for a tan before, you will end up with white areas where the wax has been. If you go for a tan afterwards, your follicles will be open allowing the tan to sink into them and causing all sorts of problems.

Don't use a sunbed or go sunbathing, this again will cause irritation and the area will be more vulnerable to UV damage.

Don't be afraid! Try to relax as best you can and the therapist will also be there to put you at ease as well.

Overall I would 100% recommend waxing to you. Research your local salons for prices and just go into chat to a therapist if it makes you feel more comfortable. If you are raring to go and get it done, get it booked and never look back!

xxx