Professional waxer reveals the areas you should NEVER touch & how to get the salon look at home
THANKS to the pandemic, we’re increasingly used to performing our own beauty treatments at home.
But when it comes to things like waxing – which 40 per cent of people still turn to as their hair removal method of choice – there are a number of pitfalls.
Rosie Khandwala, wax therapist and founder of Sugar Coated, has revealed how to get a salon effect in the comfort of your own bathroom.
This includes the areas you should never try and tackle yourself and leave to the professionals, as well as tips for how to best achieve smooth, hair-free skin if you are going down the DIY route.
She says: “Home waxing can be practical and convenient; it all depends on your confidence level.
“If you start waxing from an earlier age, it can become part of your regular regime.
Home waxing can be practical and convenient
Rosie Khandwala
“For some, it can feel daunting when switching from being a regular shaver. But this does not mean it cannot be done.”
The area to leave to the pros…
Khandwala warns against attempting to de-fuzz your bikini area – and to book in for a salon treatment.
She explains: “In my opinion intimate waxing is the only area I would advise NOT to do by yourself if you’re not used to it.
“It can be difficult to judge the direction of the hair growth, and the wax strip removal action needs to be swift whilst also holding the skin taut and firm to avoid trauma and bruising.”
The skin you should never wax…
There are also some situations where you should hold off – including when you’re battling sunburn or acne, and if you’ve been using anti-ageing product retinol.
Khandwala revealed: “When the skin is sunburnt it is sore and tender. A warm waxing treatment will cause more sensitivity and irritation making the area susceptible to inflammation.
“I would recommend waiting at least a week for any sunburn, on any part of the body, to heal before waxing.”
Regarding breakouts, she noted: “Any form of acne, broken skin or lesions should be left well alone from any form of waxing.
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“For facial waxing, the facial skin is a tender area, so if there is any form of acne than it is advisable to not wax as it will aggravate the condition and expose any open wounds to infection.”
When it comes to retinol, Khandwala warns that it can “leave the skin very delicate and can cause the skin to react with waxing, especially if it is a warm wax.
“It is advisable to make sure that a patch test is done before, and it is recommended to stop using your retinol products four to five days before using warm wax.”
Top tips for at-home waxing…
Khandwala explains that most areas with visible hairs can be easily removed at home. However, she recommends…
1. Waiting at least 4 weeks for hair to fully grow (you’ll notice the hair growth decreases as you wax more).
2. Heating the product in your microwave until it’s a runny honey consistency.
3. Spreading the formula as thin as possible in the direction of the hair growth. The thinner the application the more it sticks to the hair, and the more effective the hair removal.
4. Flicking the strip in a parallel motion against the skin, when removing the wax so that you pull the hair from the roots.
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In other beauty news, we told a hairdresser ruined a woman’s hair when she asked for balayage.
We also revealed how beauticians advise banishing wrinkles without getting work done.
And a woman shared how to get foundation-caked make-up sponges super clean.
