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This article is from the WebMD Feature Archive

Pros and Cons of DIY Waxing

Waxing off hair at home is cheaper and faster -- and less painful than tweezing.

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By Gina Roberts-Grey
WebMD the Magazine - Feature

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

When I was 11, my mother decided it was time to unburden my forehead of its uni-brow. Little did I know I should have run far away and taken the tweezers with me. For what seemed like hours, she skillfully plucked hair by hair as tears of pain streamed down my face. If only I’d known there was another way: waxing.

Waxing, like tweezing, does hurt. But the pain comes with every strip, not hair by hair. Waxing is also better than cream hair removers because there’s no smell and less of a chance you’ll wind up with a nasty red rash. And, unlike with shaving, your legs or bikini line aren’t left full of nicks and cuts.

Unfortunately, squeezing in a trip to the salon for wax jobs can be tricky. You may not be able to land an appointment on the day you’re feeling hairy. Do-it-yourself waxing, on the other hand, can be performed anytime right in your own bathroom.

Home waxing products

Most over-the-counter waxes are a combination of beeswax and parafin and come in microwaveable containers or ones that can be heated quickly on the stove. But they’re not your only option. Pre-coated wax strips are virtually mess-free, easy to clean up, and manageable for small areas such as brows and lips or bikini line touch-ups. Water-soluble “sugar” products made from a sugar and water base are less sticky than traditional wax, so any excess washes off with soapy water. They’re also gentler on sensitive skin.

At about $6 to $12, all-in-one at-home waxing kits are easy on your wallet. They’re typically less expensive than salon wax jobs, which can set you back $15 for a small body part, such as brows or the upper lip, to $50 for legs or bikini lines.

Whatever waxing product you choose, one of the biggest payoffs is the time span in between touch-ups. Thanks to my Sicilian -heritage, my uni-brow used to need tending every few days, and I also had to shave my legs daily. But waxing keeps regrowth from showing up for about two weeks. “Longer if you’re a routine waxer because waxing weakens the hair follicle, which slows the production of hair,” says esthetician Janet Chao, who has waxed hundreds of eyebrows, upper lips, and bikini lines at New York spas.

How to get started with home waxing

Chao notes that at-home waxing kits are safe and effective but you’ve got to follow instructions.

“Always do a test waxing and don’t ‘double-dip’ used applicators in the wax,” she says. “That can cause an infection. Dead skin and dirt can clog pores, causing a bumpy, red rash, so you’ll want to exfoliate the day before you’re going to wax. And, for the best results, apply wax in the direction your hair grows and then remove it in the opposite direction of hair growth.”

But don’t start slathering on wax quite yet. “Your hair has to be about one-quarter inch long, the length of a rice kernel, so the wax can grab it and pull it out at the roots,” says Chao. Depending on how fast your hair grows, that’s about seven days of growth. And, if your bikini line hasn’t been waxed or shaved in a while, Chao suggests trimming the hair to prevent a sticky mess.

If you have sensitive skin, look for a perfume- and dye-free wax or one that says it’s hypoallergenic.

And when you’ve finished your waxing, soothe your skin and trim your chances of redness and swelling by applying facial toner that contains calming chamomile.

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