Waxers Are Sharing The Things They Really, Really Wish You Would Stop Doing Before Your Appointment
Getting a wax — whether on your eyebrows, legs or more sensitive areas — is far from comfortable. The pain is unavoidable and can even cause your eyes to tear up.
The good news, though, is that there are steps you can take (or rather, avoid) before your appointment to make the process easier, shorter, more effective and less painful.
Ahead, waxers share what they would wish clients would stop doing before their appointment for their own sakes — and it's not 'coming when you're on your period.'
1. Applying Heavy Oils And Numbing Creams
If you like to put these on your skin, that's understandable. But unfortunately, they can complicate the process when you apply them on the day of your appointment.
'The more of a barrier you have on the skin, the more we must remove before waxing,' explained Deidra Green, a licensed esthetician and the VP of field performance and inclusion at European Wax Center. 'These heavy products can interfere with your results, and it's best to come to your appointment with clean skin.'
Basically, what happens is the wax isn't able to get as good a grip on the hair, so your waxer will have to clean it off (keeping you on the table for longer).
2. Using Retinol
Related: People Who Cut Off Their Trump-Supporting Friends And Family Members Are Sharing Their Stories, And It's Heartbreaking
This ingredient is best avoided, but for a different reason than you may suspect.
'This can cause skin lifting and irritation,' explained Amber Budd Peterson, a licensed advanced practice esthetician in Minnesota with over 13 years of experience, and the founder of the Spa by Amber Budd Atelier. (Skin lifting is — brace yourself — when skin comes up with the wax and leaves a red mark.)
She added that at her spa, if someone is using retinol, the waxers only tweeze — which 'doesn't allow for the cleanest lines and shape.'
If you need to use retinol for acne or wrinkles, she recommended stopping its use at least seven days before your facial wax and letting your waxer know so they can provide a safer experience.
3. Exfoliating Too Close To Your Wax
It's best to avoid exfoliation, too, at least for the two days before your wax, said Jennifer Guest, a licensed esthetician with nearly 26 years of experience at the Newport Beach and Rancho Santa Margarita luxury day spa called Spa Gregorie's.
'Recently exfoliated skin can be more sensitive and prone to irritation,' she explained.
Exfoliation altogether isn't a complete no-no, however.
'A lack of exfoliation means that ingrown hairs are more likely, and the waxer may have to go over the area multiple times to remove the hair (if using hard wax or sugar),' said Hadiyah Daché, a master esthetician and expert in waxing and sugaring who owns Glowdega in Oakland, California.
She encouraged using an exfoliating product three times a week, plus hydrating the area daily with unscented aloe vera gel. (But again, not within a couple days of your appointment.)
4. Shaving, Trimming Or Tweezing
Related: 21 "Fatal" Safety Mistakes People Make Every Day (And How To Avoid Them), According To First Responders
While it may seem like you're helping your waxer out, or while you may be tempted to do this in between appointments as hairs come in, it's not the solution you might think it is.
'To get the smoothest wax possible, your hair needs to be at least the length of a grain of rice,' Green said, warning that too-short hairs could get left behind. 'Don't be embarrassed if it's longer than that, though!'
Guest agreed that trimming can particularly 'interfere with optimal results,' especially with your eyebrows, because 'over-trimming can be difficult to correct.'
Besides leading to a lesser wax — and one that requires a quicker follow-up appointment — you also risk ingrown hairs, according to Daché. Ingrown hairs are raised, painful bumps on the skin.
5. Wearing Thongs, Leggings, Or Clothing That's Tight In That Area
Sure, athleisure and a thong are a quick way to feel both cute and comfortable, but they can cause problems post-wax.
'This creates chafing and can cause hyperpigmentation in the bikini area,' Daché said. 'The irritation can also lead to complications as the result of a wax.'
Instead, she encouraged wearing the opposite: loose clothing and boxer brief-style underwear.
6. Working Out Or Hitting The Sauna Beforehand
A self-care day may not feel complete without a Pilates or sauna session, but don't schedule it before your wax.
'Coming in right after a workout or sauna session can increase sensitivity and make it harder to keep the skin dry during waxing,' Guest said. 'For best results, arrive clean, cool and dry.'
7. Drinking Too Much Alcohol The Day Of Or The Night Before
Alcohol doesn't only lead to extra anxiety the next day — it can also cause waxing-related problems.
'This can lead to more potential for bruising, sensitivity and even potential bleeding,' Peterson said. It also just generally makes your skin look worse.
Mocktails are a better choice, she continued, or if you're going to drink alcohol, avoid it 24 hours before your appointment for best results.
While these tips aren't necessarily the most fun, they will provide a longer-lasting, smoother wax — which is worth it, right?This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Also in Goodful: "It's Soul-Crushing": People Are Revealing The TellTale Signs Someone Has Been Through A Lot Of Shit In Their Life, And Some Of These Might Surprise You
Also in Goodful: 19 "Body Changes" That Clearly Indicate A Person Is Not Young Anymore, And I'm Not Ready For This Reality
Also in Goodful: Doctors Are Sharing The Scariest Thing They've Seen A Patient Say Or Do
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
WebMD
24 minutes ago
- WebMD
When Life Throws a Curve Ball: Managing Diabetes with an Injury
It may sound strange for me to connect a pulled back muscle with blood sugar regulation, but let me explain. About two weeks ago, I began to experience this sharp pain in my lower back every time I turned in a certain direction. Whether I sat or stood, after about five minutes it would be there. I couldn't sleep and it became almost unbearable. This lasted for two days until I decided that it was time for me to seek medical attention. I visited an urgent care center down the street from where I live to find out what was going on. My first idea about the pain was that it could be my kidneys, so I checked my blood sugar levels to see if they were elevated and they were not. Also, the pain was more in the middle of my lower back on the right, and I know that my kidneys are not located there. While at the care center, the doctor asked me to move in certain positions by stretching, and we discovered that I must have pulled a muscle in my back. I wasn't sure how this happened, because I work out daily for about 30 minutes. I didn't think I was doing anything too strenuous that would result in pulling a muscle, but here we are. The doctor told me that I had to postpone both weight and HIIT workouts. This startled me, because I know that the exercise has been helping my blood sugar levels to stay in range. At this point, I was trying to think about what type of physical activity I could do that would help me to maintain a fitness level at which my body could still benefit from blood sugar regulation. I asked the doctor what exercises I could do to maintain my fitness and blood sugar levels. The doctor told me not to do too much movement and to allow my back to heal, but that I could do light walking and some moving around in a swimming pool. The water will support my joints and keep me from putting any strain on my back muscles. To make a long story short, he said that it may take anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks for me to heal. I knew exactly what I needed to do. Since I wasn't doing any high-intensity workouts, I needed to take in fewer carbohydrates so that I can maintain a decent blood sugar level in the coming weeks. So over the past two weeks I have been eating fewer carbohydrates. I'm taking my prescribed muscle relaxers and an anti-inflammatory medication. I've actually done some marching in place inside my apartment and have even visited the pool to exercise once. I am proud to report that two weeks later, my back is feeling much better and I haven't had to deal with any hyperglycemia even though I'm doing less exercise. The moral of this story is that life can throw curveballs, but it doesn't mean that you can't get around them. Diabetes self management is a marathon and never a sprint, so you just have to take one day at a time because anything can happen. Learning how to deal with tough circumstances can help you learn how to adapt in any situation.
Medscape
35 minutes ago
- Medscape
ICML 2025
Please confirm that you would like to log out of Medscape. If you log out, you will be required to enter your username and password the next time you visit. Log out
CNET
40 minutes ago
- CNET
This Kid's Cough Syrup Was Recalled. These Are the Foodborne Illness Symptoms It Can Cause
On Wednesday, the FDA reported that five lots of Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup, a 100% natural children's cough medicine for ages 1 and up, were voluntarily recalled by Medtech Products. The kid's cough syrup was found to be contaminated by Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can cause two types of foodborne illnesses. The five affected lots were distributed in the US both online and in retail stores from Dec. 14, 2022, to June 4, 2025. The lot numbers are 0039, 0545, 0640, 0450 and 1198, while the affected expiration dates extend to December 2026. The FDA reports that "no serious adverse events have been reported to date." This cough syrup contains three ingredients: honey, purified water and a natural preservative. Amazon What to do if you bought Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup If you purchased a Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup that has been recalled, stop using it immediately. If your child has experienced any issues that may be related to this product, contact their doctor. For reimbursement, you can email Medtech at medicalaffairs@ contact via its website at or by phone at (800) 754-8853, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Any reactions or quality issues can be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program. What foodborne illness symptoms can it cause? The FDA reports that Bacillus cereus or B. cereus is a bacterium that can cause two types of foodborne illnesses. The first type can start 1 to 6 hours after consumption of the contaminated food or drink. Symptoms include: stomach cramps, vomiting and nausea. The second type of foodborne illness caused by Bacillus cereus can occur 8 to 16 hours after consumption. Its symptoms are diarrhea and stomach cramps. "Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term illness, exposure to high levels of foodborne B. cereus can cause death," the FDA said. If your child is demonstrating any of these symptoms related to the consumption of Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup, contact their doctor immediately.
