Have you recently had a waxing treatment and wondering what you can do immediately after or perhaps you are planning on having some waxing done and are wondering if you can go swimming straight after or hit the gym that day? You will find the answers to all your questions here with many amazing tips and tricks to keep your skin feeling and looking its best after any waxing treatment.
Many of you may be asking the same questions about a recent or upcoming waxing treatment including Can I Exfoliate After Waxing? or Can I Bath After Waxing? So here is some waxing aftercare advice which you must follow, complete with a list of frequently asked questions.
Waxing Aftercare:
- No hot baths or showers for 24 hours (if an absolute must then cool to lukewarm water only).
- No saunas, hot tubs, massage or steam treatments for 24 to 48 hours.
- Wait 24 hours before applying any tanning agents to the skin.
- No sunbeds for 24 to 48 hours.
- Wear loose-fitting clothes immediately after to prevent friction and irritation.
- Avoid working out at the gym or other sorts for at least 24 hours.
- Avoid scratching or touching the treated area with unwashed
- hands.
- Avoid swimming, saunas, and steam rooms for a minimum of 36 to 48 hours.
- Avoid using fragranced or perfumed products on waxed areas.
Next, I have covered some waxing aftercare FAQ’s which will explain all the do’s and don’ts for after your hair removal treatment. These should help answer all your aftercare queries.
Can I Shave After Waxing?
You can shave after waxing if you feel you want to, but if the hair removal has been completed professionally and efficiently, there should be no reason to shave. If you are new to waxing, you may find it difficult to wait in between waxes, but I would strongly advise you not to shave in between waxes. Shaving after a wax will affect the hair growth, resulting in the hairs being different lengths and uneven waxing results.
It is a personal choice if you would like to shave after a wax but you will interfere with the hair growth meaning that after your next wax there will be a chance that you wont have a smooth, even finish because the hair will have grown back in blunt and at different lengths.
Speak to your waxing technician if you are tempted to pick up the razor after a wax, you may be able to make your waxing appointments closer until your hair growth gets into a better cycle resulting in smooth finishes after each wax.
Can I Exfoliate After Waxing?
You should wait at least 2 to 3 days after your waxing treatments before you exfoliate. Your skin may be sensitive, red, and delicate after waxing, depending on the areas waxed and your skin type. Exfoliation causes friction to the skin which sensitizes the area, causing inflammation. We must be strict and avoid exfoliation in the first few days after your wax. This will help to avoid over-sensitizing the skin and causing irritation to these areas.
By waiting 2 to 3 days after your waxing treatment to exfoliate, this allows time for your open pores to close and for your skin to calm and heal. Once this is down then you may exfoliate. Remember not to do this too often and 2 to 3 times a week is more than enough. If you have sensitive skin, I would recommend you exfoliate once a week.
Exfoliation is key to smooth skin and avoiding those nasty ingrown hairs. Here is a simple guide on how you can exfoliate for low cost at home:
- Use warm water and an exfoliation glove with gentle circular motions over the waxed areas to smooth the skin. These medium-level, reusable gloves are amazing and will help keep your dead skin at bay! Check them out here.
- For a completely natural exfoliant, you can use a couple of simple ingredients which is perfectly suited for all skin types. Try mixing up some brown sugar and olive oil at home for the perfect shower scrub. Use with or without a mitt for great lasting results. This will help to remove dead skin cells which may be clogging up your pores.
- For something more luxurious, check out this Himalayan Salt Body Scrub with Lychee Oil. This deep cleansing, exfoliating scrub will help to detoxify and hydrate your skin whilst containing no harmful chemicals. It can be used by men and women.
Can I Shower After A Wax?
Ideally, you should wait at least 24 hours to shower after you have been waxed. Although sometimes this won’t be possible and there may many factors in which you would like to shower sooner, so if this is the case just be mindful that your skin will be sensitive after your hair removal so follow these easy steps:
- Avoid using hot water if showering in the first 24 hours after a wax. Use lukewarm to cool water as this helps to avoid over sensitizing the area and can help the redness and swelling to subside.
- Avoid any perfumed body washes or soaps as these will irritate the areas waxed due to the pores being open.
- Remember to pat your skin dry after you shower instead of rubbing. This decreases the chances of irritating the skin.
Can I Workout After Waxing?
You should wait for at least a minimum of 24 hours after any type of waxing before working out. Especially in areas such as bikini, underarm, and leg waxing (in this case I would hold off 48 hours post-wax). The reason for this is, during a workout, our body produces sweat and bacteria, if this comes into contact with the open pores after your wax, then this could cause irritation and worst-case scenario, infection.
Loose fitting clothes should be worn after each eax also to help prevent irritation caused by friction. If you are doing any sports or working out then the chance are your clothes will be running on your skin, resulting in painful and irritated skin.
Give yourself a break from working out for a day then you can work out, worry free of any risk of irritation or infection.
Can I Tan After Waxing?
You should wait at least 24 hours after waxing before applying tan. You need to give your skin time to heal after the hair removal and for any irritation to settle. If you tan immediately after a wax, this will cause your tan to be patchy as the tan will fill the open pores and you may look like you have dark dots on the area you have applied tan.
Your skin may feel sensitive and could possibly be painful immediately after a wax and if you applied a tanning agent to this area, there would be a high risk of sensitivity leading to irritation and uneven skin tone.
When planning to tan after a waxing treatment, I would factor in 24-36 hours extra time after your wax. This will allow the skin to completely recover from the hair removal and all the pores to close. This is then the best time to apply your tan for a patch free, flawless finish.
Can I Swim After Waxing?
You should wait at least 24-48 hours to go for a swim after a waxing treatment. Immediately after a wax, your pores are open, meaning that if you go into a pool or sea then there is a high risk of chlorine or other substances entering the newly opened pores. If this happens then there is a high risk of irritation leading to infection.
Waiting a day or so to go swimming after a wax is so important. Not only could the chlorinated water irritate your skin bit you may take a reaction leading to painful, swollen and red parts of your body where you have been waxed.
This is not a good look for lying by the pool or on a beach right?
When having a wax and thinking of going swimming, remember to factor in a couple of days for healing time. Allow your skin to completely heal before entering any pools and avoid painful irritation.
Can I Bath After Waxing?
It would be in your best interest to wait at least 24 hours before you take a bath after waxing. This is due to your skin being sensitive and possibly painful and even maybe swollen. Adding extra heat will only make this worse causing added irritation.
If you feel you must take a bath after a waxing treatment then avoid hot water. Use lukewarm to cool water as this helps to avoid over sensitizing the area and can help the redness and swelling to subside.
If bathing is an absolute necessity after you wax (this could be for a number of reasons) then try out these easy tips to avoid over sensitizing the areas which have been waxed:
- Run your bath with lukewarm water only. Your skin will be sensitive from the recent wax so adding any more heat will only cause irritation and discomfort
- Avoid using any perfumed bath soaks. Fragranced products will cause irritation and discomfort to the waxed areas.
- When drying after you bathe, then remember to pat your skin dry instead of rubbing to avoid irritation.
Can I Scrub After Waxing?
It is vital to wait at least 2 to 3 days after your waxing treatments before you use any kind of scrub on the freshly waxed areas. Your skin may be sensitive, red, and delicate after waxing, depending on the areas waxed and your skin type. Using a scrub to exfoliate causes friction to the skin which sensitizes the area, causing inflammation. We must be strict and avoid using a scrub in the first few days after your wax. This will help to avoid over-sensitizing the skin and causing irritation to these areas.
By waiting 2 to 3 days after your waxing treatment to use a scrub, this allows time for your opened pores to close and for your skin to calm and heal. Once your skin feels back to normal, you should use a scrub. Remember not to do this too often and 2 to 3 times a week is more than enough. If you have sensitive skin, I would recommend you use a scrub once a week.
Exfoliation is key to smooth skin and avoiding those nasty ingrown hairs. Here is a simple guide on how you can exfoliate for low cost at home:
- Use warm water and an exfoliation glove with gentle circular motions over the waxed areas to smooth the skin. These medium-level, reusable gloves are amazing and will help keep your dead skin at bay! Check them out here.
- For a completely natural exfoliant, you can use a couple of simple ingredients which is perfectly suited for all skin types. Try mixing up some brown sugar and olive oil at home for the perfect shower scrub. Use with or without a mitt for great lasting results. This will help to remove dead skin cells which may be clogging up your pores.
- For something more luxurious, check out this Himalayan Salt Body Scrub with Lychee Oil. This deep cleansing, exfoliating scrub will help to detoxify and hydrate your skin whilst containing no harmful chemicals. It can be used by men and women.
How Long After Waxing Can I Wax Again?
Typically, you should plan to be waxed every 4-6 weeks although this can change depending on the individual being waxed. So once you have been waxed, I would plan your next wax to be no sooner than 4 weeks from then. Although, if you are new to waxing and have been using other methods of hair removal prior to this you may need to schedule your waxing appointments closer together.
Each individuals hair growth is different, you need to do what suits your body best. So someone with very light and fine hair may only need waxed every 6-8 weeks, whereas someone with a darker hair and thick, coarse hair, would most likely need waxed every 4-5 weeks.
Once you have been waxed a couple of times and you see how your hair growth is, it will be then you will get a better idea of how long after your wax you can wax again.
Is It Normal To Get Bumps After Waxing?
Bumps on your skin after waxing are completely normal and are due to the hair being forced out of the skin, causing stress to the surrounding areas. This is very common and most people who wax will experience mild bumps with some sensitivity on their skin afterward but typically will heal in a day or two.
Bumps after waxing may also be ingrown hairs which may appear about a week after waxing. Ingrown hairs occur when the hair grows and reinserts itself into the hair follicle. In some cases, you may see the trapped hair curled underneath the skin.
Ingrown hairs can be extremely painful and without treatment can become infected. Although in most cases they look like red, raised pimples and can be removed easily on your own at home.
Check out another article that I have written with all the information you need to know about waxing and shaving which covers many FAQ’s with photographs. You can find this here.