Don’t you hate it when you are perfectly dolled up for a date night, and then you see a small line of upper lip hair?
This small line seems big enough to ruin your look as well as your mood. No one wants to look like Charlie Chaplin while they are dressed like Marilyn Monroe. It doesn’t add up.
Unfortunately, having upper lip hair is a common vice that women have to deal with every now and then.
You can thread, shave or use hair cream to remove upper lip hair, but there is a better way, i.e., waxing.
Today we will dive deeper into this topic and answer the age-old question for you: How Long Does Lip Waxing Last?
A Closer Look At Lip Waxing
Waxing your upper lips is one of the most preferred methods of lip hair removal. While you can also use threading for this purpose, it may be more painful.
Other than waxing, people opt for alternative hair removal methods like threading, shaving creams, or facial razors, but all these options come with their own set of drawbacks.
For example, threading is extremely painful, shaving creams are harmful, and razors ruin the hair texture.
Hence, there is no surprise why waxing is considered a more reliable, safer, and efficient solution when it comes to removing upper lip hair.
How Long Does Lip Waxing Last?
To answer the question above, we first need to consider a few things. Contrary to the popular myth, waxing does not eliminate facial hair forever.
It does, however, help slow down hair growth for some people. How often one needs to get their upper lips waxed depends primarily on hair growth and several other factors, which vary from person to person.
Let’s take a look at how lip waxing lasts differently for different people and what are the factors affecting hair regrowth:
Normal Hair Growth
Typically lip waxing will last you for about two to three weeks if you have average or normal hair growth.
Slow Hair Growth
If your upper lip growth has slowed down over time, you can go on without waxing them for up to a month.
Hair Thickness
If your upper lip hair is coarse, thick, and dark-looking, and they start popping out a couple of days later, you may need to wax them off every week.
Hair Texture
Some people have curly or wavy upper lip hair that is more visible. In such cases, you have to wax your upper lips every 7 to 10 days right after they start regrowing.
Hair Color
Typically upper lip hair is the same color as the hair on your head. So, for instance, someone with black hair has black or grey colored upper lip hair, and similarly, someone with blond hair has golden colored upper lip hair.
Fortunately, people with light-colored hair do not need to get their upper lips waxed as frequently as others.
Hence, if the usual schedule is two weeks for someone with darker hair, people with light hair can wait until 3 to 4 weeks for the upper lip hair to get noticeable.
Hair Length
Your waxing schedule is also dependent on the length of your upper lip hair. As upper lip hair usually is tiny and light-textured, you need to have an ideal hair length of at least 5-6 millimeters for a neat and smooth wax.
This means you usually have to wait at least two weeks for your hair to regrow to this length.
Hormonal Challenges
Some women suffer from a hormonal imbalance that completely disturbs facial hair growth. For some, upper lip hair starts regrowing the next day, while some have visibly dark and thick hair that needs to be waxed off right away.
This condition varies from person to person, and you have to manage your lip waxing schedule accordingly.
Generally, in such circumstances, women have to wax their upper lip or pop out a few problematic ones every other day.
How To Wax Your Lips Using Different Methods
Now that we have discovered how long lip waxing lasts, let’s look at how you can efficiently wax your upper lips.
There are three different ways how you can do lip waxing. Here is how each of these methods works:
Lip Waxing using Hot Wax
This is the most common method of lip waxing as hot wax is readily available and is cost-effective too. You can buy a store-bought hot wax or easily make one at home.
Follow these steps to remove your upper lip hair with hot wax:
1. The first thing you need to do is melt the wax to reach the ideal consistency. Use a waxing machine, double boiler, or microwave to melt it.
2. Once your wax is melted, apply a thin and smooth layer on your upper lips. You can use a wooden spatula or your finger for this. Just make sure the wax is not too hot, or it could burn the sensitive skin around your lips.
3. Cut small strips of muslin cloth or brown paper to remove the wax.
4. Pull the strip in the opposite direction for a neat and smooth finish.
5. Voila, your upper lips are waxed now! You can apply aloe vera gel or ice cube if you feel irritation around the area.
Lip Waxing Using Hard Wax
Hard wax is also a type of hot wax that comes in solid form. You will most commonly find hard wax beans or blocks that need to be melted for usage.
Unlike hot wax, hard wax does not need any cloth strips to remove the wax. Instead, you can easily peel it off with your finger.
Follow the steps below if you wish to use hard wax to wax your upper lip:
1. Start with melting your hard wax beans in a wax machine, set to medium heat. If you do not have the machine, you can melt the beans using the double-boiler method or even your microwave.
2. Once your wax is melted, stir it thoroughly using a wooden spatially to ensure that the wax is smooth in consistency and does not have any lumps.
3. Now, take a small amount of wax using your index finger and stretch it like chewing gum between your thumb and finger. Do this for a few seconds until you get a taffy-like consistency.
4. Next, apply the wax to your upper lips. You can also use a wooden spatula to apply a thin layer of wax above your lips directly.
5. Wait a couple of seconds until the wax dries off and is hardened.
6. After the wax has completely dried off; you can gently peel it off in the opposite direction of your hair.
7. That’s all. Your upper lips area will feel as smooth as a baby’s skin now.
8. Hard wax remnants may stick to your face. Use a cotton swab dipped in oil to remove any leftover wax. Gently dab the cotton on the problem area to wipe off the wax. If you feel irritation or numbness afterward, use an ice cube for relief.
Lip Waxing Using Cold Wax
Cold wax comes in the form of strips that already have a layer of wax on them. You do not need to heat or melt these, unlike hot wax.
Cold wax strips are a quick and convenient solution for people who are always on the go. It also saves you the hassle of melting the wax and waiting for it to reach a perfect consistency.
Here are all the steps you need to follow for using cold wax on your upper lips:
1. Cut the wax strip into 1-2 inch wide pieces. Just make sure the length is big enough to cover your upper lip area.
2. Rub the strip between your palms to warm it up a little and activate the stickiness of the wax. Do this for a few minutes for the best results.
3. Peel off the wax strip and place the sticky side on your upper lip.
4. Press the strip down further and use your finger to apply pressure to ensure that the strip is properly glued to the upper lip area.
5. Pull it off in a quick snap and repeat the process until all of your upper lip hair is wiped clean.
6. Use the pre-packaged oil napkin that comes with your strips to clean off any excess wax. If you do not have this, you can use a cotton swab dipped in oil to get the job done.
7. Apply ice cube or aloe gel if you feel soreness or irritation around your upper lips.
Also don’t forget to checkout does waxing make hair grow back darker?
Some Valuable Tips – DOs and DONTs of Upper Lip Waxing
Use a Large Mirror
When waxing your upper lips, try to stand in front of a large vanity or bathroom mirror instead of a handy one. This way, you can freely use both your hands and get more space to move around.
Stand Under Bright Light
Detecting your upper lip hair requires laser-sharp vision, and we are no eagles. Hence, it would help if you always made sure that there is plenty of light in the room to find all the tiny upper lip hair easily.
Take advantage of the golden hour if you can. There is no other light source better than sunlight.
Do a Small Patch Test
This tip primarily applies to beginners, but you can also put it to use if you are lip waxing after a while.
First, test a small patch area around your arm or leg to ensure the wax is working smoothly and not causing any allergic reaction.
Your upper lip area is susceptible; hence, you need to be extra careful about trying something new and avoiding taking any risks.
Pre-Pain Precaution
If waxing your upper lips still leaves you with tears in your eyes and pain in your chest, this one is for you.
People with low pain tolerance can use a numbing spray or cream and apply it to their upper lip area before waxing.
Try to use a cotton pad to apply the spray or cream and be extra careful with it. Now you can enjoy a pain-free waxing experience.
Clean and Dry Skin
To prep your skin for a smooth and successful wax, make sure that you wash your face and get rid of any excess oil and dirt from your upper lip area.
Next, pat dry your face and apply some baby powder around the upper lip area to ensure that the skin is spotless and dry before applying wax to it.
Ice Ice Baby
It is common to feel itchiness or slight inflammation on your upper lip area after waxing. You can use ice cubes to soothe the burning sensation in the upper lip area. You can also use aloe vera gel for instant relief.
Keep Your Hands At Bay
You may feel the urge to touch your upper lips area after waxing as it may feel numb and slight itchy right after.
Do not ever do that. Try to keep your hands away, or else you will end up getting bumps or tiny pimples around your upper lip skin
Play it Safe
If you have been prescribed any acne-controlling medicine like Accutane by your dermatologist, avoid getting your lips waxed this while for the safe side. You never know what may cause an allergic reaction.
Post-Wax Care
Try to refrain from stepping out in the sun for the next 24-hours after your lip wax. Moreover, you should also avoid going for a swim as your skin may react to the chlorine in the pool.
The idea is to avoid anything that causes excessive sweating or skin irritation post-waxing. This includes an intense workout or even face scrubbing and exfoliation.
Final Words
From Oh, no! Upper Lip Hair to Lip Hair? Don’t Care. We hope you found this blog helpful, and we successfully answered all your concerns regarding ‘How long does lip waxing last?’
To sum it up, the key to making your lip waxing last longer is to ensure that you are regularly getting it done and not skipping any session in the middle.
Keep our tips mentioned above in mind, and you will notice a visible difference in just a few months. Good luck!
Watch this space for more useful tips and guidelines related to waxing and skincare.