Grooming feels nice and boosts confidence but there is no denying that it can a hassle trying to fit waxing appointments in our busy schedules.
To top it off, COVID-19 hit and all appointments got canceled anyway. However, cold wax saved the day for us, in the grooming department at least.
What is cold wax hair removal? This is a common question and an understandable one that makes us want to address it given our reliance on it recently.
By reading the article below, you will not only get to know what cold wax hair removal is, but also get a detailed account of how to use cold wax.
So, let’s jump right into it!
Types of Waxes for Hair Removal
Before moving to explore the answer to what cold wax hair removal is, we want to first acquaint you with the types of wax there are. Following are the most common ones:
- Sugar Wax
- Hard Wax
- Soft Cold Wax
- Cold Wax (Strips)
- Fruit Wax
- Chocolate Wax
3 and 4 will be at the center of our discussion moving forward and are great options for self-grooming. So, get your notepads out because you wouldn’t want to miss out on this.
What is Cold Wax Hair Removal?
Firstly, let’s address the main question; what is cold wax hair removal? Cold wax typically refers to thick and cold spreadable wax that is available in jars (soft cold) or pre-applied to pulling strips.
It is a popular self-grooming waxing technique. Especially since it helps people avoid burning themselves.
The wax strips also prevent gooey wax from getting on other objects, making them convenient to use even if you are not an expert at it.
Generally, it’s a good option for DIY hair removal and one you should explore if you’re facing the problems we did.
How to Use Cold Wax
As we have previously mentioned, there are two primary ways in which cold wax exists; soft wax in a jar or pre-applied to a pulling strip.
Knowing how to use cold wax involves understanding this difference, knowing the preparations, and heeding precautions.
Preparations before Waxing
We will begin by telling you the typical preparations you should make before you start the actual waxing and hair removal process.
Exfoliation
Exfoliating the skin is one of the most important parts of the preparatory process. Exfoliation clears out the pores and scrubs away the dirt and muck that has nestled itself into the deepest corners.
Make sure you get the exfoliation done a day or two in advance so you do not have any skin irritation on waxing day.
Clear Away any Add-Ons
We often add lotions to moisturize our skin or apply make-up to make the textures more even.
However, all such add-ons come in the way of waxing and make it difficult for the wax strip to remove the hair.
Therefore, it is a best practice to have a shower before waxing to clear away all products from the skin.
Keep the Skin Dry
Remember how difficult it was to get the band-aid to stick over skin that was not entirely dry? It’s the same with wax. If your skin is wet, the wax will not stick to the hair properly.
This will make it less effective and you will need to use more strips to clear a portion compared to when your skin is completely dry.
Simply make sure you towel away excess moisture and air it out before you start waxing.
Prepare a Spot for Waxing
This step is not a must but it helps make the entire process more seamless. Choose a spot in your room or apartment where you will be going through hair removal. Following are some helpful guidelines for preparing it:
- Select a cool place to avoid sweating.
- Arrange for a wax applicator and a dish to put it in when you are done (Soft Wax only).
- Get some pulling strips (Soft Wax only).
- Keep a box available to put the used strips in.
- Keep a bottle of oil or oiled tissues to clean away the wax after you’re done.
- If you don’t have short hair, tie them up to avoid them getting stuck on a strip accidentally.
Using the Wax Strips
Now that we are done with all the necessary preparation, we can move on to explaining how to use cold wax for hair removal.
The first couple of steps are going to defer based on whether you are using soft cold wax or strips.
Step #1:
Using Soft Wax:
Use your wax applicator to scoop out the soft cold wax and spread it on a part of the area you want to wax.
The applied amount should ideally cover a smaller space than the size of the pulling strips. This will help you avoid getting your hands sticky.
When spreading the wax, make sure you move the hand in the direction of the hair.
Using Pre-Applied Wax Strips:
Take the wax strip and rub it between your palms for a few seconds before pulling the two sides apart.
Rubbing warms it up slightly and eases the process of pulling them apart with an equal amount of wax on both sides.
Step #2:
Using Soft Wax:
Take a pulling strip and adjust it directly on top of the area where you applied the wax. Once it has been placed securely, rub it on to make it properly stick to the hair and skin.
Using Pre-Applied Wax Strips:
Put aside one side with the wax part facing up and apply the other to the area you want to clean. Once applied, rub it down to make it stick to the hair and skin properly.
Step #3:
Once the strips are properly places, lift one side of them to get a grip on it. The side you grip should be the one your hair is moving towards. Make sure your skin is stretched out (use the other hand to do it if necessary).
Once done, in a single jerk, pull the strip towards its other end (opposite direction of the hair).
If you’ve done it correctly, the area should be clear, or nearly clear of hair and dead skin.
Step #4:
Repeat this process until all of your hair are clear. You can use the same strip 2-3 times until it stops being functional.
Post-Waxing Regime
You’re finally done with the main part of the process and your skin is finally hairless, just like you wanted it.
Although you have the major chunk covered, it is time to move on to the final part, the post waxing care.
1. Use Oil to Clean Residual Wax
The first thing you need to do is use the oiled tissue paper to clean away residual wax from your body. Without oiling it out, the wax will stick to your skin as water alone is not capable of washing it out.
2. Wash the Skin Thoroughly
Wash your skin gently and thoroughly with anti-inflammatory or naturally made soaps. Use a soft towel to pat your skin dry to avoid irritating sensitive skin.
3. Moisturize
One of the main things you need to do for post-waxing care is moisturizing your skin. Waxing pulls put hair and also removes the top layer of dead skin from the body.
To ensure your skin stays healthy and soft, you must apply moisturizers that are both gentle and effective.
4. Avoid Scrubs or Chemical Products
Your pores will be open and exposed right after waxing so avoid scrubbing the area or applying chemically intensive products.
The particles in scrubs can irritate the pores and dry off the skin. Chemicals irritate the sensitive skin, inflaming it or creating rashes.
Take at least 48-72 hours before applying such products.
5. Don’t Pick on Ingrown Hair
As tempting as it is, you need to avoid poking ingrown hair right after waxing yourself. Remember that your skin is healing and scratching it or poking it invasively will only make it inflamed and make the bumps worsen.
After the skin has had a few days of healing, you can exfoliate to get the ingrown hair above the surface more smoothly.
6. Don’t go Near Salt Water
Saltwater, like the one at the beach, is ionized and not good for sensitive skin that may experience bumps and burning sensations as a result of a dip.
And seawater generally carries several pollutants which makes it extra harmful for the skin while it is healing.
Therefore, if you have a beach trip planned, make sure you get things done a few days in advance.
7. Refrain from Touching Skin to Much
Touching your open pores too much and unnecessarily will clog them and cause acne to break out.
Avoid excessively touch your skin after waxing and allow it to heal from being pulled at to get the hair out.
8. Wear Airy Clothes
Last, but not least in how to use cold wax, wear airy clothes. You ideally want your skin to get plenty of air instead of becoming trapped in tight clothing.
Switch out your denim for a knee-length skirt and replace shoes with sandals.
This section fully covers the answer to ‘what is cold wax hair removal’ and addresses how to use cold wax. We will now move on to seeing some of its key advantages and disadvantages.
Benefits of Cold Wax Hair Removal
Following are some of the major advantages of opting for cold wax hair removal:
- Helps avoid the burning sensation that comes from hot wax.
- It is doable at home and safe, easing your desire to have a hairless body without needing to step outside.
- Cold waxing is a much cleaner alternative to hot wax. It is less sticky and doesn’t drip around like its much warmer counterpart.
- You can adjust strip size (by cutting them) to get access to areas that are much difficult to approach otherwise.
- It is cost-effective.
- This method is easy and can easily be done on our own since it has clear instructions.
- It removes excessive hair growth and reduces the rate at which the hair grows back.
Drawbacks of Cold Wax Hair Removal
Like any other object or technique, cold waxing too has a few drawbacks which you need to consider before taking up the idea.
- Hair removal done with cold wax is more painful than hair removal with hot wax.
- It is not as precise. Even soft cold wax is thick, which makes it difficult for it to be used for targeting areas like eyebrows.
- Cold wax has a higher chance of resulting in ingrown hair than hot wax.
Care Tips When Opting for Cold Wax Hair Removal
Our article has provided a comprehensive picture of what is cold wax hair removal and how to use cold wax for grooming.
Although we have provided specific advice for pre and post-waxing care, here are some additional tips to help you keep your skin healthy after a cold wax session.
- Cold wax is best for shorter hair. Therefore, consider trimming the hair a little before deciding to wax to reduce pain.
- Make sure you apply the wax in the direction of hair growth and pull in the opposite direction.
- Stretch out the skin where you are waxing to reduce the pain.
- Keep anti-septic or anti-bacterial creams and ointments to apply to the skin to prevent infections.
Wrap Up
We hope you now have answers for ‘what is cold wax hair removal’ and know how to use cold wax to get rid of unwanted hair.
It is an extremely convenient DIY method for waxing and will save you plenty of time and effort.
If you are looking for more information about waxing, you can check out our other informative articles as well.