Let’s face it – many of us can’t rock facial hair (even if we tried to) and prefer having clear skin. The only problem with this decision is that having naturally clear skin is a blessing that most of us do not have.
Need is the mother of invention, and this particular need has led to the birth of many techniques that can help us solve this problem.
Facial waxing comes with usual pros and cons, like every method, but it is effective, efficient, and allows us to keep our skin clean and soft.
Why We Opted for Facial Waxing
We had initially used waxing only for the less sensitive parts of the body like arms and legs.
However, most solutions for facial hair removal besides waxing are either too expensive, short-term, or both. So, we took a leap of faith and delved face-first into this experience… literally.
Since our facial waxing experience was a hit, we have decided to give all of you a detailed answer for what is facial waxing and what to expect from the procedure.
What Is Facial Waxing?
We will start this the right way by defining facial waxing. Facial waxing is the process of using wax to remove facial hair.
It is typically done using hot wax, and it is always recommended to get it done through professionals to avoid any mishaps.
The next obvious question that arises is what parts are covered under facial waxing.
How Many Types of Facial Hair Are There?
Facial waxing covers hair removal from the following areas of the face:
1. Upper Lips
Hairy upper lips are a nuisance, especially when you apply a bright shade of lipstick under them. Instead of the lipstick drawing focus away from them, it makes them more visible.
Therefore, they have to go. Threading upper lips are mostly simple with facial waxing because it gets done in 2-3 strokes on average.
It is also less painful than threading, which pulls each hair one by one, making us experience a mountain of pain.
2. Eyebrows
The best part about getting eyebrows made with waxing is the clean look it gives. Waxing clears away dead cells and traces of hair that threading or dermaplaning can’t reach easily. The result is a fresh, clean look.
3. Sideburns
If you have naturally light sideburns, this may not be a huge issue for you; however, some people have pretty long sideburns that they are tired of cleaning up every other day.
Using facial waxing for removing sideburns is efficient because it covers a sizeable area and clears both sides in an average of 2 to 3 pulls each.
4. Chin
Most men shave away their beard so the chin is not a problem area for them. However, hairy chins are inconvenient for women, especially if the hair are thicker.
Waxing helps clear away the chin easily and keeps the hair away for long periods.
Waxing is also safer compared to other methods for the chin because managing a blade around the many curvatures of the area is difficult. Wax easily applies around the curves and removes hair without causing damage.
5. Nose
There are two areas of the nose included in facial waxing, nose hair, and the top of the nose.
The top of the nose is useful for getting rid of the tiny hair and residue that collects on the surface while the nose hair waxing helps reduce excessive hair in the area.
6. Cheeks
Cheeks often have light hair but this too gives off an unsmooth texture to the skin, which is inconvenient for applying makeup.
Cheeks are an easy surface for waxing hair removal because a single application and pull help clear it of hair and dead skin.
7. Ears
Long hair on the ears is more common in men than it is in women but it is inconvenient, especially for people who prefer to look well-groomed.
As with the chin, removing hair from ears using wax is easier because wax simply molds itself to the shape.
What Types of Wax Are Used for Facial Waxing?
Now that we have covered the answer for ‘what is facial waxing,’ we can move to additional details. Six types of wax are used for facial waxing.
- Cream Wax
- Chocolate Wax
- Honey/Sugar Wax
- Warm Soft Wax
- Warm Hard Wax
- Fruit Wax
Honey or sugar wax has been in use the longest and is one of the most reliable and safe waxes to use on the face.
There has also been an increase in the use of fruit wax, mostly because removing its dried-out remnants is easier.
How to Prepare Yourself for Facial Waxing?
We have finally reached the part where we address the main event and the preparation you need to make for your appointment.
1. Exfoliate a Day or Two in Advance
You need to have clear skin on the day of the appointment; however, your face also needs time to be prepared for it.
Exfoliate your skin a day or two in advance but never on the same day. It might end up irritating your skin otherwise.
2. Clear the Facial Skin of All Products
All your make-up and related products need to go when you head in to get your facial waxing done. Leftover substances will disrupt the wax’s ability to interact completely with the skin.
This issue might cause some spots to not get covered the first time around and need a few extra pulls, which is not recommended.
3. Avoid Using Peels Before Your Appointment
Peels have chemicals that can interact with the wax to have adverse effects. Avoid using peels or any creams with retinol on your face at least a few days before you are due to getting your facial waxing performed.
4. Avoid Getting Sunburnt
This is an important yet often overlooked detail of preparing for facial waxing. Not only do you need to avoid getting sunburnt after getting waxed, but you also need to avoid getting sunburnt before the hair removal.
Sunburns are supposed to be left alone to slowly heal and having facial sunburns means you cannot get the full procedure.
It is unsafe because the wax will likely irritate your already sensitive skin, causing the rash and redness to further increase.
How to Care for Skin after Facial Waxing
You took care of all the pre-requisites, went to a professional salon, and got your facial waxing done.
Hurray! You are done with the first two phases of the process and are now entering the third one, caring for your skin after facial waxing.
This phase is important because it will affect how your skin looks, feels, and responds to the procedure.
1. Avoid Excessive Sunlight
Soon after getting facial waxing, you need to avoid being in excessive sunlight. This means you should probably go over to the salon with a protective hat and avoid the beach for at least a week.
Because waxing involves using warm wax, the skin feels the heat and becomes extra sensitive right after the procedure.
It needs time to settle down to the point where it’s no longer affected by the intensity of sunlight.
2. Keep the Skin Cool to Prevent Bumps
This step is one of the most important ones you need to follow after getting facial waxing.
The wax can cause bumps to appear on your skin as a reaction to its heat. To avoid this reaction, you need to cool down your skin soon after your appointment.
It is not a one-time action and needs to be repeated until your skin is no longer affected by the heat.
The easiest way to cooling the skin is by splashing cool water on it. It will keep the pores clean, keep your skin moisturized, and lower the chances of skin problems.
3. Do Not Apply Make-up
This is an obvious piece of advice but one that needs to be mentioned —do not apply make-up on your skin immediately after facial waxing.
Give your skin some time to relax and ease out before you coat it with anything foreign. Make-up will clog up the pores and cause oil and dirt buildup, neither of which is good news for your face.
4. Avoid Touching Your Face Unnecessarily
Try to keep your hands away from your face for the most part. Touching can also clog pores and cause the skin to become irritated.
Just keep your hands away from your face for a few days until the skin recover. You can later become a bit more relaxed with the touching.
We still recommend that you avoid excessive touching because it is generally bad for the skin.
Benefits of Facial Waxing
There are several benefits of choosing facial waxing for facial hair removal, and knowing them will help you realize that it’s a great option.
1. Complete Hair Removal
Facial waxing will help you remove the hair from the root instead of only removing it from the surface. It truly removes hair rather than cut it off from the surface.
2. Precise
Professionals use a variety of tools for the wax application to increase precision. Wax is also a moldable substance, which makes it easier for them to reach sections that are typically difficult to access through other methods.
3. Versatile – Covers Smaller and Bigger Patches
Facial waxing is a versatile procedure because you can alter the size of the patch you are waxing depending on the area.
For example, cheeks and sideburns use bigger patches so they can be done in a few pulls. However, eyebrows need smaller and more precise patches to avoid accidents.
4. Less Costly Compared to Alternatives
It is a comparatively affordable option, especially when you compare it to laser treatments or dermaplaning, both of which are significantly more expensive per session compared to facial waxing.
5. Slower Regrowth
Waxing pulls the hair out from the root, which means it takes longer for the replacement to grow out and become visible on the face again.
Also, the more you continue with waxing, the slower your hair growth will be with each subsequent period.
6. Clears Skin
Facial waxing not only removes hair but also a full layer of dead skin from the surface of the skin. This gives the skin a smooth texture and helps it absorb nutrients in creams more efficiently.
Drawbacks of Facial Waxing
Despite being an amazing hair removal solution, facial waxing has some notable drawbacks you need to know about.
1. Rashes and Redness
Depending on how sensitive your skin is, the hot facial wax can cause redness and rashes to appear on the skin. It may also fool irritable for some time before resuming its natural state some days later.
As mentioned above, avoid the sun, applying make-up, or similar activities to reduce the chance of this problem occurring.
2. Potentially Painful
Facial waxing can be painful initially, especially around the sideburns. The longer the hair you pull out, the more painful the experience will be.
3. Ingrown Hair
As with other body parts, facial waxing causes ingrown hair to appear on your face as well. This problem is not as common in the eyebrow or upper lip section, but you may find a few on the sideburns.
4. Bumps
The sudden application of heat on the skin irritates it and heat bumps appear on the skin leaving it unleveled. To reduce this reaction, splash your face with cold water for a couple of days to keep your skin cool.
Additional Tips
We have covered most of the details about facial waxing. Here are a few additional tips for you t keep in mind:
- Do not try DIY facial waxing if you are a beginner. Get an appointment at a salon fora professional waxing session. You can try it out once you are more experienced with it.
- If you feel a very noticeable adverse reaction right at the beginning, stop the session and consult with a dermatologist.
- Keep your skin generally moisturized. The softer the skin is, the easier it is to pull hair away without breakage.
- Let your expert know if you have any allergies so they may choose a wax type that suits your skin.
Wrap Up
We hope you now have a comprehensive answer for the question ‘what is facial waxing’ and are excited about trying it out. We recommend giving it a go because it is convenient and amazing!
If you have already been getting it done professionally and want to try it out at home, check out our other blog posts for details about recipes you can use to make facial wax at home.