You can find a wide range of post-waxing products, from calming oils and creams to gels and tonicsthat work wonders for your skin after removing unwanted hair.
However, the real secret behind soft, smooth, and radiant post-waxing skin is a beauty treatment you can easily perform at home. It is called exfoliation.
In this article, we are going to answer the burning question: When to exfoliate after waxing?
But first, let’s discuss why exfoliation is so important for post-waxing care.
Why Should You Exfoliate?
The answer is simple: to remove dead skin cells. As you must know, human skin renews itself after every month or so.
As new cells come to the outer layer of the skin, the old cells become hard and die. Eventually, they break away and fall off.
You lose dead skin cells every day. However, this process slows down as you age. This is why these cells tend to build up on the skin, resulting in blemishes, clogged pores, blackheads, and dark spots. In some cases, it may even lead to a range of skin problems.
Exfoliation is a crucial step in any skincare routine. In addition to dead skin cells, it removes dirt, debris, and oil from the skin. Moreover, post-waxing exfoliation helps reduce the risk of developing ingrown hair.
Waxing is believed to have effects similar to exfoliating, as it removes some dead skin cells while taking away fuzz and hair.
However, your skin needs more than that to preserve its natural softness and smoothness.
According to beauty experts, you should wait four to seven days after a waxing session before exfoliating your skin.
When to Exfoliate after Waxing
A good rule of thumb is to wait five to six days after getting your skin waxed and a couple of days before the next session to begin exfoliating.
What happens if you exfoliate freshly waxed skin?
Exfoliation immediately after a waxing procedure will create friction on the skin and cause inflammation and irritation. You need to give your skin some time to heal and get back to normal before exfoliation.
Moreover, when you see your hair beginning to grow, indicating the need for the next waxing session, make sure you don’t irritate or traumatize your skin.
You must wait two to three days after exfoliation so that your skin is in the best condition to wax.
This will help reduce any soreness or redness and allow enough time for open pores to close up.
How Often Should You Exfoliate?
Generally, you can spot hair re-growth a week or two after waxing, depending on the weather and your hair growth.
Often, softer hair strands start curling in on themselves in the presence of clogged pores because of the fine tips. This is how ingrown hair is formed.
To avoid this, it is necessary to exfoliate your skin regularly. Exfoliation prevents the fine hair from growing back up through the skin and turning into an annoying ingrown hair.
As per expert recommendation, you should exfoliate at least twice a week during the winter season since the cold weather makes the hair drier and more stubborn.
During the warmer months, you can exfoliate once a week to keep your skin healthy, glowing, and hydrated.
How to Exfoliate after Waxing
Now that you know when to exfoliate after waxing, let’s discuss how to do it the right way.
Your skin is super sensitive, especially after a waxing session. It requires soft, caring touch when applying cleansers, scrubs, and creams.
You can use a sponge, washcloth, loofah glove, or even your hands to gently work the scrub into the targeted area.
For best results, squeeze a small amount of your favorite product into your hands. Apply the product to your skin using a scrubbing tool in a small circular motion to get rid of dead skin cells that may be clogging your pores.
While at it, make sure you cover the entire surface of the area. It is recommended to allow the product on the skin for two to three minutes before rinsing the area.
Once you’ve rinsed off the product, pat the area dry and apply a light lotion or natural body oil packed with moisturizing ingredients. This will keep your skin soft, smooth, and healthy after exfoliation.
Important: When exfoliating naturally sensitive areas, such as the bikini line, make sure you don’t over-exfoliate by scrubbing the skin too hard.If you are not gentle with your skin, you will likely experience irritation and discomfort.
Types of Exfoliation
There are two ways to exfoliate your skin after waxing.
1. Physical Exfoliation
This method involves manual scrubbing of the skin to get rid of dead skin cells. Below are a few things you can use for this purpose.
- Washcloth
- Sugar
- Salt
- Apricot kernels
- Microbeads
- Foreoluna
- Clarisonic
Physical exfoliation is the most popular method for removing dead skin cells. In fact, it has been the only exfoliation method for years. If you opt for physical exfoliation, you must keep the following things in mind.
- Cleansing devices can be too harsh for the skin if used every day.
- If you massage your skin a little too long, you may experience irritation.
- Plastic microbeads can be polluting.
- Natural ingredients like apricot kernels have rough edges that may scratch the skin.
- If you massage one area of your face longer than the other, you will achieve uneven exfoliation.
2. Chemical Exfoliation
This exfoliation has proved to be a game-changer in the modern skincare regimen. It involves using acids to dissolve the material that holds your skin cells together, allowing the dead cells to slough off.
This may sound painful, but it really isn’t as long as you don’t go overboard. Exfoliating too much and too often can cause irritation.
If you use the right amount of chemical exfoliators, you will see how gentler they are as compared to scrubs. They also promise to exfoliate your skin evenly, leaving it fresh, soft, and smooth.
Chemical exfoliators can be divided into two categories.
- Alpha hydroxyacids (they are more suited for rough, dry, and sun-damaged skin)
- Beta hydroxl acids (they work well with oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin)
The Dos and Don’ts of Exfoliation
You must follow these vital rules of exfoliation to prevent skin damage and revive its natural smoothness and radiance.
What You Should Do:
- Since the skin renews itself overnight, you should consider exfoliating in the morning. This is the best way to remove dead skin cells.
- When exfoliating, use light pressure with circular motions to prevent skin irritation.
- Remove your makeup and cleanse your face properly before going to bed every night. This will promote the production of new cells and keep your skin looking young and fresh.
What You Shouldn’t Do:
- Avoid exfoliating daily. For the face, you can exfoliate three to four times a week,whereasonce or twice a week is enough for the rest of the body.
- Don’t exfoliate if your skin feels dry and rough. A damp and well-moisturized skin makes the procedure less aggressive.
- Don’t exfoliate immediately after a waxing session. Wait a few days to ensure that your skin is not too sensitive.
- Don’t just go with any exfoliating product. Do proper research and find out what your skin needs before choosing the bestexfoliator for your skin type.
How to Choose the Right Product for Exfoliation
No matter what your skin type is and what skin problems you are dealing with, regular exfoliation is the key to brighter, younger-looking skin.
If the procedure is not working for you, the chances are that you’re using the wrong product.
You must determine your skin’s needs based on its unique type. There is a wide range of exfoliators out there formulated differently to meet the needs of various skin types.
So, how do you know which exfoliator is right for your skin?
Let’s find out!
Ideal Exfoliator for Oily and Acne-Prone Skin
When it comes to exfoliating oily, sensitive, acne-prone skin, salicylic acid is the answer. This beta-hydroxy acid removes dead skin cells and penetrates deep into the pores to eliminate everything that clogs them. As a result, blackheads and breakouts reduce significantly.
If you have oily skin, you should look for a product formulated with salicylic acid and exfoliate your skin thrice a week.
You can also gradually increase the frequency if you think your skin can take it. Oily skin generally tolerates exfoliation better than other skin types.
Ideal Exfoliator for Dry Skin
Glycolic acid is the Holy Grail for people with rough, dry skin. In addition to removing dead cells from the skin surface, this alpha hydroxy acid boosts collagen production and helps the skin maintain optimal hydration levels.
That being said, too much glycolic acid will do more harm than good. Don’t use it more than twice or thrice a week.
Ideal Exfoliator for Combination Skin
For combination skin, both glycolic acid and salicylic acid work wonders. They unclog your pores and keep your skin hydrated.
You can choose an exfoliator with both ingredients or opt for different products for different body parts.
Exfoliating two or three times a week is enough for combination skin. In case you have an oily T-zone on your face, you can slowly increase the frequency there.
Ideal Exfoliator for Normal Skin
If you have normal skin, consider yourself blessed as it can exfoliate on its own. You don’t have to do anything as long as your skin is soft, smooth, and glowy. Unfortunately, you may notice that your skin loses its luster and becomes dry and rough as you grow older.
When you reach this stage, a glycolic acid exfoliator will be your savior. It will stimulate collagen production to keep wrinkles and fine lines at bay.
With that said, make sure you go easy on exfoliation. Once or twice a week should be enough.
Ideal Exfoliator for Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, you need to find the gentlest exfoliator out there. Generally, a washcloth or lactic acid works well to get rid of the dead skin cells while maintaining a good hydration level.
Exfoliating once a week is more than enough for people with sensitive skin.
Also don’t forget to checkout what to do before you get a bikini wax?
Can Regular Exfoliation Damage the Skin?
Exfoliation is a magical procedure that serves as a game-changer in any skincare routine. However, it can quickly backfire if you don’t do it right.
You must know that the dead cells on your skin surface are there for a reason. They protect the living cells beneath.
If you over-exfoliate and remove too many layers of these cells, you will expose the new cells to environmental damage. This may cause noticeable redness on your skin along with irritation and inflammation.
To prevent skin damage, you must use the right exfoliator based on your skin type and know how often you should exfoliate and when to exfoliate after waxing.
Final Words
Your skin deserves the highest level of care. With regular exfoliation, you can keep it healthy and hydrated in the long run.
As you grow older, the natural ability of your skin to shed dead skin cells starts diminishing. If you don’t do anything about it, unsightly bumps and pimples will become a regular part of your life.
Exfoliation helps remove the dead cells from your skin surface, allowing it to maintain its natural softness and beauty.
Knowing when to exfoliate after waxing is the key to achieving smooth, radiant skin. Make sure you wait a few days after a waxing session to allow redness and soreness to fade away and open pores to close up.
Moreover, you should pick the right exfoliator based on your skin type for best results. Always go with gentle, circular motions to prevent irritation and inflammation.
Lastly, don’t forget to lather a good moisturizer on the treated area to nourish the skin and protect it from dryness.
Happy exfoliating!