Post-Wax Care: Tips & Best Practices
As estheticians, we know that a waxing service doesn’t start and end with just hair removal itself - pre-wax care and post-wax care is hugely important, too.
The waxing process itself is really only half the job, but your clients may not know that what they do afterward to perform proper post-wax care is equally as important as the service they’ve just had!
Taking care of skin post-wax is imperative to making sure that not only your skin is kept in the best shape possible following a wax, but also so that waxing results are kept looking better, longer.
What are the steps to make sure your clients practice the best post-waxing care process? Here, we’ll discuss all of the ins and outs of post-waxing and after wax care, how to keep waxing results lasting as long as possible, and will also touch on how best to care for the skin before a wax.
Remember - if you know exactly how to practice the best after wax care, your clients will too!
Build their confidence not only in their ability to take care of their skin post-wax, but build their trust and confidence in you and your expertise by making sure their skin is happy and hairless for as long as possible.
Table of Contents
Why Practice Post-Wax Care?
So what’s the point of post-waxing care? Shouldn’t the job be done as soon as the hair removal service is performed?
This is the question you might hear from first-time clients or just those who might not fully understand the importance of locking in moisture and speeding skin repair after their appointments. However, it’s all about education! Giving them the best post-wax care tips will set them up for success.
How Long Should You Practice Post-Wax Care?
Following a waxing service, a client’s skin is going to be sensitive for a little bit and will want to be given a little extra TLC for around 24-36 hours following their appointment.
To make sure their skin and hair removal results are at their best, your client is going to need to just add an extra step to their usual skincare routine to make sure their freshly waxed skin is attended to.
In addition to giving their skin a little extra attention where they’ve just waxed, your client is also going to want to also be a little extra mindful when it comes to what clothing they wear, or just their general routine to minimize the build-up of bacteria.
This will also lower the chance of breakouts or ingrowns on their freshly waxed skin. We’ll go into more detail a little later!
Though the first 24-36 hours are the most important when it comes to post-wax care, clients should be practicing proper skincare daily - even if they haven’t waxed recently.
No matter where they usually wax, keeping skin happy and healthy is the secret to making sure they’re always looking and feeling their best.
Why is After Wax Care Important?
Post-wax care is all about prevention and maintenance, and is important for the same reasons as to why your regular skincare routine is important - it’s what’s best for your skin!
Not only does it keep you safe from ingrowns and bacteria build-up, but it also helps to restore skin after the waxing process.
Making sure clients are educated about the post-waxing process is equally as important as making sure they’re educated about regular skincare.
This serves as a preventative measure against not only skin irritations but also as a way to make sure they’re not tempted to shave when they see any hair growth in between appointments. Doing so can inflame their skin, or otherwise mar the progress they’ve made on their waxing journey.
This way, both you and your clients will be on the same page!
The Do’s of Post-Waxing Care
What should and shouldn’t a client do following a waxing service? How can they keep skin free from irritation and make their results last longer once they make it home after a wax?
That’s a lot of questions, but don’t worry - we’ve got all your answers as to what to do after a waxing appointment, and all of the post-wax care benefits you can achieve!
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Apply a Post-Wax Lotion
Immediately after a waxing appointment, make sure your client is well versed in the importance of moisturizing and soothing their skin with a post-wax lotion, or the best post-wax products available. Always have these products available to your clients as add-on purchases, or otherwise, advise them as to which post-wax care products will work for them. Post-wax lotions and post-wax oils remove wax residue from the skin and serve to hydrate, moisturize, and soothe the removal area.
Which post-wax products should you point your clients toward? We’re glad you asked. Make sure to have your clients use products made specifically for waxing aftercare and ones that are compatible with their skin types or susceptibility to irritation.
For clients with regular skin types, make sure to point them toward Starpil’s Original Post-Wax Lotion and Post-Wax Oil. This combination will allow the skin to be soothed and moisturized, while also locking in hydration and removing wax residue.
For clients with sensitive skin types, point them toward Starpil’s Starsoft Post-Wax Lotion and Post-Wax Oil. This combination is a hypersensitive client’s dream. This neurosensory formula eases pain, soothes inflammation and irritation, and provides an extra layer of moisture to accelerate skin repair.
For clients particularly prone to breakouts or ingrown hairs, advise them to use Starpil’s Calendula Post-Wax Mousse and Post-Wax Oil. This combination removes residue, soothes irritated and inflamed skin, and sanitizes skin to keep it bacteria-free and protected from bacteria and dryness.
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Apply a Soothing or Cold Compress
If a client experiences particularly irritated or inflamed skin following their appointment, it can help some to apply a cold compress to their freshly waxed skin. Cold compresses will ease inflammation, redness, and soothe skin. However, don’t advise them to apply ice or an ice pack directly to the skin, as it can be a little too harsh for the sensitive area.
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Exfoliate Skin Post-Wax
Another important step in the post-wax care process is to exfoliate the skin 24 hours before and after a waxing service. This helps prevent ingrown hairs and removes dead skin cells from the skin. Additionally, when done before and after their appointment, clients can reduce their waxing pain by clearing their skin of dirt and debris.
To exfoliate, advise clients to use an exfoliating glove, scrub, or gentle tool to prevent ingrown hairs and clear skin. Additionally, they can use Starpil’s Original Ingrown Hair Serum Spray to keep pores clear. This post-wax spray also not only releases trapped ingrown hairs but prevents new ones from developing!
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Moisturize Post-Wax
After exfoliating, make sure to provide skin with additional moisture after their initial application of Starpil’s Post-Wax Lotion and Post-Wax Oil.
After leaving around 24 hours after the time of their appointment, advise them to give their skin an extra layer of protection with Starpil’s Intensive Post-Wax Cream. This cream not only moisturizes and soothes the skin but also promotes skin cell regeneration to speed up the healing process.
Again, when moisturizing post-wax, make sure your clients are using products specially formulated for freshly waxed skin. This will save them from exposing their sensitive skin to products with pore-clogging chemicals or perfumes.
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Wear Loose-Fitting Clothing After Waxing
Here’s one we’re sure you won’t have to tell clients twice! Encourage them to wear loose-fitting and breathable clothing to and from their appointment, as well as for a couple of days afterward.
This is especially important for those receiving bikini or Brazilian waxes, as these areas are particularly vulnerable to irritation, breakouts, and bacteria produced from friction.
For bikini and Brazilian waxing clients, make sure to advise them at the time of scheduling to also wear loose-fitting and breathable underwear in addition to loose regular clothing. This will make sure their bikini area is free from unnecessary friction and bacteria buildup.
The Don’ts of Post-Waxing Care
Just as important as making sure your clients know what TO do after waxing, it’s also imperative that they also know what to avoid after their appointment. There are various things that clients may do following a wax that they think helps their healing or soothing process, that actually ends up hurting it!
What Not to Do After a Wax
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Don’t Touch Freshly Waxed Skin
We know it might be very tempting to scratch or otherwise massage your newly waxed skin, but touching skin that has just had hair removed from it can easily clog open pores or cause bacteria build-up and infection.
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Exfoliate Immediately After a Wax
Though it’s recommended to exfoliate 24 hours before and after a service, it’s important not to exfoliate the skin too close to the time of your wax (on either side!). Exfoliating too quickly after service could further irritate vulnerable and sensitive freshly waxed skin.
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Apply Lotions Not Formulated for Post-Wax Use
Clients might not think there’s any harm in using body butters, lotions, or body washes not specifically made for skin that’s just been waxed, but they would, unfortunately, be mistaken! Products not specifically formulated for use on waxed skin can clog pores and cause breakouts, irritation, and bumps on the skin.
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Apply Fragranced Lotions or Perfumes to Freshly Waxed Skin
As is the case with applying lotions or creams not made for use on ultra-vulnerable skin, using perfumes or lotions containing fragrance can also easily irritate and clog pores.
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Wearing Tight Clothing
After their waxing appointment, it’s important clients wear clothing that saves skin from friction, sweat build-up, or otherwise stops it from receiving airflow. Stay away from tight jeans or pants, and clothing made from heavy synthetic materials.
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Exercising or Participate in Heavy Activity
For about 48 hours after a waxing service, your clients are going to want to avoid doing anything that causes a lot of friction or sweat build-up. This includes exercise, sex, or really just any physical activity. Not only do bacteria thrive on sweaty skin, but sweat itself can clog pores and cause breakouts and inflammation. Additionally, friction will irritate the skin even further and can cause damage to vulnerable skin, leaving it susceptible to infection or ingrown hairs.
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Going to the Beach/Pool
Especially during the summer, clients may feel inclined to get waxed, only to go swimming or to the beach directly after, or in the next couple of days. They did just get a fresh wax and are looking their best, after all!
However, this is a bad idea. Going swimming in salt or chlorine-filled water earlier than 48 hours after a wax is going to cause irritation and further bumps to form on vulnerable skin. Water can also easily carry various kinds of bacteria, which can also harm freshly waxed skin. Not to mention how harsh chlorine and sand can be! It’s best to steer clear of the water for 48 hours following a wax to keep skin safe.
Additionally, exposing oneself to excessive sun at the beach or pool less than 48 hours after a service can leave already-sensitive skin extremely susceptible to burning and scarring, as it’s been stripped of protective layers that would usually shield it from the sun. Even after the 48-hour window, make sure clients take extra care to apply sunscreen to the skin if they’re going to be outdoors (as they should anyway!).
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Going for a Chemical Peel
Our last post-wax no-no is to avoid going for chemical peels for at least 72 hours following a waxing service. The superficial layer of skin cells has been previously removed from skin during a wax, which leaves skin ultra-sensitive. Going to a chemical peel less than 72 hours after a wax can result in this vulnerable area being damaged, left overly dry, or can lead to infection.
Following a session with a client, make sure you run them through the complete do’s and don’ts of their after wax care process. You won’t be there to point out what they’re doing wrong or to advise them away from certain activities, but you can at least provide them with the tools and knowledge they need to keep their skin as safe and protected as possible.
Final Thoughts
As an esthetician, it’s your responsibility to make sure your clients are educated and have knowledge of the post-wax care process to make sure that not only their skin is well taken care of, but so that your clients are pleased with their continued results after waxing.
By educating especially new waxing clients as to how to keep their skin in its best shape and giving them the best post-wax care tips, you’re both helping them and building a relationship with them based on trust and confidence.
Taking care of them during their appointments and letting them know what to do and what not to do to nurture skin after a wax, you’ll provide them with amazing results that will have them coming back time and time again. It’s a win-win!
