The popularity of Brazilian waxing is on the rise, and a majority of women are opting for weeks of smooth and sexy as opposed to daily shaving and prickly hairs.
We’ll admit it’s not exactly a “fun” time, but afterwards you’re ready for bikini season for weeks on end. Whether it’s your first time or you’ve been waxing for years, knowing how to make the process less painful is always a plus.
Here are 12 tips for making a Brazilian wax much, much more bearable.
Wax Regularly: This is the single most important tip for Brazilian Waxing. Waxing regularly will ensure that the roots of your hair are new and weak. The longer you wait between waxing, the stronger the roots will become. The more you wax, the thinner your hair gets – which means WAY less pain!
Stop Shaving: At least three weeks prior to your first wax, stop shaving. And never shave between waxing – it messes up your hair’s growth cycle and leads to thicker hair with stronger roots. It could also lead to ingrown hairs, hair breakage and painful irritation during your next wax.
Exfoliate Beforehand: Use an exfoliating glove to exfoliate the bikini area about two days beforehand so that there isn’t any extra dry skin in the way. It will also help reduce the chance of ingrown hairs after your wax.
Take Aspirin: 45 minutes prior to your appointment, take two aspirin and drink a glass of water. That way, by the time you’re getting waxed, you’ll be fully prepped.
Skip the Coffee: Sure, there are few things in this world we’d skip caffeine for, but a Brazilian wax is one of them. For some people, the stimulants in coffee can increase your blood pressure and make waxing more painful. Some people don’t notice a difference, but if you have sensitive skin and/or thick hair, you might want to try it.
Skip the Gym: Exercise has a similar effect to caffeine, raising your blood pressure and potentially making your experience more painful. Again, if you are particularly sensitive to pain – we recommend skipping exercise the day of your wax. (and remember to wait a day or two after your wax to exercise as well!)
Avoid your time of the month: For some people, pain tolerance can be lower during your period. Plan your appointment for the week before or after your time of the month if possible.
Make sure the hair is the right length: Too short and the wax won’t be able to pull the hair, but too long can mean more pain. As best you can, make sure the hair is about 1/4 inch long before your wax. You can control this by waxing regularly (every 3-6 weeks) to keep your hair short. But never trim your own hair, there is a chance you could trim too short and have to wait another week or two before waxing.
Invest in numbing cream: Do not — we repeat, do not — use ice to numb the area before waxing, because it will tighten and close up your pores, and make the waxing much more difficult. Instead, use a numbing cream about 30 minutes before your appointment to help dull the pain. We offer a lidocaine-based numbing serum called Numb-it free to new customers, and you can even purchase a bottle to use at home before every appointment.
Breathe: This is quite possibly the hardest thing to do, because your natural reaction will be to hold your breath and tense up when your body knows there’s going to be pain. Instead, make a conscious effort to breathe deeply, exhaling a long breath when the wax strip is being pulled.
Wear loose clothing afterwards: For about a day or two after the wax, wear cotton underwear and loose pants or skirts so that the area can breathe and not be irritated by fabrics.
Now you can arrive to your next appointment with confidence. No need to feel nervous or anxious about the pain, you’ll do great. Enjoy your wax, we hope it’s the most painless one yet!
