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There’s a ton of bad advice out there about getting ready for a wax in September, and honestly, it’s why so many people have a bad experience. If you get the prep right, and it’s not complicated at all, your appointment will be way more comfortable and the results will be so much better.

Key Takeaways

  • About 24 to 48 hours before your appointment, use a gentle physical or chemical exfoliant to get rid of the dead skin that can cause ingrown hairs.
  • Drink plenty of water and use a light, non-comedogenic moisturizer on the area every day for at least a week before you come in. Hydrated skin lets go of hair much more easily.
  • Your hair needs to be about 1/4 inch long (think a grain of rice) so the wax has something to grab for a clean, efficient pull.
  • Stay out of the sun and tanning beds for at least 48 hours before your wax. Sun-exposed skin is sensitive and can get seriously irritated.
  • Stop using products with retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) on the area for 5 to 7 days before your session.

Myth 1: You need to scrub your skin aggressively right before waxing for the best results.

This is a huge mistake and it just leads to irritated skin. If you scrub aggressively right before an appointment, you’re stripping the skin’s protective barrier, leaving it raw and vulnerable to redness and sensitivity before I even touch you. What you actually want from exfoliating is to gently buff away the dead skin cells that can trap hairs, which is why you do it ahead of time. The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) always points out that a healthy skin barrier is everything for healthy skin, and over-exfoliating just wrecks it. The right way to do it is to exfoliate the area 24 to 48 hours before your appointment, giving your skin time to calm down. Just use a soft brush, a gentle sugar scrub, or a little bit of a mild chemical exfoliant with lactic or glycolic acid. You’re aiming for a light polish, not a full-on scouring. I’ve had clients walk in with red, angry skin from scrubbing minutes before they arrived, and it never, ever makes the wax more comfortable.

Myth 2: Moisturizing right before waxing makes the hair removal easier.

Yes, consistently hydrated skin is absolutely key for a good wax, but putting heavy moisturizer or oil on right before you come in is a bad idea. For the wax to work, it has to stick to the hair and a bit of the skin. If there’s a thick layer of lotion there, it just creates a greasy barrier the wax can’t grip. This leads to the hair just breaking off at the surface instead of coming out by the root, which means I have to go over the area multiple times and your skin gets more irritated. The real magic happens with consistent, long-term hydration. If you start moisturizing the area daily for a week or so leading up to your wax with a lightweight, non-comedogenic lotion, your skin will be more supple and the hair follicles softer. Well-hydrated skin is elastic which lets the hairs release more easily with less pain. A report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) even confirms that skin hydration is directly tied to its integrity and elasticity, both of which get tested during a wax. So on the day of your appointment, just show up with clean, dry skin. No lotions, no oils, no deodorant on the area we’re waxing.

Myth 3: Shaving between waxing appointments helps to keep the hair growth manageable.

Shaving between appointments will completely sabotage your waxing progress. When you shave, you’re cutting the hair bluntly at the surface of the skin, which is why it feels coarse and prickly when it grows back. Shaving also messes up the hair growth cycle we’re trying to sync up. With consistent waxing, we pull the hair from the root, which eventually makes the hair grow back finer and can even make it grow back sparser. Shaving just resets that whole process, so your hair starts growing back at different lengths and thicknesses all over again. To get the best results from waxing, you have to let the hair grow out completely between your appointments. That usually means waiting 3 to 6 weeks. We need the hair to be about 1/4 inch long, the size of a grain of rice, so the wax can actually grab it. If it’s too short, the wax has nothing to hold on to. If it’s way too long, your technician can trim it down, but please don’t try to shave it down yourself. You get much better long-term results by sticking to a consistent waxing schedule instead of jumping back and forth to shaving.

Myth 4: Tanning before waxing gives you a nice glow and won’t affect the process.

Getting a tan or going in a tanning bed right before a wax is basically asking for a painful session and damaged skin. Tanned skin, and especially skin that’s even a little bit sunburned, is way more likely to get red, irritated, or even lift during a wax. The UV rays from the sun and tanning beds dehydrate your skin, making it more fragile and thin. When I apply hot wax to that already compromised skin, it can cause some pretty nasty reactions like burns, peeling, and redness that lasts for days. As a rule, you need to avoid direct sun and tanning beds for at least 48 hours before and after your wax. Honestly, if you got a lot of sun, you should probably wait even longer, maybe 5 to 7 days, for your skin to fully recover. The Skin Cancer Foundation puts out guidelines all the time about how UV radiation damages skin cells and its barrier. It’s simple: if your skin is pink, warm to the touch, or at all sensitive, it’s not ready to be waxed. Healthy skin is always going to be more comfortable and safer to wax than tanned skin.

Myth 5: It’s fine to use your regular skincare products, including retinoids, on areas you plan to wax.

This is a really dangerous idea, especially if we’re talking about your face or other sensitive areas. A lot of popular skincare ingredients, particularly for acne or anti-aging, make your skin way more sensitive and can even thin the top layer. If you’re using products with retinoids (like retinol or tretinoin), AHAs, BHAs, or some prescription meds, your skin can become so fragile that waxing can cause it to lift, tear, or get severely irritated. You have to stop using these active ingredients on the area you plan to wax for a while before your appointment. For retinoids, you should stop at least 5 to 7 days before, but some of us recommend two weeks if you’re on a prescription-strength version. A 3 to 5 day break is usually enough for AHAs and BHAs. You need to tell your esthetician about any of these products or medications you’re on so they can give you the right advice. Industry publications like Dermatology Times are always talking about these interactions for a reason. Not telling your waxer about your skincare could lead to some serious skin damage and a really bad time.

Myth 6: Taking a pain reliever right before your appointment guarantees a pain-free wax.

Look, taking an ibuprofen 30-45 minutes before you come in might take the edge off for some people, but it’s not a magic pill that makes waxing painless. We are pulling hair out by the root, so there’s going to be some sensation. Just popping a pill can set you up for disappointment because it doesn’t do anything about the other things that affect how you feel, like how long your hair is or how you prepped your skin. A few things together are what actually make for a more comfortable wax. Getting waxed regularly makes a huge difference because the hair follicles get weaker and it just plain hurts less over time. Doing your prep work, like gently exfoliating a couple days before and keeping your skin moisturized, makes the whole process go smoother. Having your hair at the right length (that 1/4 inch again) means the wax can pull it out on the first try. Also, try to skip caffeine and alcohol right before your appointment, since they can make you more sensitive. Taking a warm shower right before can help open up your pores a bit, too. And don’t forget to just breathe during the service. Focusing on deep, steady breaths can really help manage the sensation. Getting a comfortable wax in September, or any other month, just means you need to ignore the bad advice and stick to a smart prep routine.

How long should my hair be for waxing?

Your hair needs to be about 1/4 inch long. That’s about the length of a grain of rice and it gives the wax enough to grip for a clean removal from the root.

Can I wax if I’m using prescription acne medication?

You shouldn’t. Prescription acne meds, especially retinoids, make your skin thin and sensitive, putting you at high risk for skin lifting or tearing during a wax. Talk to your dermatologist and your esthetician before you even consider it.

What should I avoid putting on my skin before waxing?

Come to your appointment with clean, dry skin. That means no lotions, oils, deodorants, or heavy creams on the area we’re waxing. You also need to stop using active skincare like retinoids, AHAs, and BHAs on the area for several days beforehand.

Is it better to wax in the morning or evening?

A lot of people say their pain tolerance is a bit higher in the late afternoon or evening. Plus, getting waxed at night gives your skin the whole night to calm down and any redness to fade before you have to put on clothes and go about your day.

How can I reduce ingrown hairs after waxing?

Start gently exfoliating the area a couple of days after your wax, and keep doing it 2-3 times a week. Keeping the skin moisturized is also important. And try to wear loose clothing right after your appointment to avoid friction that can trap new hairs.