Weeks ago I mentioned on SnapChat that I was going to be waxing that day and several of you snapped me back asking me to make a tutorial. So this post was created upon special request by my SnapFam! 😉 My personal wax of choice is hard wax, so that’s what I will be using in this post. Confused on the difference between soft wax and hard wax? Just keep reading!
I think I started getting waxed about 2 years ago…and loved the results so much I kept it up and switched to doing it myself at home. Because, let’s be real, it gets pricey in a salon! So if you’re like me and don’t have the budget for it, I hope this post answers some questions for you and gives you the confidence to do it at home!
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Check out my Youtube video I did recently (summer of 2019) showing how I wax my arms!
The Difference Between Soft & Hard Wax?
There are many different types of waxes that you can use (ever heard of sugar waxing? 🙂 ) but today I’ll be using hard wax. I prefer it, personally, and if you plan to wax sensitive areas (summer is around the corner….biniki line, anyone?) I highly recommend you use hard wax. The most popular type of wax on the general market is soft wax — where you use the clothe strip to place over it — so I want to compare the two of them really quick for you. 🙂
Soft Wax — This is very liquidy and is applied to the skin in a thin layer. A muslin clothe is placed over the wax, rubbed down to fully adhere the wax to the cloth, and then once it starts to harden you pull the clothe away, bringing the wax — and hair — with it. You can’t go over the same area twice, as it removes layers of dead skin and repeating on the same section will results in more skin damage and possibly bruising. This type of wax is best used for large sections of the body, tougher areas, and if you have particularly fine hair — your thighs/legs, for example. Also, this method of waxing is most commonly more painful.
Hard Wax — It gets it’s name from the fact that it does not require a clothe strip to be placed over it to remove it, you simply let it dry and it’s thick and firm enough for you to grab an edge and pull it off. This wax is a lot thicker than soft wax and when it cools it adheres — or ‘shrink wraps’ — around the strands of hair (as opposed to sticking to your skin). It still strips away a layer of skin, but is comparable to using an exfoliate. This wax is ideal for sensitive areas of the body that has coarse hair — bikini lines, Brazilians — but can be used anywhere and on any type of hair. Which is what I do. Also, if you don’t have a high pain tolerance, this is the wax to go with.
While ripping your hair out in one big chunk can’t be painless, using hard wax greatly reduces the amount of pain you feel. I know this is kind of TMI — but, hey, we’re talking about waxing here! — I use this wax for my bikini area and while there is some level of pain the moment the hair is pulled out, it goes away instantly and there is no lingering pain afterwards — which I always experienced with soft wax.
So, yes, in a nut shell soft wax is commonly available and hard wax is gentler and less painful. My recommendation is hard wax, all the way! 😉
How To Hard Wax at Home
I know you might think this is a sponsored post for GiGi, but I promise you, it’s not. In fact, I do NOT recommend you using the GiGi’s waxes. At least not on sensitive areas, as in my experience they cause more pain and are harsher to your skin. But their companion products work fine and are affordable, which is why I use them. 🙂
So the supplies you need are…
- Cleanser
- Oil or powder (depending on skin needs)
- Hard wax
- Wax warmer
- Wooden wax applicator
- Wax remover cream
- Hair minimizer lotion/serum
The hard wax that I highly recommend is the Cirepil Blue Wax available on Amazon. It’s the best quality I’ve ever tried — way better than the GiGi hard wax! First thing to do is to warm the wax. You want to allow at least 30 minutes, as it will take a while for the whole tub to melt. Test it on the back of your hand. If it applies smoothly, and isn’t too hot, it’s at the perfect temperature. 🙂
For this post I’ll be using my arm to show an example of how I do this. As I stated, I use this in the bikini region…and cameras are not allowed down there 😉 Make sure your hair is at least 1/4″ in length. A bit longer is better. But keep in mind you don’t want it too long! That will make it more painful! If it’s longer than 3/4 of an inch, and it’s in a sensitive area, trim it first. For my arm, though, I don’t find waxing painful, so didn’t bother to trim it. 🙂
You want to make sure the area is cleansed before you start ripping out the hair. This will help prevent any bacteria or ‘junk’ that is on your skin from getting into the freshly-opened areas on your skin and starting an infection. Here I’m using GiGi Pre Honey Pre-Epilation Cleanser.
The next step is to either apply some oil or baby powder to your skin to create a barrier. If you have really dry skin, apply just a little to prevent the wax from aggravating the dry skin and making it worse. If you have oily or sweaty skin, use baby powder to help soak up some of that extra moisturize, as it can prevent the wax from fully adhering to the hairs. So depending, I use either the GiGi Pre-Epilation Oil or the GiGi Pre-Epilation Dusting Powder.
Using these wooden applicator take a gumball size amount out and twirl it to keep the wax from dripping. Then apply it to your hair, following the natural direction your hair lays. This gives you the best results when you go to remove the strip. When you are gliding it on, make sure you make it a decently thick layer. Too thin and it will just crack and break into a million pieces when you try to remove it!
Also make sure you leave a thicker piece at the end so you can easily create a ‘lip’ — as pictured above — and remove the wax strip. If you can’t get a lip, you’ll have to slowly pick at the wax until you bring enough up to create that lip…and that’s not a pleasant feeling to slowly be pulling at a few hairs at a time.
Once the wax has cooled and is firm to the touch, grab the lip and pull in the opposite direction of hair growth. Do this in one quick motion, if possible, to lessen the pain. Also make sure you keep your hair close to your skin as you pull it — you never want to yank the strip straight up as this intensifies the pain and can bruise or damage to your skin.
And you should be left with a clean, hairless patch of skin! Repeat the steps until you’ve removed all the hair that you want to. 🙂 Keep in mind with hair wax you want to work in small sections. This may make it longer, but the results are worth it. 🙂
My arm hair is really fine, but I tried to get a good shot of it so you can see all the hair that this wax pulled out from the roots. No breakage or patchy areas at all! And you have to admit…there is something extremely satisfying to see all that hair stuck in the wax and not on your body! Makes the process worth it 😉
Once you’ve finished waxing off all the hair you will no doubt have random patches of wax that didn’t come off. When you first start off, there will be a lot of these patches, but as you continue to practice and get better at it, you won’t have as many. I used the GiGi Wax Off Wax Remover, but I am in the market for a better one. This one requires too much ‘scrubbing’ to get it all off.
After all that hard work, I recommend using a lotion that helps to slow the growth of the hair. It can take a long time to wax (especially if you do your legs or a Brazilian!) and I want my skin to remain hairless for as long as possible! I’ve been using GiGi Slow Grow Hair Minimizer and when I remember to use it daily (that is the key!) I do notice that the hair takes a bit longer to grow back in.
EDIT MADE MAY 20, 2018: I get a lot of questions on what I use to prevent ingrown hair. I definitely recommend you use something daily — I’ve been using this one from GiGi and it works pretty well for me.
Now tell me, do you wax? In a salon or at home? I really hope this tutorial was helpful for you! If you have any other questions, or would like to see how to use soft wax, or sugar wax…anything! Just let me know in a comment below!
I purchased all products on my own. I was not compensated for writing this post. Links used are affiliate links. All thoughts are 100% my own. Any questions about my disclosure, read here. 
Thank you for your support!
Kristina | The Feminine Files says
I’ve never liked waxing but I think its because I always used soft wax. I didn’t know the difference, so thanks for explaining! I think I would like to try hard wax before writing it off all together.
Katie Garvin says
Glad you found it helpful! I love hard wax because it’s also less messy than hard wax!
Faryal says
Hey! I have never waxed before, out of fear, but your article has convinced me that it can be easy peasy and less painful. I am gonna give it a try.
Fingers crossed.
Katie G says
I hope it goes well for you! No wax is painless, just remember that, but once you get the knack of how to apply the hard wax, it isn’t so bad. 🙂 Waxing your arm is a great place to start and get the hang of it, in my opinion, because it’s not as sensitive as your lips, thighs, or bikini area.
Megan says
When waxing your legs how long would you say it lasts before you have to wax again?
Katie Marie says
I have never waxed my legs, but from my experience with the other places I’ve waxed, I would say it feels smooth and hairless for a solid week, maybe a bit more, and then you start to notice regrowth. I only wax every 4 weeks, though, because it takes a while for it all to come through
Maria says
After waxing if you use cuticle oil the oil will remove all the little pieces of wax that’s left in the skin and it leaves the skin softer and shinier.
Krystal E says
I’m weird – I can’t deal with hard wax. I always ask for soft wax and I can’t do honey mixtures either for some reason… I’m not allergic but it just doesn’t work well with my skin. I go to a salon though just because I don’t want to mess with well, the mess! Love this post though – great to show that you can DIY this beauty treatment at home!
Katie Garvin says
Yes, it can make a huge mess! Though thankfully the hard wax is a little less messy 🙂
Kristi V Beginnails says
I’ve never tried waxing. I keep seeing the waxing scene on 40 Year Old Virgin going through my head. “OH KELLY CLARKSON!” hahaha
Katie Garvin says
Hahaha! Depending on the area that you’re waxing…it’s really not so bad! At least, I don’t think so. And even if it is painful, it goes away the next moment so it’s never a lasting pain. 🙂
Nina says
Wow!!! I never knew there were different types of waxes!! I would love to try out some hard wax.
Katie Garvin says
Yes, I just learned that last year, too, and ever since trying hard wax I’ve never really looked back. 🙂
Christine says
The type of wax that you use makes all of the difference! I prefer hard wax so much!!! This post just reminded me that I really need to wax my arms, ha!!! I’m going to have to check out the wax that you suggested because I had been using Gigi wax!
Katie Garvin says
Yes, it does! It can make it SO painful if you don’t have a good wax!
Stacie says
You make this look so easy! I’ve considered trying waxing at home, but the thought of it kind of gives me the jeebies, especially when it’s Brazilian time. Do you find that it hurts more or less when you do it yourself compared to someone else doing it at a salon?
Katie Garvin says
Haha, I hear you! It took me a lot of pep-talk before I thought I was able to tackle that area!
Emily Draher says
This is a great tutorial! I have had a brazillian done in a spa before (ouch), but have never tried waxing at home! I may have to try hard wax and do my legs for shorts weather!
Katie Garvin says
I love waxing because it lasts so much longer than shaving. Its so nice while it lasts
Nichole C says
I have played with hard wax in school enough to know that this is out of my league!
Katie Garvin says
lol, it takes some practice!
Renu says
I didn’t know about different kinds of wax (went in for laser a few times then got a home device)! Thanks for such an informative post. Hard wax is defo more convenient – no faffing about with cloth or strips.
Katie Garvin says
I just recently got a laser device to use at home and want to use it on my legs. It would be nice not to have to shave or wax as much!
Alice in Wonderland says
Sorry for asking two years after this comment, but I am curious. What device did you end up getting, and have you had positive results with it? I am asking because I believe I’d do better with that type of removal with my sensitive skin.
My husband is going to help me try hard wax on my leg today, just a test patch. I find I need someone else to rip it off for me, and he had much better results than I did with removing my hair with sugaring. He could get all of it in one go for me. I have not tried hard wax because at some point using soft wax just became increasingly more painful. I’m not certain why that happened, but it just became too painful after years of doing it.
Katie Marie says
Hey, no worries about the time delay! I actually have NOT done the at home lazer hair removal. Mainly because I have been pregnant or nursing for the past 3 years and they recommend not using it when doing that. So I haven’t touched my lazer hair removal since then…but with that said, I’ve been contemplating getting an epilator. Yikes…but I hear once you do it a couple times, the upkeep is easy and almost painless. If I do, I will definitely write a post — and probably do a video on my Youtube channel!
Alice in Wonderland says
Oh thank you! Congrats on the additions to your family! Do not blink or you will open your eyes and your youngest will be getting married. It goes by so fast!
I used the Epilady when I was in my teens. I was one of the unlucky individuals who would bleed all over and just be swollen from it. My mother used one for years and never had a problem. Since you are already waxing it should be far easier on your skin than it was mine. I had only used a razor before trying the Epilady.
I will watch for videos and posts. Have a great week and weekend!
Tess says
I’ve never tried anything like this but for now I’ll stick with razors!
Katie Garvin says
It’s a whole different ball game…but once I was introduced to waxing, I eventually wanted to wax everything, haha! I just love how long it stays smooth for 🙂
Sammi the Beauty Buff says
This was such an informative tutorial! I never even knew there was such a thing as hard vs. soft wax. I’ve only gotten waxed once and it was for my eyebrows. What a disaster! I was in 8th grade and the technician made the wax so hot that I was applying Neosporin to the burns under/between my eyebrows for days. Nowadays I just stick to shaving and tweezing. I like the idea of having control over it yourself. I should try this! Thanks!
Katie Garvin says
Oh my goodness, what a nightmare! That is the perk of doing waxing yourself — you’re always careful not to get it too hot! Hope you find this post helpful if you decide to give it a try!
Ann says
So neat, I’m too scared to wax!
Katie Garvin says
It takes some time to get used to — I wouldn’t get near waxing 2 years ago…now I want to wax everything, if only I had the time, lol
Melissa says
I have only ever had soft wax done and the bruising it leaves on my legs, especially thighs, is crazy. I may try this.
Katie Garvin says
Try this, it’s a lot less abrasive! 🙂
Polly says
How long after you wax will the hair reappear??
Katie Garvin says
Great question, so sorry I didn’t mention this in the post! For my arms I don’t notice any long hairs until about the two week mark. And then again, they’re very fine. They probably start coming up after a week, but they’re so fine and (typically) a very light color, I never notice them until they start getting pretty long. 🙂
If you’re wondering about the bikini/Brazilian area, that’s more like a week when I start noticing hair. Mostly because the hair there is thicker and darker 😉
Jessica says
Great review, thanks for sharing! I’ve been waxing my own eyebrows for 10+ years and am only now getting around to DIY arm waxing, eek! I’ve used Avon’s skin so soft to help remove left over wax which has been the most effective removal trick over GiGi’s wax off product.
Katie Garvin says
Thanks for the tip! I used to use Avon’s SSS a few years ago, I’ll have to make an order some day and give it a try. Excess wax can be a tricky thing to remove!
shikha says
I have been waxing for many years now.. Always used soft wax. Sometimes i get it done at a salon and sometimes i do it myself. At home i have always made my own wax. There is only one time i decided to buy and bought hard wax instead of soft. Let me tell you hard wax is in my opinion the worst thing that can be used for hair removal. Stuff is messy, time consuming and hard to come off. Whatever surface it touches turns yucky as it sticks and becomes a nightmare to clean. No amount of wax remover will help .. Either skin or surface. A BIG NO TO HARD WAX.
Katie Garvin says
I’ve never made my own wax, but I’ve also used both soft and hard wax. I feel like wax — in and of itself — is pretty messy no matter what way you cut it. No matter how careful I try to be, wax tends to get on the counter, or the floor, and it’s a pain to clean up, lol. But I’ve actually found that the hard wax is easier than soft wax — because it will just chip right off the counter. Whereas with the soft wax — since it requires that fabric to bond to for easier removal — can take a lot more effort for me to remove from the countertops. But maybe that’s just the type of soft wax I’ve used in the past. Either way, I’ve found that this brand of hard wax (that I featured in the post above) is relatively easy to clean up from off the counter or from off your skin. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and sharing! I would like to try out sugar waxing and making my own at home. It sounds more cost-effective and I’ve heard it’s less painful than traditional hot wax. 🙂
Susanne says
Can i use hard wax on upper lip and in face? I have thick black hair type. Sugar wax dont work on my upper lip. I now use soft wax on upper lip, and it not the best.
Katie Marie says
I use it, just get a hard wax that is for sensitive areas and you should be good. But it’s always best to do a patch test. So maybe on your jaw or cheek apply some of the wax, let it set, and take it off. Then wait about 12-24 hours to make sure you don’t any sort of reaction from the wax. I like using hard wax on my upper lip because it’s less messy, in my opinion 🙂 If a tutorial would be helpful of how I remove facial hair with hard wax…let me know! :-*
Tari says
Getting ready to try waxing for the first time-just a little nervous, lol. How often do you do waxing? Do you have to let the hair all grow back out before doing it again?
Katie G says
How did it go, Tari?? I hope it went okay! It depends on the area I am waxing. For anything around the bikini area I do every 3 weeks, 4 at the most. Arms I do maybe every 2 months. I don’t mind arm hair, and typically let it grow back in a good bit before I wax it all off. 🙂 I haven’t tried waxing my legs or under arms yet, so not sure about them. Hope that helps!
Kate Wilson says
What do you recomend for eyebrow area? My aunt asked me to help her with her eyebrows, and I’m doing some research into waxing and threading and I don’t really know what is the best option.
Katie G says
Threading is a good option, but you’re best to go to a professional. I’ve heard it’s kinda tricky. For eyebrows you can use soft wax, since that gives you more time to apply the wax right where you want before applying the muslin and removing it. Just take into consideration when applying the wax that when you press down on the muslin clothe, it’ll push the wax out a bit farther than where you lay it. 😉
Amber says
Is there anything to help prevent ingrown hairs? Since I started waxing i get alot of them
Katie Marie says
Yes, I would definitely recommend using some type of ingrown hair serum or toner on a regular basis after waxing, as well as make sure you are exfoliating your skin in the shower every 2-3 days. Doing those two on a regular basis really helps keep the ingrown hairs down.
Not that these are my “holy grail” or the only ones that work, but the ingrown hair serum I’ve been using for a while is GiGis No Bumps — http://amzn.to/2vmQ49j — and the body scrub I use to exfoliate is Tree Hut’s Sugar Body Scrub — http://amzn.to/2hJULXp — this scent/type specifically is my favorite because it smells AMAZING!!
Even though I do these two things routinely, I still get ingrown hairs occasionally, but really only in my bikini area. I also wax my arms and face, but never have issues with ingrowns there. I think the bikini area is just a tough area to keep the ingrown hairs at bay because the hair is so much thicker/coarser than the other places I wax. But doing the exfoliating and toner has made a huge improvement for me.
Renu says
Hii Katie,
Thanks for explaning the difference.
I found it very useful and I want to use this hard wax. Can you please tell me from where l would get this.
Katie Marie says
I got the wax warmer from my local Sallys Beauty and the hard wax I use you can get off of Amazon — they’re both linked above!
Oh! The wax warmer I bought from Sallys I do know you can get off of Amazon as well!
Ivee says
A professional recommended to me using some oil (I use olive) on a cotton ball to remove the left behind wax. She said saturate the cotton ball and rub it in all over the skin and it will get the wax off. That’s what I do and it works for me!
Katie Marie says
Oh! That’s a great idea! I will have to try that next time — I usually just hop in the shower after I wax, but it still takes some work, haha! I will definitely use oil next time!
Mindy says
Olive oil & coconut oil works a treat. It’s natural & safe to use, cheap & ever ready straight from you’re pantry. I wax from home & love how it makes my skin feel after waxing, it softens & hydrates the area & is very soothing. Plus i safely clean all my waxing items & mess with these too! All round positive & highly recommend ?
Chelsea says
I’ve waxed in a salon once, a Brazilian, and it was painful! However I loved the results and told it gets easier so I’m definitely doing it again! Just wondering if you have tried the Gigi’s numbing spray or if you’ve heard good feedback that it works?
Katie Marie says
Yes, it gets easier — especially if you don’t wait too long between waxes 😉 And the results are so nice — so much nicer and easier than shaving! I have not tried the Gigi numbing spray — I definitely want to get it and try it soon. The one I use right now is this product (http://amzn.to/2wQa96P) and I’ve definitely been appreciating it’s numbing abilities! Doesn’t make it totally painless, so it’s not that strong. But it takes the edge off, especially in the most sensitive areas.
Michael says
Can you tell me, if i can buy it somewhere, I mean ready to use 😛
Name or manufacturer
Katie Marie says
Where you can buy the wax? Or the warmer? The warmer can be purchased at Sally Beauty or Amazon and the hard wax is on Amazon! 🙂
Rachel says
Thank you for the tutorial. It is well done.
I have very thick, course curly hair so I have had to use hard wax on my face for years. I have tried occasionally to do my legs but end up with a patch work quilt look. I usually put on more that one strip letting the first cool a bit while applying the second then removing the first, to avoid missing patches of hair is there a secret to how many strips to spread, and how far apart or a lay out pattern?
Katie Marie says
lol, that’s one of the reasons I haven’t attempted to do my legs — just seems like a lot of work that I probably would get tired of quickly 😛
I would say do the strips however large you are able to manage. For my arms I do pretty large swipes of the wax, but if I am doing my bikini area I do a lot smaller. That way I’m able to still easily remove the strip at the right time. 🙂 I also do several strips in different areas while I wait for the first ones to dry. 🙂
leena says
Hi
How do you clean the wax pot after? Do you have to empty the wax or is it okay to leave it in there until next time? Thanks!
Katie Marie says
Hi! So for me, personally, I bought a refillable container to put in my warmer and I just fill it up every other wax, roughly. After I am done waxing I let the wax cool down and completely harden and then I just put the lid on it and store it away for next time. 🙂
Cat V says
How do you make sure the hard wax isn’t too hot before you apply? I keep burning myself trying to use hard wax lol. Or I’ll let it cool to much amd it’ll harden on the stick thing.
Katie Marie says
Do you have a wax warmer? Or do you just warm it in the microwave? I use a wax warmer from GiGi. It works for now, though. one day I would like to update it with a nicer one. With the GiGi one I put it on the lowest setting and it’s still a bit too warm for my more sensitive areas. What I do, when it’s too hot, is twirl the wax on the wooden stick for a few seconds. It lets the wax cool down a bit. When it starts to move slower on the stick, then apply the wax. It sounds weird, but you’ll get it when you go to do it. When you initially take the wax out of the pot and it’s too warm, it will want to just run right back into the pot. So pick it with the stick and twirl quickly until it starts to cool down and thicken a bit. Hope that helps!
Irina says
I just bought my Gigi wax warmer, but it’s taking me like almost two hours to fully heat the full container? There’s a big blob of wax in the middle that’s having a hard time melting… tips?
Thanks?
Katie Marie says
It can take a while to full melt your wax, and that’s okay. 🙂 You want it to melt slowly so that the wax isn’t too hot and burn you when you go to use it! As for the blob, that’s totally okay, too. As you continue to keep your warmer on while waxing, you’ll probably notice that it melts away entirely. The blob is just a bit of firmer wax in your warmer that is hard to melt because it’s at the very center of your pot and you aren’t using extreme heat (don’t want it to burn) so it will take the longest to melt. Just give the container a little stir every time you dip your wooden stick in to get some wax and, as I said, it’ll probably all melt away.
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions <3
Jackie says
Hi, I know I’m tardy to the party, or post lol, but i just came across it. Great post, however, I was wondering if you know annoy any good at home facial wax for the upper lip area. Most of the drugstore stuff isn’t intense enough for my stubborn hair and they no longer sell sensitive skin soft wax at my local sallys. Thanks in advance
Katie Marie says
Hi Jackie! I actually use this wax to wax my face — I find that it has no problem getting all my thicker, stubborn upper lip hair. I also use this wax in my bikini area and it does a great job with that coarse hair, too. If you need a direct link, I get my wax off of Amazon –> http://amzn.to/2FYgXoe
Kiki says
Love this article very informative. I have a couple questions. I’m in Canada. so was looking into the gigi brands you were using, I find that either they don’t have the specific product ie the cleanser or the want way more then I’m willing to pay (179.00 for 8 oz.im looking at you amazon). Do you have any other brands you recommend . Or is there any ingredient specific I should looking for?
Katie Marie says
Is it just a cleanser you are looking for? I would say any cleanser from a brand that sells it for pre-wax treatment should be fine. Here’s one, for example –> http://amzn.to/2IBpuiV <-- I've tried this brand before and really like it!
Madelyn H Stoll says
Only thing I want to add is witch Hazel makes a very good wax remover, hair conditioner, AND helps with redness 🙂 Thank you for the advice given! I am still practicing with hard wax some. Im new to it.
Katie Marie says
Oh, good tip, I have never tried that! Cool! Thank you for sharing! <3 Keep practicing, girl, you'll get the hang of it soon!
M says
This is a great post! I have used those pre-made wax strips that you just warm between your hands for my upper lip and legs. And they irritate my skin so badly! Little whiteheads on my face and total swollen redness on my legs. I noticed that when I go to the salon and they use the blue hard wax it’s not as painful or irritated afterward. So today I bit the bullet and ordered the warmer and wax off amazon! Do you think two canisters of the wax is enough for both legs? I have a lot of hair (lucky Italian lol) so I’d pretty much be waxing every inch from ankle to upper thigh.
Katie Marie says
I should think two canisters would be enough, and will probably have extra. I don’t wax my legs but during once session I’ve waxed my arms, face, and bikini area and used barely half a canister. 🙂
And I totally feel you on the hair — I’m Brazilian and I swear if I didn’t shave I would have more leg hair than my husband (who is Asian) 😛 😛
Niki says
Hi! I was wondering what do you think about a lotion that should be used after waxing that will prevent from ingrown hairs?? Should it be used?? Also, do you think that using only one cleanser and using it before waxing is ENOUGH? I am just a liiitle bit scared of bacteria infections that I don’t know how to deal with waxing (never tried before, but really want to) if I don’t know how to properly sterilize my skin so that I don’t get ant infections. Do you have any recommendations? Great post btw
Katie Marie says
Hey Niki! Yes, I do use a type of toner that is supposed to help prevent ingrowns. When I remember to use it (lol) I do see improvement! 🙂 I’ve been using this one the longest — https://amzn.to/2HXTjdy.
As for cleansing and keeping bacteria infections away, what I’ve been doing seems to be working. I’ve never gotten any sort of infection or anything like that, and I just use this cleanser beforehand — https://amzn.to/2Hlp2nL — and then I typically take a shower right after waxing. So in my eyes I’m cleansing it again. I’ll also typically follow up cleaning the area with a gentle toner. The one I use is this one — https://amzn.to/2qUPQ7e. And then after that I put a lotion on the waxed area as my final step. I typically use one that’s meant to be used after waxing and supposed to help slow regrowth, like this one — https://amzn.to/2vH3PDo.
I hope this all helps you! I’ve added all these to my Amazon Influencer page, which you can find here –> https://amzn.to/2HVVsXd.
Jen says
Thanks for this great info! I’m new to waxing and curious how many hard wax beans you need to wax your legs? How many waxings will one bag cover? Just an estimate, if you have one 🙂 thank you!
Katie Marie says
Hmmm, I’ve honestly never waxed my legs. But I routinely wax my face, arms, and bikini area and can typically do that 3-4 times before I need to purchase a new bag. I would think you’d only need one the first time, and you should get a feel for how often you’d need to repurchase. One thing I will say — the first few times you wax you’ll probably use up more wax than typically as you get used to applying it. The more efficiently and quickly you can apply the wax, the less you use, so the farther it’ll stretch. Hope that makes sense!
Amy Depina says
I’ve tried both soft and hard wax I MUST say there is a huge difference for me! First off with the hard wax it was so uncomfortable for me, you can literally feel your skin pulling and she MISSED some spot and from what I’m now understanding it’s basically because you can’t go over the same spot twice! Hard wax was so much bearable and soo much more smoother I’m in love with the aftermath!
Amy Depina says
Soft wax *
Katie Marie says
Yes! A whole new world opened up to me once I discovered hard wax. I hated waxing before because I only knew soft wax, and along with everything you mentioned…it was just SO messy and hard to work with. Ever since I discovered hard wax I’ve been SO into it and find it so easy to do for myself in the comforts of my own home! 🙂
Elsa says
Can i keep leftover wax in the warmer and use it at a later date?
Katie Marie says
I do! I just put the cover back on once it’s cool 🙂
wax warmer says
I’ll be using hard wax today now I have much idea from your topic, thank for share great idea
Katie Marie says
So glad it was helpful for you!
Beth says
What did you do or can you do with the wax after you use it. Is there a way to clean it up and reuse?
Katie Marie says
Once you remove it it hardens back up and is full of hair. So I can’t imagine any way that you can reuse it. I just throw it away.
trekkiechiq says
For your bikini area, I have a suggestion for you. Unless you’re a contortionist and have three hands, it’s practically impossible to do a full Brazilian at home I find, so I just do the regular style, and I prefer hard wax for this. Since you have to kind of overlap onto a hairless area (which is again difficult unless doing a full Brazilian) when using hard wax, in order to avoid “picking”, you can apply it AGAINST hair growth and grab it from the top instead of the bottom. It actually works better for short or coarse hairs. No more picking in hair or gluing the curtains shut.
Katie Marie says
That’s a great tip! Yes, some days I do feel like a contortionist when waxing those areas, lol!!
Nora says
Can you use hard wax on your armpits?
Katie Marie says
Yes, you can!
Sarrah says
Why doesnt my hard wax get sticky? What temperature do you keep it on? How long? Please help.
Katie Marie says
It’s going to be sticky and stringy. I’ve updated this blog post with a video from my YT channel where I demo it — watch that to see what consistency I like to have 🤗
Justine Carbon says
Katie do you wax your underarms? I only wax my underarms and upper lip at the salon due to expense, but would do A LOT more if I could do it at home. I’m wondering about more coarse hair.
Katie Marie says
I don’t, but mainly because it’s so easy for me to just shave it in the shower — I’m not someone who wears sleeveless often so the shadow from the hair growth never bothers me
Caroline says
Hi, so I’m very new to waxing and I was wondering how much of the pre waxing products you need? Like I know you include a cleanser and baby powder/oil but is it okay if I don’t use one or both of them and I just go in and wax? Thanks!
Katie Marie says
It’s important to cleanse the area first, but I suppose the others are optional 🙂 I usually go in after cleansing and the area is dried, and then use the baby powder if I start sweating too much in the more sensitive areas (like my bikini area. Don’t really need powder for my arms).
Chelsea says
When I melt my hard wax it is always so stringy? What am I doing wrong?
Katie Marie says
it’s okay if it’s stringy when you pull it away. Watch my updated waxing video to see what consistency it should be and also how to deal with the strings –> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtCVR2Xqlis
Zazu says
I’ve just purchased the GiGi wax warmer . I can’t figure out if I put the hard wax beans (Cirépil Brand) directly into the container or do I need a removable container?
Katie Marie says
Yes, so you need to have some type of tin/container to put into the GiGi wax warmer and then you can pour the beads right into that. I know Cerepil has an empty one available, but you can also buy the way already in a tin on Amazon (should see it in the same listing where you bought the bag) and then once that tin is empty you can refill with the bag. I hope that makes sense!
allianna says
heyy girl so i got a gigi kit for xmas and never waxed before and you helped a lot! i ordered the same was that you had and it worked great. and you were right about getting my the hang of it, i waxed my legs for 5 minutes before knowing what i was doing haha. anyway i saw you said you wanted a new wax melter where you can control the temperature and remembered you when i saw this. https://pearlwax.com/collections/frontpage/products/pearl-wax-beans-warmer-spatulas-bundle
it might not be what you want or anything but i just wanted to try and help. i would buy it myself but i just got one and don’t wanna seem rude by buying another. thanks for helping me :))
Courtney says
I just wanted to say thank you for this waxing guide. I’ve been searching for waxing tutorials for a while now, which proved very frustrating. They would always start out with reasons why you shouldn’t do this at home but continue with— “if you must, here are some vague answers, no instructions, and $50 products”. Not everyone has access to professionals. I barely have access to a fully stocked grocery store let alone professional waxing! However, I do live within walking distance to a tropical ocean paradise, which is why I needed to wax—shaving everyday is not good for my skin.
Your detailed descriptions of the products I needed as well as showing how to wax properly is greatly appreciated— it gave me the confidence to do this myself, safely.
I’m a week post-wax and I’ll never touch another razor!
Thank you again 🙂
Katie Marie says
oh that’s so wonderful to hear, thank you for sharing that with me. I am so happy I could help! I am definitely not a professional…but this is what I do whenever I wax and I’ve been doing it at home for about 5 years! 🙂