Waxing is the service people have the most questions about and ask the fewest of them. Usually because the questions feel awkward, or because they assume everyone else already knows.
So here is all of it. How it works, how to prepare, what the appointment is actually like, how to look after your skin afterward, and honest answers to the things people wonder about but do not ask. You can see everything we offer on our waxing page.
The short version
Waxing removes hair from the root, so regrowth is slower and often finer than with shaving. Hair should be about a quarter inch long before an appointment, and shaving in between should be avoided. Book every two to four weeks for facial areas and four to six weeks for bikini, legs, and arms. Afterward, avoid heat, swimming, sweating, tight clothing, and direct sun for about twenty four hours, and do not exfoliate for two days. Before an event, book three to five days ahead.
How Waxing Works, and Why It Beats Shaving
Waxing removes hair from the root rather than cutting it at the surface. That single difference explains almost everything else.
It lasts longer. Hair has to regrow from the follicle rather than reappearing as stubble in two days.
There is no stubble phase. Regrowth comes in soft and tapered instead of blunt.
Regrowth often becomes finer. Many people find that with a consistent schedule, hair returns sparser and easier to manage over time.
It exfoliates as it goes. Wax lifts dead surface skin along with the hair, which is part of why skin feels so smooth afterward.
The trade off is that hair needs to be long enough to grip, which means living with a little growth between appointments. Most people decide fairly quickly that the trade is worth it.
Before Your Appointment
Let the hair grow to about a quarter inch. This is the single most important thing. Hair that is too short cannot be gripped properly, which means patchy results and a less comfortable appointment. Do not trim it right before.
Stop shaving in between. Shaving resets the growth cycle and undoes the syncing that makes waxing better over time.
Exfoliate a couple of days before, gently. Not the day of. Light exfoliation a day or two ahead helps release any hair sitting under the surface.
Moisturize in the days leading up, but not that morning. Hydrated skin waxes better. Product on the skin at the appointment does not.
Skip retinol on the area for several days beforehand. Retinol makes skin more fragile and more likely to lift.
Mention anything relevant on your intake form. Medications, recent treatments, skin conditions, or a first ever appointment. It genuinely changes how we approach it.
Time it around your cycle if that applies. Skin is often more sensitive in the days right before a period. If you have flexibility, the week after tends to be more comfortable.
What the Appointment Is Actually Like
You will be shown to a private room with the door closed. You will be told exactly what to remove and given the room to yourself while you get settled. You are draped throughout, and only the area being worked on is uncovered. If this is your first time with us, what to expect on a first visit covers the rest of it.
Your esthetician will tell you what is happening before each section. If you have not done it before, say so, and you will get more explanation as it goes rather than less.
On discomfort. It is not painless, and anyone who tells you otherwise is managing your expectations badly. It is quick, it is manageable, and it gets easier. Most people find the first appointment the most uncomfortable and each one after noticeably less so.
You can pause. At any point, for any reason, without explaining yourself. Ask for a break, ask her to slow down, or stop entirely. None of that is a problem.
You do not have to make conversation. Some people chat the whole way through, some prefer quiet. Both are normal.
Afterward
Freshly waxed skin is more open and more sensitive than usual for about a day.
Avoid heat for twenty four hours. Hot showers, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs.
No swimming for twenty four to forty eight hours. Chlorine and lake water both irritate freshly waxed skin.
Skip the gym that day if you can. Sweat and friction on open follicles is how irritation starts.
Wear something loose. Especially after a bikini or Brazilian wax. Tight clothing traps heat and friction.
Stay out of direct sun for twenty four to forty eight hours, and use sunscreen on exposed areas afterward. Our summer skincare guide has more on timing waxing around sun and swimming.
Do not exfoliate for two days. Then resume gently, two or three times a week, which is the best defence against ingrown hairs.
Some redness and small bumps for a few hours to a day are normal. Your esthetician will walk you through exactly what to do at home for the area you had done.
Ingrown Hairs, Honestly
They happen, and they are more about what you do between appointments than about the wax itself.
Exfoliate regularly, gently. Two or three times a week once the initial couple of days have passed. This is the main thing that prevents them.
Keep the skin moisturized. Dry skin traps hair more easily.
Do not dig at them. Picking turns an ingrown hair into a scar or an infection.
Stay on schedule. Consistent waxing produces finer hair, and finer hair gets trapped less often.
Stop shaving between appointments. Blunt regrowth is far more likely to curl back into the skin.
If you get them persistently in one area, mention it. Sometimes it is a technique or aftercare adjustment, sometimes it is worth a different approach for that area entirely.
How Often to Come Back
Waxing works best when hair is caught in its growing phase, and different areas run on different clocks.
| Area | Interval |
|---|---|
| Brows, upper lip, chin | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Underarms | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Bikini and Brazilian | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Legs and arms | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Back and shoulders | 4 to 6 weeks |
If you are coming from shaving, expect the first two or three appointments to feel less predictable while your growth syncs up. By the third, most people notice it settling into a rhythm. There is more on building a schedule across every service if you are planning a year rather than a single visit.
Waxing Before an Event or a Holiday
Three to five days ahead. Not the morning of, and not two weeks before.
That window lets any redness settle completely while you are still smooth for the day itself. Waxing the night before a wedding or a flight is the most common scheduling mistake people make. If a wedding is what you are planning around, our bridal beauty timeline sets out the full countdown.
If you are heading somewhere sunny, that timing also gets you past the sun and swimming restrictions before you leave.
Waxing or Threading
Both have their place, particularly for the face.
Waxing covers larger areas quickly and pulls fine hair along with coarse. It is the practical choice for legs, arms, underarms, and bikini areas, and it works well for brows.
Threading is more precise and touches less of the skin surface, which makes it the better option if your skin is reactive, if you are using retinol, or if you want very controlled brow shaping.
If you are not sure which suits you, mention it when you book and your esthetician will recommend based on your skin rather than a preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does hair need to be before waxing?
About a quarter inch. Hair that is too short cannot be gripped properly, which leads to patchy results and a less effective appointment.
Does waxing hurt?
It is uncomfortable rather than unbearable, and it is quick. Most people find the first appointment the hardest and each one after noticeably easier as the hair becomes finer.
How often should I get waxed?
Every three to six weeks depending on the area. Brows, upper lip, and chin every two to four weeks. Underarms every three to four. Bikini, legs, and arms every four to six.
Can I shave between waxing appointments?
It is better not to. Shaving resets the growth cycle and undoes the syncing that makes waxing more comfortable and longer lasting over time.
How do I prevent ingrown hairs?
Exfoliate gently two or three times a week between appointments, keep the skin moisturized, avoid picking, stay on a consistent schedule, and do not shave in between.
How long before a wedding or holiday should I wax?
Three to five days ahead. That leaves time for any redness to settle while keeping you smooth for the event, and clears the sun and swimming restrictions before you travel.
Can I wax if I use retinol?
Mention it when you book. Retinol makes skin more fragile, so it usually needs to be paused on the area for several days beforehand. Threading is sometimes the better option instead.
What should I do after a wax?
Avoid heat, swimming, sweating, and tight clothing for about twenty four hours, stay out of direct sun, and do not exfoliate for two days. Your esthetician will give you specific aftercare for the area you had done.
Is it normal to be nervous about a first Brazilian?
Completely, and you would not be the first that day. You are in a private room with the door closed, draped throughout, with only the area being worked on uncovered, and you can pause or stop at any point.
Smoother Skin, Less Maintenance
A rhythm that gets easier every time, in a room where you do not have to explain yourself.