Should I Exfoliate Before Waxing?

Exfoliation removes dead skin cells accumulated in the pores, pollutants that come in contact with the skin every day, and products that create a build-up in the skin. Exfoliation is essential for maintaining healthy skin and enhancing the effectiveness of waxing. These accumulated impurities create an extra layer on the skin, clog the pores, and can interfere with the results of waxing leading to a bumpy appearance of the skin as mentioned in After Brazilian Wax Bumps: Cause, Treatment, and Prevention. This makes exfoliation a must before waxing. However, the timeline for exfoliation before waxing, the right method to exfoliate, and the right products to use can be confusing, right? Understanding the right approach to exfoliation can significantly improve your waxing experience. So, let us talk about “Should I exfoliate before waxing”, and how to exfoliate before waxing in this article. This article will guide you through the importance and methods of exfoliating before waxing. Table of Contents: Part 1: Should I Exfoliate Before Waxing? Part 2: Why Should You Exfoliate Before Waxing? Part 3: When Should I Exfoliate Before Waxing? The Ideal Time to Exfoliate Part 4: How to Exfoliate the Skin Before Waxing? Part 5: How Do You Prepare Your Skin for Waxing? Part 1: Should I Exfoliate Before Waxing? While most women and waxing experts believe that exfoliation before waxing is mandatory for optimal results and a silky smooth hairless body, a few argue that exfoliation might do more harm than good to your sensitive and delicate skin. So, let us explore the opinions of different people. Opinions in Favour of Exfoliation Before Waxing A waxing expert from the Hiss’N Kitten Wax says, Exfoliation can prepare the skin by removing dead cells, potentially leading to a smoother waxing experience. “During a waxing appointment, each hair will be pulled from the root. As a result, a brand-new baby’s hair will grow back in. Since this is a new hair, it will be softer and finer than a hair that has been shaved. Because of this, sometimes it can be harder for that fine hair to push through the skin, causing it to turn back under the skin and result in ingrown hair. This is where exfoliation comes into play! Related reading 10 Things to Know About Underarm Wax Can You Shower After Waxing? All You Need to Know When to Get Waxed Before Wedding?  Another expert from Infinity Laser Spa says, Experts emphasize the importance of proper skin preparation to ensure effective waxing results. “To remove dead skin and help with ingrown hair, you should exfoliate once or twice a week. You should do it well ahead of waxing though as the oil and product in the scrub might stay on your skin and make waxing more difficult.” Opinions Against Exfoliation Before Waxing Muhammad Bilal, a Fashion and Beauty Expert expresses his concern about exfoliating before waxing, Exfoliating before waxing may lead to skin irritation, making it crucial to consider expert advice before proceeding. “It is generally best to exfoliate your skin after waxing, rather than before. Exfoliating before waxing can cause your skin to be more sensitive and prone to irritation, making the waxing process more uncomfortable.” Exfoliating after waxing can help in smoothing the skin and reducing any post-waxing irritation, making it a preferable option for many. A Lady from Skin Studio talks about her experience of exfoliation before waxing saying, This highlights the subjective nature of skincare practices, as different individuals may experience varying levels of sensitivity. “Simply no. It will peel off your skin. You must do only one thing a day, wax or exfoliate. Once I have done this to my skin this peels off my skin in a bad way. Because I have sensitive skin.” What Should You Do? Keeping both opinions in view, the final answer would be that you should exfoliate your skin before waxing. However, schedule your exfoliation and waxing sessions a few days apart so that sensitive skin is not hurt during it. Scheduling your sessions allows your skin to recover, minimizing discomfort and maximizing the effectiveness of both treatments. Also, here is a table to compare both. Exfoliating Before Waxing Not Exfoliating Before Waxing ●        Removes the dead skin cells and unwanted oil ●        Cleanses the deeper layers of the skin ●        Prepare the skin for waxing ●        Might compromise the barrier of the skin ●        Can cause skin sensitivity ●        Makes skin red and adds to the side effects of waxing Part 2: Why Should You Exfoliate Before Waxing? Let us discuss some benefits of exfoliation to know why you should exfoliate before waxing. Understanding these benefits can help you make an informed decision about your waxing routine. 1. Enhanced Sticking Properties of Wax Exfoliation before waxing prepares the skin for waxing. It removes the top layer of dead skin cells leaving fresh skin underneath. Wax adheres better to this fresh skin. Also, the pores are open which enhances the sticking of waxing to the unwanted hair. Consequently, the application of wax becomes easier and the results are amazing. This improved adhesion can lead to a more effective waxing session, resulting in smoother skin. 2. Dealing with Ingrown Hair and Strawberry Legs Ingrown hair occurs because of the twisting of the growing hair strands inside the top layer of the skin. Additionally, strawberry legs are the bumps that form on the skin because of clogged pores. Both ingrown hairs and strawberry legs can be uncomfortable and may affect the overall appearance of your skin. Exfoliating the skin unclogs the pores and allows the ingrown hair to grow out of the skin. Exfoliating the skin not only unclogs the pores but also promotes healthier hair growth, which can help prevent discomfort during waxing. 3. Calming the Pain and Discomfort of Waxing As exfoliation opens the pores, removes the impurities, and enhances the adherence of wax to the skin, the overall result is reduced discomfort. Moreover, it also reduces the common side effects of waxing including skin irritation, swelling, and redness. Reduced discomfort from waxing can significantly enhance your overall experience, making it more tolerable and effective. Part 3: When Should I Exfoliate Before Waxing? The Ideal Time to Exfoliate While exfoliation before waxing is essential, you should never exfoliate the same day as that of waxing as the experts advise. So, when should you exfoliate? Experts recommend that you exfoliate a day or two before your waxing appointment for optimal results. What is the Perfect Time to Exfoliate the Skin Before Waxing? Well, the perfect timeline to exfoliate the skin is 1 to 2 days (24 to 48 hours) before your waxing appointment. This allows the dead skin cells, excess oils, and impurities to be removed beforehand in addition to giving skin a downtime to heal. What Happens if You Exfoliate the Skin Immediately Before Waxing? If you exfoliate a few hours before waxing, the skin is sensitive and it could lead to peeling of the skin and a painful waxing experience. Thus, we suggest you avoid exfoliating your skin near your waxing appointment. Peeling of the skin can lead to further irritation, so it's crucial to time your exfoliation properly to avoid a painful experience. Moreover, exfoliating once or twice every week is recommended for healthy skin in general as well. Also read: Can You Shower After Waxing? All You Need to Know. Regular exfoliation contributes to overall skin health and can enhance the results of your waxing routine. Part 4: How to Exfoliate the Skin Before Waxing? Let us learn how to exfoliate your skin gently before waxing through our step-by-step guide on exfoliation. Gently exfoliating before waxing can help ensure that your skin is smooth and free of dead cells, leading to better waxing results. Step 1: Collect All You Need to Exfoliate the Skin First of all, decide which type of scrub you want to use. Here are some options you can use to exfoliate, Choosing the right scrub is important, as some options may be more suitable for sensitive skin than others. An exfoliating glove An exfoliating brush A washcloth A gentle body scrub While selecting the product, make sure that it is mild and gentle on the skin. So, choose a brush with soft bristles and scrubs like oat scrub or sugar scrub. Step 2: Rinse the Treatment Area Cleanse your skin with a mild cleanser and keep it damp. Whether it is an exfoliating brush, glove, or scrub, using it on damp skin is the best as it provides the skin with enough lubrication for the scrubs to work gently. Step 3: Use the Exfoliating Product of Your Choice Grab your exfoliating brush or scrub, and start scrubbing the area in circular motions with little pressure. Move from one area of the body to another gradually. Do not be too harsh during this as it might damage the skin barrier. Step 4: Post-Treat the Skin with a Lotion Once you are done with exfoliating, rinse the dead skin cells off your body and apply a moisturizer to hydrate your skin. Moisturizing after exfoliation is crucial as it helps to restore hydration and maintain skin health. Part 5: How Do You Prepare Your Skin for Waxing? Exfoliation might be a necessary pre-care step of waxing. However, that is not all. Therefore, here are some tips to prepare your skin for waxing. Preparing your skin properly can enhance the waxing experience and minimize discomfort. 1. Intact Barrier to Reduce Side Effects Ensure that your skin barrier is intact before your waxing appointment and hair is longer than ¼ of an inch. So, you must not have any acne, cuts, sunburns, redness, or skin irritation before waxing. Maintaining skin integrity is essential, as any imperfections can lead to increased sensitivity during waxing. 2. Clean Skin with No Remnants of Products Any product like moisturizer or sunscreen reduces the adherence of the wax to the skin. So, cleanse your skin well before your appointment. Thorough cleansing ensures that the wax adheres properly, leading to more effective hair removal. 3. Talcum Powder to Prevent Sweating Waxing in summer can make the skin sweat and the sweat also reduces the sticking properties of the wax. A thin layer of talcum powder on the skin can help in keeping the skin dry and free of sweat. Thus, it improves the application of the wax and the removal of hair. The Final Verdict Exfoliation before or after waxing has been a matter of confusion for both women and waxing experts. However, most experts agree that exfoliation before waxing is the right way to pre-treat your skin and prepare it well for the wax. While exfoliation before waxing is now regarded as mandatory, exfoliating only a few hours before waxing is not recommended. Therefore, get rid of those dead skin cells, excess oil, pollutants, and other impurities accumulated in the skin at least 2 days before your waxing treatment. Lastly, exfoliation can also save you from many side effects of waxing including a histamine reaction as mentioned in Histamine Reaction After Waxing: Causes, Treatment, and More. By maintaining healthy skin through exfoliation, you may reduce the likelihood of experiencing discomfort or irritation, making your waxing experience more pleasant. Laura