Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to the BARE FAQ. Here you’ll find a number of commonly-asked questions about waxing and hair removal and their answers. It’s a great idea to read over these before coming to your first waxing appointment.
Keep in mind that these answers are no substitute for the advice of a physician. If you are on any medications discussed below, it is imperative that you consult your physician before beginning a waxing routine.
Have a question you don’t see listed here? Contact us.
How long, or short, should my hair be for waxing?
The hair should be at least 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch for best results. If you have coarse hair it should be closer to 1/2-inch for the first few waxes. Once the hair becomes finer it can be waxed at a shorter length. If your hair is longer, I recommend shaving the area and booking your waxing appointment for two to three weeks later.
It may take up to three waxing treatments to achieve smooth skin due to the fact that hair grows in stages and all of your hair is never at the same stage. It is very important to avoid shaving between waxing appointments, as this will interrupt the process and stimulate the hair growth again.
How often should I get my waxing treatment?
Every four weeks. Regular waxing is essential. The skin will be less sensitive if waxing is done every 4 weeks. Over time, with regular waxing, the hair follicle will have less and less of a grip on the hair to be pulled and the hairs will come out more easily.
Another reason to wax frequently is that you may even experience less hair growth over time.
Is there anything I should do before my waxing appointment?
Yes.
Refrain from taking a shower or bath immediately before the treatment. Soaking the hair will soften it, allowing it to break more easily and making waxing less effective.
Make sure the hair is the appropriate length for waxing. See How long, or short, should my hair be for waxing?
Make sure that the area(s) to be waxed are clean.
There are certain medications and products that should not be taken or used if you plan to have a waxing treatment soon. Topical exfoliants used on the area to be waxed such as Retin-A, Renova, and hydroquinone, oral acne medications such as Accutane, blood-thinning medications, and topical/oral cortisone make the skin more sensitive and increase the likelihood of irritation or other complications. Please check with your doctor if you are unsure whether you should be waxed while on or using a medication.
What should I expect after my first waxing treatment?
Hairless skin! Also, everyone's skin reacts differently to waxing treatments, but you can expect to have temporary redness and minor irritation for a day or two. Slight itchiness may be experienced as the hair grows out. Proper post-wax care will alleviate these symptoms quickly.
If you’re a bride or attending a special occasion, I recommend receiving waxing services a month before your special day to see how your skin reacts. If everything is fine, reschedule another wax a few days before.
Will I get ingrown hairs?
It's possible.
Waxing removes the entire hair, root and all, from the follicle. Your skin naturally hardens and thickens over the area that was waxed so it is important to keep that area gently exfoliated. Use a gentle scrub in that area about 2 days after waxing and continue to exfoliate 1 to 2 times a week thereafter. Remember, I said gentle!
Also, use a mixture of tea tree and lavender oil. Both are antimicrobial and antibacterial and will prevent irritation.
Try to wear loose-fitting clothes for a few days after to give your skin a chance to breathe and reduce moisture.
The bikini, lip and underarms are where we tend to perspire the most. Perspiration and moisture cause bacteria to grow. Once that area has been waxed, the follicle is wide open to this bacteria creeping in.
Try to avoid heavy exercise that will increase perspiration and chaffing for about 24-48 hours after waxing.
How can I prevent ingrown hairs?
For the next 24-48 hours avoid on the waxed areas:
use of exfoliating products (Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA) products, loofahs, scrubs, etc.)
direct sun exposure and tanning beds
creams with fragrance or ingredients that may irritate
deodorant: it results in irritation and clogging of open follicles
wearing tight clothing: results in irritation and inflammation
excessive heat, such as that from hot tubs and saunas. Warm showers are okay.
exercise, if it may cause chaffing or sweating
touching the freshly waxed area: this encourages irritation
After 24-48 hours, regular exfoliation with a shower gel and loofah or exfoliating glove will help keep skin soft and prevent ingrown hairs.
Apply an SPF 30 or greater sunscreen to any exposed treatment areas. Since waxing exfoliates as well as removing hair, your skin will be more prone to sunburn in the days following your treatment.
How do I benefit from waxing?
Waxing reduces hair growth when performed at every four weeks. While shaving crops the hair at the skin's surface, waxing pulls it out by the root, so it grows back softer, finer, and thinner. Waxing is great for those who are tired of the hassle of shaving several times per week. The more you wax, the less hair grows back.
If you’re a bride or attending a special occasion, I recommend receiving waxing services a month before your special day to see how your skin reacts. If everything is fine, reschedule another wax a few days before the event.
Can I shave between waxing appointments?
No. Please do not shave between waxing appointments! It disrupts the hair growth cycle resulting in more hair at your next appointment.
Will waxing make my hair grow back thicker/stronger/darker?
Absolutely not.
Waxing does not cause you to grow more hair follicles. In fact, if you become a regular waxer, you will notice that your hair will become quite sparse and not as coarse.
When hair is shaved, it is cut off at the thick part of the hair, which is why you can feel stubble the next day. A properly waxed hair is removed from the root, and when the hair starts to grow back it is a new hair, very fine at the tip, so no stubble.
The only things known to stimulate hair growth are hormones: natural or artificial.
What's a Brazilian wax?
A Brazilian wax is the removal of all of the pubic hair, front and back, using wax. Some people opt to have a small shape left in the hair. This shape may be a small strip of hair or something more fun like a heart.
Click here to read about the difference between a Bikini Wax and a Brazilian Wax.
What kind of wax do you use? Brand name? Homemade? Ingredients?? I have some allergies...
The wax that I use is Berins brand. It is not homemade, it is a European product that is amazing for sensitive skin.
I use a Blue Hard Wax on the face, underarms, and bikini area and a Soft yellow strip wax (Ease Wax) for other larger body parts. I also use a Jasmine Oil and Lavender Lotion to prep the skin before waxing and a Post Essential Wax Oil afterward to help with the redness.
These are the ingredients:
BLUE HARD WAX
Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Cera Alba (Beewax), Colophonium (Rosin), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, Lanolin, Triethanolamine, Technical Hydroabietyl Alcohol, C.I.42090 (Fd&C Blue 1)
EASE SOFT WAX
Modified Colophonium, Triethanolamine (Rosin), Brassica Oleifera (Rapessed Seed Oil), Cera Alba (Beewax), Glyceryl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Lanolin, C.I.77891 (Titanium Dioxide)
JASMINE OIL
Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Parfum, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Butlhydroxytoluene, C.I. 47000 (D&C Yellow 11)
LAVENDER LOTION
Aqua (Water), Ethyl Alcohol, Ppg-26Buteth-26 (and)Hydrogenated Castor Oil, C.I. 60730 Ext D&C Violet 2), Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Methyl Paraben, Methenamine, Tetrasodium Edta, Menthol, Linalool, Geraniol.I
POST ESSENTIAL WAX OIL
Cypress, Peppermint, Lavender, Mandarin, Grapeseed Oil
Is it customary to add gratuity to my service?
The industry standard for gratuity is 15%-20%, but the amount you choose to leave is completely at your discretion.
What should I wear while I am getting a bikini wax?
We will provide you with disposable bikini bottoms for your comfort during the bikini wax service.
Is there an age limit for any of the waxings?
We will wax clients of any age, but if you are younger than 18 we do require a parent to accompany you to sign our waxing consent form. The only service for which you must be 18 years of age or older is the Brazilian wax.
What all is included in the Full Facial Wax?
The Full Facial Wax can include any area that you would like, but typically it includes an eyebrow shaping, upper lip, and chin wax. Some clients like to have their cheeks, nose and "sideburns" waxed as well. It's really whatever you prefer!
Do they numb you before they wax you when you get a brazilian wax, bikini, or bare wax etc.?
Unfortunately, there is no effective way to numb the skin before a waxing treatment. However, at BARE we use specific wax types for different body parts and prep the skin with a jasmine oil first to make your experience as comfortable as possible!