Many people have a love-hate relationship with body waxing. While the end result is always pleasing, with weeks and even months of hair-free bliss, the journey can be challenging and slightly painful. You’ll be pleased to know that there is a less painful way to make the transition from hairy to hair free – all that’s needed is a little preparation.

When to exfoliate

Knowing when to exfoliate can be tricky – exfoliate too close to waxing and you could end up with overly inflamed skin; don’t exfoliate at all and you may encourage ingrown hairs and a build-up of bacteria. For at home waxing, it’s recommended you exfoliate a day or two before body waxing. Whether you choose a scented body scrub, exfoliating gloves or your favourite loofah, exfoliating rids your body of dead skin cells and releases trapped hairs to ensure the best waxing results.

Softening the blow

The softer the hairs are on the day of your wax, the easier they will come out. Along with exfoliating, it’s recommended you moisturise a few days before waxing. Moisturising the area will nourish and soften the hairs, making them more supple, and therefore easier to remove from the skin. Make sure you stop moisturising the day before at home waxing to avoid leaving an oily film on the skin, as this can make it more difficult for the wax to stick to the skin.

Soothing the burn

Your skin will be sensitive after waxing, so make sure you don’t do anything to irritate the skin for at least 24 hours after hair removal. This means you should avoid activities such as exfoliating, applying scented products to your legs, swimming, sunbathing or using a tanning bed.