Everything You Need to Start Waxing at Home

As people who love the feeling of being hairless but can't stand shaving regularly, waxing has become a godsend. It's so nice to go weeks without needing to wax again, and the rumors are true—if you wax consistently enough, the hair will grow back thinner. 

The only downside to waxing is that it's pricey to have it done professionally. But we're not ones to give it up, so we learned how to do it at home, and we're happy to give you a crash course on all the materials you need.

The Isle of Paradise Brilliantly Bright Body Polish: $28

Before starting any hair removal process, we highly recommend exfoliating the area. Removing dead skin cells makes it easier to pull the hair full from its root rather than breaking at the surface.

This step is critical for anyone who gets ingrown hairs. Ingrowns are caused by the hair curling at the skin, usually because the skin isn't soft enough due to a lack of exfoliation and moisturization.

 

Also read about: The Best Skincare Products for Lazy Girls

 

Salon Sundry Portable Electric Hot Wax Warmer: $19.99

There are two options for waxing: using hard wax or soft wax. If you choose hard wax—which is better for coarser areas like the bikini area and sometimes legs—you'll need a wax warming machine. This one from Salon Sundry is easy for beginners thanks to its adjustable thermostat, and it's simple to clean because it comes with a metal wax pot liner.

 

waxup Roll On Wax Warmer: $54.99

We use soft wax for small patches or fine-textured hair, such as the armpits (or eyebrows if you're feeling bold). In our experience, soft wax has been better for waxing small areas in just one swipe. We like to use this handheld soft wax warmer from Waxup because it eliminates the need for an applicator stick, but you'll still need strips to remove the wax.

 

Wakse Wax Applicator Kit: $10

For any wax that isn't applied using a handheld machine, you need wooden applicators to put the wax in the desired area. This kit from Wakse includes both small and large sticks.

For hard wax, all you have to do is apply the wax with one of these applicators, wait until it has hardened and then rip against the grain of the hair!

 

Tifara Beauty Wax Strips: $11.99

You will only need wax strips if you're using soft wax. In this case, apply the wax, add the strip immediately after, let it harden and then pull it against the grain of the hair.

 

waxup Rose Roll On Wax Cartridge: $35

Here comes the fun part: picking your wax. Because we recommended the waxup warmer, we must include its roll-on wax cartridges. All you have to do is stick one into the warmer and wait for it to heat up.

They offer a variety of scents, but we like the idea of using a rose-scented wax the most.

 

Also read about: 6 Practical, Adorable Sheet Masks to Add to Your Skincare Collection

 

Wakse Comic Candy Hard Wax Beans: $26

We first bought the Wakse beans because we liked how they looked, but they're also great wax. As with most hard wax, you'll probably have to touch it up a few times. However, there are minimal touch-ups with the Wakse beans, and it's mostly painless when pulling the wax off. And the best part? They always look a gorgeous iridescent color once melted.

 

First Aid Beauty Ingrown Hair Pads with BHA & AHA: $20

We can't forget the aftercare. For extra preventative measures against ingrown hairs, we occasionally like to go in with these AHA and BHA pads from First Aid Beauty. One important thing to note is that you should not use this within 24 hours of waxing. Your skin will be extra sensitive, but after a day or two of letting your skin rest, it's time to attack those pesky ingrowns once again.

 

Looking for more hair removal tips? Read HERE for seven adorable products that can actually make shaving fun.