Ready to break up with your razor? Whether you’re tired of shaving your legs, prefer waxing to shaving on sensitive areas, or you’re getting vacation-ready, what you do before and after you wax makes all the difference. Waxing lasts longer than shaving and leaves your skin silky smooth for at least a month. The waxing aftercare routine below calms skin, promotes repair, and minimizes reddening, bumps, ingrown hairs, and irritation.
Pre-Waxing Quick Tips
Don’t just book your appointment, communicate with your esthetician. The more I know about my client’s lifestyle, skin, and skincare routine, the better I can tailor their pre- and post-wax routine. This includes limiting topical actives 5 days pre-wax, as many actives are contraindicating, which increases the chances of your skin layers separating during treatment.
- Stop Shaving: Your hair needs to be about 1/4 of an inch long for a successful wax. So, skip shaving for 2 to 3 weeks.
- Stop Exfoliating: Stop exfoliating the treatment area 3 days before waxing. This includes granular exfoliators, topical exfoliators, silicone cleansing brushes, and even your shower loofah.
- Minimize Actives: Continue to cleanse and moisturize the treatment area, but stop using acids, Vitamin C, and powerful actives for at least 5 days. If your skin is sensitive or you use retinol, cease application for 7 to 14 days. Apply nearby, but not in the treatment area.
- Space Your Treatments: Let your esthetician know when your last facial, filler, professional treatment, or at-home treatment was. They’ll advise on how to space your waxing to minimize redness and irritation.
- Moisturize The Bikini Area: The skin underneath pubic hair isn’t just sensitive because it’s thinner, but also because it’s an area where you may skip applying body lotion. If your skin is dry before it’s waxed, it increases the likelihood of irritation. So, apply a light layer of body lotion over your pubic hair for a week or two prior to waxing. Let your body lotion dry for at least 5 minutes before putting on your underwear.
Post-Waxing Quick Tips
The deep exfoliating effect of waxing leaves skin sensitive, even for those who don’t typically have sensitive skin. It also leaves hair follicles open, making skin more vulnerable to heat, pressure, and powerful actives. This can trigger reddening, irritation, and uncomfortable histamine reactions. Use these post-wax tips for 1 to 2 days to promote healing, comfort, and smooth skin.
- No Tight Clothing: Avoid tight tank tops after back and chest waxing and shapewear and form-fitting clothing that covers the treatment area, choosing loose and breathable clothing instead. Also, avoid activities and athletic gear that create friction or place pressure on the treatment area.
- Avoid Swimming, Heat, and Humidity: Wait at least 24 hours before steam, sauna, hot bath, hot tub, hot shower, direct sunlight, or anything that raises your body temperature. This includes cardio. Also, avoid the swimming pool as the chlorine may increase skin sensitivity. Cool to warm showers are ok.
- Skip Makeup, Not Sunscreen: Skip full makeup on your brows, upper lip, or treatment area for the remainder of the day, and maybe the day after. You’ll need to apply UV protection to any area that’s exposed. For your face, I suggest the Klavuu White Pearlsation in Step 6 below. This hydrating BB cream provides light coverage and broad-spectrum UV protection.
When To Wax
- For Ongoing Waxing: Most of my clients wax every 4 to 5 weeks. Some need to wax 2 to 3 weeks after their first appointment, then 4 to 5 weeks ongoing.
- For Occasional Waxing: Wax at least 3 days before vacation, ideally 5 to 7 days before soaking up the sun, so that your skin has time to repair.
Waxing Aftercare Protocol – Christine Byer Esthetics Style
I suggest starting this waxing aftercare routine 24 hours post-waxing, waiting 48 to 72 hours before you begin using Hevatox for gentle exfoliation. Use these aftercare products to soothe and calm skin, accelerate repair, and strengthen the skin barrier.
Step 1 Calm + Cleanse
CBE Botanicals Clean + Gentle Cleanser is a pH-balanced cleanser that dissolves wax residue without stripping the skin. It’s formulated with anti-inflammatory extracts, including green tea, olive, coconut, kiwi, and hibiscus to begin soothing and calming skin. Use the week after waxing and skin treatments, or daily for sensitive skin, dry skin, or any skin type.
Step 2 Soothe + Reduce Redness
NeoGenesis Recovery Serum is a stem cell-infused post-procedure powerhouse. When stem cells are combined with peptides, lipids, and growth factors, they provide your cells with everything they need to repair and restore. It rapidly calms inflammation, reduces redness, and supports cellular repair. Use after waxing, anti-aging treatments, or any time your skin is inflamed or damaged.
If you don't have Recovery, a few mists of NeoGenesis Moisturizing Mist works beautifully for calming and hydrating.
Step 3 Exfoliate (2–3 Days Post-Wax)
Waxing doubles as deep exfoliation, so you must wait at least 48 hours before
exfoliating waxed skin, beginning with an ultra-gentle exfoliator. I use the Hevatox Exfoliating Serum to resurface without irritating or drying skin.
The pads look unassuming, but they’re infused with large-molecule polyhydroxy acid (PHA) and alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). I typically don’t suggest applying two acid exfoliators at a time, but Hevatox pads are an exception to this rule. Hevatox’s larger molecules are less aggressive and more effective. Use just 2 to 3 times a week post-wax. Once skin recovers, you can use these pads once or twice a day.
Step 4 Hydrate + Restore Barrier
CBE Botanicals Hydrate + Conduct Gel isn’t just a conductive gel, it’s a soothing post-treatment gel. It’s formulated with cold-pressed botanicals to cool, hydrate, nourish, and strengthen the skin barrier. I apply it post-wax on areas of the body with lingering redness or tightness. You can apply it on the face too, but this is my top pick for soothing skin from the neck down.
Apply generously over the treatment area. Let the gel sit for 10 to 15 minutes and rinse it off with cool water.
Step 5 Moisturizer (Face and Body)
Your day-to-day facial moisturizer may contain actives that irritate freshly waxed skin, and the fragrance in many body lotions is irritating. So, I suggest the NeoGenesis line for at least the next 5 days.
NeoGenesis Barrier Renewal Cream is my top moisturizer for post-brow, lip, and facial waxing. For the body, NeoGenesis Body Lotion is fragrance-free, lightweight, and deeply hydrating. Like all products in this luxurious line, they’re formulated with the patented S²RM® stem cell molecules to heal, repair, and renew the skin barrier.
Step 6 SPF! (If Area is Exposed)
Even if sunlight is minimal or you’ll be indoors all day, UV protection is a must on any
exposed areas. On the face, Klavuu White Pearlsation provides SPF 50 PA+++, the equivalent of broad-spectrum 50 UV protection. It also provides light coverage for Fitzpatrick Skin Types 1, 2, and 3. The gentle actives in this gel formulation retain moisture and provide a dewy glow as your skin recovers.
For Fitzpatrick Skin Types 4, 5, and 6, I suggest Dr. Esthé Sun Protection Ultra Repair. This lotion-like sunscreen has no greasy cast and contains plant stem cells and 6 regenerative peptides to boost moisture and promote skin barrier function.
If you can, wear clothing that covers your waxed areas for at least a few days. For areas of your body that are exposed to sunlight, I suggest HOP+ All Mineral Multi-Protection Face and Body Sunscreen. It has a bit of a white cast, but not too bad. This is also my top pick if you’re heading on a sunny vacation.
Let’s Discuss Aftercare For All Esthetic Treatments
I invite you to join the Christine Byer Beauty Club to learn how to tailor pre- and post-care for your preferred anti-aging treatments. This includes how to restore and rejuvenate skin that’s damaged from excessive and harsh treatments.
I offer a 14-Day FREE preview with full access to everything in the Club. This includes answers to your personal skincare questions and access to exclusive content and discounts. If you don’t find value in your membership, cancel within 14 days at no charge.
