How To Get The Perfect At-Home Wax

Whether you've done it one or 100 times, the thought of having hair ripped from your most sensitive areas is prone to send chills down anyone's spine. But by learning how to wax at home, you'll not only save time — you'll build willpower once it's time to lay down on the table.

If you're still shaving your bikini area, there's ample reason to consider the world of waxing. "Shaving cuts the hair off at the surface of the skin, so the base of the hair follicle stays intact, like getting a haircut," Allie Melnick, general manager of Flamingo, tells The Zoe Report. "Waxing pulls the hair out from the root, so it takes up to four weeks to have visible hair again." So if you want to groom the area as little as possible, waxing is your best bet.

Below, find five steps to make your at-home wax both successful and pain-free. You'll be a professional in no time.

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How To Wax At Home: Start By Exfoliating

"Hydrated, exfoliated, and healthy skin is going to be the best base for any type of hair removal," Melnick tells TZR. "It’ll make your tools more effective and prevent irritation and ingrowns." Before waxing, make sure your skin is clean and dry, and hair is between 2 to 6mm, she says. A swipe of toner or micellar water on a cotton pad can make sure any excess oils are off.

How To Wax At Home: Numb

"Numbing creams give topical pain relief," Melnick explains. "Look for natural numbing and relief ingredients like bisabolol for the same benefit without the chemicals."

How To Wax At Home: Apply

"Smooth the strip on in the direction your hair grows, hold skin taut, and swiftly pull it off in the opposite direction," Melnick instructs. "The more you pull your skin, the more painful the experience will be, so try to pull the strip as parallel to your skin as possible."

How To Wax At Home: Clean Up

"Not only does oil remove that sticky feeling, but it’s also great for soothing any redness or irritation," Lillian Tung, co-founder and CMO of Fur, tells TZR.

How To Wax At Home: Aftercare

"Try to not work out or wear tight clothing for a few hours after you wax, you need to let your skin breathe," Melnick explains. "And don’t touch your skin because your hands can transfer bacteria to newly open hair follicles." Tung says it's crucial to soothe your skin after any type of hair removal, too. Ingredients like salicylic acid and green tea are ideal for daily application to prevent ingrowns.