Waxing + Shaving = A Huge Mess: Why You Shouldn't Mix Methods

The pain of looking at outgrown hair is nothing compared to the pain of interfering with the growth of your hair by shaving in between waxes. Immediate regret will kick in when you wake up the following morning with stubble. Do yourself (and your esthetician) a favor—put the razor down!

It may be tempting to touch-up shaving between waxing appointments, but nothing that quick and easy comes without repercussions. Shaving in between waxes can result in ingrown hairs, interference with your hair growth schedule, uneven results, and even a change in your hair texture. According to a survey, 84 percent of women wax their pubic hair and experience these issues when mixing shaving with waxing. There is one simple answer to this widespread problem—just don’t do it!

Many women make routine appointments at their waxing studio to remain on the same hair growth schedule for many months, and sometimes years. But sometimes life gets in the way, and you might be invited to a pool party and reluctantly resort to shaving. Shaving interrupts your growth cycle and will impact your waxing results.

A change in your hair growth schedule can leave you with longer wait times between your waxes, and it may take your hair longer to grow back to the desired 4mm length (approximately the size of a grain of rice). If you decide that waiting isn’t an option, then you risk the chance that your wax will be uneven and your hair will continue to grow at different times, leaving you with never completely clear skin.

Studies show that the next wax after you shave will also be more painful. After multiple waxing sessions (without touching the hair in between), the experience becomes less painful and the hair becomes trained. Solely waxing will help eliminate ingrown hairs and the increased pain from uneven hair growth and texture.

First deciding to use waxing as your only method of hair removal can be a difficult decision. You have to be willing to let your hair grow for three to five weeks between waxes, untouched. However, compared to shaving (which can be a lot of upkeep), waxing is often preferred. Waxing prompts hair to grow back more sparsely and softer, leaving you with less maintenance and discomfort.

Do yourself a favor, stick to one hair removal method.
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