I’ve always asked myself why aren’t my wax strips working. But by going over everything carefully and retracing my steps, down below are some of the reasons I have found that prevent my wax strips from working.
Why aren’t my wax strips working?
The wax you are using is the right one
The rule goes that hard wax is for coarse thick hard hair. Soft wax can work but mostly hard wax is used. Don’t put soft (aka strip) wax on thick hair. The strip is going to take off the wax and miss the hair.
Instructions may vary depending on manufacturer but, hard wax is generally applied a lot thicker. It will act as a wax strip and sort of shrink wraps the hair. The thickness you should shoot for is the thickness of a nickel.
Hard wax that is too thin won’t go off in one full piece. It will instead start to flake off. When you apply hard wax, let it cool off. Try to tap it, it should sound like plastic.
Maybe you want to go with premade wax strips, but these work well on small to medium areas of the body. The toes and your belly for instance. Be sure to heat them up a bit before you start to yank them apart. You can do so by rubbing them between your hands for a few seconds. Cold wax is a no no.
Premade, you have to firmly smooth it with your hands or fingers on your skin in the direction hair growth, especially after applying it. The heated wax will slightly cool and
Another type of wax is the cold wax. It’s an alright alternative. But soft wax that is heated up in a wax pot spreads easier and attaches to your hair better.
Your skins not clean. So, clean it.
You have to completely clean your skin before you start to wax. Anything on top of your skin may be prevent the wax from connecting with your hair, especially the type of wax that needs requires a strip. You don’t need anything special like a pre-wax cleanser, those can be a waste of money. Soap and water can work just fine. Or you can take your favorite gentle facial or body cleanser, with a cotton pad and swipe away any remaining moisture. Pat your skin dry or let it air dry.
Your hair needs to be a certain length for it to be waxed.
Length is a major factor in waxing. Your hair should be ¼ for the wax to fully attach to it. Any shorter and the wax won’t take hold and it won’t be removed. Confused with the measurement then your hair should be the length of a grain of uncooked rice or just a bit longer.
Not waxing the right way
When you apply wax, you must apply it in the right direction. The direction of your hair growth is the way to go and it should be removed swiftly in the opposite direction. Not removed quick enough (guess what) the hair won’t come out. Also, the hair can even break in the process. Remove the hair in the wrong direction (guess what) the hair will not be lifted either. Look at the growth pattern and see where your hair grows. Pay close attention to the underarms.
Dehydration the problem?
Skin dehydration causes your pores to close tightly around your hair follicles and then they tend to yanked off rather than pulled from the root of the pore when waxing. It is the best idea to not drink alcohol the night before wax and to make sure you drink plenty of water on the day of your waxing appointment and even the day before.
More hydration equals better results.
Hair grows in cycles and the cycles aren’t synchronized
Hair grows in cycles did you know that. Hair grows on an average of 1/3 millimeter a day. The bad part is you can’t see the hairs that are dying to pop out from under your skin.
All this means that the wax session you’re currently doing will remove the hairs that are above your skin but nothing else.
Even though your session can stop all the hairs that you can see from arising for up to a month. You can’t tell at what stage of growth other hairs are at.
This means that you may see hairs coming through as early as 1 or 2 days after you have waxed. These are not hairs that have already regrown, but other hairs that you just couldn’t see before.
You aren’t doing it properly
As with all things there is a certain way to do things and a certain way to not do them. Getting your waxing technique down to a science is the best thing you can do. Doing this will prevent hairs from breaking off just below skin level and prevent them from arising a few days later. Doing the waxing session properly can also prevent ingrown hairs from happening. Wax should be applied in the direction of hair growth, that’s the first thing. Then it must be firmly and rapidly pulled off in that opposite direction of hair growth.
Don’t pull the strip off too slowly. Doing this, you can break the hairs or leave the wax on your skin.
Doing it properly your skin can be left smooth and the wax strip should’ve been left with nothing but hair. You can even tell if they have yanked off from the root by look at the strip and you should she the hair follicle but with the bulb.
Maybe your hair is weak, and has been because of hair removal
No matter how much you are hydrated or how exfoliated you may be. When you start to notice that many of the hairs that you remove are broken off, then it may be time to start thinking of a different form of hair removal.
Wet or damp skin, that’s not good
Dry skin is the perfect condition for your wax to work. I like to pat my skin dry or rub it down with a towel to dry it off quickly however I’ve found that the best results come from air drying out my skin. You can even apply some baby powder to the area to the treated to ensure that your wax sticks correctly to your hair.
Your beautician may not be trained properly
Your beautician should be taking the time to match the right wax with the proper technique. Basically, they should know what they are doing.
If any problems arise then you can sort out the issues you have with them. Let them know of any skin problems you have. If they can’t come up with a way to solve your problem, try waxing yourself, a new form of wax removal or a new salon or spa
Read More:
Maybe the traditional way of using wax along with the strips isn’t working out for you. Why don’t you try shaving. I’ve written articles for Shaving Pubic Hairs or Shave Your Legs.