12 Ways to Keep Your Face and Body Bump-Free Post-Wax (2024)

By

Reviewed by

Board-Certified Dermatologist

Fact checked by

• Fatimah Harley is a Field Trainer for European Wax Center (EWC).
• Anna Guanche, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and celebrity skincare expert. She is also the founder of the Bella Skin Institute in Calabasas, CA.
• Shelby Galvan is a Los Angeles-based esthetician at WAX LA.

Prep With Proper Exfoliation

Not only does proper exfoliation improve dullness and restore a glowing complexion, but it's also necessary for removing any buildup of dead skin cells, dirt, debris, and bacteria that clog your pores. And what can happen when your pores are clogged? You guessed it: uncomfortable ingrown hairs and breakouts.

"The day before your waxing appointment, use a product that gently exfoliates your skin. Exfoliation helps slough away dry flakes of skin, which makes your hair more easily accessible for waxing. A thorough washing with soap and towel is also helpful," says dermatologist, Anna Guanche, MD. We like EWC's Slow Body Polish as it exfoliates, refines, and even slows hair regrowth, plus it has biodegradable beads that are both gentle and effective at exfoliating the skin.

Stay Away From Retinol

An important ingredient to stay away from before getting a wax is retinol as it increases skin sensitivity. Consider integrating it back into your routine 24 hours or more after getting waxed to give pores enough time to close before subjecting them to such a powerful ingredient.

Apply Baby Powder Before Your Wax

Since moisture might prevent the wax from gripping the hair, a sprinkle of talc-free, corn starch powder may help absorb excess moisture in the area and ensure that the wax is able to stick to the stubble and remove the hair fully and properly. Not only that, but the powder may also help reduce contact irritation. For a talc-, fragrance-, and gluten-free option, try Ora's Amazing Herbal Baby Powder.

Don't Sweat For 24 Hours Post-Wax

Esthetician, Shelby Galvan, says it's a good idea to plan your workouts accordingly and schedule them well before or after your waxing appointment. Reminder: sweating excessively may make the skin susceptible to breakouts, so plan that HIIT class in advance of your wax treatment. Though you might feel fine after a wax and might be itching to get back to the gym, the last thing you want after a fresh wax is to clog your opened pores with sweat from a heavy workout, potentially creating irritation from friction mixed with your perspiration. Harley recommends staying away from the gym for 24 hours post-waxing.

Wear Loose Clothing

While tight clothing might not be an issue for a wax treatment on your face, brows, or upper lip, when getting a body wax, give your skin time to heal before covering it up in tight clothing or non-breathable fabrics. "Tight clothing should be avoided because it can promote the formation of ingrown hairs and irritation," says Dr. Guanche. "Tight clothing presses in the fine hairs that are attempting to regrow and curves them back into the skin, where they cause irritation." As such, she recommends wearing looser clothing for 48 hours after a wax.

Avoid Bathing or Swimming

It's important to keep your freshly waxed area clean and free of sweat, bacteria, dirt, and debris. A nice, warm bath might sound like the perfect way to unwind after a stressful wax treatment, but you should avoid baths, hot tubs, pools, and any other kinds of public water that may harbor all kinds of bacteria until after the area has healed.

Use Skin-Soothing Ointments

If you haven't experienced a wax treatment before, heads up: you might leave your appointment with raw, tender skin or feeling like you've just got a really bad sunburn in a really uncomfortable place. If that's the case, you don't have to suffer through it. Apply a skin-soothing ointment, like hydrocortisone, aloe vera, or witch hazel to the area to calm inflammation and reduce irritation that may lead to breakouts post-wax. Try Sun Bum's After Sun Cool Down Gel next time you're feeling the burn and need a little relief.

Use Calming Skincare Ingredients

To help soothe irritated skin, Harley recommends using products with aloe to help heal and moisturize, chamomile to help calm and soothe, tea tree oil to help as an antibacterial, and vitamins A, C, and E to help protect and nourish.

Use Oil-Free Skincare

Though you might have heard differently, Galvan argues that you want to avoid using products that have oil in them after a wax to steer clear of breakouts. “It’s best to moisturize with oil-free products that are all-natural and don’t contain synthetic oils,” she adds. And as tempting as it is to slather on the lotion and moisturizers, wait to apply any occlusive products until the skin has healed. If you feel the need to apply something to the affected area, stick with one of your skin-soothing ointments from above to try to help heal the area.

Use Chemical Exfoliants In Between Sessions

For upkeep in between waxing appointments, use a gentle chemical exfoliator to ensure dead skin cells don't pile up and cause acne. We love Skinfix's AHA/BHA Niacinamide Exfoliating Pads as it combines 2% salicylic acid (meant to clean deep inside the pores), glycolic acid (which promises to remove the dead skin on top), brightening niacinamide, and other AHAs to keep pores clean and bump-free.

Don't Pick at Bumps

Harley stresses the importance of resisting the temptation to pick as it could make matters worse. "This can cause more ingrown hairs and/or spread bacteria, leading to infection," she explains. "Instead, use products designed to treat ingrown hairs, bumps, and breakouts, by supporting your moisture barrier and maintaining the integrity of your skin." Consider the Hero Cosmetics Micropoint for Blemishes patches as they use microdart technology to penetrate the top layer of the skin to deliver soothing ingredients deep inside the bump, therefore preventing it from developing into a whitehead.

Be Consistent With Your Wax Appointments

Last but not least, Galvan says consistency is key, as breakouts post-wax can also occur simply from your skin’s reaction to the wax, especially if your skin is sensitive. “Receiving a wax every four to six weeks to help the area adjust to it can help prevent a reactionary breakout," Galvan explains. "Any time longer than six weeks and you’re starting the process all over again." In other words, you might have to train your skin by receiving regular wax treatments.

If you take care of your skin prior to a wax by exfoliating the area and leaving your skin alone afterward, you may look forward to hair- and breakout-free skin for the entire two weeks following a wax treatment.

1. Cleveland Clinic. 5 ways to exfoliate your skin without irritation. Updated February 12, 2020.

2. Yin S, Luo J, Qian A, et al. Retinoids activate the irritant receptor TRPV1 and produce sensory hypersensitivity.J Clin Invest. 2013;123(9):3941-3951. doi:10.1172/JCI66413

3. Guo X, Mei N. Aloe vera: a review of toxicity and adverse clinical effects.J Environ Sci Health C Environ Carcinog Ecotoxicol Rev. 2016;34(2):77-96. doi:10.1080/10590501.2016.1166826