What to Avoid

Remember to avoid the “S's” up to 48 hours after a wax: sun, swimming, soaking, saunas, sex, and sweating. No pools, saunas, hot tubs, bodies of water, baths, showers that are too hot, sexual activity, tanning beds, direct sunlight, tight clothing, unclean hands, working out, or any activities that cause sweating or friction. Always wear clean, loose fitting clothing after your wax. The most common causes for infection after a wax are sweat and dirty hands. If you have to touch the area, ensure your hands are clean. Your follicles are wide open after a wax and prone to infection until they seal back up. An infection is a breakout with white pustules and can be very painful but is easily avoided with proper aftercare. I always recommend dusting cornstarch in the area for the next 48 hours to keep the area dry and absorb any moisture. Sex, working out, swimming, and fun in the sun can wait. Trust me, it's not worth the risk! Your wax will last plenty long enough for you to enjoy those activities 48 hours later. If you do get an infection, apply polysporin to the area and spot treat with witch hazel on a Q-tip.

Why exfoliating and Moisturizing is so important

When you shave, you’re essentially cutting your hair in half, leaving the strong, prickly base of the hair shaft still rooted in your skin. Although ingrown hairs are common with shaving, as well, shaved hair is strong and can typically penetrate through layers of dead skin without much difficulty. When you wax, the new hair is fine and thin and has a harder time pushing through that dead skin that covers the hair follicle, so you have to exfoliate and moisturize to aid the hair in growing back out. Improper aftercare causes ingrown hairs because the hair will grow right back down into the skin and cause a bump. Why spend money on a wax and not take care of the skin underneath? Treat your bikini area skin like the skin on your face. You need to moisturize your skin to nourish it so it doesn't get built up with excessive dry, dead skin, and you need to exfoliate to rid yourself of the dead skin.

Aftercare Steps

1. Start your aftercare 24 hours after your wax. Waxing in itself is a method of exfoliation, so you don't need to overdo it and irritate your skin. If you added on the CBD oil treatment to your wax, it will significantly reduce any inflammation.
2. Use an exfoliating glove in the shower every day for about 10 seconds (about the length of the “Happy Birthday” song) with a small amount of body wash that is not “moisture locking” and does not leave a residue. Dove is NOT YOUR FRIEND! Instead, I recommend Neutrogena Rainbath. Pay close attention to the mound and bikini line area, but do not over exfoliate. Ingrown hairs on the labia area rare, so exfoliation in that area is unnecessary. Bumps in that area are usually just clogged follicles (pimples or cysts).
   
3. After showering, apply Get the Bump Outta Here to the mound and bikini line area and allow to soak in before moisturizing. If you get ingrown hairs in your inner thigh, use it there, as well.
4. Apply DECK Polish Daily Moisturizing Bikini Balm every day after using Get the Bump Outta Here except for the day of your waxing appointment. Apply a small amount and massage into the skin, paying close attention to the bikini line and inner thigh, where the skin is usually compromised from chafing and is prone to lifting. If you feel that the skin on your labia majora is also dry, use the residual product left on your fingers to moisturize the area. You don't want to use an excessive amount of product here.
5. If you get a stubborn or inflamed ingrown hair, spot treat the area with witch hazel on a Q-tip twice a day until the inflammation is gone. If a hair is trapped, I will extract it at your next appointment. Your job is merely to kill the infection.

More Tips

1. Never shave or tweeze between your appointments. this throws off your hair growth pattern, and you will never have the smooth skin you want. DO NOT PICK! You will scar yourself. I will professionally extract any ingrown hairs myself at your next appointment. You will be hair-free for up to 2 weeks, and your hair will grow out within the following 2 weeks. First waxes are almost never perfect, as your hair follicles are all in different stages of the growth cycle from being repeatedly shaved or trimmed. The goal with regular waxing is to get all of the follicles on the same growth cycle. It could take between 5-10 regular waxes (every 4-6 weeks) to achieve a perfectly smooth result.
2. Do not use a salt or sugar scrub. You will not be able to be waxed with the residue on your skin. Furthermore, salt and sugar scrubs are typically too aggressive for your very sensitive bikini area.
3. If you have or have ever had a problem with bumping (looks like a mild breakout but is actually a histamine reaction, not an infection because it doesn't have white pustules), bring a tube of Polysporin to your waxing appointment and apply immediately afterwards. Continue using as long as the bumps remain. After a few waxes, your skin becomes accustomed to waxing, and this will stop happening. This is also very common when waxing the face, chest, and back.
4. If you have any skin lifting (skin can look shiny or red after initial redness has resided), apply polysporin and moisturize the area. Avoid exfoliating this area, as well, until it heals. Minor lifting is common in the bikini line and other areas where the skin in thinner and will usually heal within a few days. This is why it's so important not to wax when taking oral acne medications or antibiotics because they thin the skin, which can make it lift even more drastically.