How to Care for Your Skin After Waxing

If this was your first wax, don’t worry about remembering everything we talked about during your appointment. Here’s what I recommend once you’re home.

The short version

For the first 24–48 hours, keep things gentle and avoid heat, heavy sweating, friction, swimming, and exfoliation.

Once your skin feels settled, begin gentle exfoliation and moisturize regularly. Don’t pick at ingrown hairs, don’t shave between waxes, and plan your next appointment in about 4–6 weeks.

For the first 24–48 hours

Freshly waxed skin can be more sensitive, so keep things simple while it settles.

For the next day or two, I recommend avoiding:

• Hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms

• Very hot baths or showers

• Strenuous workouts or activities that cause heavy sweating

• Swimming in pools, lakes, or the ocean

• Tight clothing that rubs against the waxed area

• Fragranced or potentially irritating products

• Scrubs, exfoliating acids, and other strong active ingredients

After a Brazilian or bikini wax, it’s also a good idea to avoid sexual activity for the first 24–48 hours, since friction can irritate freshly waxed skin.

A normal shower is fine. Keep the water comfortably warm rather than very hot, cleanse gently, and avoid scrubbing the area.

A little redness can be normal

Your skin may look slightly pink, feel sensitive, or develop small temporary bumps immediately after waxing, especially after your first appointment or if you haven’t waxed in a while.

Try not to touch, squeeze, or pick at the area. Keep anything that comes into contact with freshly waxed skin clean and give your skin time to settle.

If you experience an unusual reaction that persists or concerns you, please reach out to me.

After 48 hours, start exfoliating.

Not immediately.

Wait until your skin no longer feels sensitive—generally about 48 hours after your wax—before introducing exfoliation.

After that, regular gentle exfoliation can help keep dead skin from building up around the hair follicle as new hair grows in. You don’t need to scrub aggressively; more exfoliation isn’t necessarily better.

What should I exfoliate with?

You have two general options: physical exfoliation and chemical exfoliation.

Physical exfoliation uses a textured tool to manually lift away dead skin. I use a Japanese scrubbing cloth and a Korean one at home. Use light pressure—you shouldn't need to scrub your skin hard for exfoliation to work.

Chemical exfoliants use ingredients such as AHAs or BHAs to loosen dead skin rather than physically scrubbing it away. Salicylic acid, for example, is common in products meant for areas prone to ingrown hairs. I like to use Naturium’s Salicylic Acid Body Wash at home.

You don't necessarily need both. If you’re new to exfoliating, start with one method and see how your skin responds before adding anything else.

Right after you exfoliate, moisturize.

Exfoliation is only part of the routine. Keeping the skin moisturized helps support a comfortable skin barrier and prevents the area from becoming excessively dry.

Look for a simple moisturizer or post-wax oil that agrees with your skin, and apply it regularly once the immediate post-wax sensitivity has settled. I love Naturium’s body butter. It’s an oil-infused body butter, and it smells like you’re on an island. I personally like to use this after I shower.

If you're prone to clogged pores or ingrown hairs, you may prefer a lightweight product rather than something very heavy or occlusive.

What about ingrown hairs?

An ingrown hair happens when a growing hair becomes trapped beneath the skin or grows back into it rather than emerging normally.

Regular, appropriate exfoliation and keeping the skin moisturized can help reduce the conditions that contribute to them—but don't dig, squeeze, or pick at an ingrown hair. Doing so can create additional inflammation and increase the chance of discoloration or scarring.

We'll also see how your skin responds as you continue waxing. Some people are naturally more prone to ingrowns than others, so we can adjust your aftercare over time.

When should I wax again?

For most clients, waxing works best as a routine rather than something done sporadically.

A common starting point is approximately every 4–6 weeks, although your individual hair-growth cycle and the area being waxed can affect the timing.

Between appointments: don't shave the area if you plan to keep waxing. Let the hair grow so it's long enough for the wax to grip at your next appointment.

Keep it simple

Especially after your first wax, you don't need an elaborate routine.

Let your skin settle → begin gentle exfoliation after about 48 hours → moisturize regularly → leave new growth alone → repeat your wax on a consistent schedule.

Over time, you'll learn what your skin responds to best.

And if you're ever unsure about what you're seeing or what to use between appointments, you're welcome to ask me.