How far in advance should I wax before a trip? The question may be lingering on your mind if you’re planning to travel soon, and it’s a genuine concern.
What not to do when waxing is always a debated issue. However, when packing for a trip, you really don’t want to think about if you’re “bikini ready” or not, do you?
While we’d want to tell you to simply schedule a wax and move on, there are a few things you should know before stripping down to nothing.
What you do before or after your waxing appointment has an impact on how satisfying your experience turns out to be.
So, how long before vacation should you wax?
Schedule an appointment as close to your date of departure as you can, but ideally, you should do it a couple of days before a trip.
Tip: Don't go for hot showers for at least a couple of days after waxing to avoid hurting your skin.
How Far in Advance Should I Wax Before a Trip to Avoid Issues?
If you want to get waxed before you go, you should do so as close to departure day as feasible.
Even if you visit a salon a few days before your vacation, it’s still good.
The reason is that the wax will continue to deliver great results the closer you are to the day of your departure.
If you’re planning a trip to a beach, you should wax 1-2 days before you leave. And in this case, you’ll be better off going with a Brazilian wax.
How Long to Wait When Waxing for the First Time?
When you’re new to waxing, it’s essential not to plan a waxing appointment a bit too close to your vacation.
If this is your first time getting a wax, you should stop by for a trial run before you jet off.
You can test how your skin reacts to waxing in the privacy of your own home while using some hydrocortisone creams.
Therefore, thinking about waxing at least 4-5 weeks before your vacation is a good idea.
This gives you enough time to look for alternatives if your waxing trip doesn’t go as planned.
When to Arrange an Appointment If You Don’t Wax Regularly?
Okay, so it’s not your first time, and you know you’re not sensitive to waxing. Still, you don’t do it as often.
So, what to bear in mind in this situation?
It’s normal for the waxed region to remain tender and red for up to two days thereafter.
Therefore, you may want to schedule your appointment at least a couple of days before your cruise so the redness has time to subside.
It usually works great for a short vacation, as it normally takes 2-3 weeks for stubble to return.
An Important Consideration!
If you plan on spending a lot of time in a swimsuit while on your vacation, getting a bikini wax beforehand might be a huge time saver.
Tip: Avoid strenuous exercise and skip the gym if you can to avoid infecting your pores after waxing.
How Long Does Waxing Last after Your Appointment?
To know the answer to “When should I wax before vacation?”, first pay attention to when your hair grows back after the procedure.
In other words, you need to know for how long a typical wax session stays effective.
Waxing’s effects might be temporary, lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. But don’t think for a second that you’ll be hair-free after this.
Nevertheless, a new hair usually takes around three to four weeks to appear.
Does the Type of Wax Affect When to Wax before a Trip?
In most cases, no.
You can choose between hard and soft waxes, but they both last about the same time.
You may notice a difference in results, but not how long it usually takes to notice regrowth.
Hard Wax
Hard wax is likely to produce better results. The reason is that it’s more precise when it comes to eliminating finer hairs.
Hard wax, which is applied straight to the skin and removed without the need for strips, sticks to hairs as thin as one-sixteenth of an inch.
It means that even if you have uneven hair growth, the wax is likely to work great because it still removes shorter hairs.
Soft Wax
Soft waxes are removed with cloth strips, and exfoliate the uppermost layer of skin.
Because of how it works, you may notice it become a bit ineffective when it comes to getting rid of shorter, finer hairs.
Does Professional vs. DIY Waxing Affect When to Wax before a Trip?
Yes, it does.
Because of their extensive training and experience, professionals can handle things better.
They will most likely conduct many waxes each day, and know what works for you.
If you stick to the same professional for your waxing needs, you’re going to get even better results because they can wax more precisely.
What if you go the DIY route?
It depends on how experienced you are. Still, you may experience more breakage if you make your wax, especially if you haven’t done it very often in the past.
You experience breakage when the wax does not draw out the entire hair at the root. It breaks your hair at the surface level, leaving the rest of the hair behind.
This can happen if the wax is too thick or too thin. This results in a quicker rate at which the hair will come back.
It means that if you wax at home, you should do it very close to your departure date.
Not doing so means you might notice some regrowth while still enjoying the trip.
Should I Consider the Area to Know When to Wax Before a Trip?
Absolutely!
Your waxing effects will last differently based on the location you choose for the procedure.
Every part of the body has its own unique rate and texture of hair growth.
You have finer hair on your legs, as compared to the hair on your eyebrows and underarms.
If you’ve ever waxed your eyebrows or legs, you know that the results can be quite varied.
So, you should bear it in mind, and also consider the typical growth cycle to decide when to wax before traveling.
There are basically three phases of the growth cycle:
- The anagen stage. It’s at this stage that hair follicles divide and new hairs emerge.
- Catagen phase. The hair falls out, and its blood supply is severed during this brief interlude.
- Telogen phase. As the body enters its final resting period, the hair is forced out of the skin and eventually falls out.
Keeping the typical growth cycle in mind and considering your waxing results, you can decide when to get waxed again.
We suggest a 6-week interval between services.
You should let your hair grow to about the length of a grain of rice, or 1/4 inch. You’ll probably need to shorten it if it’s more than half an inch long.
To get the best results from waxing, hold off on shaving, plucking, and poking until after your visit.
Tip: Don't forget to moisturize the waxed area to help hydrate your skin and make results last longer.
How to Help Your Wax Job Last Longer
Can you do anything to extend the waxing effects?
Indeed, you can!
For starters, it’s important to exfoliate and moisturize between waxing sessions. It will prevent dry, rough skin from making hair more brittle.
You can extend the life of your waxing by avoiding painful ingrown hairs and pimples. Ingrown hair oil and hydrating the region can help.
Pick the Right Salon
The experience of the technician always plays a role. Therefore, it’s vital to take your time to select the right service.
Service quality typically improves when a business dedicates itself solely to helping one type of customer. So, you’ll be better off going to a waxing spa.
You would be surprised by the number of people who call themselves “Estheticians” yet aren’t actually licensed to perform waxing services.
And above all, go to a place where they avoid double dipping!
Bacteria can thrive in the wax and be spread from one stick to another if your esthetician reuses the same one.
Prepare Before Your Appointment
How you prepare before your waxing appointment has an impact on the results you get. For that, you need to remember a couple of points.
Don’t Cut the Hair
You should wait at least two to three weeks to wax the bikini area after shaving.
The wax won’t adhere to hair that is too short. If you want to play it safe, a quarter-inch of hair growth is a reasonable benchmark.
Remember to Exfoliate
Get your skin in tip-top shape by exfoliating before you wax!
The night before you get your bikini wax, give that area a light exfoliation in the shower.
This prepares your skin for waxing by releasing and removing dead skin cells.
Tip: Consider taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen half an hour before your appointment to minimize discomfort.
Takeaway
So many factors have an impact on “how far in advance should I wax before a trip?”
The experience of your esthetician, how long it takes your hair to grow back, and how you come prepared for a session matter.
A bit of experimentation is needed, but you’ll eventually learn how soon to wax before your next beach trip.
