How Long Can You Shower After Waxing And Why?

logo by Editorial Staff | Updated on August 3rd, 2022

Waxing is a common practice that many women of all ages use to remove unwanted hair. However, waxing has some downsides, one being that it can leave your skin feeling irritated and sensitive for a few days.


This means you need to take special care of your post-wax skin. Read on to learn more about how long you can shower after waxing, why, and the best practices to help your skin recover faster.

Making wax depilation. Professional wearing white jacket and gloves making wax depilation for client

How long can you shower after waxing, and why? Exact Time: 5 – 8 Hours

Today we’ll address another often asked waxing question: should you get a wax before or after a shower? Aside from high-quality hair removal products, proper waxing depends on many minor aspects. Thus, it is critical to have the necessary expertise.

Although the density varies from person to person, everyone possesses body hair (also known as androgenic hair). Since childhood, this hair has been visible in practically every body region, including the hands, legs, genital areas, armpits, chest, and some facial hair.

These are vellus hair throughout childhood but evolve into darker and thicker hair during and after adolescence. As a result, many individuals want to have a clean, hygienic body by eliminating unwanted hair.

Waxing is one such treatment that most people use for hair removal. A sticky material is placed on your skin and then peeled out with a strip. The body hair is removed from its roots with this approach.

Is it OK to shower after waxing?

It stands to reason that you would want to rinse off and shower following a waxing procedure. Because wax contains ingredients that might be sticky, washing off any wax residue seems sensible.

You’d also like to unwind, and a decent shower may do wonders for healing your skin after all that agony. However, before you leap into the shower soon after a waxing session, consider it again.

If you had your treatment in a salon, bear in mind that most therapists use an antibiotic and cooling cream after the waxing process. In addition, a post-depilatory lotion can assist in removing any wax residue while also soothing and protecting your skin.

Showering immediately after your waxing treatment is not advised since the post-depilatory lotion needs time to help reduce the swelling and redness on your skin. However, you should also take a few measures during an after-wax shower.

Remember that most beauty professionals will administer a cooling, antibacterial lotion after using waxing strips to remove hairs.

This after-waxing lotion is applied immediately to the treatment area after it has been waxed. It rapidly relaxes and protects the skin while eliminating any waxing residue, so there’s no need to shower right after. So, if you can avoid bathing or showering for a day, do so.

Why not take a shower before waxing?

Showering a few hours after a bikini wax is OK. When showering, however, use cold, low-temperature water. We also recommend avoiding skin care items such as scented moisturizers and abrasive shower gels that may irritate delicate skin regions or open pores.

Aside from washing your skin, employing cool water, similar to a cold compress, promotes redness and diminishes swelling.

Showering before receiving a wax is not universally accepted as the ideal pre-waxing technique.

However, there are a few reasons why an excellent shower rinse could be a good idea before your waxing appointment:

  • Showering eliminates lotion residue, sweat, and grime, leaving your skin clean and ready for treatment.
  • Showering will also aid in opening your pores as well as smooth and soften your skin.
  • Showering is sanitary, and the wax technician should operate on clean skin.

You can shower before your waxing session, but you should wait at least an hour between them.

Allow ample time for your skin to dry and your body temperature to return to normal. Hot wax, however, can irritate, bruise, or even burn your skin.

How to Shower Before Waxing

Here’s some showering advice before waxing:

Do not use hot water or sauna at least 48 hours before your waxing appointment. Hot water will dry up your skin, making it more susceptible to irritation or illness. When you use hot water near your waxing session, your chances of experiencing skin injury rise significantly!

In addition, if you have exposed your skin to hot water before waxing, it may be pulled off. As a result, skip the hot baths before going to the wax spa.

Exfoliation should not be done with a body scrub, body mitt, brush, or another instrument. Exfoliation is essential for waxing preparation. However, it must be done 48 hours before the session to soften the follicle. 

If you exfoliate right before waxing, your skin may become oversensitive, and its protective barrier will be compromised. Even while waxing does not replace exfoliation, it does remove the skin’s outermost layer. Thus, exfoliation and waxing would be rather severe.

After your shower, do not use lotion, oil, or deodorant. Because these treatments reduce the adhesion of the wax to the skin, they must be removed before waxing. Instead, use a moisturizing soap bar or body wash before your consultation to soothe and soften your skin.

Wear loose clothing to your waxing appointment. To reduce friction and perspiration after waxing, you’ll need loose-fitting clothes and natural fabrics that let your skin breathe.

You can clip your hair if you find it easy to do it yourself and believe you can do it correctly. However, this only applies if the hair is long (more than half an inch), as lengthy hair increases the pull and hence the discomfort during the waxing technique. Alternatively, you can wait until the wax expert examines your hair and determines whether trimming is required.

This is because too much cutting prevents hair from being effectively gripped and pulled out. Professionals know how to do it best, but there may be an additional price.

How Long Can You Shower After Waxing?

Waxing, as previously said, is the process of removing body hair from its roots by applying wax and tearing it off. However, folks have different waxing procedures that they like. Some of them have waxing strips, whereas others do not. They are divided into two types: soft wax and hard wax.

The length of time we can shower after waxing is determined by the kind and manner of waxing utilized. But there are two things they all have in common. One is that we cannot shower immediately after waxing, regardless of the method employed. Another thing to remember is to avoid taking a hot bath for 1–2 days after waxing.

If you use warm, soft wax, you can take a shower 2 – 3 hours after waxing. For the shower, you can use lukewarm or room temperature water. This also applies to fruit wax, cold wax, or any other sort of wax that entails ripping the wax off with strips.

However, this is not the case with hard wax (also known as Brazilian or bikini wax). You must wait at least 24 hours before showering with hard wax. If you must take a shower within 24 hours, visit your esthetician. 

You can take one 5 – 8 hours after waxing. This shower should be taken in either warm or chilly water. You should avoid taking a hot shower for at least two days following your waxing treatment.

Why Can You Shower So Long After Waxing?

As we all know, waxing entails tearing our hair from the roots. Thus there will be some adverse effects. As a result, following waxing, measures must be taken. There are certain showering precautions as well.

Although most individuals use showering to reduce tension, we need to understand why we shouldn’t shower straight after waxing and wait a few hours. The esthetician advises us not to take hot showers for at least a day.

It is recommended that you do not shower for at least 24 hours after waxing. This is because waxing causes your skin to become more sensitive. Although having chilly or warm showers has little effect on our skin, it is advisable to wait at least 5 – 8 hours.

This will give our skin some time to heal. However, you can take chilly showers later on since they will act as a cold compress on your skin, reducing redness and any other adverse effects of waxing.

Why should you avoid using hot water?

Wait 24 hours before using hot water since the heat might irritate your skin. The combination of open pores and excessive heat might expose your skin to infection. Also, using hot water lets your pores expand, causing your skin to dry. This is a sure way to get ingrown hairs.

To avoid an unpleasant experience, we recommend waiting the necessary 24-48 hours before taking a hot shower or bath. Also, stay away from swimming pools, jacuzzis, saunas, and steam rooms. The heat may aggravate any redness or irritation.

Is it okay to use soap after waxing?

Of course, you may use soap again after waxing but wait 24 hours before using any form of soap on newly waxed skin. This is because fragrances may irritate your pores, causing them to become red and irritable.

Is it okay to wash my underarms after waxing?

After having your armpits waxed, you may feel the need to wash your underarms. Although cleansing the skin beneath your arms is necessary, please do not do it for at least 24 hours to avoid irritation.

Things to avoid following a waxing

Following a waxing procedure, your skin will be irritated. So you want to make sure that you’re taking care of it. There are a few things to avoid for at least a day or two. These will change depending on the areas you choose to work on.

  • Exercise
  • Hot showers
  • Saunas, chlorine pools, steam rooms, and other hot and pleasant environments (annoying, but trust us)
  • For at least 48 hours, exfoliate.
  • Lotions and cosmetics with a scent
  • Tanning. Please give it a few days, whether artificial or from the sun.
  • Certain types of sex. Yes, friction may be unpleasant.

Conclusion

As a result, it is necessary to wait a few hours before entering chilly or hot showers. However, you need not be concerned because the esthetician will clean the region after waxing. In addition, a post-wax lotion will be administered to your skin, which is antibacterial and will keep your skin cool and protected. As a result, taking a shower immediately after waxing is not necessary.

Other measures to minimize discomfort or redness include wearing loose clothing and avoiding sweating the waxed areas as much as possible. In addition, exfoliating your skin during showers should begin two days after waxing to help avoid ingrown hairs.

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Editorial Staff

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