Hair Removal

How long does my hair need to be?

Approximately 1cm long. For most people this is usually 2 weeks post shaving, or 4 weeks post hair removal from the root ie. epilation, waxing, sugaring.

Should I trim?

If you have longer hair it can be very helpful to give it all a little trim before you come to your appointment. Hair removal is often much less ouchy when the hair is the correct length. Just be very careful not to go overboard! If you trim it too short I might not be able to carry out the treatment.

What’s the difference between all the bikini line wax / sugaring treatments?

Every salon seems to use different names for different treatments, so I just use what my original wax trainer - Kim Lawless taught me! If you’d like something in between the treatments described below, do let me know and we can tailor your wax / sugaring treatment to you.

Standard bikini line removes any hair that’s outside your knickers. Think standard briefs rather than a teeny thong though!

High bikini line comes in a centimetre or so from the knicker line.

G String is a slight tidy up of the hair on the mons pubis, leaving a full triangle, and complete removal of hair on the labia and around your anus.

Brazilian is complete removal of hair on the labia and around the anus, and leaves a small amount of hair on the mons pubis, often this is a strip or small triangle.

Hollywood is full removal of the pubic hair, so includes mons pubis, labia, and around the anus.

Can I include my tummy/bottom/upper thighs?

Absolutely! We can talk about exactly which areas you want to include on the day, just to make sure that I leave behind and take away what you want - no more, and no less. There may be extra charges for areas not covered by the specific treatment you have booked in for.

Can I keep my knickers on?

If you are having standard or high bikini line on you can leave them on, or I can give you some disposable pants to keep your own safe from wax / sugar paste and the pre and post treatment products. If you are having a g-string, brazilian or hollywood you will need to take your knickers off. They will only get in the way and make my job rather tricky! Bikini lines are probably one of my most popular treatments, I do several daily so it’s just normal for me! I know it can be a bit anxiety inducing, but do remember that I’m waxing and sugaring bikini lines all the time, so I won’t be phased in the slightest. I do use a towel so if you are feeling a bit worried we can cover any parts that aren’t being worked on.

How do I prevent ingrown hairs?

Some people do seem to be more susceptible to ingrown hairs, but I do think there are several things you can do to greatly reduce or even prevent them entirely.

The first thing I would recommend is exfoliation! I personally think the best way to exfoliate is to body brush daily. I sell a range of Hydrea body brushes and exfoliation mitts, and can explain how to use them during your treatment. If you prefer a manual scrub - don’t go too overboard with it, two or three times a week should work well. Do be careful of which products you use, there are some pretty scratchy scrubs out there which in certain areas can do more harm than good! I do sell some excellent scrubs from Wild Sage + Co, and Tamara’s Sugar which you can purchase in my treatment room.

It’s good to remember to keep your skin clean - especially before and after your hair removal treatment. And make sure your skin can breathe! Tight, restrictive clothing, and synthetic materials all really don’t help. Keep an eye to see if there are any areas where you get ingrowns more frequently. It’s often where clothing rubs against the skin - knicker lines, shins if you wear leggings or skinny jean etc.

I will talk more about ingrown hairs at your appointment. Apologies in advance if you can’t shut me up!

What’s the difference between strip wax and hot wax?

Strip (or warm) wax is the wax applied with a spatula, then a strip is smoothed over and pulled off. This kind of wax is excellent in areas with vellus hair - like legs. Hot wax is a bit like candle wax in that it sets hard, it doesn’t stay sticky like strip wax. Once hard, the wax is pulled off. No strips are used. It grips the hair, but not the skin. Hot wax is perfect for areas with terminal hair - like bikini lines, or more sensitive areas, like the face. It is more expensive than strip wax, but feels a lot more comfortable!

What’s the difference between sugaring and waxing?

Sugaring and waxing are the same in that they both remove the hair from the root. However, with sugaring you do remove the hair in the opposite direction to waxing - going “with the grain” of the hair, this means less irritation, less breakages, and less likelihood of ingrown hairs.

While wax is synthetic, sugar paste is completely natural and biodegradable. There is much less waste from a sugaring treatment, you end with a small ball of sugar paste, and a pair of (biodegradable!) gloves. Whereas with waxing you end up with gloves and a LOT of wax, and depending on the treatment - a lot of strips too! The difference in waste is the main reason I decided to take up sugaring - and I’m so pleased I did!

I personally think that sugaring is far superior to waxing, but I offer both as waxing does tend to be be slightly quicker and for some people this is their priority when it comes to hair removal.

I love talking about sugaring and it’s many benefits, so do feel free to drop me an email to talk about it more.

What should I do before my hair removal treatment? 

Make sure you have been exfoliating in the lead up to the treatment. I do try and remove any ingrown hairs with tweezers, but this can be very time consuming. Exfoliating can release some ingrown hairs, meaning they will be removed with the wax/sugar, therefore I can do a much better job!

If you have drier skin you may want to moisturise a few times the week before your treatment too.

Make sure to stay out of the sun for a day or so beforehand. Sunburn is a contraindication to treatment.

Avoid fake tanning, as this will come off with the wax, and you’ll end up with a rather interesting tan line!

What should I do after my hair removal treatment?

For 48 hours post treatment:

- Do not use sunbeds, or go sunbathing. If being in the sun is unavoidable make sure to apply a broad spectrum sun block every few hours.

-Avoid heat - saunas, hot baths.

-No swimming pools!

-It’s best not to get hot and sweaty so no working out either, pop the trainers away.

-Wear loose cotton clothing, rather than any tight, synthetic materials ie. leggings.

-You can apply something very gentle, like aloe, to soothe any soreness.

After 48 hours start exfoliating gently. I highly recommend using a body brush!

Book your next hair removal for treatment 4 weeks later.