How to strain hair out of hard wax

If you've ever waxed, chances are you've had to deal with ingrown hairs. They're not only unattractive, but they can also be painful. An ingrown hair after waxing happens when the hair never breaks the skin's surface as it grows or does come out of skin first and then grows back into the skin. Most commonly it occurs in areas where the hair is thicker like men's facial hair or the underarms, or especially where it's both thick and curly, like on the bikini line. Really, though, it can happen anywhere the hair is waxed.

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Wax at Home Like a Pro
Find a Great Seasoned Tech
Exfoliate Skin
Steer Clear of Tight Fitting Clothes After a Service
Stop Ingrown Hairs Before They Start
Try Sugaring
Can you reuse hard wax that has hair in it?
How do you remove hardened hair from waxing?
Why isn't my hard wax pulling out my hair?
How many times can you reheat hard wax?

The goal in waxing is to remove the entire hair from the follicle, but it may break either above or below the skin's surface when being waxed. This can happen when a technician doesn't have the correct "pull" or when too much wax is applied to an area (in trying to remove a large area all at once). The trick in getting a hair out so that you can see the bulb at the base is smaller, more deliberate pulls.

A good example to turn to is shaving, as it often creates ingrown hairs. Instead of a new hair forming and growing back having its natural beveled edge, the hair is left blunt and sharp. This sharpness may make it easier for hair to pierce skin and grow back into it.

Ahead, tips on how to prevent ingrown hairs from forming.

Wax at Home Like a Pro

Be sure to follow directions very carefully prepping skin, applying product and removing it. You'll have better chances of getting the entire hair out versus breaking it.

Find a Great Seasoned Tech

If you do choose to pay for your service, don't go to just anybody that's licensed. We know that the bumps can happen despite the greatest intentions. However, those who are crafty have the best chance of not breaking the hair and avoiding other side effects.

For example, some techs prefer hard wax for at least part of the bikini area, which is wonderful for coarse hair, as it 'shrink wraps' hair so that it can be easily lifted.

Exfoliate Skin

Lightly exfoliating before waxing with an ayate cloth or another mild exfoliator like Herbivore's Coco Rose Body Polish ($38) helps remove dead skin cells allowing for a better and easier service. Also, gently exfoliate a day after the wax if the area isn't red, inflamed or irritated.

Exfoliate your skin a couple of times a week after waxing to help keep dead skin cells away from the hair follicles.

When the hair does start coming back, the exfoliating helps may help it point up and grow in the right direction—opposite of skin.

Steer Clear of Tight Fitting Clothes After a Service

If you have gotten any type of body waxing then you want the skin to be able to "breathe," rather than be constricted. Not only can tight clothes irritate freshly waxed areas, but it can also damage hair follicles.

Stop Ingrown Hairs Before They Start

Many products are created to help fight and prevent ingrown hairs before they appear, containing exfoliating and moisturizing properties. Preventing them before they appear is much easier than tackling the redness and bumps later on. Try products like Bliss Bump Attendant Pads ($22) and Tend Skin Ingrown Hair Solution ($18). Apply the product for ingrown hair 48 hours after removing hair once per day, or according to the product's directions.

Try Sugaring

An alternative to waxing is sugaring paste, which also lifts the entire hair. Unlike waxing, which removes hair in the opposite direction of hair growth, the paste removes it in the way that it grows. This is meant to put less strain on the hair so it's less likely to break either above or below the skin.

8 Derm-Approved Tips for Soothing and Preventing Ingrown Hairs

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More specifically, the result of a wax treatment depends on how the wax is spread on the skin, how long it's left to sit, and the ripping of the layer at the end. Do you apply wax against hair growth? Some people assume such details make no difference but they are actually the key to remove all the hairs at the first try without hurting the pores that have been left open on the skin.

Using Hard Waxes

Hard waxes are slightly less known when compared to stripped waxes that you use on the legs and back. For one, hard waxes have more exclusive ingredients in their composition, and this makes them less accessible to some salon-goers. They are also removed without using a strip, allowing more precision when there's a trained hand taking care of the process.

Hard waxes are ideal for the face, the intimate area, and other parts where the skin is particularly sensitive. Many people are also drawn to them because they adhere only to the hairs without putting such a strain on the skin, making the wax season less painful overall.

Now, do you apply wax against hair growth? No, you always have to apply your wax layer following the direction of hair growth. Misinformation might stem from the fact that the wax is always removed against the direction of hair growth after you've let it sit for a few seconds. Basically, you spread the wax following the direction of hair growth and rip it out always in the opposite direction, so there's really no room for mistakes after you've gotten familiar with the step sequence.

How to Spread Hard Waxes

To expand more on the correct spreading technique, hard waxes have a thick, molasse-like consistency that can lead to messes if you don't know how to handle it. In most cases, this means wax dripping from your spatula while you move from the pot to the wax chair, or an uneven layer after you've already spread it on the skin. The latter results in the wax being too thick on certain areas and too thin on others, so it cools down at different times until it inevitably breaks when you try to rip off the whole layer. To spread the wax effectively, you need to follow a series of easy steps:

First of all, you should make a bulb with your wax as soon as you raise the spatula from the pot. You twirl the wax slowly until it's fully wrapped around the spatula and easier to control during the treatment. You may twirl the spatula any number of times depending on how much wax you plan on using when you spread it on the skin; the type of treatment will also make a difference since you don't need a big wax layer to cover the skin around the eyebrows, for example.

After that, you must spread the bulb of wax on the skin. You can run the spatula over the wax as many times as you need to ensure it spreads evenly, just remember to always follow the direction of hair growth. You can also add more wax if you have to, just remember to pace yourself or the wax might start to harden before you're ready to remove it.

When you're satisfied, raise your wrist to create a lip once you reach the end of your wax layer. This will be the edge you're going to grab when it's time to pull the wax off. Then, you need to give the wax a few seconds to adhere to the hairs.

When it's time to rip it off, grab the lip between your thumb and forefinger and use your other hand to keep the skin taut next to the wax layer. Pull off the wax in one quick motion against the direction of hair growth and put slight pressure on the newly waxed area with the hand you had on the skin. This last step will help assuage your client's discomfort.

Hard waxes are not unlike other wax formulas when they're applied on the skin. All waxes must be spread in the direction of hair growth to make all the hair to stick to the wax. Sugaring paste, by contrast, is spread against the direction of hair growth and removed by tugging in the direction of hair growth.

Beauty Image USA produces the best wax formulas to ensure the expected results in all your hair removal treatments. We have worked with hundreds of salons and spas providing the best products and accessories in the industry, and we continue expanding our catalog with innovative wax products that will delight your clients to no end. To contact our specialists, call TOLL FREE 888-513-8815 or fill out our website's contact form. And don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news and tips straight to your inbox.

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Can you reuse hard wax that has hair in it?

If this describes you, then we have some good news -- you CAN reuse your hard wax. Recognize though, that wax can harbor bacteria. The temperature needed to melt this substance is not high enough to kill these germs. So, the wax you use at home can be re-used a few times, but only for one person.

How do you remove hardened hair from waxing?

Alcohol. Dip a cotton pad in alcohol. Using a circular motion, rub the wax residue until it dissolves or peels off. Apply a moisturizing lotion on the area to reduce possible skin irritation.

Why isn't my hard wax pulling out my hair?

If the wax is not pulling out hair, the main factor is usually a lack of pressure. If you do not apply enough pressure, the hairs cannot fully adhere to the wax strip. Learning how to apply wax to the skin with the appropriate amount of pressure usually eliminates the problem of the wax not pulling out hair.

How many times can you reheat hard wax?

You can reheat the hard wax beads and use them at a later date, but only if you keep them clean. You can also reheat the wax as often as you want, but keep in mind that, for hard waxes, the process takes from 30 to 40 minutes.