Maybe you’re a waxing pro or maybe the phrase “bikini wax” is enough to strike fear into your heart. Anyone who’s ever gotten a bikini wax can agree they’re not the most… pleasant of experiences, but for some of us they’re a necessity once the weather heats up. Maybe you’re tired of spending upwards of $70 every time you feel you could use a little fix-me-up “down there” or maybe you just want to give your tried-and-true razor a break—either way, this complete guide is a great place to start before making the brave foray into the world of at-home bikini waxes. We got the lowdown on the best at-home bikini wax kits, why they’re so great, and what NOT to do.
GiGi Professional Home Waxing Kit
Why it’s awesome: This kit is a one-stop shop designed with first-time users in mind. Not only does it come with a wax warmer, hard wax, pre-epilation oil, post-wax cooling gel, waxing strips, and 30 different applicators, but it also comes with an instructional DVD to give you step-by-step advice on how to get a professional-grade bikini wax in the comfort of your own home. Users claim that although it still hurts (you can’t really escape that aspect of a bikini wax), the salon-style hard Brazilian wax adheres to the hair, not the skin, which minimizes the ripping sensation—and the amount of time you spend biting your tongue.
Where to get it: Amazon.com, $29.49
Surgi-wax Brazilian Waxing Kit For Private Parts
Why it’s awesome: Surgi-wax’s Brazilian Wax King is easy-to-use and mess-free. All you have to do is pop the jar of wax (equipped with a useful handle to avoid burning hands) into the microwave and stir it up for a smooth, consistent wax. The Surgi-wax kit is also designed to save you time: the applicators are wider than usual to spread more wax down at a time, getting you a faster, smooth wax.
Where to get it: drugstore.com, $5.99
Parissa Wax Strips
Why it’s awesome: If you’re looking for the easiest at-home waxing option, wax strips are definitely for you. To use them, all you need is warm hands. Warm a strip between your hands, separate the wax-covered sheets, and smooth onto your bikini line. The only thing that’s left to do is pull! California-based esthetician Nicole Fierro purports that Parissa’s strips are “the best [she’s] ever tried.” Parissa has strips with different formulas for different skin types and sensitivities and their wax formula keeps you hairless for up to six weeks, which is significantly longer than the usual three to four.
Where to get it: Parissa.com, $10
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Moom Organic Hair Removal Kit With Lavender
Why it’s awesome: This kit isn’t a wax per se—instead, it’s a body sugar, based on an ancient Egyptian technique of all natural hair removal. The process involves applying a cool paste to the skin and minimizes pain by pulling in the direction of hair growth instead of against, which is the norm. Much like waxing, body sugaring leaves you with a hairless bikini line and whole weeks where you can break up with your razor—all the while being USDA certified organic. With no harsh chemicals anywhere on its four-ingredient list, the Moom Organic Hair Removal kit is ideal for collegiettes with sensitive skin—and those of us who chicken out before breaking out the waxing strips. Because of its sugar-based formula, it also washes off quickly and easily.
Where to get it: moom.com, $99.95
Nair: Naturally Smooth Warm Wax with Peach and Melon Extracts
Why it’s awesome: You might have noticed the pungent, almost toxic smell that emanates from many hair removal products. It doesn’t make you feel all that great about smearing the stuff all over your skin. Not this wax. Made with natural peach and melon extracts, this Nair wax softens skin and smells amazing. If you have fine hair, this product will get you the ultra-smooth, ultra-soft feeling you love, but users with coarser pubic hair be warned: some users reported not feeling quite as satisfied, saying the wax didn’t adhere well enough to their hair to leave them with the smooth look they desired. Still, beauty therapist Tori Channing gives Nair’s product high marks: it’s cheap and effective.
Where to get it: drugstore.com, $6.79
Bliss Poetic Waxing Kit Microwaveable Waxing Kit
Why it’s awesome: The wax has a special fast-cooling formula to make removal swift and less painful. Another thing that sets Bliss’s kit apart? The super-sticky wax works on stubble (only about 1mm in length), cutting the time you have to spend in that oh-so-itchy time period in between waxes practically in half. Although the strips are sometimes less effective than the hard wax, according to beauty blogger Karen Monterichard, Bliss’s strips are top-notch, “especially for a kit designed for easy cleanup and convenience.” All in all, Monterichard describes Bliss’s kit as “pretty darn great.”
Where to get it: blissworld.com, $48
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How to Wax: Dos and Don’ts
No matter which waxing kit you choose, there are certain dos and don’ts to follow to survive at-home waxing.
Do plan how much hair is coming off.
Are you going completely bare? Leaving a neat landing strip? Just waxing off the hair that’s visible when you wear a bikini bottom? (Check our complete guide to help you make your decision.) Whatever you choose, have a clear idea of what you want the area to look like when you’re done. This will keep you from wasting wax on areas that you don’t want to be hairless.
Don’t dry wax.
Taking a shower and exfoliating beforehand softens your skin, making the pull of the wax less painful. The shower is also a good place to trim the pubic hair to a length suitable for waxing (5-8 mm). After your shower, moisturize with the pre-epilation oil most kits come with or tea tree oil. This protects the skin and, like the shower, makes the process less painful. If you’re short on time, you could opt to use a warm washcloth to do a similar job. According to esthetician Kathleen Neves, this is super important. “Removing dead skin cells…helps to keep breakouts and ingrown hairs at bay,” she says.
Do choose a comfortable place to wax, preferably one that you wouldn’t mind getting a little messy.
The bathroom seems ideal, but many women like to lay down on a bed to minimize drip and ease application. Wherever you choose, a trashcan and towel (to catch drips) are necessities.
Don’t follow the heating directions of your kit without testing them first.
Different waxes require different temperatures and times to get heated up—but skin type needs to be considered as well. The directions of some wax kits will leave you with very viscous wax, which is very hot and could possibly burn you. Others give directions that specify too short a period of time for the wax to get sufficiently warm, leaving you with wax that that’s too hard to use. Experiment with time and make sure to test the temperature of the wax you use on an area of skin that’s not as sensitive as the pubic region.
Do apply wax in the direction of hair growth.
Use an applicator to go from the root of the hair toward the direction that your hair naturally grows. This will maximize the amount of hair removed, as the wax is removed in the opposite direction to the direction of hair growth. Pulling in the same direction will not remove any hair and will smear the wax you’ve already applied.
Don’t pull off wax strips slowly.
After you’ve applied the wax and strips, leave the wax for between 10-20 seconds and quickly remove the strip, pulling in opposite direction to the direction of growth and holding skin taut with other hand. According to Monterichard, if you don’t pull the skin tightly and go quickly, you’re just prolonging your pain and lessening the wax’s effectiveness—a lose-lose situation.
After you’ve (successfully!) given yourself an at-home bikini wax, apply a soothing oil like baby oil or tea tree oil to your skin to reduce irritation. This will also loosen up any leftover wax and prepare your skin for tweezing if there are stray hairs you need to remove. Make sure to leave your favorite pair of silk panties in the drawer after you wax: cotton underwear reduces irritation and lets the skin “breathe” after the waxing process.
A little research, careful preparation, your favorite at-home waxing kit and a possibly a piece of leather (to bite on, of course!) are all that’s between you and a hair-free bikini line. Take the plunge and try a wax at home—trust us, your wallet will thank you!
Photo Credits:
All photos from drugstore.com and bigdaddybeauty.com.