Wax Prep & Aftercare: How to Care for Skin Before and After Waxing
Waxing is harsh on the skin by nature — it removes hair below the surface and can leave skin temporarily more reactive. A short pre-wax and after-wax routine, using gentle, targeted products, is what keeps redness, irritation and ingrown hairs at bay.
The benefits of a well-honed waxing regime are plentiful — softer, smoother and healthier-looking skin among them. While a common hair-removal method for many, prep and aftercare for at-home waxing are often overlooked. Read on for the key steps to a natural wax-care routine, for hair-free, and just as importantly, irritation-free skin.
Regardless of how often it's practised, waxing is inherently harsh on the skin. Hair helps protect the skin beneath it, so removing it can temporarily disrupt the skin's surface. Waxing works on the hair bulb below the skin, which is why many people find hair grows back finer and more sparse over time compared with shaving. But that same process can leave skin more reactive for a short while afterwards — for those with more sensitive skin, this can show up as redness, small bumps, irritation or ingrown hairs.
Waxing isn't suited to everyone, and the choice of hair removal, if any, is a personal one. But if you do choose to wax, here's how to prepare skin beforehand and support it afterwards.
How Should I Prep My Skin Before Waxing?
For the body:
A warm bath or shower is the ideal pre-wax routine, not just a moment to relax. Softening the skin makes hair easier to remove and helps reduce irritation. Use our Body Wash — a pH-balanced formula scented with spruce, juniper and cedarwood — to cleanse thoroughly without stripping the skin's natural moisture. Follow with our deeply moisturising Body Butter, rich in olive fruit oil, shea butter and honey, to hydrate skin fully so it's ready for waxing.
For the face:
Before waxing, use a pre-wax cleanser to prep the skin. Whether used separately or together, our Soothing Cleansing Milk and Purifying Cleansing Gel offer a gentle approach to cleansing. Follow with our Hyaluron Serum, a fast-absorbing formula that helps relax the skin ahead of treatment, making hair removal easier. Finish with a Susanne Kaufmann moisturiser to fully nourish the skin before waxing.
Top tip: Stop using retinoids at least 48 hours before waxing. Retinoids increase skin sensitivity, and using them too close to a wax raises the risk of irritation to an already reactive area.
How Should I Care for My Skin After Waxing?
For the body:
For the first two days after waxing, choose after-wax products with natural, gentle ingredients — this isn't the moment for exfoliation or richer formulas.
After 48 hours, exfoliation can be slowly reintroduced. Our Refining Scalp & Body Scrub is a gentle exfoliant that won't strip the skin of moisture. Combine with our St John's Wort Bath, a nourishing bath powder that helps soothe discomfort and protect against dryness — a good match for skin that's still settling after waxing.
Once the first couple of days have passed, richer formulas can help bring moisture back — our Body Butter is a good options. Straight after waxing, though, it's best to avoid thicker formulas, since they carry more risk of irritation.
For the face:
From eyebrows to upper lip, aftercare matters just as much on the face. Use straight after waxing, our Soothing Cleansing Milk, enriched with rosehip seed oil, helps calm the appearance of redness, while our Soothing Toner, with chamomile, yarrow and mallow root extracts, helps restore the skin's balance. Our Hyaluron Serum also fits easily into an after-wax routine, supporting the skin's barrier for a refreshed look.
As with the body, exfoliation can be reintroduced to a face routine after 48 hours. Our Enzyme Exfoliator, formulated with natural fruit enzymes, gently exfoliates for a smoother, more radiant complexion.
Top tip: Avoid heat on the treated area for 1–2 days after waxing — sweating, hot water and high temperatures included. Heat can leave skin more prone to irritation while it's still settling.
Shop Face Moisturisers & Creams
FAQs
How soon after waxing can I exfoliate? Wait at least 48 hours before reintroducing exfoliation, whether that's a body scrub or an enzyme exfoliator for the face. Waxed skin needs that time to settle before it can handle further exfoliation comfortably.
Why does my skin react after waxing? Waxing removes hair below the surface, which can temporarily disrupt the skin's usual protective barrier. This is more likely to show up as redness, small bumps or irritation on sensitive skin, which is why gentle, fragrance-conscious products matter most in the first 48 hours.
Should I stop using retinol before waxing? Yes — stop at least 48 hours beforehand. Retinoids increase skin sensitivity, and combined with the sensitivity waxing itself causes, this raises the risk of irritation.
Can I use a rich moisturiser straight after waxing? It's best to wait a couple of days. Thicker, richer formulas carry more risk of irritation right after waxing — lighter, gentle products are the better choice for the first 48 hours, with richer formulas reintroduced after.
How do I prevent ingrown hairs after waxing? Gentle exfoliation, reintroduced after 48 hours, is the main defence against ingrown hairs, since it keeps dead skin from trapping regrowing hair. Keeping skin hydrated between waxes also helps.
