Waxing 101
Hard wax? Soft wax? Sugaring? What is all that anyway?
Waxing is one of the methods used to remove hair from the root. At WAX x VIBE we use hard wax; it is applied with the direction of hair growth, allowed to set, and removed in the opposite direction without use of a “strip.” Soft wax is applied with the direction of hair growth, a strip of cloth/paper is applied, and then it is removed opposite as well. Sugaring is very closely related and will also remove hair from the root. What separates it from waxing is sugar paste is usually applied against the direction of hair growth and then removed with the direction of hair growth.
No method is strictly better than the other, and as long as the service provider is skilled in the technique they are using, the results will be the same, hair removed from the root. Clients all have different sensitivities and pain tolerances, and so the hair removal method that works best for one person may be the worst for another. Sugaring is typically going to be the most gentle to the skin because the paste sticks to skin the least, however for some clients, the tugging from paste being applied against the hair growth is extremely painful and so they prefer waxing; the opposite could be true as well!
Shaving vs Waxing
Shaving leaves a blunt edge at the end of the hair at the surface of the skin which is what causes hair to seem “thicker”. It can also cause an itchy, prickly feeling when the hair is growing back since oftentimes the hairs are cut at an angle, leaving a point that can irritate the skin.
The hair grows back quickly since the hair was only removed at the surface of the skin, and not from the root. Shaving works best for those who cannot let their hair grow out for more than one week at a time and don’t struggle with ingrowns or irritation.
Waxing removes the hair from the root which results in longer lasting smoothness of the skin. This is because the hair follicle needs to grow a completely new hair which takes more time than when the hair is just shaved. When the new hair is growing back in, it is thinner and weaker making exfoliation and moisturizing extremely important to avoid ingrowns. However, the hair must be long enough, about the length of a grain of rice or ¼ of an inch, for the wax to grab and so typically (Brazilian) waxing is done every 4-6 weeks.
Why wax; why even remove hair?
At WAX x VIBE, we encourage bodily autonomy and respect whatever decisions individuals choose to do with their bodies for whatever reason. We respect those who wish to not remove their hair as much as we respect those who do. For said individuals who do wish to remove their hair, we provide a service that achieves that.
Waxing is a part of the “beauty industry” however there are multiple reasons why people may want to remove their hair unrelated to the perception of beauty.
Speaking personally now, I, Kelcey, choose to remove my body hair (specifically pubic and underarm) for primarily sensory reasons. As an autistic individual, I am very sensitive to touch. Smooth skin feels very nice to the touch for me, both when feeling it externally with my own hands, or if it is the area with smooth skin making contact with another surface. My body hair in the pubic and underarm areas is thick enough for me to be aware of it at all times when it is grown out. It is distracting, itchy, and causes an uncomfortable sensation even at the smallest of movement. I am also sensory seeking with touch and the feeling that my skin is smooth is almost a way for me to stim.
