Firestyle Magazine Issue 2 - Winter 2015 | Page 15

Top after-care tips 1. Avoid using heavily fragranced toiletries (i.e. shower gel, body lotion) on the freshly waxed area(s). Instead use baby oil or bio oil immediately afterwards as this helps protect the skin and prevent ingrown hairs. 2. Don’t shower or have a hot bath for 24 hours to give your newly plucked skin chance to settle down. A cool shower is preferred. When you do shower use a mild, chemical-free shower gel to avoid any potential aggravation. 3. Avoid swimming and vigorous exercise for 24 hours. 4. Avoid sun exposure and fake tanning for at least 2 days after waxing. 5. Keep waxed areas really clean to avoid bacteria affecting newly waxed skin. Waxing can be a great way of removing hair. Depending on the rate at which your hair re-grows, you can have smooth, hairless skin for a couple of weeks. However re-growth can be really uncomfortable. In the name of research, dear reader, I have had EVERY part of my body waxed! Armpits, arms, hands and back were very straight forward with hardly any adverse reactions and the re-growth was trouble-free. My chest and bottom areas were a different matter altogether! These areas became spotty and the re-growth was really uncomfortable. How you react to waxing depends on the amount of hair you have, the skill of your waxer and your aftercare. Keeping the area clean, using witch hazel and/or aloe vera lotion to calm and soothe the skin for the first couple of days after waxing all help. Also when you notice the hair start to grow back, using a body scrub (be very gentle!) every couple of days will make the re-growth less troublesome and also minimises ingrown hairs from developing. This is particularly effective for the chest region. Summary A lot of guys try waxing once, have a bad experience and never go near it again! Naturally the first time will most likely be a little traumatic but to achieve the best results the key is to persevere and do it several times. Ideally every six to eight weeks. Your body will eventually get used to it, your aftercare will improve and over time the hair will hopefully grow back finer. If you have any questions or body hair/waxing stories to share I’d love to hear from you! Until next time. May the moisturiser be with you, Tristan Tristan Lee 45 and STILL gets asked for ID! Tristan is one of the UK’s leading authorities on male grooming so for more information on how to look and feel your best contact Tristan today! [email protected] www.themalegrooingdoctor.com 07950009999 15