How to Remove Wax from Skin?

Imagine having silky smooth skin immediately after wax hair removal. Feels like butter, right? But wait, what about the sticky wax residues that are left behind giving you another problem to deal with? 

Well, wax is either an oil or a water-based substance that grabs the hair strands by sticking strong to them and removing the hair from the roots. However, it is important to note that wax also adheres to the skin. 

Thus, you might not be able to get rid of the whole wax strip from your skin in one pull and end up with residues. Rather, you have to remove it separately. In this article, we will discuss how to remove wax from the skin and how to prevent it from sticking to your skin in the first place. 

Table of Contents:

• Part 1: Why Wax Residue Happens?
• Part 2: How to Remove Wax Residue from Skin at Home?
• Part 3: How to Prevent Wax Residue in the Future? (3 Tips)

Part 1: Why Wax Residue Happens? 

Here are 3 reasons why wax sticks to the skin. Avoiding these reasons can help you get rid of the wax residues.

Low Quality of the Wax in Use

Although it seems every type of wax is almost similar, wax adheres to the skin to remove hair. However, the formulation and quality of different brands are different, and so are the wax’s adherence properties. 

High-quality wax only adheres to unwanted hair and is easily removed. On the other hand, low-quality wax also strongly attaches to the skin. Consequently, wax residues on the skin are left behind while the wax attached to the hair is removed. 

Dry and Dull Treatment Area

One of the benefits of wax is that it contains moisturizing ingredients like honey. However, the moisturizing properties of wax make it stick to the skin. 

When the skin is dehydrated and dull, it tries to absorb anything that can provide hydration. Consequently, dry skin does not let go of the wax. 

Improper Technique of Waxing

Wax is applied in the direction of hair growth and removed in the opposite direction in one single pull. Also, it is important to apply wax in small patches that can be removed in one go. 

Applying the wax in the wrong direction or in a large section is not pulled instantly. Consequently, the wax residue can solidify, stick to your skin stubbornly, and become difficult to remove. 

Part 2: How to Remove Wax Residue from Skin at Home? 

Wax stuck on the skin can be annoying. Here are nine methods for getting wax off the skin. 

1. Warm Water Compression and Cleansing 

If you are using a water-based wax, the most effective remedy to remove is likely using water. As the wax softens at high temperature, take a towel soaked in warm water and place it in the area where the wax is stuck for a few minutes. 

Once you feel that the wax has melted, grab the other side of the towel and move it in circular motions to remove the wax residue. Also, wash your skin with warm water once before warm compress application. 

2. Sugar and Lemon Juice Scrub

Although used to make wax at home, lemon and sugar can be used to remove the leftovers of store-bought wax. It is because a mixture of granulated sugar and lemon juice has exfoliation properties with particles that can bind to the wax residues while aiding their removal. 

Thus, mix equal amounts of sugar and lemon juice and use it to scrub the area with adhered wax. This is how you can kill two birds with 1 stone. 

3. Massaging the Skin with Oil

Just like water-based wax residue is removed with the application of warm water, oil-based wax or wax with essential oils is better removed with warm oil massage. Therefore, take any oil like mineral oil, coconut oil, baby oil, olive oil, and peanut oil. 

Warm up the oil a little bit and dip a cotton pad in the oil. Then place that cotton pad over the area with wax residues and remove it gently. 

4. With Soap and Water Solution

This way of removing wax residues from the skin will be like good news to women who take a shower after their hair removal sessions. This is because soap and water can easily dissolve the wax stuck on the skin.

For this, use a gentle soap that does not strip the skin. Take a mild soap, damp your skin, rub the soap over the skin, and make leather. Then massage the leather onto the skin until wax is dissolved. Follow with rinsing the skin off and you’ll have clean skin. 

5. Using Petroleum Jelly 

A thick layer of petroleum jelly can help you take off a stubborn layer of wax stuck on your skin. For this, all you need is petroleum jelly like Vaseline and a wipe like a cotton pad or towel. 

First of all, take a generous amount of Petroleum jelly on your fingertips and rub it over the waxy area for a few seconds. It should be enough to cover the wax. Leave it on for five minutes. Then take the wipe and remove the thick layer of vaseline. You’ll see that wax residue is also removed with the vaseline. 

6. Hydrogen Peroxide Solution 

In the cases where you traveled from salon to home with wax residues and it hardened during the commute, hydrogen peroxide serves strong agent to get rid of the wax. However, using hydrogen Peroxide directly can irritate the skin and give you rashes. 

So, dilute it in equal amounts of water and dab it gently over your skin. After that, wash the treated area with warm to lukewarm water and you’ll get silky smooth skin. 

7. Icing the Skin

If you are afraid of using warm water on your skin because of the risk of stripping essential oils from it, you can give icing the wax a try. As wax warms up at a certain temperature, it hardens and forms flakes when exposed to low temperatures even if it is attached to your skin. 

So, take an ice cube and rub it on your skin until you see the flakes of the wax. Then gently massage them off your skin. This is one of the “how to get soft wax off skin”. 

8. Cleansing with Isopropyl Alcohol 

Do you know how most nail paint removal products contain alcohol? Well, alcohol, especially isopropyl alcohol can be used to cleanse wax residues. 

It works by dissolving the wax residues off your skin. Furthermore, alcohol evaporates by itself. Remember that isopropyl alcohol can make the skin dry. Thus, avoid using it on already dry skin and use a moisturizer after you are done removing the wax. 

9. Using a Body Butter or Balm

If you feel like Vaseline is too thick and it can clog the pores on your body plus other methods of wax removal can be hard, how about using a body butter or balm? Body balm works similarly to vaseline by dissolving the wax residues. However, it is hydrating, does not clog the pores, and is easier to rinse off the skin. 

Part 3: How to Prevent Wax Residue in the Future? (3 Tips)

Preventing the wax from sticking to your skin can save you from a lot of trouble. So, how about we learn some tricks to prevent wax residues in the future?

1. Buy the Right Waxing Product for Your Skin Type

The lower the quality of the wax, the poorer it will do to stick to your hair. Rather, it will adhere to the skin. Thus, choosing a high-quality wax is the first step to having a foolproof waxing experience. 

Furthermore, depending on the desired waxing area and your skin type, invest in the type of wax that suits you. For example

• Cold wax is suitable for intimate areas
• Hot wax works well for arms and legs

Lastly, look for the wax compatible with sensitive skin if your skin is prone to pain, redness, itching, and inflammation. 

2. Prepare Your Skin Appropriately 

Preparing the skin appropriately can help you avoid sticking to the wax. So, here is how to prepare your skin for waxing.

• Exfoliate the skin 2 to 3 days before waxing 
• Cleanse the treatment area with gentle body wash
• Apply a thin layer of lightweight and quick-absorbing moisturizer on the skin, if you have dry skin and wait for it to dry well

3. Improve Your Waxing Technique 

Here are some tips to improve your waxing technique, 

• Ensure that your hair is 1/4th of an inch long before waxing 
• For longer hair, trim it with scissors or shave it 5 to 8 days before your session
• As wax does not stick to damp skin, apply a thin layer of powder to it 
• Apply wax in the direction of hair growth in small sections and pull the hair in the opposite direction in one go

Conclusion 

While wax can help you stay hair-free for up to a month, it leaves a nasty residue that can be difficult to remove. However, you do not need to worry, as you can use any of the remedies mentioned above to remove the stuck wax from your skin. 

Additionally, it is recommended that you use the right products and the right technique of waxing so that you do not have to face wax residues. Lastly, waxing every month can be quite troublesome. So, we suggest you go for a long-lasting method of hair removal, like Ulike Sapphire Air 10 IPL hair removal.