How to Wax a Unibrow
Wax a day or two before you need to look good., Wash and dry your face., Heat your wax if necessary., Apply baby powder before waxing., Apply the wax between your eyebrows., Wait for the wax to dry before ripping it off., Remove any excess wax...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wax a day or two before you need to look good.
While most people are able to wax without any problems, for some, waxing can cause minor skin irritation.
If you've never waxed before, you probably don't have any idea how your skin will react to the wax.
For this reason, it's a good idea to wax a few days before any major events that you want to look good for — if your skin between your eyebrows does get irritated, it will have a chance to recover before you need to show it off.
Though this is rare, some people are allergic to hair-removal wax and can experience symptoms like rash and folliculitis when they come into contact with it.If you're unsure whether you're allergic, it's a good idea to apply some of the wax to an area of your body that isn't usually visible (like your side or your upper leg) before using it on your face.
If your skin reacts with rash or pustules, you probably should not use the wax for your unibrow. -
Step 2: Wash and dry your face.
Cleanliness is important for a good waxing procedure.
Since the wax can remove not only unwanted hairs but also the very top layer of skin, infection is a very small (but real) risk.
For this reason, you'll want to wash your face with gentle soap and a clean towel before beginning to kill any bacteria or other microbes which may cause problems.
Don't forget to wash your hands, too (or, if a friend is helping you, have this person wash their hands).
Harmful bacteria can be present on the hands after all kinds of mundane activities (like, for instance, eating), so you don't want unwashed hands anywhere near your delicate skin post-wax., Most waxing products come in one of two forms: cold and hot.Cold wax, which comes pre-attached to the removal strip, is the slightly easier and more convenient option.
Hot wax, on the other hand, must be heated, applied, and then removed with a separate strap.
If you're using hot wax, start heating it now according to the provided instructions — you can do the next step while you wait for it to warm up.
If you're using hot wax, be careful not to heat it to an uncomfortable or dangerous temperature.
A burn between your eyebrows can be seriously painful (and won’t look great, either).
Also, because you’re working so close to your eyes, you’ll want to avoid extremely hot wax to minimize the potential for damage in worst-case spillage scenarios., As noted above, waxing can be somewhat hard on the skin.
To minimize its unpleasant effects, try sprinkling just a little baby powder in the area you plan to apply the wax (in this case, between your eye brows).
Not only will this make the application and removal of the wax slightly more comfortable, but also remove any excess oil or moisture from the skin and hair, giving the wax a better "grip" on the hair when it is applied. , When you're ready to begin, start applying the wax to the portion of your unibrow that you want to remove — usually, this will be the quarter-to-half-inch between your eye brows.The way you do this is slightly different for cold and hot wax applications:
For cold wax strips, simply press the sticky side of the strip firmly between your eye brows and rub it in to ensure a good hold.
For hot wax, use the provided applicator or a convenient spreading tool like a popsicle stick or butter knife to apply the wax in the correct area between your eyebrows.
Press the provided fabric strips into the wax until they are well-adhered.
Be very conservative about ‘‘where’’ you apply your wax and how much you use — you don’t want to accidentally remove the tips of your eye brows.
Always err on the side of using too little wax.
Remember, if you don’t get every last hair in between your eyebrows, you can always wax again.
However, if you get too much hair, you’ll have to wait for it to grow back! , If you're using hot wax, give it a few minutes to harden and solidify before removing it.
As it hardens, it will tighten around the hairs, essentially "trapping" them in the wax.
If you're using cold wax, simply press the adhesive wax into the troublesome hair and it will naturally adhere.
When you're ready, remove the strip by pulling in one quick motion against the direction of hair growth.
Since most people's eyebrow hair grows up towards the forehead, this means grabbing the top of the strip and pulling down.
Don't hesitate! This part is like pulling off a band-aid: the quicker you do it, the less it hurts. , After you pull off the removal strip, you should see the hair you removed stuck in the wax.
There may still be some excess wax stuck to your skin at this point.
This can usually be removed with a special wax-removal products, which are usually sold at the same places you would buy the wax itself (beauty stores, salons, department stores, etc.) It's also possible to remove the wax with baby oil or any other moderate oil suitable for facial use.
If you use oil, try to pick a non-scented variety.
Artificial fragrances can sometimes irritate delicate skin or cause allergic reactions., After you're done waxing, check your work with a magnifying mirror.
You should see much less hair (if any) between your eyebrows.
However, wax-jobs sometimes aren't perfect and may leave behind stray hairs.
In this case, you may want to wax again, but if there are only a few unwanted hairs left, if may be quicker and easier simply to use a pair of tweezers.
Tweezers are easy to use — working with a mirror, carefully grab each individual hair and remove it with a firm yank.
Like waxing itself, tweeze-ing hairs is much less painful if you go quickly. , Even if you wax perfectly, your skin may be somewhat irritated after waxing (after all, you have just removed your hairs directly from their follicles).
If your skin is red or inflamed after waxing and you don't have time to wait for it to subside naturally, try covering it up with a small amount of flesh-toned makeup.
Unless your skin irritation is major or you're allergic (which should have become apparent after your initial wax test), you should look just fine. , While the skin may be a little sensitive after waxing, in general, any serious pain should subside fairly quickly.
If the space between your eyebrows still stings more than 15 minutes or so after waxing, take a single dose of an over-the-counter painkiller like Motrin, Tylenol, or Aleve to make the pain more bearable.
Check the label before you take the painkiller — painkillers with anti-inflammatory properties are best because they will also make your skin slightly less irritated.
You may also want to consider using a numbing product before you wax.
These helpful substances, which are usually available as creams or sprays, numb the skin temporarily, making waxing much less painful. -
Step 3: Heat your wax if necessary.
-
Step 4: Apply baby powder before waxing.
-
Step 5: Apply the wax between your eyebrows.
-
Step 6: Wait for the wax to dry before ripping it off.
-
Step 7: Remove any excess wax.
-
Step 8: Pluck any excess hairs with tweezers.
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Step 9: Use foundation/cover-up for any redness.
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Step 10: Use over-the-counter painkillers for waxing pains.
Detailed Guide
While most people are able to wax without any problems, for some, waxing can cause minor skin irritation.
If you've never waxed before, you probably don't have any idea how your skin will react to the wax.
For this reason, it's a good idea to wax a few days before any major events that you want to look good for — if your skin between your eyebrows does get irritated, it will have a chance to recover before you need to show it off.
Though this is rare, some people are allergic to hair-removal wax and can experience symptoms like rash and folliculitis when they come into contact with it.If you're unsure whether you're allergic, it's a good idea to apply some of the wax to an area of your body that isn't usually visible (like your side or your upper leg) before using it on your face.
If your skin reacts with rash or pustules, you probably should not use the wax for your unibrow.
Cleanliness is important for a good waxing procedure.
Since the wax can remove not only unwanted hairs but also the very top layer of skin, infection is a very small (but real) risk.
For this reason, you'll want to wash your face with gentle soap and a clean towel before beginning to kill any bacteria or other microbes which may cause problems.
Don't forget to wash your hands, too (or, if a friend is helping you, have this person wash their hands).
Harmful bacteria can be present on the hands after all kinds of mundane activities (like, for instance, eating), so you don't want unwashed hands anywhere near your delicate skin post-wax., Most waxing products come in one of two forms: cold and hot.Cold wax, which comes pre-attached to the removal strip, is the slightly easier and more convenient option.
Hot wax, on the other hand, must be heated, applied, and then removed with a separate strap.
If you're using hot wax, start heating it now according to the provided instructions — you can do the next step while you wait for it to warm up.
If you're using hot wax, be careful not to heat it to an uncomfortable or dangerous temperature.
A burn between your eyebrows can be seriously painful (and won’t look great, either).
Also, because you’re working so close to your eyes, you’ll want to avoid extremely hot wax to minimize the potential for damage in worst-case spillage scenarios., As noted above, waxing can be somewhat hard on the skin.
To minimize its unpleasant effects, try sprinkling just a little baby powder in the area you plan to apply the wax (in this case, between your eye brows).
Not only will this make the application and removal of the wax slightly more comfortable, but also remove any excess oil or moisture from the skin and hair, giving the wax a better "grip" on the hair when it is applied. , When you're ready to begin, start applying the wax to the portion of your unibrow that you want to remove — usually, this will be the quarter-to-half-inch between your eye brows.The way you do this is slightly different for cold and hot wax applications:
For cold wax strips, simply press the sticky side of the strip firmly between your eye brows and rub it in to ensure a good hold.
For hot wax, use the provided applicator or a convenient spreading tool like a popsicle stick or butter knife to apply the wax in the correct area between your eyebrows.
Press the provided fabric strips into the wax until they are well-adhered.
Be very conservative about ‘‘where’’ you apply your wax and how much you use — you don’t want to accidentally remove the tips of your eye brows.
Always err on the side of using too little wax.
Remember, if you don’t get every last hair in between your eyebrows, you can always wax again.
However, if you get too much hair, you’ll have to wait for it to grow back! , If you're using hot wax, give it a few minutes to harden and solidify before removing it.
As it hardens, it will tighten around the hairs, essentially "trapping" them in the wax.
If you're using cold wax, simply press the adhesive wax into the troublesome hair and it will naturally adhere.
When you're ready, remove the strip by pulling in one quick motion against the direction of hair growth.
Since most people's eyebrow hair grows up towards the forehead, this means grabbing the top of the strip and pulling down.
Don't hesitate! This part is like pulling off a band-aid: the quicker you do it, the less it hurts. , After you pull off the removal strip, you should see the hair you removed stuck in the wax.
There may still be some excess wax stuck to your skin at this point.
This can usually be removed with a special wax-removal products, which are usually sold at the same places you would buy the wax itself (beauty stores, salons, department stores, etc.) It's also possible to remove the wax with baby oil or any other moderate oil suitable for facial use.
If you use oil, try to pick a non-scented variety.
Artificial fragrances can sometimes irritate delicate skin or cause allergic reactions., After you're done waxing, check your work with a magnifying mirror.
You should see much less hair (if any) between your eyebrows.
However, wax-jobs sometimes aren't perfect and may leave behind stray hairs.
In this case, you may want to wax again, but if there are only a few unwanted hairs left, if may be quicker and easier simply to use a pair of tweezers.
Tweezers are easy to use — working with a mirror, carefully grab each individual hair and remove it with a firm yank.
Like waxing itself, tweeze-ing hairs is much less painful if you go quickly. , Even if you wax perfectly, your skin may be somewhat irritated after waxing (after all, you have just removed your hairs directly from their follicles).
If your skin is red or inflamed after waxing and you don't have time to wait for it to subside naturally, try covering it up with a small amount of flesh-toned makeup.
Unless your skin irritation is major or you're allergic (which should have become apparent after your initial wax test), you should look just fine. , While the skin may be a little sensitive after waxing, in general, any serious pain should subside fairly quickly.
If the space between your eyebrows still stings more than 15 minutes or so after waxing, take a single dose of an over-the-counter painkiller like Motrin, Tylenol, or Aleve to make the pain more bearable.
Check the label before you take the painkiller — painkillers with anti-inflammatory properties are best because they will also make your skin slightly less irritated.
You may also want to consider using a numbing product before you wax.
These helpful substances, which are usually available as creams or sprays, numb the skin temporarily, making waxing much less painful.
About the Author
Lauren Harris
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow lifestyle tutorials.
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