Soft Wax vs Hard Wax: Differences, Pros, Cons (2024)

FAQs

What is the main disadvantage of soft wax? ›

Soft wax can irritate the skin. Soft wax can't be used on the same area of skin twice, so if some hair gets left behind during a bad waxing session, it has to stay there for the time being. Hair may be more resistant to being pulled out at lower temperatures. Sticky and may leave a residue.

Pros: Temporarily removes hair at the root for an average of three weeks of smooth skin, which can range from two to six weeks depending on your hair type and thickness. Cons: Waxing requires some regrowth in order to be effective, as the wax needs at least a quarter-inch of stubble to adhere to.

Most people agree that for a Brazilian wax, hard wax is the best option. If your hair is coarse, multiple applications will be necessary, and hard wax allows for this. Additionally, because this area of your body is so sensitive, hard wax removal tends to be less painful.

What's the short answer? While it depends on many factors, results from waxing can last up to 6 weeks. However, this doesn't mean you're hair-free for this long. You'll probably start to see new hair growth around 3 to 4 weeks.

The answer to this question is No, waxing does not cause ingrown hairs. In fact, skin waxing may help reduce the frequency of ingrown hairs.

Waxing cons

Because the hair is removed at the root, some people say waxing is more painful than shaving. The hot wax can also burn your skin if you're not careful. Waxing can cause inflamed hair follicles, pain, redness, ingrown hairs and skin irritation.

Waxing can cause pain and discomfort depending on the target area. This is applicable for both hot and cold wax. This form of hair removal might not be suitable for all skin types. Sensitive skin, for example, might face redness, burning sensation and itching post procedure.

Both hard wax and soft wax remove hair and are appropriate for home use. Hard wax is gentler on your skin. It's better suited for sensitive areas, and is less painful to remove. Soft wax is better suited for large areas, like your legs or back.

Both soft waxes and hard waxes can hurt the skin when they're applied incorrectly. In general terms, soft waxes are no less painful than other wax products because they adhere to the skin while also grabbing the hairs.

Does soft wax distort hair growth? ›

With soft wax, if the esthetician pulls the wax off in the same direction as the hair growth, it can distort the hair follicle. But what happens if the hair doesn't all grow in the same direction? With hard wax, this isn't a concern, because it can be removed from any angle with no risk of damage to the follicle.

Don't throw away the strip after each use. You can use each wax strip up to eight times on a different area. You can go over the same area too…but be careful not to go over it too many times (especially in very delicate areas like the bikini and underarms)!

Waxing will make my hair grow back thinner, right? The Truth: As the hair is pulled from the roots, this reduces hair growth. It varies from person to person, but even though your hair will grow back less, it may not necessarily be thinner. You'll just have less of it.

Do You Apply Hard Wax Against Hair Growth? No, it is vital to apply wax in the hair growth direction. Place wax on the highest point of the area you will be waxing and spread it down in the direction of hair growth with even pressure throughout.

Fortunately, hard wax doesn't damage the skin or cause hair breakage. When wax adheres to hair and not to skin, you're guaranteed a smoother result and a much more comfortable waxing experience.

After a wax, the hairs that were in the resting phase will begin growing back, and that's why you'll see hair regrowth in a matter of weeks but not as thick as before. On average, a wax will last you three to four weeks.

Although Soft Waxes can also be used for coarse hair, they're better the legs or body since they're faster, easier and more efficient for larger areas. Parissa Warm Wax is an ideal all-purpose wax that rivals any Soft Wax you'll find in a salon.

The person's skin type, hair texture, and their particular hair growth cycle will determine how many sessions are needed before the hairs are permanently removed. Hairs can stop showing up after 8 months of treatment in areas where it grows naturally finer, as well as with people with fine hair.

If you develop bumps after the initial inflammation subsides — a week at most after waxing — they may be a result of ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs are a specific type of folliculitis. They form when hair grows back into the skin instead of up out of the skin's surface.

And since your hair is at various phases in the growth cycle, your initial wax may not remove some hairs that are in the anagen stage. These hairs will make their presence known when they're good and ready, aka, maybe a day or so after your wax.

Why does my pubic hair hurt when it grows back after waxing? ›

If you've ever waxed, chances are you've had to deal with ingrown hairs. They're not only unattractive, but they can also be painful. An ingrown hair after waxing happens when the hair never breaks the skin's surface as it grows or does come out of skin first and then grows back into the skin.

What Areas Should I Not Wax? Irritated, inflamed, cut, or sunburned skin. Any area that has a rash, recent scar tissue, a skin graft, pimples, cold sores, moles or warts. Anywhere you're having dermabrasion services or have gotten them in the past three months.

It might be tempting to give up on a waxing routine and pick up a razor instead for instant gratification. This is totally fine—you can shave after a wax. However, this might put you back at square one because shaving leaves the hair with a blunt end, making it appear thicker and darker when it grows back.

Waxing creates tiny wounds under the skin.

The risk is significantly elevated in the bikini area, and especially in a Brazilian wax, where bacteria are more likely to be present. In addition to more superficial infections, bacteria can migrate to deeper levels of your skin, causing dangerous cellulitis infections.

Hair wax contains a high amount of alcohol which dries out your scalp and makes your hair dry. Dehydrated hair is breakage-prone. Also, the dense hair wax blocks the hair follicles making it difficult for them to breathe. Naturally, the hair follicles stop functioning properly, thereby leading to hair loss.

Pre-Made Wax Strips

This method is the most user-friendly, mess-free option and is recommended for beginners. Not only are they easy to use, but there's no chance of putting on too much product. And depending on how much hair you're removing, a strip can often be used more than once per area.

Hard waxes, like beeswax and paraffin, tend to be better at wrapping around each strand, making coarse hairs in your bikini area easier to remove. Look for an option with soothing ingredients like azulene oil, chamomile, and honey. You can also find waxes without any fragrances or artificial colors.

Dip a cotton pad in mineral oil, massage oil, or olive oil. Warmer oil works better than cold oil. Hold the soaked pad on the wax residue until it's saturated — about two minutes. Wipe off the wax residue with a clean cotton pad.

Do you heat soft wax? ›

How to Wax with Soft Wax? After heating your soft wax, apply in thin layers over skin with a wax spatula in the direction of hair growth. Place a hair removal wax strip on the skin's surface, hold taut, and pull against hair growth direction.

According to science, the forehead and the fingertips are the areas most sensitive to pain in the human body. Luckily, we do not need to wax them. Shins, toes, and face are, however, highly sensitive as well and to be waxed properly, the esthetician must use professional waxes specially made to treat these areas.

Hard wax is the only kind of wax that salons can re-use. Hard wax is usually yellow or green in color and does not require the use of strips. Because hard wax must be applied in a thick layer and is typically applied at least twice in order to remove all the hair, certain salons re-use it to save money.

The simple reason is waxing pulls the hair from the roots and damages the hair bulb. Because of the damage, the hair regrowth takes time and the new hair can be thinner and finer. Waxing also pulls off the hair in its anagen phase, which is a growth phase and 90% of your body hair are in this phase at a given time.

After just one wax you will notice the hairs grow back thinner, finer and softer. With each consecutive wax you will continue to notice these progressive results. Some hair follicles will completely detach from the blood supply. This means there are no nutrients to grow the hair at all.

Unlike hard wax, soft wax cannot be applied to the same spot twice because it removes layers of dead skin. Even if soft wax tends to be stickier than hard wax, there is no special preparation needed.

It's important NOT to wax the same area twice as repeated waxing of this delicate area can cause irritation. Always follow the instructions to prepare the skin and wax strips before you commence waxing to ensure you remove as much hair as possible with one treatment.

Nothing makes your vehicle shine more than a fresh coat of wax or sealant, but before you can get to applying anything, you first must remove the old layers of protectant. New wax or sealant should be applied when the old protectant coat begins to wear off.

Your skin may darken

Post-inflammatory pigmentation may occur on your skin after your waxing session, which may lead your skin to appear darker. This means that due to the hot wax being applied on your skin and ripping action, your skin may react by producing pigment that cause dark spots.

How Often Should You Wax? You will gain the most benefits out of waxing when you schedule your appointments 2 to 5 weeks apart. For the legs, you will need to wax every 3 to 5 weeks. For the face, bikini line, and underarms, you will need to wax every 2 to 3 weeks.

Do you use baby powder before hard wax? ›

Consider applying baby powder before you wax. It absorbs excess moisture, resulting in a smoother wax job. Test the wax on an inconspicuous location before covering a large area of your body with it. Talk to your doctor if you have any skin or medical conditions that hair removal can exacerbate.

If your wax is too hot, not hot enough, it can cause spreadability, setting, and consistency problems - and can even cause injury to clients! Our stripless film hard wax formula is also designed to be applied at a low melting point, so heating it up too much can even cause issues with effectiveness.

If the wax is too hot, it will be too thin and could even burn you. The correct wax consistency is like liquid honey. Think of Goldilocks, the perfect temperature matters for wax as well as porridge.

After the waxing, clients may see slight pinpoint bleeding in the hair follicle and redness that may last a couple of hours. It is completely normal and should cause no reason for concern. Sun exposure should be avoided immediately after waxing, preferably up to 24 hours to avoid sunburn.

If the wax is not pulling out hair, the main factor is usually a lack of pressure. If you do not apply enough pressure, the hairs cannot fully adhere to the wax strip. Learning how to apply wax to the skin with the appropriate amount of pressure usually eliminates the problem of the wax not pulling out hair.

Waxing cons

Because the hair is removed at the root, some people say waxing is more painful than shaving. The hot wax can also burn your skin if you're not careful. Waxing can cause inflamed hair follicles, pain, redness, ingrown hairs and skin irritation.

Unlike hard wax, soft wax cannot be applied to the same spot twice because it removes layers of dead skin. Even if soft wax tends to be stickier than hard wax, there is no special preparation needed.

For the best results, always spread the wax in the direction of hair growth. Apply the cloth strip. Once the wax is applied, place the cloth strip over the wax and press down firmly. Leave the cloth on for two to three seconds.

How hot should hair be for waxing? ›

Hard wax needs to be warm and pliable (but not hot) to work. If using a wax warmer, the ideal temperature is 130 degrees Fahrenheit, and it should be a similar consistency to honey.

The heat will aggravate any post-wax irritation and redness, it will dry out your skin and open up your pores (a shortcut to ingrown hairs).

Hair grows back slower: As compared to shaving (which for some people hair can grow back within 24 hours) waxing yields a slower growth rate because the hair is being removed at the root as opposed to the surface.

Waxing reduces hair growth when performed at every four to five weeks. While shaving crops the hair at the skin's surface, waxing pulls it out by the root, so it grows back softer, finer, and thinner. Waxing is great for those who are tired of the hassle of shaving several times per week.