How to Wax Your Bikini Area at Home

Preparing the Bikini Area

Make sure the hair is ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) to ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) in length. It's important for your bikini hair to be the ideal length before waxing. Anything under ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) is too short – there's not enough hair for the wax to grip. Anything over ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) is too long – the wax will grab too much hair and make the process painful. If your hair is too short, let it grow out for a week or 2. If your hair is too long, trim it down to about ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) with an electric razor.

Take a dose of ibuprofen 20 to 45 minutes before waxing (if desired). Waxing can be a little painful, especially if this is your first time. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen can reduce the pain of waxing, as well as minimize post-waxing pain. 400 mg is the standard dose for adults. Wash the medication down with a full glass of water at least 20 minutes before waxing to give it time to take effect. You can take another 400 mg dose 4 hours later if you're still experiencing pain.

Clean and exfoliate the bikini area. Undress from the waist-down and hop in the shower. Apply a mild cleanser to the target area, then follow up with a gentle exfoliating scrub. Rub gently with circular motions, then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Pat the area dry. Cleansing first reduces the risk of infection. Exfoliation removes the top layer of dead skin cells and exposes the hair, making it easier for the wax to grip them.

Put on a pair of soft, comfortable panties. Panties will provide a guideline for where to apply the wax and protect your sensitive area from any accidental drips that land in the wrong place. After waxing, the soft panties will be gentle on the skin and reduce irritation. To protect the panties, fold toilet tissue or a soft paper towel around the elastic bands.

Warming up the Wax

Use hard wax or buy a waxing kit. Heated hard wax is recommended for the bikini area because the hair is so coarse there. Hard wax goes on smoothly, and you can pull it right off with your hands once it hardens. If you're new to waxing, you may want to buy a hard wax kit. It will come with everything you need and include detailed instructions. Avoid soft wax and soft wax kits. Soft wax works best on fine hair. Avoid cold wax strips as well. This wax can be painful when used on the bikini area.

Warm up the wax in a microwave or with a wax warmer. Hard wax must be heated before it can be used. Each product will be different, so check yours for specific instructions for heating. You can use a microwave to melt the wax. If you plan on waxing in the future, consider investing in a wax warmer. A warmer keeps the wax at the right temperature as you work and you can bring it into the bathroom with you. Warm the wax to be the consistency recommended by the product instructions. The right consistency is similar to warm syrup or honey – pourable, but still thick.

Stir the warmed wax and test the temperature on your forearm. Give the warmed wax a good stir with an applicator stick until you're happy with the consistency. Then dip the applicator into the wax and apply the wax to your forearm to test the temperature. It should be comfortably warm, but not hot. Let it cool down a little if the wax stings the skin on your forearm.

Find a comfortable environment where you can apply the wax. Don't try to wax in the living room or a shared space of your house. Go somewhere you can be completely alone and comfortable. Wait until everyone is gone so there is no chance of someone walking in on you. You want to be able to take your time and feel relaxed while you work. You can wax on your bed or on your floor (with a towel laid down) so you are comfortable. Have a mirror in front of you so you can see what you are doing.

Applying the Wax

Pull the skin taut gently where you want to start. Where you start is up to you, but have a systematic plan for application since you'll be working in sections. For example, you can start at the inner thigh and work your way in toward your crotch, and then back towards your rear. Use your non-dominant hand to gently pull the skin taut where you plan to start. Sitting in front of a mirror can really help with this part. You'll be able to easily see all the sections you've completed and which ones you still need to work on.

Apply the wax in sections that are 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and 3 in (7.6 cm) long. Pick up some of the warm wax with an applicator stick and gently dab it on the first section of your skin. The thickness of each smear should be similar to the thickness of a nickel.

Smear the wax onto your skin in the same direction as hair growth. This will make the removal process easier and less painful. Apply the wax slightly past where the hair stops growing, which will give you a “tab” that you can grab onto when you're ready to pull the wax off.

Let the wax harden for 30 seconds. As the wax cools, it hardens. Once it's hardened, it's easier to pull off. You'll know the wax has hardened enough to remove when you can tap your fingernail on it and it makes a tapping noise, similar to hard plastic.

Rip the hardened wax off in the opposite direction of hair growth. Hold the skin taut with your non-dominant hand. Grab onto the “tab” at the end of the hardened wax with your dominant hand. Brace yourself! Then quickly pull the wax off in the opposite direction of hair growth. It's going to sting a bit – there's just no getting around that – but it'll get easier with time and practice. Try to pull the wax off in one smooth motion, similar to ripping off a bandage. Resist the urge to pull the hair straight up. Always pull in the opposite direction of hair growth.

Continue applying wax systematically in small sections. Take short breaks whenever you need to in between sections. Don't try to get it over with quickly by waxing large swaths of skin! You won't effectively remove the hair from the area and it will actually hurt even more. Continue working in sections approximately 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and 3 in (7.6 cm) long. Keep working diligently – you're almost there!

Tweeze any stray hairs along your bikini line that the wax missed. Sterilize your tweezers first by wiping them down with a cotton ball moistened with rubbing alcohol. Use the tweezers to remove any stray hairs that didn't come away with the wax. Pluck them one at a time. Always tweeze hairs in the same direction as the hair growth for best results.

Remove any wax residue with a post-wax cleanser. Once you're happy with your job, gently clean the area with baby oil or a post-wax cleanser. Waxing kits will typically come with specially formulated cleanser, which is another good reason to use one for your first waxing session. However, baby oil will also get the job done.

Maintaining Your Bikini Line

Apply an aloe vera gel to soothe just-waxed skin. After removing wax residue, gently apply a cooling aloe vera gel. This will soothe the irritated skin and lessen inflammation. The area will be a bit red and sore for a few hours, which is totally normal.

Treat redness and swelling with a cortisone cream. If your bikini area is looking pretty inflamed, dab a small amount of over-the-counter cortisone cream on the area. A formula with 1% cortisone is usually best.

Avoid direct sunlight on the area for 24 hours. If you have a beach or pool day planned, it's best to wax your bikini line the day before and give your skin a few hours to calm down first. The sun will worsen irritation of just-waxed skin, and salt water and chlorine will sting quite a bit.

Exfoliate the area gently to keep ingrown hairs at bay. Exfoliating right after waxing isn't usually recommended, since the skin is very sensitive and a bit irritated. Once tenderness subsides (within a day or 2), use a gentle exfoliating scrub on the area while you're in the shower. Rub gently in circular motions and rinse the area thoroughly.

Wax the area every 3 to 4 weeks, as needed. Try to come up with a routine waxing schedule and stick to it. If you go longer than 3 or 4 weeks, your hair will be too long and waxing will be more painful. Staying on a strict waxing cycle also helps your skin build tolerance to the pain. Don't wax before your period. This is when you are the most sensitive to pain.