Stay Smooth from Your Wedding to Your Honeymoon

Whether you’re headed to a tropical paradise or buzzing metropolitan destination for your honeymoon, chances are you’re not going to want to waste any precious time addressing unwanted hair. Noemi Grupenmager, founder and CEO of Uni K Wax Centers, shares some useful tips for staying smooth from your wedding day to your return flight home. 

Why is waxing an ideal form of hair removal – especially for a bride’s wedding day and honeymoon?
Because it removes hair for a longer period of time and with better results than other methods by drawing it out from the root and not just at skin level. 

How soon before your wedding day/honeymoon should you get a wax (for eyebrows, lip, arms, legs, bikini) and why? When will your hair start to grow back?
If you have never waxed the area, the closer to the big day, the better because your hair has been used to other removal methods, such as shaving, and this results in hair growing unevenly until it adapts to the waxing cycle. If you have waxed in the past, two to three days before your wedding is ideal. The grow-back period is individual, but the more you wax, the sparser and weaker your hair will return. For most women, this ranges between three and six weeks. 

What’s the key to making your service last and keeping your skin smooth?
Maintaining healthy and hydrated skin is essential. Drink a lot of water to hydrate from the inside out and use a great moisturizer every day to lock it in. Also, since the skin has undergone a light exfoliation from the wax, the outer layers become more sensitive and vulnerable, thus it is important to protect it by using sunscreen. 

How can you keep breakouts and razor bumps at bay?
Avoid hair removal methods that cause ingrown hair and breakouts. Breakouts can occur when you use products that have chemicals in the formula, like depilatories and waxes that are not made of natural ingredients. Shaving, especially with a dull blade, makes skin prone to ingrown hair. Also, avoid aggravating the area by not wearing tight clothing. 

What should you absolutely not do when it comes to hair removal before your honeymoon?
Never wax and go for a spray tan on the same day. It is better to have a wax one day, then have the spray tan the next day. The reason is that the skin is a little sensitive after a wax, as you have just had a gentle exfoliation. A spray tan is also more effective when you skin is well hydrated and rested. 

What is the proper way to prep your skin for waxing?
For the best results, it is recommended that your hair be grown out to about 1/8th to 1/4th of an inch. This is the ideal length because it will allow the wax to get a better grip on the hair and pull it directly from the root, rather than just the hair above the skin. 

Regularly exfoliating the areas you’re having waxed is also important to buff away dead skin cells and avoid clogged pores and ingrown hair. Your last exfoliation should be at least two days before the wax service. 

Finally, moisturize the area until the day before your appointment to keep it hydrated and allow for better results. Since dry skin is not as flexible, this can sometimes cause the hair to break at skin level rather than be removed from the follicle. Also, well-hydrated skin keeps your body glowing and looking fabulous! 

Opening photograph by Steve Steinhardt.