The 5 Best Waxes For Sensitive Skin
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The combination of heat and hair removal is often a recipe for irritation — especially if you're prone to redness, bumps, and rashes. But the best waxes for sensitive skin can help make hair removal a more comfortable experience. However, there are a few criteria to consider in order to find the right wax for you.
First, check the ingredient lists to make sure the wax doesn't contain any personal allergens. Heat causes your skin to become more permeable, so when waxing, you want to avoid any and all substances that may cause irritation. On the flip side of things, some waxes for sensitive skin contain ingredients that lessen inflammation and calm redness, such as honey or avocado oil.
Those with sensitive skin often find that hard wax beads are their best bet. Once the beads are melted, you can apply them directly to your skin, where they cool into a thick strip that's especially effective at removing most hairs the first time you use them. (You'll want to avoid consecutive waxes over the same area during a single session, though, especially if it's a sensitive one.)
That said, wax beads usually require temperatures between 125 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit before they'll melt, so if you're sensitive to heat, you may want to opt for a lower-temperature solution. These include creams or strips that melt more easily. They're usually a bit messier, but as long as they're heated correctly, you won't have to worry about burns. Unless the directions specifically outline the use of a microwave or conventional oven, always use an at-home wax warmer to ensure safe temperatures.
In a hurry? Here are the best waxes for sensitive skin:
1. The Best Facial Wax: KoluaWax Bare Faced Hard Wax Beads
2. The Best Coarse Hair: KoluaWax Bikini Babe Coarse Hair Wax
3. The Best For Low-Heat Application: GiGi Crème Wax
4. The Best Wax Strips: Nad’s Facial Wax Strips
5. The Best Full Waxing Kit: bliss Poetic Waxing Hair Removal Kit
Plus, A Post-Wax Cooling Gel: Shaveworks The Cool Fix
No matter the area or the hair type, these are the five best waxes for sensitive skin.
01The Best Facial Wax For Sensitive Skin
These hard wax beads from KoluaWax can be effective anywhere on the body, but they’re specifically formulated to be thinner and stickier than usual to grip finer strands, so they’re especially well-suited for facial hair and peach fuzz. The beads are made with beeswax and shea butter to pull out hairs without irritating the skin, and you only need a warmer and a spatula to apply (this order comes with 20 disposable spatulas) — no strips necessary. The beads come in an easy-seal, 1-pound bag for effortless storage, and reviewers have given them a 4.5-star overall rating for ease of use and lack of pain.
According to reviewers: “I purchased this wax and it is thinner in consistency and it removed every single tiny peach fuzz on my face. My face is not red. You can tell it has moisturizing in wax beads because bottom of wax piece when it rip it off your face is silky. PERFECT for sensitive skin !!”
02The Best Waxing Beads For Coarse Hair
If you're looking for a reliable wax that's well-suited for coarse body hair, look no further than KoluaWax's Bikini Babe. These hard beads melt into a strip-free wax that's designed to tackle coarse, thick hair anywhere on the body. Even though it's the brand's strongest formula yet, it's made from Brazilian palm wax that KoluaWax says will stick to your hair, not your sensitive skin. Buyers have used it on bikini areas, legs, underarms, and backs, all with rave reviews. These beads even come with application sticks, too.
According to reviewers: "This wax is amazing. I have sensitive skin that reacts to everything [...] No redness. No pain. No bump. It pulls off easy, removing all trace hairs effortlessly with it. I was shocked that this wax consistently removes the entire hair, tip to root. My bikini line/area has always been a difficult waxing task due to the super thick, deeply rooted, course hair. Not anymore."
03The Best Soft Wax Crème For A Low-Heat Application
Wax beads often melt at higher temperatures, which can cause irritation for those who are sensitive to heat. That's less of a concern with GiGi's Crème Wax, which is specifically designed to liquefy at a lower temperature for more comfortable application. It also contains titanium dioxide, which acts as an anti-inflammatory during the hair-removal process. Since the formula is thinner, it's capable of grabbing onto hair, thick or thin. (Buyers suggest using a wax warmer to ensure the right temperature; if overheated, it gets messy.)
According to reviewers: “Out of all the waxes available to buy this one is my favourite! I have sensitive skin and this is like magic. It doesn't irritate my skin and its not as painful as other waxes. I have pretty thick hair so finding a wax that hurts a lot less is a must”
04The Best Wax Strips For Sensitive Skin
Wax strips are great if you're looking for low-mess hair removal that you can do anywhere. This set of facial hair wax strips contains 20 strips with pre-applied, beeswax-based wax that heats up between your palms. They strips are soft, flexible, and contoured to fit the curves of your face (like your upper lip, chin, and eyebrows), and the set even comes with four calming oil wipes to mitigate any redness or burning. Since the strips are hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, they're especially effective for sensitive skin.
According to reviewers: “I really like these strips. Super soft and gentle on skin. Plus easy to use. I used them on my eyebrows to just clean up the bottom area of my brows and it took off all the hair that was in the wax. My eyebrows looked clean and soft. After one use I can definitely tell they more gentle then regular wax strips.”
05The Best Full Waxing Kit
Bliss has long been a cult-favorite destination for their (truly) painless, sensitive skin-safe waxing method that does away with the need for irritating strips — and with the spa’s at-home waxing kit, you can mimic the spa experience without the trip or the price. This kit includes an instruction pamphlet; a microwaveable cup; four spatulas in varying sizes; a pre- and post-waxing oil to reduce burning and ingrown hairs; and of course that signature blue wax, which contains chamomile and apricot oils to keep skin soothed and moisturized.
According to reviewers: “This wax is incredible!!! Great for my sensitive skin [...] Overall, I’m so thrilled with the results I ordered it again on subscribe & save. Sooo much better than at home wax strips. Debatable I’ll ever go back to get waxed by a professional again as the investment for this at home wax is much more affordable than going to a professional.”
06Also Great: A Post-Wax Cooling Gel
No matter which hair-removal method you choose, Cool Fix from Shaveworks aims to alleviate redness, irritation, bumps, and ingrown hairs. It contains exfoliating agents like glycolic and salicylic acids to prevent ingrown hairs, while as well as soothing ingredients, like caffeine, reduce redness and inflammation. This does contain fragrance, however, so you might want to steer clear of this if you’re typically sensitive to synthetic scents.
According to reviewers: "I was hesitant to try this because I have sensitive skin and I didn't want to make a bad situation worse. This really helps my legs after I get them waxed."
Studies referenced:
Hao, J., Ghosh, P., Li, S. K., Newman, B., Kasting, G. B., & Raney, S. G. (2016). Heat effects on drug delivery across human skin. Expert opinion on drug delivery, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1517/17425247.2016.1136286
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