The Right Wax for Each Skin Type

March 01, 2018

Skin type is a group of characteristics that define the way the skin looks, feels, and reacts in general. If you are wondering why it is important to know your clients' skin type, the answer is simple: this knowledge will help you take advantage of the best features of each skin type and curb the worst. Once you have identified your client's skin type, you can choose hair removal products and recommend the most suitable options for their skincare routine. Most importantly, you will be able to properly treat any problem that arises during a treatment. Before finding out the best tips for waxing according to skin type, let's take a look at all the factors that influence skin type.
What Determines Skin Type?Several internal and external factors define skin type. Internal factors are dictated by genetics, so they can't be changed. External factors can change the characteristics of the skin temporarily, improving them or affecting them.

Internal factors:

• Water content: skin's elasticity depends on how much water your skin is able to retain.
• Lipid content: skin's softness depends on sebum production.
• Level of sensitivity: skin's tolerance to some substances depends on this factor.

External factors:

These circumstances do not change skin type, but they affect it temporarily. Oily skin can dry out or vice versa, and sensitive skin can react with allergies when these factors appear.

• Medications: skin medication, especially acne treatments, can alter the production of sebum, making oily skin drier. This is one of the obvious and desirable effects of these drugs, but they come with a possible adverse reaction: sensitivity to sunlight. Waxing and other exfoliative treatments are completely forbidden for people on acne medication since these increase the risk of burns and tearing of skin.
  
  A range of other drugs like antidepressants, aspirin, or antibiotics, can cause different reactions, from photosensitivity and dryness to rashes and bruising, which do not change the basic skin type, but cause a visible temporary change. Always consult your doctor to learn how particular medication can affect your skin and talk to your esthetician about it before getting any beauty procedure done.


• Diet: in some cases, even people with dry skin break out when they consume oily or greasy food. Some others may develop rashes or allergic reactions, especially when eating foods with a high content in nitrites like cured meats, even if they do not have sensitive skin.


• Hormones: regardless of skin type, the normal hormonal changes in women's menstrual cycle have influence on the skin. Right before ovulation, higher levels of estrogen make the skin supple and glowing. After ovulation, estrogen levels drop, and the skin looks less soft and bright. When there are deeper hormonal imbalances, like PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), the levels of androgens or male hormones are way higher than normal, which leads to overproduction of sebum, and in turn, to acne. Facial hair can also appear.
  
  Another hormonal imbalance, hypothyroidism, can cause chronic dry skin. If there are noticeable changes in your client's skin, along with weight loss or gain, tiredness, and other persistent symptoms, they should consult with their physician for an accurate diagnosis.


• Stress: hormones also play a role in stress. Cortisol, for instance, is secreted when the body is exposed to high levels of stress. In turn, this hormone stimulates the secretion of sebum, generating acne breakouts.


• Skincare routine: using the wrong product for your client's skin type will throw it out of balance. For example, you might make dry skin oily with astringent tonics. If you take all oil from the skin, it will react by producing more sebum.


• Climate: hot weather can exacerbate sebum production in oily skin, and cold weather can make dry skin even drier. Sensitive skin might become red and uncomfortable with extreme temperatures too.

Waxing for Each Skin TypeWaxing techniques are the same for all skin types and there are some care tips to ensure that the waxing procedure goes smoothly, regardless of skin type. However, there are some different recommendations that suit each skin type best.
Waxing for Normal SkinNormal skin is the most balanced skin type. It has good water and lipid content, which means that it does not feel tight or dry or produce excess sebum. There is minimal risk for adverse reactions with this skin type, which is why basic care will be enough to ensure a perfect waxing.

Applying Tag.Link.Category.predepilatories and Tag.Link.Category.postdepilatories is a must. This is to clean, protect, and moisturize the skin. Asking the client a few control questions before the procedure will also help clear any doubt. Beauty Image has a wide range of soft and hard waxes with nourishing and emollient ingredients that keep the balance of normal skin.

Waxing for Dry SkinDry skin does not produce enough sebum and cannot retain hydration as well as normal skin. This results in a predisposition to flaking and an opaque, often wrinkly appearance. Extremely dry skin can pose a problem for waxing since it implies gentle exfoliation, which may leave the skin more prone to dryness. Irritation or itchiness might appear; this is why dry skin needs extra hydration after waxing, apart from the pre- and post-depilatory lotions. Sugar paste instead of wax is a good option for dry skin. Choco wax is another great option for this skin type since it is extra nourishing and very gentle on the skin.
Waxing for Oily SkinOily skin generally keeps good levels of water. Excess sebum is the real issue with oily skin. However oily the skin can be, this is not likely to be a problem in areas like legs and arms, but on the face and on other places like the back and the face, it can affect the waxing process. The best thing to do in these cases is to apply powder to absorb the excess oil; this will allow wax to properly adhere to hair. Pre- and post-depilatory lotions are better for oily skin if they have a light, fast-absorption texture.
Waxing for Sensitive SkinSkin can be sensitized for different reasons, from natural predisposition to medical conditions or sudden adverse reactions. Sensitive skin needs some special care.

If the skin is naturally sensitive, it's the esthetician's duty to find out if a client has any kind of known allergies that might involve the ingredients of the wax or other products that are going to be used in the waxing session. The esthetician should also keep some emergency anti-allergic medication, and some hypoallergenic waxes (including low-fragrance or fragrance-free wax) to minimize the risk of allergic reactions. This includes Beeswax, for instance, causes a strong allergic reaction in some people. Beauty Image has a variety of waxes that safe for sensitive skin. All our waxes are free of beeswax and based on natural resins instead.
Medical conditions like circulatory problems, diabetes, and permanent skin conditions call for extra care measures. For circulatory problems, low-melting hard waxes are better because they have a more comfortable temperature for extra sensitive capillaries. For diabetic clients, it is essential to make sure that the area to be waxed is very clean; this is to avoid any infections on their fragile skin.

People with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, or acne need to be carefully questioned before they get a waxing procedure done. Skin with irritation, open wounds and cracks, scabs, hives, bumps, or other alterations (which might be present in the previously mentioned skin conditions), cannot be waxed! Make sure the client has not been on acne medication before the waxing appointment. Waxing this type of skin might result in burns and skin lifts that will be painful and possibly scar and damage the skin. This is because acne medication sheds the superficial layers of skin, and so does waxing.

Pulling on the skin might be too rough for the already sensitized skin of a person on acne medication. All in all, sensitive skin needs to be taken care of with good antiseptic pre-depilatory and post-depilatory lotions, and the wax must be preferably low-melting and devoid of allergenic ingredients.

Beauty Image uses only the highest-quality ingredients in their products to ensure that any skin type can be well-taken care of with the right waxes and waxing products. If you're a licensed esthetician, call us toll-free at TOLL FREE 888-513-8815 or send us your questions via the Tag.Link.page.contact form on this page. If you wish to have our beauty blog posts, tips, and maintenance guides for estheticians sent straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter. newsletter. Also, don't forget to find us on Facebook as Beauty Image USA, and follow us on Twitter @BeautyImageUSA, and Instagram @beautyimageusa.