Which Is the Proper Way to Wax the Chin, Cheeks and Upper Lip?

March 16, 2017

Removing chin, cheek, and upper lip hair might not be as popular as bikini waxing, but many clients still turn to professional estheticians for the job, given that facial waxing on your own might not be the best idea. Facial waxing is not as simple as it looks; we're talking about several small areas in which hair doesn't grow in the same direction and where the skin is especially sensitive. Besides, the face cannot be hidden in case of bad results as in other places like the underarms or legs.

Mastering the techniques of facial waxing requires practice and study. If you want to become a professional esthetician known for smooth and perfect facial waxes, here we explain the basics of hair removal and the hair removal products you should use in three key areas of the face: chin, cheeks, and upper lip.

Chin: For this part of the face, it is advised to choose sugaring or hard waxes instead of soft waxes to prevent hairs from re-growing in different directions. As you might know, soft waxes are pulled out against the direction of hair, which causes hair to grow back irregularly. While this isn't a problem for the legs or underarms, clients cannot hide chin hair nor they can remove them as soon as they appear since they have to wait until they are long enough to wax them again. Sugaring or hard body waxes, on the other hand, are pulled out in the direction of hair growth, which avoids having hair regrow in multiple directions on the lower part of the face.
Cheeks: Contrary to what most people believe, many women wax their cheeks regularly. Since this is a very sensitive area, hard wax works great and doesn't have many side effects. Make sure you advise your clients what they should do before and after the session to prevent excessive inflammation. Remember to remove any makeup or dirt and apply powder before the treatment to make sure the area is clean and dry enough. After the procedure, apply calming oils – this is essential and without proper care afterwards, your clients might suffer from inflammation and red bumps.

Upper lip: The area above the lips and below the nose is even more sensitive than the eyebrows, therefore it is wise to use hard body waxes, which grab the hair without removing layers of skin, or soft waxes that are made for sensitive skin. Hair growth in this area can be divided in two sections: the part under the nasal septum (cartilage that separates both nostrils) and the rest of the area above the mouth. You cannot wax both sections at once since hairs grow differently in each one them (hair grows directly downwards below the septum, and towards the lips in the rest of the area). Wax the sides first and then the septum.

Pain in the upper lip may be a little more intense than in other body parts, depending on the pain threshold of each client – while some might not be able to take more than just one pull, others might just feel a quick, sharp pain and that's all. Explain the possibilities before the procedure to avoid surprises.

As you can see, even though these three parts of the face are quite close to each other, they cannot be waxed with the same hair removal methods, at least not if you want to achieve good results for your clients. Practice makes perfect, so make sure you've studied enough before performing these types of treatments. Moreover, do not forget to ask your client a few questions prior to the appointment, especially if it is their first facial wax.

If you're wondering where you can get all these different types of products, Beauty Image offers you a wide array of soft and hard waxes, as well as professional sugaring paste and useful waxing accessories to treat your clients with the best products the beauty market has to offer. If you're a licensed esthetician, you can purchase our products through our website—subscribe to our YouTube channel to learn how. To know more about our beauty products, you can find us on Facebook at Beauty Image USA and follow us on Instagram @BeautyImageUSA. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter.

Sources:

• Cosmopolitan
• Milady's Hair Removal Techniques