How to easily wax your legs at home, step by step

If you're used to booking yourself in at the salon for regular leg waxing appointments, you've no doubt found yourself in a fairly hairy situation since lockdown began.

While shaving is tempting as it is quicker, less technical and gets the job done, it can make your leg hair more difficult to maintain in the long run.

“If you are a regular waxer, try not to shave as the hair growth will become hard and stubborn,” says Pearl Shabangu, Sorbet beauty educator. 

If you’re willing to wait for salons to open and enjoy the freedom that comes with "living la vida hairy", then go for it.

If not, you can have a bash at waxing your legs at home but, cautions Monica Haralambous of Sorbet Lonehill, "be very cautious".

"Be careful not to burn yourself with very hot wax. Waxing in the 'wrong direction' can cause ingrown hairs, and not holding the skin tight can rip off the skin .” 

It's best to avoid waxing when you are on your period, or in the week of it starting, as the skin tends to be more sensitive at this time, and you could be prone to irritation or even bleeding.

It also goes without saying that waxing while under the influence is a huge no-no.

With that in mind, here's how to wax your legs at home, step by step:

1. PICK THE RIGHT PRODUCT

Your beauty therapist is likely to have used hot wax applied with a wooden stick applicator on your legs because she is a pro and licensed to do so. If you haven't mastered that technique, rather go for the home waxing strips such as Veet Sensitive Skin Wax Strips or HairGo Wax Strips.

Strips are easier to manage than hot wax, not as messy, and will still give the desired results. Using wax strips also allows you to cut them to size and make smaller strips to wax stray eyebrow hairs, mono brows or upper lip fuzz.

2. PREP YOUR SKIN

Before you start putting your waxing chops to the test, make sure your skin is adequately prepared and protected.

It’s important to cleanse the skin first to remove any dirt or oil that may prevent the wax from effectively adhering to the hair.

As an extra step, you can dust a bit of powder on the area afterwards to act as a buffer between the wax and skin.

3. HEAT THE WAX

It’s essential the wax is properly heated so it can latch onto every hair and remove it effectively.

While you can use a microwave to heat wax strips , these appliances don't always distribute heat evenly and may result in the wax not being sufficiently warmed. For this reason, it's better to use a hairdryer to do the job. 

Grab your strip and using the hairdryer on a heat setting, start to wave the hairdryer from side to side. Look for a wax consistency that is melted all the way through but is not super runny. It should still have a thickness similar to that of room temperature honey.

If you've made it too hot or runny by mistake, let it cool a bit, monitoring the change in consistency until it’s just right. 

4. WAX QUICKLY

Working quickly is crucial in achieving a great wax. You want to heat the strip, apply it to the skin and pull it off without hesitation, stopping halfway or going too slowly. 

It’s natural to feel hesitant or fear potential pain, but the faster you go, the less painful it will be as the pain is not caused by the hair coming off but by the skin being tugged unnecessarily.

Spare yourself the tears and go for speed, or ask your lockdown buddy to help you remove the strip as they are less likely to hesitate. 

After properly heating the wax, apply the strip onto the area to be waxed and smooth it down with a flat hand in the direction in which the hair grows — so in a downward movement — in order to make sure the wax grabs onto every hair.

Just before removing it, hold down the skin at the base of the wax strip, making sure the skin is taut. 

Without hesitation, use your free hand to pull  off the wax strip in an upward motion towards you (in other words, against the direction of the hair growth) in order to lift all the hair without pulling at the skin. 

Immediately lay your cool palm over the area  after pulling off the strip to soothe the skin.

Repeat the process until your legs are free of hair.