The Refinery
Your waxing aftercare
How to look after your skin following male body or intimate waxing.
Your treatment may be finished, but how you look after your skin over the next few days will make an important difference to how comfortably it settles.
Before you leave, I will talk you through your aftercare and give you a copy of this guide to take home. You can also download another copy from the website whenever you need it.
You do not need a complicated routine or lots of specialist products. The most important things are giving your skin time to recover, avoiding unnecessary heat and friction, and looking after it consistently between appointments.
THE FIRST TWO DAYS
Give your skin time to settle.
Waxing removes each hair directly from its follicle. Immediately afterwards, the skin may be more sensitive and vulnerable to irritation than usual.
For the first 24 to 48 hours, anything that creates excessive heat, sweat, friction or exposure to bacteria can make irritation more likely.
A little extra care during these first two days gives your skin the best opportunity to recover comfortably.
- Avoid heavy exercise
Try to avoid the gym, running, cycling, sport, heavy manual work or anything else that causes significant sweating.
Sweat and repeated friction against freshly waxed skin can irritate the area and contribute to inflamed or blocked follicles.
- Avoid excessive heat
- Do not use hot tubs, saunas or steam rooms during the first 24 to 48 hours.
Choose a warm shower rather than a very hot bath or shower while your skin settles.
- Avoid swimming
Stay out of swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers and the sea for the first 24 to 48 hours.
This gives the freshly waxed area time to recover before it is exposed to treated water, shared facilities or naturally occurring bacteria.
Wear comfortable clothing
Choose clean, loose-fitting underwear and clothing wherever possible.
Tight clothing and repeated rubbing can make freshly waxed skin feel more uncomfortable and increase irritation.
- Avoid sexual activity
Following intimate waxing, avoid sexual intercourse and other activity involving direct heat or friction against the treated area for 24 to 48 hours.
This is simply to allow your skin time to settle and achieve the best possible result from your treatment.
YOUR ROUTINE BETWEEN APPOINTMENTS
Keep it gentle and consistent.
Good aftercare is not only about the first two days. What you do between appointments can help keep your skin smoother, reduce irritation and make ingrown hairs less likely.
The most effective routine is usually a simple one that you can maintain consistently.
- Cleanse gently
Keep the waxed area clean using a gentle cleanser suitable for the area being treated.
Skin naturally collects sweat, oil, bacteria and dead skin throughout the day. Regular cleansing removes that build-up without the need for aggressive washing or harsh products.
- Avoid heavily fragranced or drying products if they leave your skin feeling uncomfortable.
Begin exfoliating after 48 hours
- Do not exfoliate immediately after your wax. Give your skin at least 48 hours to recover first.
After that, gently exfoliate the area every two to three days. This helps remove the dead skin that can build up around follicles and trap new hairs beneath the surface.
Exfoliation should be gentle. Scrubbing harder will not give you a better result and may irritate the skin.
Keep your skin moisturised
Regular moisturising helps support the skin barrier and keeps the area soft and hydrated.
Well-maintained skin also allows new hair to grow through the surface more easily, reducing the chance of it becoming trapped.
Choose a gentle moisturiser appropriate for the area and apply it consistently as part of your normal routine.
- Do not pick at the skin
- Avoid picking, squeezing or trying to dig out an ingrown hair.
Doing so can damage the skin, introduce bacteria and make inflammation or marking more likely. If you are concerned about an ingrown hair or reaction, please contact me rather than trying to treat it aggressively yourself.
YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT
Regular waxing helps maintain your results.
For most clients, returning approximately every four to six weeks helps establish a consistent waxing routine.
With regular appointments, regrowth can become finer and softer, treatments often become more comfortable and the results are easier to maintain.
Leaving much longer between appointments allows the hair to return to a more established growth pattern, which may make your next treatment feel more uncomfortable.
I will help you decide on the right timing for your next appointment based on the area treated, your regrowth and how your skin responds.
A SIMPLE REMINDER
For the first 24 to 48 hours:
- Avoid heavy exercise and excessive sweating
- Avoid hot baths, hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms
- Avoid swimming
- Avoid tight or restrictive clothing
- Avoid sexual activity following intimate waxing
- Do not exfoliate, scrub or pick at the skin
After 48 hours:
- Cleanse the area gently
- Exfoliate every two to three days
- Moisturise regularly
- Avoid picking or squeezing ingrown hairs
- Maintain your recommended waxing schedule
IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS
Your skin is individual, and people can respond differently following a wax.
If anything concerns you after your appointment, or you are unsure whether what you are experiencing is normal, please contact me. I would always rather you ask than sit at home worrying.
Contact The Refinery
Private. Personal. Straightforward.
I will go through this advice with you before you leave and provide a printed copy for you to take home.
therefineryfleet.co.uk/waxing-aftercare.html
Email: hello@therefineryfleet.co.uk
Phone and WhatsApp: 07356 225572
If you have any concerns
Please contact me.
I would always rather you ask than sit at home worrying.