Tips & Tricks For Giving Yourself a Pain-Free Leg Wax At Home

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So you want to wax your own legs. It’s a good idea—mostly. I do not recommend the DIY approach for everything; I have ruined too many cropped jeans and razor haircuts trying to “edit” them myself. But when it comes to achieving super smooth legs, it is possible to master the process yourself, so long as you follow the proper steps.

With waxing, I’ve come to a happy conclusion: I would encourage anyone looking to remove hair from their armpits, bikini line or face to see a professional. As Elizabeth Satterly, European Wax Center Corporate Field Trainer, shared with StyleCaster, “Professionals are trained to analyze your hair and skin to know the type of strips to use, proper amount of pressure, and after care recommendations for the best results. Waxing at home can cause breakage and ingrown hairs, not to mention the hair on the backs of the legs can grow in different directions making it difficult to get the cleanest wax possible.”

But that’s not to say it’s out of the question—learning how to wax your own legs can result in saved costs and time. You just want to put your prep time to good use to maximize your results. According to Satterly, first timers will want to ensure their hair is at least the length of a sprinkle (typically, two weeks after you shop shaving is a good time to wax.) “The legs have a larger surface area so the longer the hair before your wax, the smoother your results will be. Exfoliating your legs 2-3 times a week before your wax will ensure you get the cleanest wax. Moisturizing the hair daily before a wax will also ensure the hair is as soft as possible for easy removal.”

If you are just beginning your leg waxing journey, it’s important to know consistency is key. Satterly recommends doing it every 3 to 4 weeks after your first wax so your hair can get on the same growth cycle, especially after ditching your shaving routine. Secondly, you’ll want to avoid sweating or submerging in water post-wax, as your follicles are open and more susceptible to bacteria. Oh, and you’ll want to avoid any form of tanning until at least 48 hours after.

Fear of ingrown hairs holding you back from trying to wax your legs yourself? “Ingrown hairs are caused by hair getting trapped in the skin. To prevent this you need to take care of your skin by exfoliating lightly to remove dead skin that can lay on the skin and trap hairs,” Satterly said. “We recommend the new EWC TREAT Ingrown Hair Mist to prevent ingrown hairs. This is a first-of-its kind mist with a super-charged formula, complete with AHAs and BHAs, that is ideal for treating ingrown hairs, bumps, and breakouts in hard-to-reach areas like back, butt, and legs. This clinically-proven treatment is the first mist that is gynecologist and dermatologist-tested to treat and prevent ingrown hairs.”

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Here’s what you’ll need to begin: One of those kits you see in the back room of salons, such as the Bella Verde Hard Wax Kit
. It should be around $42 for a starter kit—ultimately less than the price of an actual wax—and you’ll get plenty out of this little guy. If you get a whole kit and caboodle, it’ll come with little tongue depressors. These are still non-negotiable, necessary for spreading on wax.

To set the mood, I recommend putting on a Netflix show you don’t really care about (because you don’t want to get distracted from the task at hand) but will also be a comforting presence in the background—something you can glance up at for a moment’s relief in between sets. I also like to pour myself a drink. I’m not sure what the surgeon general has to say about waxing and drinking. But she should at least try it first before casting judgment.

Warm the wax up, but not to its hottest setting. Here’s the thing: If the wax is too hot, not only will it feel like it’s burning on the skin, but it will go on in too thin a layer. This means the wax gets a poor grip on your hair, and you’ll get a poor grip when you try to pull it off. It should go on thick, like honey. When it flakes instead of peels off, you know you’ve messed up.

So, a nice warm temperature will render the wax gooey and malleable but still thick. Stick in your tongue depressor and smooth the wax onto your legs. I go against the direction of hair growth, so I spread the wax up, not down, the leg. You can experiment with this too. Cover a pretty wide area, at least a couple inches. A big, thick strip will actually be easier to pull off. Let it set and cool for just a minute. But not too long—it shouldn’t be cracking.

Now comes the part that no online article can prepare you for: removal.

At the very bottom of the wax mass, pull a corner open with a fingernail. It should give up relatively easily (if not, let it set a little longer). Do this to the whole bottom edge until you can get a firm thumb-and-forefinger grip on the piece. OK. Now, I know you want this to go the way you see it in movies and salons, but don’t just yank. Not at least your first time.

Pull up slowly, to make sure you’ve got a grip, and to see how the wax is going to release. This strip is going to be the most painful one, because you’re not used to it, and you’re going slow, feeling acutely Every. Single. Hair. that’s pulled out. It’s not fun, but it’s essential for you to familiarize yourself with the material and the process, centimeter by centimeter. (N.B.: The ankle area hurts the worst.)

After that one’s over, go about laying more wax. Sometimes I get both legs going at once, alternating between setting and removing two pieces at a time. As you get the hang of it, and have a few more sips of your drink, it’ll get easier. OK, I lied. It won’t get easier, but it’ll get more routine. After a little hair grows in, sometimes I’ll go back to shaving for a month. But, strangely enough, I get this persistent urge to wax again—it’s beyond just results; the idea of the process, the whole solitary ritual, becomes irresistible.

You probably won’t get perfect results the first time. You might miss a few spots (that you only discover later), and the whole ordeal might be a trying, drying experience. You can use olive oil to help dislodge any errant wax bits.

Ready to dive into the world of at-home waxing? Pick up any of the below consumer-friendly hard waxing kits to get started. Some of them are even on sale!

A version of this story was originally published in March 2016.