When you talk about hair removal with people, waxing and shaving are two of the most common responses you’ll hear about. However, they’re totally different methods with separate benefits, processes, and side effects! As an esthetician, you’ll want to know all the differences and benefits in order to fully educate your clients, and convince new ones to try out the wonders of waxing.
A quick comparison between waxing vs shaving
Obviously, the main goal of both waxing and shaving is to remove hair from an area of your body. Depilating, or shaving, gets rid of hair on the visible surface level of your skin. Epilating or waxing reaches a little deeper, and pulls out hair from the roots.
Waxing overview
Depending on the area that is being waxed, waxing uses hard or soft wax to remove your hair from the root, therefore damaging the root and essentially training it to not grow back over time. Compared to shaving, hair grows back much slower due to the hair being removed from the root. While many people wax themselves at home, unnecessary side effects and pain come with waxing without proper experience. Always seek a professional esthetician to ensure the best possible results!
Shaving overview
The best part of shaving is its ease and accessibility. Anyone can do it relatively easily right from home, with just a couple tools. Just purchase a clean, sharp razor with shaving cream and hot water, and you’re ready to go!
The difference in process of waxing vs shaving
From first impressions, you might think that shaving is quicker and saves you time. However, once you get on a regular waxing schedule, you only have to worry about hair removal once a month! From a time-saving point of view, waxing might actually beat shaving.
How is waxing performed?
The most time-consuming part of going for your first wax is letting your hair grow out to the proper length. Find a reputable, licensed esthetician that offers waxing services near you to book an appointment. Exfoliate one or two before your wax, and you should be ready to go! Follow any other guidelines provided for you on the day of your appointment. Depending on the area you’re having waxed, an appointment lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.
How much time does it take to shave properly?
Shaving at home is a fairly simple procedure that maybe only adds 10 to 15 minutes to your daily routine. Some people enjoy the daily ritual involved with shaving each and every day. To minimize ingrown hairs and other negative side effects of shaving, doing it everyday is necessary. However, 15 minutes every day quickly adds up!
The benefits of each method
As mentioned, one of the main benefits of waxing is that it takes longer for hair to grow back. There are other, less well known benefits to it as well! In the end, both methods have their merits, and it's up to you to decide which works best within your schedule and routine.
The strengths of waxing regularly
Another huge advantage to going for a consistent wax is that it gets less uncomfortable over time. Whatever your apprehensions may be before your first appointment, they’ll all be gone by your second time! Additionally, your skin is exfoliated during the waxing process.
The one downside to waxing is that you need to let some hair grow back before your next appointment. If you’re the type of person who can’t stand having any hair whatsoever, you’ll probably want to stick with shaving.
The convenience of shaving
Convenience and consistency: the two great benefits of shaving. No special time needs to be put aside for shaving once you incorporate it into a daily routine. However, that’s also the biggest downside. Hair is only cut from the visible layer, so it’s always growing back. On a very busy day when you skip out on a shave, you’ll notice stubble growing!
Side effects, cost and preparation
Another big deciding factor when it comes to the waxing vs shaving decision is the cost and possible side effects. Going to a professional minimizes waxing pain, discomfort, and some unwanted side effects.
For waxing
Let’s not mince any words: waxing causes some pain, especially for first-timers. To lessen the discomfort, you can take a non-aspirin painkiller such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol about an hour before your appointment. Also, avoid caffeine and alcohol the day of your appointment. An important waxing prep tip is to exfoliate a day or two before your appointment for an easier time. However, over time each session becomes easier.
Waxing prices are heavily dependent on the local prices in your area. A Brazilian wax may cost $50 in Houston, TX but $60 somewhere in New York. Either way, waxing is overall more expensive than shaving.
For shaving
The potential side effects for shaving include cuts and nicks, razor burn, ingrown hairs, and itchiness. The quality of your razor will influence how serious some of these side effects are. It pays to invest in a high quality razor, and to replace blades often. Better shaving creams will help nourish your skin and reduce itchiness and any irritation.
For estheticians seeking high quality waxing supplies for their business, browse Bare Beauty Waxing Supply’s inventory! For regular customers, we offer a great rewards program to help you succeed and grow.