Hot Wax Vs. Cold Wax: Which Is Best For You?

Are you thinking about switching to waxing? There are many benefits to waxing that make it a better hair removal method than shaving. If you can tolerate the pain, you can reap the rewards. While shaving only cuts the hair on the skin's surface, waxing removes it from the root, according to Waxxpot. This is what makes it so much more effective. When you shave, stubble can reappear by the next day, but with waxing, you have 3 to 4 weeks before new hair growth comes in.

A big pro of waxing is that the more you do it, the less hair grows back. You are removing hairs right from the follicle and damaging them. Don't worry; this is a good thing because it reduces the amount of new growth and what does come back is finer than usual. Once you know that you want to switch to waxing, you need to decide what kind to use: hot or cold wax.

Hot wax comes in two types. There is soft and hard, and they work better for different parts of the body. Soft wax is the type that people are the most familiar with. It's applied with a spatula and pulled off with a strip. Use this one to remove hair from large body parts like your legs, arms, or armpits. Crown Beauty Bar explains that hard wax is also spread onto the area with a spatula, then you wait for it to harden and pull it off in one piece. It can be used for large areas but is best for waxing faces.

Hot wax works by wrapping each hair, so when you remove it, the hairs are pulled out too. Since it has such a firm grip, you can use it for stubborn thicker hairs. You also won't have to wait long between sessions because it works on hairs as short as 1 millimeter, according to Perfect Waxing. The heat from this wax also makes it less painful. It opens up the pores in the skin, so the hair comes out easily and more gently.

Cold wax is perfect for beginners looking to wax themselves at home. It's easy to use because the wax comes pre-portioned on the muslin strips. All the user has to do is warm it up by rubbing the paper between their hands. You can also use this type of wax in conjunction with hot wax. If you have patches growing in on vacation and don't want to visit an esthetician, you can conveniently use a couple of strips on those areas.

Healthline recommends cold wax for beginners because there is less room for error. Unlike hot wax, you don't have to heat it in a pot, so your skin isn't in danger of burning. It's also less messy because you don't need all the extra accessories to keep the wax warm or apply it. That said, you won't want to use this type of wax if you have thick hair. It won't be able to grip it as well, which can lead to you going over the same spot multiple times and irritating your skin. You'll also need to wait for the hair to be ¼ to ¾ inches long before you can remove it. Otherwise, cold wax is an excellent place to start.