Does Hair Length Affect Waxing Effectiveness?

As a professional waxer, you probably get a lot of questions from clients about the waxing process. One of the questions you might hear a lot is this: does hair length affect waxing effectiveness? Keep reading to learn how to best answer this question and improve your client’s waxing experience.

Too Short

Hair needs to be at least 1/4 of an inch or half a centimeter long in order to wax effectively. If hair is shorter than this, then the wax may not stick to it very well, which makes the removal process more difficult.

While you can apply wax to hair shorter than 1/4 of an inch and successfully remove some of it, you will probably need to reapply several times. This, however, is complicated. If you’re using soft wax, you can’t reapply the wax because it can damage the skin. Reapplying hard wax is possible, but constantly applying and reapplying hot wax to a single area can still cause irritation, especially on sensitive skin.

Too Long

Since hair needs to be at least 1/4 of an inch long, then many people assume that longer hair is better. However, once hair grows beyond a half inch—or 1.5 centimeters—the hair can break during removal, leaving the hair roots still in the skin.

This also requires wax application, which is ill-advised for the same reasons listed above.

Just Right

The ideal hair length for waxing is between 1/4 and 1/2 inches long. This is long enough for the wax to easily grab but short enough that the hair won’t break upon removal. It typically takes four to six weeks for most body hair to grow to this length after a previous hair-removal session, although it can take specific areas—such as the armpits—longer.

Hair length does affect waxing effectiveness, so inform your clients of the ideal length to ensure a pleasant waxing experience. Another great way to ensure a good experience for your clients is using hypoallergenic hard wax. At Bombshell Wax, we offer this product and more to keep your customers happy and your business equipped with the best supplies! Browse our selection today!