Leg Waxing: Everything You Need to Know to Wax Like a Pro

When it comes to leg waxing prices, you’re always going to be better off if you do your leg waxing at home. Sure, it can be a bit intimidating to wax yourself - especially when it comes to ripping off the wax in a clean and swift motion - but it isn’t as bad as you might imagine.

I’ve been leg waxing in the comfort of my own home for many years now, and I’ve picked up plenty of tips for waxing your legs that makes the process much easier. With a little preparation and the right attitude, you’ll be waxing your legs like a pro! 

Everything You Need to Know

You may be a little nervous about making sure you know how to wax legs without pain, but the reality is that waxing legs for the first time isn’t as bad as you’d think. Compared to the rest of your body, your legs are fairly insensitive and will wax with little difficulty.

There are plenty of pros and cons of waxing legs at home. The good news is that the majority of this list can be pros if you follow a few simple tips for waxing your legs. I’ve provided a list of tips for removing unwanted hair that I wish I’d known before I started waxing. 

How Long Do Waxed Legs Stay Smooth? 

This is entirely up to you. Waxed legs will stay smooth significantly longer than shaved legs (up to three weeks!). However, your legs will stay smooth longer if you’re patient and don’t rush the process. For the best results, don’t try to wax hair over ¼ of an inch.

While you definitely don’t want to wax hair that isn’t long enough to stick to the wax, you don’t want to wax hair that is too long either. Hair that is too long will break off at the hair instead of the root. This is extremely painful and will make a big difference in your waxed legs before and after. Instead of staying smooth and pristine for weeks you’ll get similar results to shaving, making all your hard work for nothing. 

Will It Hurt?

The unfortunate truth of leg waxing is that there will always be a little pain. The good news, however, is that you can do a lot to prevent this pain from getting in the way of your experience too much. One of the biggest things you can do to help yourself is waxing without hesitation.

As tempting as it can be to take the wax off slowly, this will only add to the pain. If you want to make things quick and efficient, rip the strips off quickly in the opposite direction of your hair growth. You can also take an ibuprofen before-hand to keep the swelling to a minimum and sip on a glass of wine to dull the pain while you’re waxing. 

What Materials Do I Need?

To ensure that things run smoothly, you’ll need to make sure you have the following supplies on hand: 

How to Wax Your Legs Like a Pro

Now that you have all your materials on hand, you’ll be able to get down to business and start waxing your legs. Be sure to take your time - you’ll have the best results when you’re patient.

#1 Prepare the Night Before 

Before you even think of waxing, you should take the time to prepare the night before. You’ll have a much better experience and can establish a comfortable routine to use in the future. There are two main things that I’d recommend focusing on the night before - exfoliating and preparing your after-care.

I cannot begin to stress how important it is that you exfoliate before leg waxing. This is one key step that many people skip out on. When you exfoliate, you are cleansing your skin of dead skin cells that would otherwise get in the way of your wax routine. This will make it easier for the wax to grip your unwanted hair and make the process less painful for you.

Another thing you can do to prepare is to find a calming lotion (preferably unscented) and place it in the fridge overnight. You’ll be able to put this lotion on your legs after you’re done waxing - something you’ll definitely thank me for later. 

#2 Find a Quiet Time

You’ll find that you have much better results if you find a waxing time that is quiet and peaceful. Leg waxing isn’t a process you want to rush, so waiting until the house is empty is a great decision. If your house is rarely empty, try to find a time that is quiet (perhaps while everyone is napping or sleeping).

#3 Prepare Your Legs

Before you wax, you’ll want to prepare your legs to have a good surface to work with. Taking a few extra minutes to get your skin ready will help you avoid a lot of pain and help improve your overall experience.

One of the first things you should do before waxing your legs is to jump in the shower. You don’t need to use any soaps or products that can create coatings on your hairs or close your pores —just turn on the hot water! This will help to open your pores and make waxing less painful.

Once you’ve stood in the shower a few minutes, turn the water off and dry yourself with a towel. You’ll want to make sure that you are completely dry before moving on to the next step. Any excess water on your legs will prevent the wax from properly adhering. \

Once you’ve towel dried your legs, coat your legs with baby powder. This will help to soak up any leftover moisture and make sure the wax doesn’t stick to your skin. 

#4 Test the Warmth of the Wax 

After your wax has had time to warm up, do a heat test before applying it to your skin. Dab a small amount of wax onto your wrist. If it’s too hot, you’ll need to let the wax cool a bit on a lower setting before waxing your legs. 

#5 Apply the Wax 

You’re ready to start waxing! Using an applicator from your kit (or spatula, or popsicle stick), spread the wax evenly over a small section of your skin in the same direction as your hair growth. This is extremely important! Once you’ve applied the wax, place a waxing strip over it and press down firmly. Once the wax has dried (about 30 seconds in most cases) you’ll be ready to move on to step six. 

#6 Rip it Off! 

This is the part where you may be questioning yourself if you’ve never self-waxed before, but trust me - hesitation is not your friend.

You’ll want to rip the wax off with one swift motion for the least amount of pain and most hair removal.

I’ve found that the best results come when you keep the strip close to your skin.

Pulling the waxing strip away from your skin makes you more likely to break the hair off before the root instead of pulling it up from the root. Try to keep the waxing strip parallel to your skin while you wax for the best results. 

#7 Repeat… But Not Too Many Times

Now that you’ve got your process down, it’s time to move on to another section of your leg. I like starting at my ankles and working my way up. It helps me stay organized and move quickly. Find a pattern that works with you and stick with it.

Keep in mind, however, that you don’t want to wax over the same section of skin too many times. I try to not to wax over a section of hair more than once. If I absolutely have to, I will wax over the same spot twice - with a different strip of course. Going over an area any more than this will make your legs red and inflamed - something you should want to avoid. Instead, go over any stray hairs with tweezers. 

#8 Clean Up and Take Care

Once you’re done, take a washcloth and put some baby oil on it. Rub the cloth against your legs to remove any excess wax that didn’t come off with the strips. Once the wax is gone, get your lotion from the fridge. It should be nice and cool by now - a sensation that will feel great against your sensitive skin.

Now that you’re done waxing, you won’t have to worry about unwanted hair for about three weeks. You will, however, still need to keep a few things in mind. Your skin will be sensitive for the next 24 hours. Avoid any harsh chemicals that could dry your skin out (irritating it in the process). You’ll also want to limit your sun exposure - the new skin you’ve exposed will be more susceptible to burning during this time. 

Pro Tips

I’ve given you all the basics with this leg waxing guide, but these pro tips will ensure that you have a fantastic experience!

#1 Invest in Your Own Wax Kit 

It can be tempting to get a temporary kit from the drugstore, but if you’re really serious about waxing a professional kit will save you lots of money. Investing in your own kit means you’ll only have to restock on wax every few months. Plus, it will be easier to keep the temperature regulated with the waxing pot warmer. 

Don’t wait until it’s time to wax to take care of your skin! Exfoliating will keep your skin soft, fresh, and clear. I’d recommend exfoliating at least twice a week - even if it’s not waxing week. Keep in mind that this is by no means a limitation - I exfoliate four to five times a week, and my skin loves it! 

#3 Don’t Shave 

It can be tempting to shave in a pinch - especially if you’re waiting for your hair to grow out - but it’s not worth it. Shaving will only make your hair grow in thicker and more frequently, essentially reversing all the work you’ve been doing through waxing. Once you start waxing, you shouldn’t ever go back to shaving. Over time you’ll notice how waxed legs look before and after and be able to appreciate the difference. 

#4 Wax Early or Late But Never In Between

You’ll get your best results if you wax early in the morning or late at night. Both of these times tend to be the coolest of the day and help to ensure that your skin has received minimum irritation beforehand. This means that you’ll have less pain and irritation from the procedure itself, and a fast recovery time.