A Hollywood wax is a wax of the genital area using hot wax. Hot wax gets spread onto the hair in your pubic area and left to set before being pulled off firmly and quickly to remove all of the hair.
The hot wax used to do this is dermatologically tested and is safe for that area. It usually contains nourishing ingredients and will not be so hot it will burn. It will simply be hot enough to open the pores to make hair removal easier.
A paper strip is then placed on top of the hot wax area, helping the therapist to remove all of the wax at once. This is the part that may sting.
People are often concerned about the pain of having a wax. Let’s not beat around the bush…ripping hair out of your skin is never going to feel totally comfortable. Expect it to sting and make your eyes water a little.
The good news is this smarting sting only lasts for a few seconds. A good beauty therapist will immediately apply pressure to stop the sting and to help close the pores back up to prevent infection.
In terms of what a Hollywood wax contains exactly, you can expect all of your hair to be waxed off. Yep, we mean everywhere. The Hollywood wax is the most in-depth wax on offer in all salons. Every inch, every millimeter of hair is going to be ripped out. This means that the waxer will need to get between the buttocks, between your legs, and in every nook and cranny of your pubic area.
With this in mind, it is no surprise that the Hollywood wax is the most intimate wax on offer in most salons. It involves a great deal of contorting yourself into positions to make it easy for your waxer to get the hair off. The wax may also need to physically spread your buttocks or ask you to spread your legs to get it. It is certainly not a waxing style for the faint of heart.
That being said, beauty therapists get full training on this, and they do this day in, day out! Believe me when I say they have seen it all, and they will put your mind at ease every step of the way.
What is the difference between a Brazilian and a Hollywood Wax?
The main difference between a Brazilian wax and a Hollywood wax is the fact that they both involve different waxing styles. Brazilian waxing leaves a little bit of hair, whereas the Hollywood wax doesn’t leave any hair.
Let’s explore this in more detail… As you may know from the previous section on Hollywood waxes, a Hollywood wax is something that takes off all of the hair in your pubic area. This means that from front to back, you will be smoother than a dolphin! No hair will remain, and even in those cracks and crannies, you will be waxed!
As such, the Hollywood wax is, as you know, the most complete waxing and hair removal solution on offer, especially as it gets a closer removal than any other hair removal method.
The Brazilian, on the other hand, is a little different. In many ways, it is similar because like the Hollywood wax, your beauty therapist will also be waxing between your legs, and getting in between the buttocks.
You will still be left almost entirely hair-free. The only thing that changes is the fact that a small strip of hair will be left at the top, in place of the triangle of hair we naturally have. This is often called the ‘landing strip’. This is often trimmed to make the hair short, but it can be kept longer if you wish.
As you can see, the two waxes are almost identical, but with one big difference – a strip of hair!
How do you prepare for a Hollywood Wax?
The best tip we can give you for preparing for your Hollywood wax is to exfoliate! This is a super important step that so many people just forget about. However, exfoliation is vital as it will help you to get rid of any dead skin cells underneath the hair….and take it from us, trying to exfoliate after a Hollywood wax is a no-no!
When you exfoliate and strip away all of those dead skin cells, you are going to be making it much easier for the hair to lift away from the skin. This means that the wax will get closer, and the result will be smoother skin and hair that takes longer to grow back.
Now, when we say exfoliate, we don’t mean doing it in a panic 10 minutes before you have to leave for your waxing appointment. Exfoliation should happen over several days in the run-up to your wax. Preferably around 7 to 10 days before!
You can exfoliate in any way you wish, remembering that the skin in this area can sometimes be more sensitive than the rest of your skin. We find that a sugar scrub is typically one of the best options, but you can use whatever exfoliator that is tried and tested on your skin. Alternatively, if you find exfoliating scrubs too harsh for your skin in that area, you can choose to use an exfoliating glove instead.
You should also keep in mind that the hair needs to be a certain length to be properly waxed. The ideal length is ¼ to ½ inches long. This means that you should not shave for a week or more before your waxing appointment. If your hair is longer than this don’t fret because it can be trimmed by the beauty therapist before they wax you.
Another thing that you might want to consider is to take one or two paracetamols about 30 minutes before your wax. This is thought to reduce the pain of waxing. People who are very sensitive may also wish to take an antihistamine before a wax to stave off any reaction.
Above all, relax!
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