Vaxxed, Waxxed, and Leaving Ingrowns in the Past - A rundown on bikini care
I like to keep my coochie on Caillou - bald AF. Keeping a pretty kitty is more than just regular shaving or waxing. The bikini area is almost as temperamental as facial skincare thanks to ingrown hairs, scarring, and hyperpigmentation. Here is a guide on how to keep your ingrowns at a minimum in between hair removal and tips, tricks, and products I love to even the skintone in the bikini area while keeping my skin barrier happy and healthy. Items marked ** can be found on my Amazon Storefront.
So you’ve just gotten a wax ….
Yay! Boneless coochie is back in stock. What do I do now? Hair removal is traumatic to the skin. The area is going to be extremely sensitive and susceptible to bacteria because it’s layer of protection (the hair) has now been freshly removed. This window is where most ingrown hairs form because of improper post wax care. Rule number 1: Do not exercise, sweat, tan, expose your bikini area to bacteria (so no sexual fornication!) within MINIMUM 24 hours of getting a wax. This is one of the most common reasons for post wax irritation. After you get a wax, avoid tight fitting panties and pants as well. Give your homegirl space to breathe. When you get home from the wax, cleanse the area with cold water and apply skin barrier soothing products to the area to help repair the barrier. Here are my favorite post wax skin soothing products. You would not use these all at the same time, choose your favorite!
Colloidal Silver Gel ($14.99) ** - This is my favorite post wax product. Colloidal silver is amazing for skin barrier repair, absorbing excess oil production, treating ingrown hairs and acne, and it treats skin redness. It works incredibly well for sensitive skin. Apply this after cleansing the area, can be used twice a day. It’s a super lightweight gel that dries quickly so you won’t even notice it’s there.
COSRX Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Mask ($18) ** - Using this mask on my bikini area always leaves my skin feeling super hydrated and moisturized the next day. This is a great face mask but it does the real work as a moisturizer on freshly waxed skin. It’s made with 87.26% propolis extract, which is great for skin barrier repair, moisturization, and it has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Apply this after cleansing the area, it’s a gel like texture that isn’t sticky or heavy post application.
Face Reality Hydrabalance ($24) - This loaded hydrating gel is perfect for restoring moisture and repairing freshly waxed skin. It’s a lightweight, water based, gel that works great for sensitive skin types. It contains lilac stem cells for anti fungal and anti inflammation properties, sodium hyaluronate to prevent skin moisture loss, and totarol for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
So it’s been a few days since you’ve been waxed and you’re feeling the ingrowns knock on your door …
Ingrown hairs are an inevitable part of hair removal, especially when you have thick, course, hair. Ingrowns occur when the hair grows back downwards instead of upwards. When this happens, the body reacts to the hair like it’s a foreign object causing inflammation, pain, and sometimes infection. The key to fighting ingrowns is protection. Regular exfoliation in the bikini area after the 48 hour post wax period is key to keeping your bikini area happy and healthy. Here are my favorite products to prevent ingrown hairs.
PFB Vanish Ultra ($40) - YOU NEED THIS. I don’t say people “need” a product very often, but no - this is a necessity. Don’t let the price scare you, this bottle will last you months, even if you use it daily (best used at night). This has been a game changing product for me in regards to fighting ingrowns AND lightening hyperpigmentation (dark spots) in my bikini area. It contains lactic acid, salicylic acid, willow bark extract, nymphaea alba flower extract, AND MORE to chemically exfoliate your skin. With continuous use, the skin in the area will peel. THIS IS NORMAL. It’s a good thing, it’s a sign the product is working. Underneath that peeling skin will be healthier, even toned, skin.
Alpha Skincare Renewal Body Lotion ($18) ** - Moisturizing your bikini area is just as important as exfoliating it. The same way you have to wear lotion and moisturizer daily, you have to keep your bikini area properly moisturized. This allows the bikini area to strengthen it’s skin barrier and a healthy, hydrated, skin barrier recovers from waxes better, heals from ingrowns better, and makes hair removal less painful. Alpha Skincare’s lotion is my favorite bikini area moisturizer because it not only contains a bunch of hydrating humectants (ingredients that bonds water to the skin to deliver hydration), but it also has 12% glycolic acid to boost skin cell turnover and exfoliate the skin. I use this lotion over my PFB Ultra. The days I don’t use PFB I still apply this on my bikini area daily.
First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub ($28) ** - This is the OG body scrub for keratosis pilaris aka “chicken skin” (build up of keratin in the pores causing dark bumps), however it works great at keeping your bikini area ingrown free. Physical exfoliation (like scrubs) are going to be your best friend when it comes to the bikini area, and body skin in general, because the skin and hair tends to be thicker down there so it needs a little heavy lifting. This scrub has a combination of 10% lactic and glycolic acid to chemically exfoliate the skin revealing smoother and even toned skin. It also contains soothing bisabolol and vitamin E to help nourish the skin barrier in that area. I use this on my bikini area 2 to 3 times a week.
COSRX Snail Mucin ($16) ** - Another great hydrating product for daily use. This would be layered over the PFB or just used on it’s own daily. Snail mucin aids in skin healing and cell regeneration. It’s incredibly hydrating and this essence helps repair dehydrated and damaged skin - which most bikini areas are post wax. This also helps with evening skin tone and dullness.
So you’re trying to really work to get rid of hyperpigmenation in the bikini area and you need some heavy lifting …
Outside of the basic bikini area skincare, there’s also corrective skincare that I like to use to target hyperpigmentation and just for a nice self care experience. Here are some of my favorite add on products I use on my bikini area.
Ara by Essence Enzyme Mask ($20) - This Black, woman owned, skincare brand is one of my favorites. This mask uses pineapple and papaya based fruit acids to gently chemically exfoliate the skin, uncolog pores (ingrown hair prevention!), and even skin tone. I use it in my bikini area 2 to 3 times a week, whenever I have extra time to lounge around in my towel to be honest.
Versed Doctor’s Visit Instant Resurfacing Mask ($17.99) - Another great exfoliating mask for the bikini area that targets hyperpigmentation. It features papaya and pineapple fruit enzymes, lactic acid for hydration and exfoliation, glycolic acid for exfoliation and cell renewal, and salicylic acid to unclog pores. It’s great to use when you’re dealing with ingrowns and texture. This should be used 2 to 3 times a week.
Black Girl Sunscreen ($15.99) - The best way to treat hyperpigmentation is to take the proper preventative measures. Summertime is here meaning we’re in bikinis roasting in the sun. You should be wearing SPF not only on your face, but on your body as well if you’re fighting any form of hyperpigmenation. I use SPF as my final layer of body care on my bikini area when I plan on being in a swimsuit or exposing that area to sun for the day. Black Girl Sunscreen is not only Black owned, but super hydrating as well!
Remember, consistency is key with any of these products. Making bikini care a part of your nightly self care routine is the only way you are going to see an improvement in your skin.
The CDC said we are still socially distancing our beautiful, waxed, kitties from fuckboys/girls and I put science first. Happy coochie care!
Cheers,
Kahina