Getting your Back Waxed

9 Things You Need to Know Before Getting Waxed

Getting your Back Waxed

Self Shaving Your Back / August 7, 2018

A lot of women love stubble. Many are keen on hairy chests. Most are unfazed by tufty knuckles, furry forearms or gorilla-like legs. But, for whatever reason, a hairy back lags behind in the stakes. And men, too – even those who baulk at the term ‘manscaping’ – tend to have a similar aversion. To bring sexy back, depilation is mandatory. Which may explain why back waxes are the most popular hair removal treatments for men.

The advantages of a bald back go beyond aesthetics. “Once the hair is removed the sensation on your back is so much better when wearing clothes, sweating and after showering, ” says beautician Sarah Louisa O’Looney, who instructs therapists on hair removal techniques.

So how exactly do you free yourself of the fuzz? Shaving is the simplest and least expensive option, but you’ll need a helping pair of hands and the results, much like an X-Factor winner’s career, are rather short lived. What’s more, you’re likely to be plagued by itchy regrowth. If you opt for the razor, ask your partner to do it in the shower (the steam will soften the hairs) and, as with the hair on your face, make sure they only ever shave in the direction of hair growth or you’ll end up with irritation and risk painful ingrown hairs.

Even if you don’t have a willing spouse comfortable with the least erotic shower they’re ever likely to experience, a depilatory cream is a better option. These work by dissolving the hair at skin level and deliver results lasting around twice as long as shaving. They can be tricky to apply by yourself, however, so for a solo back attack you could try removing the unwanted hair with the novel Mangroomer (see below) – a body shaver attached to an extendable handle.

But by far the easiest solution is to have a professional back wax. This, says O’Looney, will keep you smooth for up to two months at a time and should also improve the overall look of your body, especially if you also have the top of your arms and shoulders done at the same time. “Even if you haven’t much definition on your shoulders you’ll be amazed as how different your outline looks, ” she says. Incentive indeed.

What to buy

Professional back waxes vary in price depending on where you live, the salon doing them and whether you want shoulders or any other body parts done at the same time, but expect to pay between £30-40 a go. The process can be eye-watering and your skin will smart afterwards but the results are impressive.

By far the most ingenious grooming gadget you’ll come across, this clever tool actually allows you to remove your own back hair. Thanks to an extendable handle you can even get to the trickiest bits without needing to recruit a reluctant helper.

Getting the job done in under five minutes, this depilatory cream is the perfect choice if you want a quick solution to back hair. You’ll still need help applying it, though you’ll find most women are experts in the art.

With anti-bacterial tea tree oil, this spray is the perfect way to prevent the spots and blemishes that can occur after waxing, depilation or shaving. Since it’s a spray you can apply it yourself too.