Epilation can be confusing, especially when it comes to showering. People often ask whether they should epilate before or after a shower. The general advice is to epilate after showering, regardless of whether you have a wet or dry epilator. There are good reasons for this.
When you shower before epilation, the warm water helps open up your pores and soften the hair follicles. This makes the hair easier to remove and reduces the discomfort during the process. Additionally, the steam and water can help cleanse your skin, removing any dirt or oils that could interfere with the epilation process.
If you can’t shower before epilating, don’t worry. There are a few precautions you can take to make the process smoother. First, make sure your skin is clean and dry. Use a gentle cleanser to remove any oils or lotions. Dry your skin thoroughly to ensure the epilator can grip the hairs effectively.
Exfoliating your skin before epilation is also beneficial. This helps remove dead skin cells and reduces the risk of ingrown hairs. Use a gentle exfoliating scrub or brush to gently buff your skin in circular motions.
It’s important to note that everyone’s skin is different, and you might need to experiment to find the best approach for your needs. Some people find that showering before epilation gives them the best results, while others prefer to epilate before showering. Listen to your body, and do what feels comfortable and effective for you.
It’s generally recommended to epilate after showering. The warm water and steam help prepare your skin and make the process more comfortable. However, if you can’t shower beforehand, ensure your skin is clean, dry, and exfoliated. Find the approach that works best for you and enjoy the benefits of smooth, hair-free skin.
Epilating after a shower offers several important benefits that you shouldn’t overlook. Here’s why it’s recommended to epilate after showering:
Infection Prevention:
When you use an epilator, your hair follicles are damaged, making your skin more susceptible to infection. By cleansing your skin in the shower before epilation, you can get rid of dirt, sweat, bacteria, and other microorganisms, reducing the likelihood of infection.
Ingrown Hair Prevention:
Epilating can increase the risk of ingrown hairs. To prevent this, it’s best to exfoliate before epilation. The warm water in the shower makes it easier to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells, reducing the chances of ingrown hairs.
Easier Epilation:
The warm water and steam from a shower open closed hair follicles, making it easier for the hair to be removed during epilation. This results in fewer missed hairs and reduces the risk of hair breakage.
Relaxation and Skin Soothing:
The warm water in a shower helps relax your body and calms your skin. This can minimize the stress you feel during epilation and reduce the associated pain. Additionally, the warm water has a soothing effect on the skin, reducing irritation.
Showering before epilation is highly recommended to prevent infections, minimize ingrown hairs, facilitate easier hair removal, and provide a more relaxed and soothing experience for your skin. Incorporate this step into your epilation routine for optimal results.
Tips for Showering Before Epilation
Use Warm Water
Opt for warm water when showering before epilation. Water that is too cool won’t open up your pores effectively, while water that is too hot can lead to skin irritation during epilation. Aim for warm to slightly hot water for the best results.
Exfoliate
To cleanse your skin and remove dead skin cells, use a loofah or exfoliating gloves along with an exfoliating scrub like Soap And Glory Flake Away Body Scrub. Make sure to rinse your skin thoroughly after exfoliating.
Pat Dry
Instead of rubbing your skin dry, gently pat it dry with a towel. This helps avoid irritating the skin. Ensure that the towel you use is clean to prevent exposing your clean skin to germs.
Avoid Skin Care Products
After showering, refrain from applying lotions, oils, deodorants, or other products to your skin. These can create a barrier that makes it harder for the epilator to grip the hairs. Once you’ve completed the epilation process, you can apply a gentle moisturizer, but it’s best to avoid most products for about 12 to 24 hours post-epilation.
Use Baby Powder
If your skin still feels damp even after drying with a towel and you experience friction during epilation, you can apply baby powder or talc powder to your skin. This helps absorb moisture and reduce friction, allowing for smoother epilation.
Wait 30 Minutes
If you have thin hair or frequently experience hair breakage while using an epilator, it’s advisable to wait for 10–30 minutes after drying your skin before starting the epilation process. This allows your hair to thoroughly dry, reducing the likelihood of breakage.
By following these tips, you can make the most of your shower before using an epilator, ensuring a more effective and comfortable hair removal experience.
The Cons of Epilating After Shower
Friction from Damp Skin
Showering before epilation is generally recommended, but there can be a downside. Damp skin can create friction, making it difficult to smoothly glide the epilator across your skin. This can result in the epilator catching your skin or causing irritation similar to a rug burn.
Solution: You can address this issue by either using talc or baby powder to dry up excess moisture on your skin or by waiting until your skin is completely dry before using the epilator.
Hair Breakage
Epilating with wet hair can lead to hair breakage. When your hair absorbs a lot of water, it becomes weighed down, making it harder for the epilator to effectively grip and remove the hair from the root. Instead, the epilator may break the hair at the surface.
Solution: To avoid this problem, it’s recommended to wait for your hair to fully dry, usually around 10–30 minutes, before starting the epilation process.
Inconvenience
There are situations where showering before epilation may not be practical. For instance, if you share a shower with multiple people, coordinating showering schedules is challenging. Or if you need to preserve a particular hairstyle from the effects of shower humidity but realize that you need to epilate your underarms before wearing a sleeveless blouse that matches your pants.
Solution: In such rare cases, you may wonder if it’s possible to skip the shower before epilating without experiencing any major consequences.
While it’s generally beneficial to shower before epilation, the potential issues of friction from damp skin and hair breakage with wet hair should be taken into account. However, there are solutions available, such as using powder to reduce moisture or allowing your hair to thoroughly dry, to mitigate these concerns. In situations where showering isn’t feasible, you can explore alternatives while understanding the potential impact on your epilation experience.
Can You Shower After Epilating?
Cleanliness
To maintain sanitary conditions for epilating, use an antiseptic spray like Bactine and wash your hands. This ensures a clean body before epilating, making showering optional both before and after.
If you don’t use an antiseptic, try to wash the area you’re epilating before the process. If that’s not possible, showering after epilating is better than doing nothing to prevent infection.
Exfoliation
If you skip showering before epilating, plan ahead and exfoliate the day before. After epilating, wait at least two days before exfoliating, as your skin will be too irritated.
If you don’t get ingrown hairs often, you can occasionally skip exfoliating before epilating. Just remember to exfoliate 2-3 days after using your epilator.
Other Reasons to Shower After Epilation
Showering after epilation can feel good and calm irritated skin. It also allows you to rinse away stray hairs. So if you feel like taking a shower after epilating, go ahead.
Should You Epilate in the Shower?
Not all epilators are designed for wet use, and using dry epilators in the shower is dangerous. Check if your epilator is suitable for wet use before considering shower epilation.
Even if you have a wet epilator, it’s generally not recommended to epilate in the shower. Wet hair is slippery and prone to breaking, resulting in less effective hair removal and stubble the next day. The lighting in showers is also not ideal for spotting missed hairs.
However, if pain is a major concern, epilating in the shower can help. Warm water calms the skin, relaxes the body, and reduces pain sensitivity. So if pain is a significant factor, you can try epilating in the shower until the process becomes less painful for you.
Final Words
In most cases, it’s best to use an epilator after showering. If that’s not possible, use an antiseptic spray and wash the area before epilating. Remember to exfoliate in advance to prevent ingrown hairs.
If you have a wet epilator, you can consider epilating during a shower, but keep in mind the potential drawbacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to moisturize after epilating?
After you finish epilating, it’s generally recommended to wait for about 30 to 60 minutes to allow any inflammation to subside before applying moisturizer. However, there is an exception when it comes to aloe vera gel. Aloe vera gel can usually be applied immediately after epilating. It can help alleviate irritation, soothe the skin, and provide moisturization.
Should I shower before or after epilating?
It is generally recommended to shower before epilating. However, if you can’t shower beforehand, you can still proceed with epilation by using an antiseptic spray to ensure cleanliness or washing the area you plan to epilate. Showering after epilating is also an option for personal preference or to rinse away stray hairs.
Can I epilate in the shower?
Epilating in the shower is possible, but not all epilators are designed for wet use. It is important to check if your specific epilator model is suitable for use in water. However, epilating in the shower may result in less efficient hair removal due to wet hair being slippery and prone to breakage. Additionally, the lighting in showers may make it difficult to spot missed hairs. If pain reduction is a priority, epilating in the shower can help, as warm water can provide a soothing effect and reduce discomfort.
Do I need to exfoliate before epilating?
Exfoliating before epilating is beneficial to prevent ingrown hairs. If you skip showering before epilating, it is recommended to exfoliate the day before using your epilator. However, allow your skin to recover for at least two days after epilating before exfoliating, as the skin may be too sensitive immediately after the process.
Is it necessary to use an antiseptic spray before epilating?
Using an antiseptic spray, such as Bactine, before epilating is not mandatory but recommended to maintain cleanliness and prevent infection. If you choose not to use an antiseptic, ensure that you wash the area you plan to epilate before starting the process. Showering after epilating, if you haven’t used an antiseptic or washed the area beforehand, can still help prevent infection to some extent.
What are the downsides of epilating after showering?
Epilating after showering may have a few drawbacks. Damp skin can create friction, making it challenging to glide the epilator smoothly and potentially causing skin irritation or rug burns. Wet hair tends to be weaker and may break easily, resulting in less effective hair removal. In situations where showering is not feasible before epilating, using talc or baby powder to dry excess moisture or waiting for the skin to be thoroughly dry can help mitigate these issues.
Which epilator do you suggest?
I highly recommend the Braun Silk-épil 9 epilator, as it is the one I personally use and achieve excellent results with. However, if you are looking for a more affordable option or specifically need an epilator for facial, underarm, or bikini area hair removal, I suggest considering the Emjoi Epi Slim, which is budget-friendly and available on Amazon.
If you have additional questions about epilation, I encourage you to explore the Epilator FAQ and Beginner’s Guide for further information!
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