Brow Ow! Is Your Brow Salon Sanitary?
When it comes to brow waxing, don't get burned. Here are important tips for finding a sanitary, professional waxing salon.
"It's only natural for you to strongly focus on the shape of your brows when having a brow service, but making sure that you're visiting a sanitary brow bar or salon is even more important. If you don't, you could walk away with more than just nicely shaped brows," says Boom Boom, owner of Boom Boom Brow Bar in NYC.
● When hot wax is being applied to tender skin, a pro needs to be involved! Make sure that the person who's doing your brow service is a licensed esthetician or cosmetologist with a current license. (By law, beauty pros must display their license at their workstation.)
● Waxing pulls hairs out from the roots, leaving the follicles open, so sanitization is key. Make sure your skin is sanitized right before the brow service and an antibacterial ointment is applied right afterward to prevent infection.
● No double-dipping! Every time a stick is dipped into the wax, it should be a clean, new stick, period. Otherwise, there's a chance for bacteria to spread from the wax to your skin.
● Anti-aging and anti-acne products compromise the integrity of the skin. Areas where they've been applied should not be waxed. Alteratives: Tweezing or threading.
● For sensitive skin, use a cream-based wax, which is applied to the skin warm as opposed to hot. This avoids the potential for buing and irritation of delicate tissues.
● Waxing pulls hairs out from the roots, leaving the follicles open, so sanitization is key. Make sure your skin is sanitized right before the brow service and an antibacterial ointment is applied right afterward to prevent infection.
● No double-dipping! Every time a stick is dipped into the wax, it should be a clean, new stick, period. Otherwise, there's a chance for bacteria to spread from the wax to your skin.
● Anti-aging and anti-acne products compromise the integrity of the skin. Areas where they've been applied should not be waxed. Alteratives: Tweezing or threading.
● For sensitive skin, use a cream-based wax, which is applied to the skin warm as opposed to hot. This avoids the potential for buing and irritation of delicate tissues.
"If you've been bued or develop an infection, clean the area and apply an antibiotic ointment for three days," says Boom Boom. "If the infection persists or doesn't start responding to the ointment within a day, a trip to the doctor is in order."