Your Cart is Empty
DIY Underarm Wax Using the Figure 8 Technique
‘Tis the season for tank tops! The summer heat is sizzling, and there’s nothing worse than grabbing your favorite tank top and noticing your underarms are not at ALL prepared to be shown off. We always believe in feeling confident and comfortable in your skin, with or without body hair, but for those of us who prefer polished pits… we’ve got a new underarm waxing technique for you!
Underarm waxing is nothing new here at Nova, but today Liz is showing a different technique she learned while in Spain - the Figure 8 Technique. This is a technique that Liz does not personally use in her services, however, it is a widely popular technique used in Europe and we are sharing it with you in case you want a new way to wax! Just a heads up - this technique is pretty difficult when performing it on yourself, so beginners might want to get a little practice in before attempting this style of waxing.
You will need plenty of wax on your stick to cover the entire underarm area. These are thicker strips, so applying firm pressure throughout the application process is essential. Once you’ve placed the wax on your skin and smoothed it across the area, begin to make a figure 8 with your wax stick. Continually move your stick in a fluid motion until the strip is smoothed out evenly and has begun to harden. To remove the strip, you will start by lifting the edge of the strip and folding it over to create a stronger handle. Grab the new handle with a firm grip and extend your back as far as you can - as if you’re doing your morning stretch. Stretching your body out in this way will help keep the skin taut as you remove the strip.
If you’re finding yourself struggling to remove hair in one go with other waxing techniques, this style may be worth trying out! The back and forth motion of the figure 8 technique pushes the wax both in and against the direction of hair growth, enveloping the hair from all angles to fully remove it from the root. Liz’s hair is fine in texture, and she was pleasantly surprised by how well this technique was able to grab all her hair straight from the base. This technique is advanced, so we recommend beginners fine-tune their waxing game before attempting this style (but don’t be discouraged! This technique was tricky for Liz too.) This technique requires a smooth application because if it is not done properly, it can break a ton of hair which will be both painful and ineffective. These strips do require a lot more wax, due to the thickness of the strip, so this is something to keep in mind as well if you are trying to limit the amount of wax you use for each area.
Your pits are now fresh and oh-so-smooth, thanks to a fancy technique with a stellar wax to match! 😉 As always, deodorant and any exfoliation are a no-go for at least 24 hours. If you do want to soothe the area immediately post-wax, a small amount of alcohol-free witch hazel can be applied to the area. Hello, perfect pits! See ya next season, sleeves. 👋
