Humans have celebrated the New Year for hundreds of years, in many different ways. Lately, though, most countries have been coming together on the last day of the year to count down the final seconds with their friends and families. They usher in the New Year with parties, good food, firework displays, music, and a drink of their choice. Many of us go on to further solidify this ‘new beginning’ by making New Year resolutions. Common goals include aiming to eat more healthily, take up a new sport, or even reading more books.[1] What’s your New Year resolution? Are you resolved to give your skin some TLC?

New Year? New You!

When it comes to beauty resolutions, by February, after the flourish of party season, many of us can find ourselves slipping back into our old habits. However, with a little extra organization beforehand and some much-needed motivation, you can use the New Year as a time to become the New You!

Finding a Routine and Sticking to it

In a university study on New Years’ Resolutions, Professor Richard Wiseman and his team found “those who failed [to achieve their resolutions] tended not to have a plan, which made their resolution soon feel like a mountain to climb”.¹ The study indicates that by finding a routine, we can more easily slot new habits into our lives, making the transition gentler and less shocking to us. This way, keeping the resolution soon becomes a habit.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

If you have spent most of your hair removal days shaving, you may not be quite ready to jump straight into permanent methods like laser hair removal or IPL. Big changes in habit can seem daunting, so you may find it better to ease into things slowly. While shaving may have been a quick and easy way to get rid of unwanted hair, it can also lead to coarse regrowth within a couple of days.^[2]

Waxing, on the other hand, can leave you smooth and hair free for up to four weeks^[3] at a time. If you would like to incorporate waxing into your New Year’s beauty routine, take a look at our tips below which should help to ease you into your new routine.

Your New Waxing Routine

• Light exfoliation is a great way to get rid of dead skin cells that could potentially cause ingrown hairs. It is also a great way to prepare for a wax as removing dead skin cells can make it easier for each hair to be grabbed by wax.^[4] With exfoliated skin, the wax is less likely to stick to the skin and adhere better to the wax. For the best results, Veet recommends exfoliating 24 hours before any treatment.
• Make sure your hairs are at the right length. If the hair is too short, the wax will not be able to grab it and you will have to go over the same area again and again, which is quite painful.
• Before you wax, have a nice long shower or bath with warm water. The warm water is not only relaxing, but can also help to open the pores, making for easier hair removal. You could even bring in some essential oils that can help you feel more relaxed.
• Whether you’re about to use Veet Cold Wax Strips, or treat yourself to Veet Spawax, it’s important to remove hairs against the direction of growth for smoother results.
• Have a handy pair of tweezers on hand when you wax. Instead of going over the same area too many times (and causing redness), any missed hair can be quickly pulled out with a simple tweeze.
• Veet wax products also come with Veet Perfect Finish Wipes, which can be used to remove any remaining wax and leave your skin smooth and moisturized. Be sure to incorporate these in your new Veet routine!

No matter what method you go for, keeping up routine is definitely important when it comes to hair removal. Don’t be discouraged by a long list of beauty resolutions. A simple change to your hair removal routine can really help you feel like a ‘new you’ right up to the next countdown.

 

[1] https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Healthychristmas/Pages/NewYearresolutions.aspx

[2] https://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-removal/for-women-only-best-choices-for-hair-removal?page=1

[3] https://www.veet.co.uk/how-to-guides-articles/discover-veet-wax-strips/

[4] https://hairremoval.about.com/od/sideeffectsofwaxing/a/waxing-bumps.htm