Leg Waxing

Leg waxing can be performed either at home, or by a professional at a health spa or salon. For the treatment to be effective the hair needs to be at least ¼ inch in length. If the hair is shorter than this then only shaving will be appropriate.

Waxing the legs at home will be cheaper than visiting a salon, however it can be a difficult process, especially when trying to cover the back of the upper legs and other difficult to reach areas. In general you can expect the waxing of both legs to take around 2 hours. The results of the home waxing can be inferior for this reason, as the likelihood of missing hairs or breaking them to a short, bristly length is much greater and therefore the results may not last as long before the hairs become visible again.


The waxing at home process begins with the application of a pre-wax cleanser to the legs before a fine powder is applied. This helps the wax to adhere to the skin. Secondly the wax is heated, before being applied to the skin using a wooden stick in the direction of the hair growth. The wax should cover the hairs, but the wax should be used sparingly to ensure that it can be effectively removed.

Now the strip is applied, leaving enough free fabric to firmly grasp a hold of for the next step. The removal of the strip should be done in the opposite direction to the hair growth, and is most effective, and less painful, if performed quickly. This process should be repeated on the remaining areas of the leg.

After the waxing, tweezers can be used to clear up any hairs missed by the waxing and then any remaining wax washed off the skin using baby oil. An after wax lotion can then be applied to soothe the skin.

A professional can usually wax both legs within an hour, and the results often last longer as they have experience and are more able to reach all areas of the legs.

« How Does Waxing Work? Bikini Waxing »

Guide to Waxing your Hair