Men's Grooming

Waxing Your Chest: What You Need To Know

You’ve probably noticed that hairiness in men isn’t really “in” lately, so maybe you are thinking about waxing your chest.  Well, you can always wax your own chest at home, sure.  But it’s not terribly easy.  And, yeah, it is going to hurt a little.  Beauty is pain guys.

There’s also the option of going to a salon, spa or waxing specialist.  It will probably be a little costly ($40-$60), but the whole point of waxing your chest is the longevity of the results as opposed to shaving.  You won’t have to go again for a month at the very least.

I highly recommend going to a professional if you have never done any sort of waxing before.  Trying to wax your own chest can end up with painful or unattractive results.  Does Man-o-Lantern mean anything to you?

However, it is not impossible to DIY. If you have your heart set on waxing at home, it’s probably best to have help. I know that may be a little embarrassing, though, so it’s fine to do it yourself too. Other spots are even harder to wax using an at-home waxing kit.

Chest Waxing Supplies

  • Wax warmer
  • Wax
  • Wax strips
  • Pre-wax cleanser
  • Rubber gloves
  • Wax applicator (popsicle sticks work)
  • Tweezers
  • Post-wax lotion or aloe lotion
  • Wax remover
  • Baby powder

How To

  1. Buy your supplies.  Most of the supplies listed above usually come in a kit.  You’ll want to buy a softer wax intended for coarse hair.
  2. Trim your hair.  If your hair is shorter than a quarter inch, it is too short to wax.  If it is longer than a half inch, trim it before waxing.
  3. Wash your chest with a gentle soap and dab dry.
  4. Apply a pre-wax cleanser, then pat dry again.
  5. Dust your chest with baby powder.
  6. Put on gloves if you haven’t already.  Use the wax applicator or popsicle stick to apply wax in the direction of hair growth.  Only apply in small sections at a time and do not spread it on thickly.  Make sure not to spread it on your nipples (ow).
  7. Put the strip over the wax in the direction of growth, leaving some leftover strip as a pull-tab.  Leave the pull-tab on the left side if growth is right to left, right side if growth is left to right, etc.
  8. Remove the strip.  Do it as fast as you can.  Do not pull down or up or go slowly.  Fully remove the strip.  If any loose hair remains where you’ve just waxed repeat this step.
  9. Press your hand to your skin firmly to relieve some of the pain you feel from waxing.
  10. Repeat steps 6-9 until you are satisfied with how your chest looks.
  11. Tweeze any leftover hairs that you can’t wax off.
  12. Clean off the stickiness from the wax with a post-wax remover.
  13. Use a calming lotion to soothe your skin.  There are lotions specifically designed to be used after a wax, but aloe-based lotions work fine as well.

Always remember:

  • Use a mirror.  Please.
  • Do not wax any area that is being treated with acne medications or has been treated within the past year.