waxing
For the first 24 hours:
- Try to avoid touching the area.
- Avoid hot showers, steam rooms, hot tubs. Luke warm showers are ok.
- Avoid exposing the waxed area to the sun/uv light.
- Refrain from exercising, swimming, or wearing tight clothing.
- Remember, do not exfoliate and lotions can cause irritation. Keep the area clean and dry.
3-10 days after waxing:
After 3 days the skin begins to close over the hair follicle. To prevent an ingrown hair, gently exfoliate the area a few times a week and then moisturize using a light moisturizer.
We have been in the waxing industry for many years. We’ve seen a lot of retail products, some that are fantastic, and some not so much. At NKD, Kristie Lee and the team have handpicked and personally use the waxing aftercare line of retail products that are available in our retail area. We recommend these quality retail products as they specifically help enhance your overall waxing experience.
lashes
- Avoid getting your new lash extensions wet, touching, or rubbing for 24hrs.
- No eye make up for 24hrs, using only oil-free make up around the eye after that.
- Clean your lashes often using a foam cleanser (we offer an amazing cleanser at NKD).
- Avoid mascara for more volume.
- Using a CLEAN mascara wand, you can gently straighten your lashes if you need to.
- It is best to try and sleep on your side or back to prevent excess rubbing.
- No tugging, picking, or excessive rubbing.
- Avoid high heat situations such as leaning over a grill as this will singe the tips of your lashes.
- To keep your lashes full, remember to book your fill appointment every 2-3 weeks as they will naturally shed with your natural lash shedding cycle.
Following these tips will extend the life of your gorgeous new lashes.
facials
We know you have heard it a million times, but we can't reiterate it enough: DRINK WATER. All the skincare and treatments in the world cannot replace this crucial step in creating and maintaining your best complexion. On a cellular level, water is required to repair and regenerate skin cells. The most expensive serum in the world will not work if your skin in lacking H2O. Additionally, the exfoliation your skin experiences during a treatment will be more effective if you continue to maintain proper hydration levels after your treatment. You will see stronger results and a glow that will last longer. Our advice? Buy a new fancy water bottle with a straw and make sure your skincare routine includes water!
We do not recommend getting facial waxing until 3 days after a skincare treatment. Waxing the same day (or in the recommended window) could cause the skin to “lift.” Lifting occurs when your skin is already exfoliated or sensitized due to other factors, including facial treatments.
If you had a facial in the evening and SPF was not applied, you do not need to wash your skin or apply products before bed. If you had a facial in the daytime hours and an SPF was applied, double-cleanse your skin and apply a gentle moisturizer before bed. The following days after a facial, use gentle skincare products; avoiding anything with a beta or alpha hydroxy acid (unless directed differently from your esthetician).
It's common for skin to be pink all over or in certain areas after a treatment. Facials bring blood to the surface of the skin through touch and active products. Flushing should be expected, especially if you are prone to redness. Cold compresses will reduce redness if you need a quick fix after a treatment; however we generally do not recommend a facial (other than a Breeze Express) the day of or the day before an important event.
If you experience tightness or flaking of your skin after a facial or peel, do not use abrasive scrubs or acids until the sensation recedes. We recommend using a mild cleanser such as the Gentle Cleanser and applying a conditioning and calming moisturizer, such as the Vitamin E Cream and the Barrier Balm (all from Glo Skin Beauty, available at the studio), to promote hydrating and healing. The Daily Polishing Cleanser may also be used as a gentle exfoliant as long as the skin has no irritation.
You should get in the habit of applying SPF daily (even in colder months, or if you work in the an office). It is imperative to apply SPF the days after a skincare service to protect the baby skin cells that have come to the surface and to prevent irritation and hyperpigmentation. Nkd offers multiple options from Supergoop and your esthetician can recommend a formula that is right for you.
Most clients rebook skincare treatments every 4-6 weeks to maintain a healthy complexion, however, if you have goals that require additional attention, your esthetician may recommend more regular visits to attain the results you are looking for.
As always, if your skin isn't “behaving” after a skincare service, do not hesitate to reach out to your esthetician. Usually, these reactions are very temporary and treatable, but it's important to note in your client profile. Anyone can react to anything — even products that are “allergy tested.”
brows
Immediately after your appointment, blot your brows with a clean paper towel provided every 1-2 minutes until all lymph fluid and blood secretions stop (Lymph fluid has a yellow-y sweaty appearance).
When you get home, or approximately one hour after your brow appointment, it’s time to wash your brows!
How to wash your brows:
- Turn on your faucet of choice and pull your hair back
- Make sure the water is cool or room temp and let it run over your brows. You may splash water on your face if you prefer. Do not use warm or hot water!
- With clean hands, wash the area gently with soap using your finger tips back and forth for 10 seconds (think like a windshield wiper)
- Please use a basic mild facial soap or antibacterial hand wash that is not highly fragranced. We recommend Cerave, Cetaphil, etc. nothing with acids (aha/glycolic/salicylic), vitamin c, or granular exfoliants.
- After washing, pat them dry with a clean paper towel
If your brows are sore or if you experience any swelling, you can use an ice pack over them with a clean barrier (paper towel/washcloth) against the skin. You can also take ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen if needed.
Before bed on night 1: Wash your brows again as described above. After you pat them dry, use a rice grain amount of AD ointment provided for both brows combined — not a rice grain per brow. Less is more! You should only start to use the ointment at this point, not during the initial washing one hour after after your appointment!
Day 2–7: Repeat washing your brows every morning and night for the following week adding a rice grain amount of the AD ointment both times. If you get itchy or flaky after a week you can use a small amount of AD as needed!
- You must avoid hot showers and working out for a few days. 3–4 days is good, but a week is ideal. Heat, steam and sweat will cause pigment to rise out of the skin.
- Please do not touch or pick your brows if they start to scab!
- Do not use a washcloth or baby wipes for washing.
- Please keep facial serums and moisturizers away from the immediate brow area while they are healing. Refrain from using retinol or exfoliating products on your forehead.
- You must not use makeup on the immediate brow area for at least two weeks.
- You must wear sunscreen after any scabs or flakes finish coming off or if you don’t have scabbing, Week 2 is a safe timeframe.
- Please cover your eyebrows with a hat and large sunglasses this week when you are outside.
What is considered normal from now to healed: sore or tenderness, redness, swelling, darkening, thickening, slight asymmetries, skin feeling tight, minimal scabbing (pigment color), superficial flaking (white/skin color), itchiness, pigment lightening (especially in places where there is no natural hair), spots/strokes fading and softening (most often in the fronts and along the tops...think T-zone), overall size shrinking (stroke height and tail length)
Your brows will look darker and bold for the first few days. They will heal lighter and softer, especially after the initial session. If you experience scabbing, the color of the scabs will be darker than what is underneath. The contrast in color can be shocking, and will make you think the pigment is gone! That is not the case. Pigment will continue to resurface in the following weeks while you are healing.
You can use makeup on your brows after two weeks if you need to. Do not put concealer or foundation on your brows as they may contain oils or retinol derivatives.
Following these aftercare steps is critical to your brow healed results. Failure to follow aftercare instructions may result in less pigment retention. Oilier skin types may require tweaking to the aftercare steps for their touch up session, and they may also require additional touch ups more frequently. Still have a question? PLEASE message or give us a call.