Why Waxing Your Eyebrows Can Break You Out Every Time

It happened again…like always.

Yesterday I waxed my eyebrows, just a tiny moment of self-care that I put off a little too long this time, a small little thing to feel polished before work, and today the skin above my eyes is staging a quiet rebellion. Little red bumps, tenderness, a constellation of irritation that feels unfair for something so simple.

If it happens to you every time like it does me, our skin is speaking to us, and the science behind it is surprisingly interesting.

Waxing is Controlled Skin Trauma

Okay, so waxing removes the hair and the top layer of your skin cells. That sudden ripping motion that’s both satisfying and painful tears away hair, keratinocytes (surface skin cells), and part of your natural moisture barrier.

Your body interprets this as a micro-injury, and like with any injury, it sends inflammatory chemicals, blood flow, and immune activity to save the day.

Inflammation unfortunately equals redness and bumps.

For some very lucky people, this response is minimal. Others, like me, especially with sensitive or overly-reactive skin it’s an alarm bell and your skin loses its ever-loving-mind.

Folliculitis is the Most Common Reason

You know those tiny bumps you get after waxing? Turns out a lot of them are actually folliculitis, meaning the hair follicle becomes irritated or infected. Irritation-based folliculitis the internet tells me is when the trauma from waxing irritates the hair follicle. It gets more angry than my tiny dog when she sees another dog peeing on her lawn and goes haywire. The follicle gets inflamed and all swollen, and looks like a breakout.

Unfortunately for us, there’s also something called bacterial folliculitis, basically when the follicle is open and vulnerable after waxing, bacteria (most commonly Staph epidermidis in case your curiosity knows no bounds) can slip inside. They say if you touched the area afterward or the tools weren’t sanitized well it makes it more prone. There’s also the little fact that if the wax was too hot or sweat or makeup got into open follicles the bacteria can get in. Some people’s skin could naturally carry more acne-causing bacteria.

This kind of bump can look like acne, but it’s really your immune system fighting an invader.

The skin around the brows is delicate, thinner, and more reactive than the skin elsewhere on your body. When wax pulls off the top layer of cells, it leaves microscopic gaps where irritants can slip in unnoticed. Cue Smooth Criminal music, love me some Michael Jackson.

If your barrier is already compromised from retinol, exfoliants, or even just stress, then waxing becomes a perfect storm. The more sensitive your skin is, the more exaggerated the response becomes.

Your skin remembers the trauma, so the reaction happens every time.

Your Body Might Be Allergic to Waxing

Some people release histamine in response to waxing, the same chemical involved in allergies. I’m guessing this is what happens to me as well because I feel like lately I’m allergic to everything and anything that comes into contact with my skin.

Signs of an allergic reaction can include itching or swelling, hive-like bumps, or a redness that spreads beyond the brow area. If your bumps look more puffy than pimply, this is likely the cause. Your body isn’t mad at you, it’s trying to protect you from what it thinks is an invader.

Also, heat makes everything worse, hot wax opens pores and boosts blood flow, which is totally great for removing hair, but terrible if you're breakout-prone.

If you used retinol, AHAs (glycolic, lactic), BHAs (salicylic), vitamin C, or even benzoyl peroxide within 72 hours of waxing, your skin becomes dramatically more reactive.

Retinoids thin the top layer of skin while acids loosen dead cells and benzoyl peroxide is drying. Waxing on top of that is like peeling tape off a sunburn. Yeah, I hope that made you cringe as much as it did to me. Okay, okay, I’ll try another one: waxing on top of that is like brushing a scab up against sandpaper.

Ingrown Hairs Can Look Like Breakouts Too

Even around the eyebrows, ingrowns can happen. When hair grows back sideways or trapped in the follicle or painfully curled under the skin, it triggers inflammation that looks like pimples.

This is even more common if the hair is thick, the wax was done against growth direction, or you touched the area afterward.

How to Prevent Brow Breakouts

I read a ton of guides on the interwebs to find a gentle guide your skin would choose if it could speak. Although…if it could speak I’d probably just ask it why it can’t chill out a little.

Before waxing (24–48 hours) stop retinol and exfoliating acids. Avoid heavy creams on the brow area and for the love of god, don’t tan or heat your skin at all.

Right after waxing, slather on some witch hazel or aloe (anti-inflammatory), and avoid touching the area like you’ve just had your makeup done. Speaking of makeup, skip makeup on brows for 24 hours. Don’t sweat, sauna, or hot shower right after, and use a cold compress if your skin reacts as strongly as mine does. I’d encourage having a glass of wine at the start, but that’s more for my love of wine than an actual scientific backed reason.

If your skin is prone to breakouts, dab a thin layer of benzoyl peroxide 8–12 hours after, not immediately, or use a salicylic acid serum the next morning. You can also use hydrocortisone 1% sparingly for redness or swelling.

If it’s always severe, you might be allergic to the wax. Switching to hard wax or sugar waxing might help, and don’t forget the ease of threading or tweezing, which normally solves the problem like instantly.

Try not to get too annoyed, your skin is just doing its best to protect you, it’s just doing it in an irritating (ha!) and embarrassing way.

Why Waxing Your Eyebrows Can Break You Out Every Time

Waxing is Controlled Skin Trauma

Folliculitis is the Most Common Reason

Your Body Might Be Allergic to Waxing

Ingrown Hairs Can Look Like Breakouts Too

How to Prevent Brow Breakouts

Other Reads You Might Enjoy:

Oysters: The Creatures That Clean the Sea and Feed the Soul

Does Cheese Give Me Nightmares?