Should You Get a Bikini Wax When You Have Your Period?

As much as we love swapping tips and tricks to solve our biggest beauty dilemmas, there are some questions we may not feel comfortable asking our friends about, let alone Google without going incognito. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. In this series, we’ll be tackling those embarrassing beauty queries by turning to experts in the field to get you the answers you need — minus any awkward feelings.

With summer in full swing and high-cut swimwear all the rage this season, many of us are stepping up our hair removal game — whether at home or at a salon — to ensure our skin looks and feels smooth when we slip off our sarongs. Sure, we have had a monthly bikini wax booked, but when our periods sync up with our appointment, should we still head to the spa? Between bloating, cramps, and a possible heavy flow, is it a good idea to add more trauma to the mix? We turned to top estheticians to find out whether you should reschedule and how to be prepared for your appointment if you’re dealing with a visit from Aunt Flo.

Before The Appointment

Brit + Co: Tell us the truth: Can we get a bikini wax on your period?

Kristen Rogers of Spruce & Bond: You can absolutely get waxed on your period; however, your skin will be most sensitive around that time of the month. It is better to get it at least two weeks before your period to avoid any extra discomfort.

B+C: If we do decide to get waxed, how should we prepare for the appointment?

Holly Cutler (AKA The Skin Saint) of FACE Skincare – Medical – Wellness: Take a shower before you go and not after as you need to wait a good 24 hours before applying any heat to the area. When showering it is good to exfoliate to lift up any ingrown hairs, which will help ensure a better result. Lastly, if needed, take ibuprofen about 30 minutes prior to manage [the] pain.

B+C: What period products are the most conducive for a bikini wax?

Mariola Barczewska of Haven Spa: Please wear a fresh tampon when you’re getting your bikini waxed and come in as clean as possible, even if you’re not getting a Brazilian. If you’re a “free flow” thinker, then we will not wax you as blood is considered hazardous by sanitation standards. We all know that it’s natural, but wearing a tampon is the best way to keep our workspace clean.

B+C: Should we take any medicine to avoid increased pain?

KR: Take some Midol or ibuprofen at least one hour before your appointment, and maybe skip the caffeine (since it is a stimulant) until after the wax.

During the Appointment

B+C: Do we have to tell our esthetician if we’re on our period before we drop trou?

HC: Yes, so they are aware of your sensitivity and [to] make sure they stay away from the tampon string, which should be tucked up. The esthetician should always be wearing gloves as well.

KR: It is beneficial for us to know in terms of managing your pain levels during and post-treatment.

B+C: Are there any risks of getting a wax during your period?

HC: If the skin was moist (from increased hormones and sweat, or blood leakage) and not dry, the wax could adhere to the skin and rip off the stratum corneum and leave you with a scab or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Avene Cicalfate ($28) is the best healing product. Used three times a day, it will heal it in a few days without a scar.

Do you have any more awkward beauty questions? Tweet @BritandCo using #askingforafriend!

Illustrations by Rebecca Fong

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

(Photos via Getty Images.)

While summer is awesome for a number of reasons (hello, cute swimsuits!), the heat and humidity can do a number on your hair, making daily shampooing a necessity. Or so you thought. Dry shampoo is a beauty cabinet staple that has made every day hair-washing a thing of the past. Whether you spent the day walking around in 90-degree weather or you hit the gym for an indoor cycling class, dry shampoo will refresh your hair by sopping up excess grease, all without stepping foot in the shower. But if you thought you were limited to powder or spray options, you'd be wrong. Dry shampoo foam is here, and it's amazing. It looks like a mousse and cleans hair sans powder, meaning there's no chance of being left with bothersome residue. All you have to do is shake the can, pour a blob into your hands, and massage it into your roots. Here are the best products for dry shampoo foam we can't get enough of right now.

Ouai Waterless Dry Shampoo Foam

This waterless foam dry shampoo from Jen Atkins, hairstylist to the Kardashians, is the ideal option for those with thick, curly, coarse hair who don’t have time to go through the cleansing process every day. It cleans hair with diatomaceous earth, busting through oil and product buildup, as well as pumping up the volume on any mane that’s fallen flat.

Amika Phantom Hydrating Dry Shampoo Foam

Sometimes dry shampoo leaves your hair feeling, well, dry. But this foam option contains conditioning agents and sea buckthorn berry to ensure your locks, from root to tip, stay hydrated. If you have colored or dry hair, this is the foam dry shampoo for you to get nourishment.

Drybar Detox Whipped Dry Shampoo Foam

The brains behind Drybar know their stuff, which is why we’re not surprised the brand developed an innovative foam dry shampoo. After all, when you get a blowout, you want it to last as long as possible. This one is made specifically for those with scalps on the parched side, and with coarse, thick, or dyed hair. It relies on volcanic ash to absorb oil and vitamin B5 to cut down on friction when brushing.

Marc Anthony Grow Long Volumizing Dry Shampoo Foam

If your hair is looking a little limp but you’re not feeling the idea of having to wash and style your hair again, reach for this foam dry shampoo featuring rice starch, which dries super-fast and adds extra oomph to your roots without any stickiness.

Beyond the Zone Sugar Rush Dry Shampoo Foam

Sugar is sweet. But did you know it's good for your hair? Yep! This dry shampoo foam, which is formulated with rice starch to sop up oil, is also infused with sugar to soften and enhance your hair's shine.

How to use Dry Shampoo Foam?

Step one...shake the can, then pour a blob into your hands, and finally massage it into your roots.

Hope you'll find a way to skip your next summer shower with one of these dry shampoo foams. Follow us on social for more inspiration and join our newsletter for more beauty hacks and ideas.

My best friends mean the world to me, and though I wish I could give them the world, this year, I just want to get them gifts that are as special as our friendship. Whether it’s a personalized pendant, a cute skincare set, or the lip shade they simply can’t stop talking about, I want them to know just how much I care about their companionship! Thus, I’ve curated the ultimate list of gifts for best friends to help you gift your besties something they’ll truly love, especially if it comes from you. These gifts are so good, I really want them for myself, too.

Our 40 favorite gifts for best friends:

Scroll on to see the absolute best gifts for best friends to give in 2024!

Amazon

1. Scent Beauty by Sabrina Carpenter Cherry Baby Eau de Parfum

Leave it to Sabrina Carpenter to influence my list of gifts for best friends. Her "Cherry Baby" scent carries sultry notes of vanilla, peony, cherries, and chocolate, which is the perfect aroma for a night out with the girls.

Summer Fridays

2. Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm

This lip balm is viral for a reason. Your besties' lips deserve all the instant moisture, color, and shine this tube provides. This brown sugar shade looks decadent AF, but you can also snag it in other fun 'flavors' like iced coffee and mint.

Urban Outfitters

3. Camp Snap Screen-Free Digital Camera

For the one that's always documenting the friend group's antics, they'll enjoy taking this unique, screen-free digicam on nights out, weekend trips, and cozy nights in! It captures film-style photos (without the time-consuming film photography process), and it can be used over and over again since it's rechargeable.

SeaVees

4. SeaVees Hayward Platform Shoes

Moccasin-style shoes are super popular this winter. I love how comfortable SeaVees' shoes are, so I might just have to share the love with my besties this holiday season... and snag a pair for myself so we can match, of course!

Dieux

5. Dieux Angel Face Cleanser + Moisturizer Bundle

Dieux is one of my go-to skincare brands for effective products that still take it easy on my sensitive skin. Their Baptism cleanser, part of this giftable duo, provides a nice clean without stripping any moisture from my skin. I also use their Instant Angel moisturizer religiously in the wintertime since things tend to get real dry. I'd say you can confidently gift this set to besties of any skin type.

Anthropologie

6. By Anthropologie Monogram Heart Locket Necklace

Personalized gifts will always feel special. Kick this gift idea up a notch by inserting a little pic of you and your BFF in the locket before wrapping and handing it over!

Urban Outfitters

7. Baggu Mini Nylon Shoulder Bag

I carry this Baggu bag just about everywhere I go. It's perfect for happy hours or dinners since it's small and not too much of a hassle to tow along, but don't let its size fool you: this baby can fit a lot. Your most stylish best friend will be wearing it the moment they open their gift!

Target

8. Jingle & Mingle 5 Days of Rosé Wine Set

You can never go wrong with rosé, baby! This gift set carries 5 personal-sized bottles of different varieties for them to sip on around the holidays.

Kulfi Beauty

9. Kulfi Beauty All Night Out Eye Set

This eye makeup set is complete with a bold eyeliner shade and a shimmery pot of eyeshadow. You get to choose the exact shades of each before purchasing, so this is truly one of the most fun personalized gift ideas. The set also comes with a funky pair of mismatched hair clips – so cute!

Dame

10. Dame Massage Oil Candle

This soothing candle melts down into a sweet-smelling massage oil that's easily dispensable, thanks to the pointed spout on the glass. This is a great gift for your single and partnered pals alike, whether they're using it to wind down themselves or for sexy time with their S.O.!

Life is Good

11. Life is Good 'I Deserve A Little Treat' Boxy Crusher Tee

Everyone deserves a little treat. Wrap up this awesome (and comfy!) tee alongside your bestie's favorite snack, sweet treat, or freshly-baked dessert to totally nail their gift this year!

Compartés

12. Compartés Pistachio Sea Salt Chocolate Truffles

These aesthetically-pleasing truffles could be the perfect sweet treat in question!

Nordstrom

13. OSEA Super Glow Body Set

I know anyone in my close friends circle would be happy to be gifted some nice skincare goodies. This luxe set from OSEA comes with a body wash, oil, and serum to keep skin looking and feeling happy!

Subscribe to our newsletter for even more holiday gift ideas!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Alcohol is often associated with late nights and regretful hangovers. But drinking can also mean QT with your girlfriends and great skin. Say what now? As it turns out, alcohol isn't as bad for our complexions as we thought, so long as we consume a glass here and there — not a fishbowl with friends on a Friday night (oops!). However, just like our taste buds, our skin is picky about our liquor choices.

The Best Alcoholic Drinks for Your Skin 

Red wine might not compare to your sacred bottle of vitamin C serum, but it's not the worst thing that can happen to your complexion. According to Debra Jaliman, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, it's the best boozy beverage to consume. "There are studies that one glass of red wine per day for women is good because it contains resveratrol — a known powerful antioxidant [with] anti-aging properties," she notes. And while she believes you can reap its antioxidant benefits by indulging in a glass of red wine, she says "much more resveratrol can be packed into skincare." Products formulated with resveratrol (or other polyphenols) have been known not just to slow down the aging process, but also reverse visible signs of aging — like pesky sun spots, fine lines, and wrinkles — too.

As beneficial as red wine can be, it's important not to go overboard. "If you have skin conditions such as rosacea, you should be careful as it may aggravate or trigger a flare-up," says Jaliman. On top of that, the sugar in alcohol can have a lasting impact on the skin's youthful appearance. "Alcohol also causes dehydration of skin, leading to pronounced lines between the eyebrows, droopy eyelids, [dry] skin, enlargement in pores, reddish skin tone, and deeper nasolabial folds," explains Alissia Zenhausern, a board-certified naturopathic physician in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Four Tips to Drink Your Way to a Better Complexion

While Zenhausern doesn't recommend we use red wine to achieve better skin, she understands the importance of a GNO and says some red wines — like organic ones — are better for beauty than others. Ahead, read her tips for choosing the best alcoholic bevvies for your skin.

1. Limit Drinking: "Drinking more than two glasses twice a week can actually interfere with the lining of your gut and can lead to gut inflammation, which can present itself on your skin," she adds. On top of limiting how many days a week you drink, Zenhausern also says to try not to drink two days in a row.

2. Be Picky: Drinking in moderation is one thing, but choosing high-quality alcohol is equally as important. Because of that, Zenhausern says to choose only the purest alcohols possible. "The United States allows grapes used for wine to be sprayed with Roundup," Zenhausern reveals. Roundup is a systematic herbicide that uses a chemical compound called glyphosate to kill weeds in crops. And while the Environmental Protection Agency does not consider the pesticide carcinogenic, those with concerns about non-organic products might want to steer clear and instead select an organic wine. In addition, Zenhausern says wines that come from outside of the United States — such as France — are safe because they do not spray their grapes with pesticides.

3. Avoid Beer: If you're not a red wine drinker, that's okay. However, beer is not the next best pick. Because it contains gluten, Zenhausern says it can trigger gut inflammation, which can easily turn into skin inflammation. If you can't resist, Zenhausern suggests opting for a gluten-free alternative like Green Dubbel Dark Ale or Stone Delicious IPA.

4. Drink Water: Since any alcohol — even one claimed to be the best for your skin — can dehydrate your complexion, Zenhausern says always drink at least one glass of water for every glass of wine. "This will help keep you hydrated and will prevent dehydration of the skin," she explains.

Do you have a favorite organic red wine? Tell us @BritandCo!

This post has been updated.

Our favorite dancing queens (Meryl Streep included) might be returning to the big screen for a third encore of Mamma Mia! and we’re already rewatching the first two movie musicals in preparation.

In an interview with Deadline in May of 2023, Mamma Mia! franchise creator and producer Judy Craymer said a third movie musical is in "earliest stages." She also shared that she has come up with a way to bring Meryl Streep back again.

"I don't want to over-egg it," she said of the unofficial news, "but I know there's a trilogy there…and I do think Meryl should come back, and if the script is right, she would, I think, because she really loved playing Donna."

"Of course I want to do it," Streep said during the 2024 Cannes Film Festival (via Deadline). Sounds promising to us!

Is Mamma Mia 3 happening?

Universal Pictures

Yes, Mamma Mia 3 is in its early planning stages! Christine Baranski just told The Hollywood Reporter that she's met with producer Judy Kramer, and that Kramer has plans for the third movie. "She gave me the narrative plotline of how it’s going to happen," Baranski says. "That’s all I can say! But, it’s not like, 'Oh, I wish it could happen!' Judy Kramer makes things happen. She made number two happen, and it was a phenomenal hit. I wouldn’t put it past Judy Kramer to get everybody back together."

Universal Pictures

A third installation was first mentioned way back in 2020, during a Collider interview with Mamma Mia! star Amanda Seyfried. Seyfried said she was on board — and at the time, she thought the rest of the star-studded cast would be too.

"Listen, every single person in that movie would say yes in a heartbeat because we want to hang out with each other," Seyfried told Collider at the time. "That's what we talked about last time, like did we ever think that we'd end up here again on an Island in Croatia?"

When will Mamma Mia 3 come out?

Universal Pictures

We don't have an official answer about when to expect this highly anticipated sequel. The project is in the "earliest stages," according to creator and producer, Judy Craymer. Cher also revealed to Entertainment Weekly that everyone is "talking about it," but she doesn't "know when they're going to do it."

Has casting information been shared about Mamma Mia 3?

Jonathan Prime/Universal Studios

While nothing's been made official, Amanda Seyfried just said something that made my heart skip a beat. She told ABC News she loves Sabrina Carpenter's music and dropped this admission: "If Sabrina Carpenter wants to play my daughter, I’ll make it happen."

But before she admitted that, the actress said something else that made me raise my eyebrows. "Everybody says it’s gonna happen, but I mean, I haven’t seen a script."

Cher is also eager to return to the beloved franchise and is rooting for Meryl to make an appearance again. "I keep saying, 'Meryl, you've got to come back,'" she said (via Entertainment Weekly). She also said she's told her, "'It'll be fun. You'll have a good time. You'll be able to sing.'"

I don't know what it'll take, but hope someone gets a script in Amanda Seyfried, Cher, and Meryl Streep's hands ASAP!

What is the first Mamma Mia about?

Universal Pictures

The first film follows Donna (Streep) and Sophie (Seyfried) as mother and daughter living on a remote Greek island. When Sophie is about to marry Sky (Dominic Cooper), she sets out to learn who her real father is after discovering it could be one of three men (played by Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, and Colin Firth).

Who does the second Mamma Mia follow?

Universal Pictures / NBCUniversal

Mamma Mia 2takes viewers back to 1979, where young Donna (Lily James) embarks on a series of adventures throughout Europe following her Oxford University graduation. On her journeys, she makes the acquaintances of Harry, Bill and Sam – the latter whom she falls in love with. In the present day, pregnant Sophie dreams of renovating a taverna while reuniting with her mother's old friends and boyfriends on a Greek island island.

TBH, we’re pretty happy that Mamma Mia! is far from over, and we can’t wait to see what the franchise has in store for us next. Stay updated on all the latest entertainment news with Brit + Co.

This post has been updated.

There's nothing ~normal~ about how much we love Normal People's Paul Mescal & Daisy Edgar-Jones. While it turns out we're not getting a Normal People season 2 (yet), the two actors are starring in some of 2024's biggest blockbusters (Twisters and Gladiator II, namely), and we've been soaking up their presences ever since.

Paul recently exhibited his ongoing friendship with Daisy at the Gladiator II premiere in Los Angeles. While he approached Brittany Broski on the red carpet for an interview, he recognized her from her recent 'Royal Court' interview with Daisy:

"You were with Daisy!" he chimed in excitingly. We just love this power duo!

Enda Bowe/Hulu

Daisy Edgar-Jones also revealed that she's remained incredibly close to Paul Mescal after their time on Hulu's Normal People. "Paul is one of my lifetime best friends," she says. "He’s an incredibly grounded person and I am too, I think, so it’s nice to be able to have those touchstones and those people you can laugh about it with and be lighthearted with. We met when I was 20 and Paul was 22; I’m so excited to see where we’ll be at 32, 42, and what life will bring us."

But the coolest thing is that not only is Normal People special for Paul and Daisy, but they've also been able to see the effect of the show on its fans.

"The thing I love people saying the most is, 'It made me contact my ex,'" Daisy continues. "Especially when much older people say, 'I just wanted to reach out to the person I was with when I was 17 just to say you were a big part of my history and thanks for being part of who I am, the tapestry of my life.' And that I really love, because I’m a massive romantic."

Daisy recently revealed they bonded over their training for Twisters and Gladiator II.

"I did running lessons — isn’t that crazy?" she told Variety. "Actually, Paul [Mescal] and I were laughing about it, because he was training for 'Gladiator II' and I was training for 'Twisters,' and obviously he had to be huge and I was like, 'Don’t worry, I’m going to be right up there with you.'"

Let us know your favorite Normal People moment in the comments and check out 5 Leading Ladies We'd Love To See In A Paul Mescal Rom-Com.

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.