If you're suddenly finding yourself in need of a waxing, but you don't want to/don't feel safe going to your regular appointment, you'll have to resort to other methods.

...Namely, you'll have to go DIY.

But is it really a good idea? Should you be messing with those at-home waxing kits? (You know, the strips?) Are there dos and don'ts? Will you end up looking like a half yeti/half dolphin when you're done? We spoke to Cristina Oliveira, owner and co-founder of Elastic Wax Center, about how to get your best waxing-at-home game on... without any painful mishaps.

Image via Piotr Marcinski/EyeEm/Getty

"Yes, waxing at home is a great idea for certain body parts where your eyes permit the perfect vision," says Oliveira. "The upper lip, chin, lower legs and underarms for her. For him; nostrils, ears, hands, cheeks." Basically, if you can see it — and see it well — then you can wax it.

That said, she advises that you should always avoid waxing if you have any open sores or wounds. Certain oral acne medications thin the skin, so that's another factor to take into consideration.

Image via Yagi Studio/Getty

"Pour yourself a massive glass of wine," jokes Oliviera.

But in all seriousness, make sure you clean and exfoliate properly. She says removing dead skin cells, residue from products, etc will help keep you safe from cross contamination as well.

Then, make sure your skin is completely dry... and get to waxing! If it's been a while, you might need to do some trimming as well.

Image via PeopleImages/Getty

Well, perhaps this should be obvious... but you might not want to try waxing your lady bits.

Oliveira says that Elastic Wax Center offers an In Home Kit, $85, which comes with an instructional video plus FaceTime video call support — but even so, waxing down there might present a bit of a problem. As a waxing expert, she says that even she struggles with the area (as well as her under arms).

But, if you want to give it a go... "[The kit] gives a map of how to wax your own bikini line with numbers on it and where to go next," she says. The instructions are clear so as to avoid burns and accidents (for starters, the wax should always be body temperature).

Buy now

We recommend using products that are effective, but have more natural, organic ingredients like Parissa Organic Sugar Wax, $16.42, if you have more sensitive skin or are a beginner. A hard wax like Bliss Poetic Waxing, $22.99, could also work well for you.

Always test the product on a small patch of skin on your wrist first to see if you have a reaction to any of the ingredients.

Buy now