Ingrown hairs happen when a regrowing hair becomes trapped beneath the skin or curls round and grows back into the skin instead of emerging normally. Dead skin build-up, dry or flaky skin, blocked follicles and irritation after hair removal can all make ingrown hairs more likely.

Yes, your natural hair type plays a big part. Naturally thick, coarse, curly or tightly coiled hair is more likely to bend or curl back into the skin as it regrows, which can make some people much more prone to recurring ingrown hairs.

The area of the body matters too. Pubic and intimate hair tends to be coarser and curlier than hair on many other parts of the body, which is one reason bikini and intimate areas can be particularly prone to ingrowns.

Yes. Hair-removal technique matters. Shaving too closely, shaving against the direction of growth or using a blunt razor can all increase the likelihood of ingrown hairs and razor bumps.

Waxing can also contribute if hairs snap off rather than being removed cleanly from the root. Good waxing technique and using products best suited to the hair type and body area can help minimize unnecessary hair breakage. For example, hot/peelable wax is advisable for bikini and intimate waxing rather than conventional strip wax.

It’s also important to minimize unnecessary touching immediately after hair removal, particularly with unclean hands, as this can introduce dirt and bacteria to freshly treated skin. If you are applying aftercare products, always do so with clean hands.

And if an ingrown hair does develop, avoid picking, squeezing, scratching or repeatedly touching it. This can further irritate or damage the skin and increase the risk of inflammation, infection and lingering marks.

A consistent routine of looking after your skin in-between your hair removal sessions is the single biggest thing you can do to help prevent ingrown hairs. Regular exfoliation helps clear dead skin that can trap regrowing hairs, cleansing helps keep freshly hair-removed skin clean and reduce the build-up of sweat and product residue, and moisturizing keeps skin soft and supple so new hairs can grow through more freely.

That’s why (nkd) recommends three simple steps: exfoliate, cleanse and moisturize.

For the best results, we recommend all three because each step does a different job.

If you can only manage two, regular exfoliation and moisturizing are the most important pairing: exfoliation helps clear dead skin and build-up that can trap hairs, while moisturizing helps keep skin soft and supple so regrowing hairs can break through more freely.

Cleansing is still an important part of the full routine, particularly immediately after hair removal or after sweating, when keeping the area clean can help reduce the build-up of bacteria, sweat and product residue around the follicles.

We recommend gentle exfoliation every 2–3 days. Avoid exfoliating immediately before or after hair removal: leave at least 12 hours before and 48 hours after shaving, waxing or other hair-removal treatments to avoid aggravating freshly treated skin.

Yes. The (nkd) range was designed with intimate and bikini areas in mind but is luxurious enough to use all over your body, including legs, underarms, chest and back.

The products are intended for external use only.

Yes. (nkd) is designed for body and intimate hair removal using shaving, waxing, epilating and other common hair-removal methods. You do not need to be a waxing client to benefit from the routine.

Yes. (nkd) products are made for everyone who removes body or intimate hair, including men. The range is gender-neutral, with no separate “men’s” or “women’s” formulas - just specialist body care designed around the needs of skin after hair removal.