TIFU by trying wax strips

This incident just happened so I don't know the full ramifications of my mistakes, but I'm sure they will far out weigh anything I got from this experience.

I (f27) have a patch of dark hair on my inner thighs. Whenever I shave it, I always get red bumps. Always. I have tried exfoliating before I shave, vitamin e with baby powder afterwards, a rub that's supposed to eliminate the problem. It seems I've tried everything short of selling my soul to Satan.

So, being the genius that I am, I figured if my skin was too sensitive to handle shaving I would try waxing. Because that makes sense. I didn't want to go to a professional since I only wanted a small patch on each leg gone. Plus it'd be awkward; my plan would skip that, I foolishly thought.

I went out and bought veet wax strips. I have never waxed before with the exception of my eyebrows which I get done at a salon. I carefully read over the instructions and looked up some tips online. Seemed easy enough which in hindsight, should've been my clue that something would go wrong.

I began by applying the strip to the fine hair on my outer thigh first, everything goes well. It didn't even really hurt and there was hair on the strip. Emboldened by my success, I continued. Finally, I decided to tear out the patch of annoyance that I was really after.

I got a new strip for optimal stickyness (the instructions said you could reuse a strip until it was no longer sticky). I messaged the strip down as I did with the others, pulled the skin taunt, and ripped. I was left with wax on my leg and a strip with significantly less wax in my hand. Ok, weird, but they included a "finishing wipe" for wax residue. So, I just shrugged and figured I'd try the patch on my other leg.

My thoughts at the time (because I do have thoughts, just not good ones) was that I must not have massaged the strip well enough. I tossed out the failure strip and put on a new one. I really massaged this one before ripping it off. I'd hate for the same thing to happen.

To my surprise, and my surprise alone because you know where this is going, I was left with the same wax stripe on my inner thigh as the last one. Frustrated, I decided to stop and clean up. I opened the wipe and began rubbing my leg. The wax isn't affected--at all.

Making sure to keep my legs from touching, I googled how to get the gunk off. It says a cotton pad (which I don't have) dipped in mineral oil (also don't have) can remove it. Thankfully, there was the option of olive oil which I do have. Now I just needed something for the cotton pad. I didn't want to use a cotton swab since I didn't want to end up fuzzier than when I started. I'm ashamed to say, I glanced at my menstrual pads for a split second before I remembered I have some old tank tops in my drawer.

I cowboy walk to my bedroom to grab the 100% cotton tank top. Then make my way to the kitchen, avoiding eye contact with my toddler as I pass. With everything gathered and back in the safety of the bathroom, I set to work getting the wax off of me. The olive oil worked, but now my legs are covered in oil. The tips I read said to keep the pores unclogged and not to shower for at least two hours.

So now I have to figure out which is worse for my poor skin--be oiled up for a couple hours or shower to clean off the mess. I decided to shower and use my CeraVe face wash. I'm sure I made the wrong choice and will pay the consequences. In conclusion, I used to have irritated hairless thighs and now I have irritated hairy thighs.

Tl;Dr: I decided to use wax strips for the first time, and didn't know that the wax can just be left on your skin. I was not prepared physically or emotionally to remove the wax from my skin.