GiGi Facial Wax Strips Review

I Was Sweating Before I Even Pulled the Strip

I’m about to try something for the very first time that I have not tried — and it is these GiGi Facial Wax Strips. These were sent for my review, and I’ll be upfront: I’ve waxed my eyebrows maybe twice in my life. That’s it. So when I said I was starting to get a little bit sweaty because I was nervous, that wasn’t a bit. That was real.

Rather than just slapping a strip straight onto my face on camera, I made the call to do a small patch of arm hair first. My logic was simple: if it hurts that bad on my arm, I can’t imagine doing it on my face. So that’s where we started. And I’m glad I did, because there were a few things that surprised me mid-process — things the instructions kind of gloss over.

The short version is that it worked. But let’s actually walk through what happened, because the details matter if you’ve never used these before.

What’s in the Box and What the Formula Is

Each kit comes with 12 double-sided strips. So when I peeled one apart and it split into two pieces, I wasn’t getting ripped off — that’s by design. I just didn’t expect it. “Oh. So then does it become two? That’s interesting.” Yeah, it does. Each card gives you two usable strips, which is actually smart because these are sized for small areas like your upper lip, chin, eyebrow line, or hairline.

The formula is GiGi’s All Purpose Honee Formula — built around honey extract. It’s designed to be antimicrobial and gentle, which makes sense given that you’re using this on your face. The strips are made from a soft, flexible fabric that’s meant to conform to the curves of your face — the jawline, the chin, under your nose. Not a stiff cardboard type situation.

There’s also a post-epilation lotion included for cleanup. The instructions mention it specifically, and they’re super clear about the whole process — really easy to read. Prep the area, make sure it’s clean and dry, warm the strip in your hands for about 15 seconds, peel and apply, then pull.

One spec worth knowing: these can grab hair as short as 2mm. That’s short. Most razors and epilators need at least a few mm of growth to grip anything. For touch-up use on the upper lip or between eyebrow appointments, that’s a genuine advantage.

They’re also made in the USA and listed as 100% cruelty-free — no animal testing, no animal-derived ingredients.

What Happened When I Pulled the Strip

I warmed the strip between my palms for about 15 seconds, rubbing it back and forth to get the wax activated and ready. Peeled it apart. Got my two pieces. Applied it right to a patch of arm hair, rubbed it down, and then realized I had it backward.

The instructions say to pull in the opposite direction of hair growth, and you want to grab it from the bigger tab end. I’d put it on the other way, so I had to adjust mid-attempt and find the right tab. That added about thirty seconds of internal panic. But I found the grip, took a breath, and pulled.

“And woo.” That was my exact reaction. Not a scream. Not a cry. Just a “woo.” Because it didn’t hurt as bad as I thought it was going to.

And the hair was gone. I’ve got blonde arm hair, so it was hard to see on camera, but I could feel it. The skin was nice and smooth right away. That massive patch was just… clean. I could see the little hairs stuck to the strip. It definitely worked.

Since I had the other half of the strip still unused, I decided to try it on my husband’s arm. His arm hair is darker, so you could see the results way more clearly on camera. Same outcome — clean pull, hair on the strip, smooth skin left behind. No drama.

The Part Nobody Tells You About the Strip

Here’s something I didn’t see mentioned anywhere before I tried these: the strip splits in two when you peel it apart. I wasn’t expecting that at all. My first reaction was genuinely confused — “Oh. So then does it become two?” — and I had to take a second to figure out if I’d broken it or if that was just how it worked.

It’s intentional. Each double-sided strip card separates into two usable strips, which makes sense for small facial zones where you don’t need a full-size strip anyway. But if you’ve never used these and you’re already nervous, that moment of “wait, did I mess this up?” is real. Just know ahead of time that it’s supposed to do that.

The other thing: technique direction matters more than you’d think. You pull in the opposite direction of hair growth, and you want to grab from the larger tab. I grabbed from the wrong end first, which meant I had to reposition before pulling. It wasn’t a disaster, but it added a moment of fumbling. The instructions do explain this — they’re super clear about it — but in the heat of the moment when you’re nervous, it’s easy to flip the strip without thinking.

So do yourself a favor: read the back of the box before you open anything. Thirty seconds of reading saves you thirty seconds of confused panic mid-application.

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The Right Person for These Strips

These are sized for the face. Upper lip, chin, eyebrow area, the hairline. If you’ve been relying on razors in those spots and dealing with irritation, or you’ve been paying for salon appointments every few weeks just to stay on top of upper lip hair, these are a genuinely practical alternative.

They’re also a solid pick if you’re new to waxing and too nervous to go straight to your face. Do what I did — test on your arm first. You’ll get a feel for the pull, the timing, the direction, and the pain level before committing to a more sensitive area. That test run made me way more confident about trying these on my face soon.

The honey formula being gentle enough for sensitive skin is a real consideration too. The face is not the arm. You want something that’s not going to leave you red and irritated right before you have somewhere to be. The formula here is built with that in mind, and the post-epilation lotion that comes in the kit is there specifically to calm things down after the pull.

If you’re someone who’s been curious about at-home facial waxing but just hasn’t pulled the trigger yet — partly because of the pain fear, partly because you don’t know where to start — this is a low-barrier entry point. The instructions are clear, the kit is complete, and the results are real.

Where these are probably NOT the right fit: big body hair removal areas. These are small strips for small zones. Using them to wax your legs or arms in any meaningful area would take forever and cost more per session than it should. Stick to the face and the occasional touch-up and you’re getting exactly what the product was designed for.

Wax Strips vs. Razors vs. Salon Visits

Let’s be real about the options here, because there are a few.

Razors are the default for a lot of people. They’re fast and painless. But razors on your face — especially on the upper lip or around the eyebrows — create stubble regrowth. The hair comes back blunt-tipped instead of tapered, which means it feels coarser even if it isn’t. Waxing pulls from the root, so regrowth comes back softer over time. That’s a legitimate functional difference, not just marketing language.

Salon waxing gives you professional results, but you’re booking an appointment, going in, and paying for it every few weeks. For something as regular as upper lip maintenance, that adds up fast. These strips let you handle it at home, on your schedule, without the overhead.

The other at-home option people consider is heated wax kits — the ones where you melt the wax and apply it with a stick. Messier, requires warming up time, and more intimidating for a beginner. These strips are pre-waxed. You warm them in your hands for 15 seconds and go. No heating element, no wax pot, no sticky countertop situation.

The tradeoff with these strips versus a heated wax kit is that the heated wax might grip more aggressively on thick or coarse hair. For fine facial hair — which is what most people are dealing with in those small zones — these strips are more than capable, as the test showed. They grabbed my fine, hard-to-see blonde arm hair clean off. Coarser facial hair isn’t going to give them more trouble.

Before You Open the Box

Read the instructions first. I know that sounds obvious, but when the strips come out and you’re already nervous, the last thing you want to be doing is trying to decode a diagram with one hand holding a wax strip. The back of the box is super clear and really easy to read. Give it 60 seconds before you start.

Warm the strip properly. Fifteen seconds of rubbing between your palms is what activates the wax so it grips. Don’t skip this step or rush it. I rubbed mine until it felt warm to the touch and it worked exactly as expected.

Get the direction right before you apply. The bigger tab is your pull tab. You want that on the end you’re going to grab, pulling against the direction of hair growth. Figure that out before the strip touches your skin — not after, like I had to.

If you’re new to this and nervous, test it somewhere less scary first. Arm, leg, wherever. You’ll learn the sensation and the technique somewhere low-stakes so that when you move to your face, you’re not panicking. I’ll for sure be trying on my face sometime soon — I just have to build up that courage. But after the arm test, I’m a lot closer to that than I was before.

And use the post-epilation lotion that comes in the kit. It’s there for a reason. Pulls do leave the skin temporarily sensitive, and that cleanup step calms things down fast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the GiGi Facial Wax Strips actually hurt?

Less than you’re probably expecting. I was nervous enough to be sweating before I pulled, and my reaction was a “woo” — not a scream. It’s a quick sting, and it’s over in a second. Testing on your arm first gives you a realistic read on what the sensation feels like before you try your face.

Can these strips grab fine or light-colored hair?

Yes — I have blonde arm hair and the strips grabbed it clean. You just can’t see the results as easily on camera with light hair. I could feel that the skin was smooth even when the hair on the strip wasn’t visible. The formula is rated for all hair types and can remove hair as short as 2mm.

Does the strip split into two when you open it — is that normal?

Yes, that’s by design. Each card is a double-sided strip that separates into two usable pieces. I wasn’t expecting it and had a moment of “wait, did I break this?” — but it’s intentional. You end up with two smaller strips, which is the right size for facial use anyway.

Do you need to heat these strips in a warmer before using them?

No. That’s one of the advantages here. You just rub the strip between your palms for about 15 seconds to warm the wax, and you’re ready to go. No heating appliance, no wax pot, no mess. It’s completely self-contained.

Are these strips safe for sensitive skin?

The formula uses honey extract, is listed as cruelty-free, and is designed specifically for facial skin which tends to be more sensitive than other areas. The kit also includes a post-epilation lotion for after the pull to help soothe the skin. That said, if you have particularly reactive skin, testing on a small area first is always a smart move.

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How many strips are in a kit?

The kit includes 12 double-sided strips, which separate into 24 usable strips total. For small facial zones like the upper lip or eyebrow area, that gives you a good number of sessions. The post-epilation lotion is also included in the kit.

Learn more

GiGi Facial Wax Strips

Find Out More →

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.