Should you change your wax?
Lilliane Caron highlights when you should and shouldn’t change your wax.
The key to being a successful and confident therapist is finding what wax suits you. All therapists are different and there is certainly no one size fits all approach when it comes to waxing. If I asked you right now, what is your favourite wax and why? You should be able to answer me within a few seconds. As a therapist, having the right wax is the most important ingredients for any waxing treatment.
Many therapists seem to find it hard to commit to just one brand of wax, and not only that but they have absolutely no idea of what wax they are even using! I have been in salons that have 10 different waxes, from 10 different brands, and all half used. This is not the way to run a business nor is this the way to conduct any kind of treatment. You need to find a hard and strip wax and make a commitment! They will be your partner in crime. Your clients should not see a range of different waxes around your salon and have to play a guessing game in order to find out which brand is being used on them. If you are experiencing difficulty or poor results from your treatment, changing your wax every second week is not going to help, in fact it’s doing you and your clients more harm than good.
Finding the right wax can be life changing, and you will wonder how you ever survived before you found it! I know it can be tempting to opt for a cheaper product, and save a few dollars here and there, but one thing you cannot risk is the quality of your wax. Price should not defer you away from a high quality product. Paying that extra couple of dollars can make all the difference when it comes to securing repeat business and long-term clients. A salon providing high quality treatments, with high quality products can be extremely profitable. One 800g jar of wax can do at least 200 eyebrow waxes. If you charge $20 for a treatment, that is $4000 you have made from a $19.95 wax. A salon using cheap wax may save $5.00 per jar, times that by a carton of wax and you have saved roughly $60. Sure you have saved $60 straight off the bat but if you are using an inferior wax the chances of you even rebooking 200 treatments let alone 100 is not great. Cheap waxes cost more in the long run. The same goes if you are using more product to get the result, you actually have saved nothing and could ultimately lose the customer if you continually send them home with irritated skin and a substandard result. It all comes down to how many clients you have, and how many choose to come back to YOU over any other salon.
A lot of people I talk to (including many trained therapists) believe side effects such as swelling, redness and bruising are normal after waxing. They also think that some hairs cannot be removed due to them being ‘too short.’ Yes there are situations where the hairs may be too short, however most of the time if someone is booking in for a wax, it is because they have adequate hair in the area, why else would they pay for an appointment? If a client is willing to pay to have these hairs removed, it is the therapist’s job to not be lazy and work the area in order to remove as many hairs as possible. This comes down to having a good wax and knowing how to use it. Many waxes cannot be reapplied as the poor quality ingredients irritate the skin. However there are a number of waxes on the market that are gentle and allow you to go over the same area more than once. As a therapist you need to have a relationship with your wax and know how to get the results. As for the irritations and side effects, these are not ‘normal’ and are reactions that are easily avoidable if you are using a good wax with the correct technique. Having so many beauty therapists believing that these side effects are unavoidable is why a lot of therapists and clients are scared of waxing or being waxed. Waxing is not scary, or painful. It is the most effective method of hair removal with results lasting as long as 4 – 6 weeks. Plus, with regular waxing the hair will start to weaken the hair follicle, resulting in less hair growth. We need to educate our clients that waxing does not have to result in pain and nasty side effects.
When you are assessing your wax ask yourself the following; does it grip the hairs? Is the consistency stringy? Does it smell of resin or chemicals? Is it dark and highly perfumed? Does it lift the skin? Does it cause redness and irritation? Does it cause ingrown hairs or pimples? If you answered yes to one or more of these you definitely need to rethink your wax. Inferior waxes cause redness, irritation and ingrowns, not to mention, they do not maintain temperature as well as a top quality wax. Find a pot that is able to maintain the temperature of your wax without burning it.
If your wax is pliable, consistent, nourishing on the skin, has a subtle aroma and, of course, is removing hair properly, there’s no need to change! You have struck gold! If you are using a superior wax with a good reputation and still experience difficulty, don’t jump ship too quickly, it may be your technique. Don’t hesitate to ask the manufacturer. They can provide some tips on the best consistency and technique for using their wax. After all, they know it best!
Lilliane Caron is Owner & Director of Caronlab Australia. If you’d like to ask Lilliane Caron for some advice on your own salon, email [email protected]
Phone: 1800 245 412
Email: [email protected]
