To offer hair removal services, you’ll need to be licensed as an esthetician in your state. A standard esthetician program curriculum covers the anatomy and physiology of skin, the cycles of hair growth, and the different properties of light, dark, and sensitive skin.
Waxing is preferable to shaving because it removes the skin from the root and doesn’t leave behind bumps or stray hairs. Unlike the daily routine of shaving or tweezing, waxing offers your clients smooth skin that can be left untouched for up to two weeks.
Becoming highly proficient in waxing will help your clients leave your salon feeling refreshed and satisfied with the results.
Different Approaches to Hair Removal for Different Parts of the Body
Underarm Waxing – Underarm waxing involves removing all hair from your client’s underarms by applying heated wax strips to the area, applying wax paper over the strips, and quickly removing the paper. Many women seek underarm waxing because it can be expensive to purchase wax for at-home use, and waxing may last up to two weeks while shaving needs to be repeated on a daily basis.
Bikini or Brazilian Waxing – Bikini and Brazilian waxes are designed remove all unwanted hair from the bikini area. A bikini wax will be applied to the inner thighs, while a Brazilian wax will remove all hair from the area. The wax is applied through an applicator and wax paper strips, and you may give your client an aloe cream to apply to the area afterwards to reduce pain and redness. Because Brazilian and Bikini waxes demand a more specialized technique, you might consider getting an additional certification beyond your standard esthetician program.
Leg Waxing – Most women shave their legs on a daily basis to keep them smooth and hair-free. However, if your client is tired of the hassle, they may seek your services to wax their legs. Waxing can be applied to just the upper leg area (front and back of the thighs), lower leg area (shins and calves), or can be applied to the whole leg. Clients love the smooth, hairless look this provides, and it can last for up to two weeks before the legs need to be re-waxed.
Back Waxing – Depending on your client’s needs and their hair growth, they may want to remove hair from the lip area (above the upper lip or below the lower lip), the underside of the chin, the neck, or the back. You’ll apply heated wax to the area and remove it with paper strips. The entire back area may be the most time-consuming area to wax, as you’ll need to apply and remove several different strips to clear the entire back of hair.
Arm Waxing – Especially if your client has darker body hair, they may wish to remove arm hair. You’ll use several strips of wax to apply to the arm, applying and removing the strips one at a time.
The Different Types of Wax Hair Removal Products You Can Offer Your Clients
There are two different types of wax that you may offer to perform waxing services: hard and soft.
Hard wax is often applied without the aid of a strip. It forms a gel-like consistency and isn’t heated—it’s simply applied to the desired area and then removed either in the direction of the hair growth or against it. Unlike soft wax, it pulls less of the skin and more of the hair, and so it can be reapplied to pull out any stray hairs that remain after the initial application. Hard wax is usually used for small areas, such as facial waxing.
Soft wax, on the other hand, can only be applied once, because it will tug at the skin and likely remove dead skin cells on the surface. Soft wax is usually heated and then applied to the skin. Then, a strip is applied over the wax and it is removed quickly by tugging at the waxing strip. It is usually used for larger parts of the body—legs and arms are good candidates for soft wax.
Making Waxing a Pleasant Experience for your Clients
You can minimize pain for your clients by working quickly and efficiently. If your client has never had a waxing procedure done before, it’s a good idea to test a small patch of skin to make sure they are not sensitive to the wax or the procedure.
Everyone’s pain threshold is different, and some clients may find the waxing pain extremely uncomfortable, while others might not mind it at all. This can vary depending on if they have received waxing procedures in the past and if their skin is highly sensitive.
You can also minimize pain by using numbing creams to prepare the area and using after-care creams with aloe that will soothe the area and cause it to become less red and painful.
Also, when performing the waxing technique, it is a good idea to apply pressure to the area just after removing the wax. This will help the skin to stop stinging.
After waxing, remind your clients not to shave or scrub the area or expose it to harsh sunlight for at least 48 hours—the skin will be very sensitive after the procedure.
Above all, be attentive to your client’s needs. If you establish yourself as an esthetician who is attentive and careful, you will be sure to attract clients for repeat visits.
Learning How to Perform Advanced Waxing Techniques
Although you probably practiced waxing on the areas of the face, underarms, legs, and arms during your esthetician’s program, you might not have gained experience performing Brazilian or bikini waxes. However, Brazilian and bikini waxes are highly sought-after services because they’re extremely difficult to perform at home and can cause a lot of pain and irritation if not performed by a professional. If you’d like to become proficient in this service, you might pursue advanced classes.
Many salons and beauty schools offer Brazilian Waxing specialty courses—check with local beauty institutes to find one that’s right for you.
Through a specialty course, you’ll learn:
- Proper sanitation procedures
- The right wax to use
- What before and after products will minimize pain
- Hands-on techniques