Skin health and waxing will always go hand in hand. The integrity of your client’s skin before their service will always dictate the quality of their waxing experience, as well as their waxing results. Educating clients on the importance of using proper homecare, as well as activities to avoid right after their service, is imperative here to reduce the risk of ingrown hairs and irritation.
THE IDEAL ROUTINE
Bodywash
The significant components of aftercare products include using the proper bodywash, exfoliator, moisturizer, and treatment product. A client’s bodywash shouldn’t strip their skin and throw off their skin’s pH level. Certain bar soaps and generic body washes will cause this, which leads to impaired barrier function, as well as increases the potential of your client getting ingrown hairs. Maintaining their skin’s acid mantle and the microbiome is key here. Professional-grade bodywashes that focus on preserving and aiding in skin health will drastically change your client’s wax results.
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Exfoliant
If you wax full time, you already know that exfoliating makes or breaks your client’s wax appointment and results. The biggest issue you’ll run into, asides from your client not exfoliating, is the possibility that your client may be using an expired, bacteria-filled exfoliator that’s been sitting in their shower for six months. This is when you step in to educate them on a quality exfoliator. Help them understand that products do have an expiration. They will eventually breed bacteria and create ingrown hairs. Not every client will use or even need a physical exfoliator, so determining when to recommend a chemical exfoliator, physical exfoliator, or a combination of both will guide you in product selection for your client to help them maintain their skin health. For clients who don’t perform well with topical exfoliating products, dry brushing is always a top-tier physical alternative.
Moisturizer
Skin is supposed to be moisturized. A lot of clients do not realize how big of a role moisturizing plays to maintain long-term waxing results. Hydrated skin means a better wax point-blank. Skin health is the foundation of good waxing, and using the proper post-wax products will do that.
GROWING PAINS
Similar to breakouts, ingrown hairs are inevitable, even if you provide a beautiful service and your clients follow all aftercare instructions. Professionals can expect them and treat them. Salicylic, glycolic, or malic acid-based chemical exfoliators are great options. If you know the client is not going to exfoliate, there are always serums they can use to spot treat. Again, they can feature the same ingredients – salicylic, glycolic, or malic acid. Lactic acid is good too, especially if brightening is a concern.
If you’re dealing with someone who has chronic ingrown hairs in the Brazilian and bikini line area, and you’re sure it’s not an underlying health condition, vajacials are great options for not only treating ingrown hairs but building and maintaining overall skin health.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
You can always tell which on-going clients aren’t following homecare instructions. It’s easy to see dry skin and under or overexfoliation. This is where you can exercise your troubleshooting skills. For example, because dry skin is going to be prone to lifting, apply a tiny bit of oil on the area after cleansing and before applying wax. If you see someone who is overexfoliating, reiterate that too much exfoliation creates more dead skin cells and causes irritation.
Before you start the waxing service, perform a skin analysis like you would when starting a facial service. What’s the condition of your client’s skin? What products have they been using? Do they have any ingrown hairs? Do you see anything on the client’s skin that is a contraindication to waxing? Is your client’s hair long enough? When was their last wax appointment? What’s changed with their skin between then? Going over all these things both mentally and with your client will allow for consistent, quality waxing services.
Ingrown hairs are a common occurrence even when you provide a beautiful service and the client follows all aftercare instructions. Knowing which ingredients work best, doing your research on products, and testing before you retail is important. Education is the key to growth and success in this industry and what sets you apart from other professionals. Knowing products, the functionality of ingredients, and when to use them shows your client that you’re not only knowledgeable, but you also put forth the effort to educate yourself and stay up to date with what’s going on in the aesthetics and waxing world.
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Taylor Wilson is a licensed aesthetician hailing from the DMV. She’s a graduate of Von Lee International School of Esthetics, founded by the legendary Carole Walderman. She was wax trainer at a European Wax center and eventually transitioned into her own studio, JB Skin Clinic full time where she provided waxing and skin revision treatments. Realizing she wanted to focus on education and helping other aestheticians reach their goals, she came on board to Starpil as their brand educator.
