Myths in the beauty industry will always be a thing, especially when it comes to waxing. Between clients believing old wives’ tales and licensed professionals just not knowing better, waxing myths spread! Here are some of the top waxing myths debunked.
{mprestriction ids=”3,4,26,18,6,7,8,9,14,18,43,44″}
MYTH ONE
Waxing is only for women.
Fact
Waxing is for everybody who wants to remove their body hair. Waxing does have a stigma as a service that is exclusively for women, but that is far from the truth. Men can get waxed from head to toe, though it is not recommended to wax men’s facial hair, aside from their eyebrows. Back, chest, and shoulders are extremely popular waxing services for men. “Manzilians”, or “brozilians,” are becoming an extremely popular and lucrative service to add to your treatment menu. For a long time, waxing has been perceived as a feminine thing and that’s finally becoming a thing of the past. If you have male clients that come in for other services, such as facials, ask them if they’re interested in waxing. Start that dialogue since they might be too shy to inquire or do not even know how or what to ask. Men have insecurities about their looks just as women do. Remember, if you are not comfortable taking male clients by yourself, or at a certain time of a day, that’s completely fine. You make the rules of your space. For example, you can decide to only book your men clients during the day, when other people are there, or only take men clients on a referral basis. As much as you don’t want to assume, there are a lot of weirdos out there who may try to take advantage.
MYTH TWO
Waxing causes premature aging.
Fact
A common misconception is that waxing causes wrinkles and premature aging. This is completely false. Waxing can possibly cause irritation and redness but does not damage collagen within the dermis to create wrinkles. However, waxing can cause damage to skin if it’s done improperly. If the wax is too hot, removed incorrectly, or there’s been some double dipping involved, issues can arise.
MYTH THREE
Clients should trim their hair before an appointment.
Fact
Clients generally misjudge how long their hair really is prior to waxing. They have the notion that the shorter the hair is, the easier the wax will be but that’s not the case. If the hair is too short, it will break, and you won’t get a clean wax. As a professional, trimming clients in your treatment can go against state board regulations as some states consider it out of your scope of practice. Trimming can also just get messy. A common practice is to recommend three weeks of growth post-shaving because if you tell clients the actual two week mark you prefer, they may push the mark to 10 days, which is not enough.
MYTH FOUR
You can’t get waxed while on your period.
Fact
This is one of the most popular myths. Waxing on your period is completely fine as long as you’re using a tampon, cup, or disc. The client will probably be more sensitive, so just give them that heads up. If the client is not comfortable with using a tampon or cup, politely reschedule them for when they are off their cycle due to the high risk of transferring blood borne pathogens. However, if you as the professional don’t feel comfortable waxing people who are menstruating, that’s fine too.
MYTH FIVE
Pregnant women cannot get waxed.
Fact
Women can get waxed all the way up until their third trimester. Waxing pregnant women is like waxing people on their period; they’re going to be a lot more sensitive and maybe even sweat a bit more during the service. Lying flat might be difficult for them, especially the further a long they are. Having a bed that adjusts or even just a pillow will make all the difference. At least eight weeks postpartum for vaginal births and 12 weeks for C-section births is a good rule of thumb for waxing. Don’t be afraid to ask your client to bring in a doctor’s note saying they’re all cleared to get waxed and push their appointment out if they’re not. This is your name and license, so always go with your gut and your education on what is best.
Keeping clients safe for their waxing appointments is important. With so many misconceptions about waxing floating around, it is essential to stay on top of the myths and facts, so you can advise and reassure clients properly for their hair removal needs.
{/mprestriction}
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.
