13 Male Waxing Comforts at the suite

More WOW, Less OW!!

Waxing here offers more comfort than other waxing places. I have on my website FAQs, but for those in need of more information, please read below our specific comforts. This blog is based in part with permission on an article by Andy Rouillard, of Learn Male Waxing, who taught me how to wax.

Ripping hair out by the root is never going to be a completely painless experience, despite the nonsense that some manufacturers insist on peddling, but I follow a number of simple and cost effective steps that can be taken to reduce the associated discomfort for customers.

Let me say from the off that I have never been a fan of numbing creams or recommending painkillers to my clients, in my humble opinion they are an unnecessary faff and expense.

So let’s strip it right back to basics, and here are my tools for a little less ‘ouch’ and a little more ‘oooh’ in the treatment room.

Step 1: Timing is everything
Waxing always hurts more when tired, ill, dehydrated or hungover, which certainly makes for a pointed topic of conversation first thing on a Saturday morning. And there’s a reason I ask customers to commit to regular waxing every 4-6 weeks: not only does this catch the hair on the best cycle for longer lasting smoothness, but it’ll also hurt less as the hair starts to thin out. Bargain.

Step 2: First impressions count
The right impression instils confidence in clients and goes a long way towards helping them relax from the outset. My studio is welcoming and warm, non-clinical, plays calming music, relaxes the mind and allows me to concentrate only on you.  It does not heave with women or any other customers, receptionists and magazines. I greet you at the door when you arrive. I am ready for the appointment and do not rush or fluster you. I ensure my treatment room is clean and orderly, and that I myself am professionally presented; nobody likes to see an overflowing waste bin, a dirty or messy work station, or dog hairs all over their place of waxing. If it’s cold, the heated floor will be toasty for your tootsies. A nervous client is more likely to experience stress and discomfort, so I offer you a drink and a bathroom, ask how your day is going, offer you a spatula to bite on... Of course I’m joking about the stick-nibbling, but you get the general idea: tiny details like this can make all the difference.

Step 3: Explain explain explain!
Fear of the unknown is often worse than the reality of waxing. If this is your first appointment, I take time to explain the waxing procedure, demonstrate the products I will be using and answer any questions you may have before starting. Once on the couch, explain what I am doing each and every step of the way (unless you stop me!). This will help to reduce any anxiety you may have about the treatment and builds a solid, trusting relationship for the future.

Step 4: Mow the lawn
I use electric clippers or nail scissors to trim long hair before slapping on the wax. This makes it easier to see the direction of growth and prevents longer hairs from becoming tangled or matted as I work. Again, no mess means both you and I are relaxed and contented.

Step 5: Oil things up
Instead of powder, I apply a few drops of pre-epilation oil to the body before waxing. The occlusive properties of oil creates a barrier between the skin and wax that makes removal a lot easier for me and the whole experience less painful for you. Oil can be used under both soft (strip) and hard (non-strip) waxes, anywhere on the face and body.

Step 6: I can be bossy!
I’m not afraid to move you into a position that makes my job easier and more comfortable, and get you to help with stretching the skin if necessary. If it’s easier for me, it’s going to be easier, quicker, and more comfortable for you too.

Step 7: Top quality wax
A good quality strip wax with a low melting point and exceptional fluidity should be a staple of every salon. In addition, the new generation of non-strip ‘hard’ waxes are an excellent choice for tough, stubborn hair and sensitive areas such as the face, underarms and groin areas. Modern peelable waxes share all of the benefits of traditional hot wax, but are lower in temperature, easier to apply and remain pliable as they cool. They work by ‘shrink wrapping’ individual hairs as they dry, meaning that even very short or strongly rooted hairs can be removed effectively. This makes them much more comfortable for you, and a must-have for quick and easy intimate waxing.

Step 8: Follow directions
Apply wax with the direction of hair growth and remove against. It sounds obvious, but failure to follow the patterns that Mother Nature blessed us with means that the hair simply won’t come out. Instead, the wax gets stuck, the skin tugs and you end up with all manner of heartache from bruising, broken hairs and gooey clumps of cold wax that won’t shift for love nor money. I break things down into manageable sections for this reason.

Step 9: Stretch, rub & rip.
Simple waxing rules are there for a reason. I keep the skin stretched taut during every stage of wax application and removal. I rub the strip firmly with the whole of my hand to get a good bond between wax and hair, and remove in one swift, continuous motion; I don’t dither or yank it off it erratically in multiple jerks like a learner driver at the traffic lights. I keep my hand flat against the body during removal; I don’t wax around corners or pull upwards towards the ceiling as this will hurt (to put it mildly) and makes bruising and hair breakage more likely.

Step 10: Less is more
When working over particularly sensitive parts of the body or in areas of loose or fleshy skin, I avoid trying to remove too much in one go. Smaller areas are easier to keep properly stretched. For soft wax this means using less of the paper or muslin cloth, and for hard wax I don’t make strips too wide. If removing a long strip of peelable wax, I remove in stages (an inch or 2 at a time) and re-brace the skin at every step.

Step 11: Apply pressure
I press or tap the skin immediately after removing the wax strip. It’s an old trick but it works; pressure stimulates the nerve endings and takes away the sting.

Step 12: Soothe and protect
I end your treatment on a high note with a generous application of afterwax lotion to calm the skin and relax the client. I use anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, and don’t just slop it on willy-nilly. I spend a few moments massaging the product in while I discuss homecare (which brings us nicely onto the next step).

Step 13: Aftercare advice
I don’t like to risk all of my hard work being undone by clients who don’t realise that a 2 hour gym session followed by a sunbed and sauna is not the best way to treat freshly waxed follicles. The importance of homecare after every single appointment is emphasised, and I provide written instructions on what to do once you are out of the studio. This encourages you to take proper care of your skin and helps to avoid any ongoing discomfort.

So, there we have it folks. 13 may be unlucky for some, but I follow these tried and tested steps to raise the comfort level in my suite and I aim for my customers to think they’re the luckiest waxing clients around.
 
Here's to waxing you good! 
 
Best wishes, Steve