Waxing pros share their tales about challenging treatments

Story one: the expensive mistake
“All waxing services can be challenging and easily end in disaster if they are not carried out by a fully qualified, competent and confident therapist. I’ve been waxing now for 24 years and feel very confident in all procedures, but that’s not to say I didn’t make a mistake when I first started out. When I was fresh out of college at 17 I had one of my very first clients. I was nervous and keen to impress not only my client but also the boss and my colleagues. I ended up dribbling wax over my client’s very expensive jumper (mustard cashmere to be precise!). I was completely horrified and the client was clearly very angry. My manager promptly dealt with the situation by reimbursing the client but it’s been a costly mistake that has stuck with me for years. I now teach my students to make the spatula an extension of the hand and learn to confidently and quickly turn the spatula with their fingers to prevent the wax from dripping.”
Lisa Stone, educator for Salon System

Story two: the embarrassing moment
"I was doing a Hollywood once and the client hadn’t told me she was on her period. She had tucked her tampon string up and I took the wax right down the labia… I pulled the string right out with the wax! The client got the fright of her life and started apologising to me, saying, “I just thought I could hide it but I should have told you”, and I said "yes, you should have!" It would have still been fine to wax her – I’m absolutely not bothered – but she said she really needed a wax and thought I would turn her away if she told me. It’s totally up to the client when they get waxed, we’d just tell them that it might be more painful if it’s that time of the month. Obviously I’m always careful but I would have been more careful if I’d known. Now I ask clients to tell me if it may be an issue.”
Kerri-Ann Bruce, owner of Peaches salon in Glasgow and Scottish ambassador for Perron Rigot

Story three: the stubborn wax
“I was waxing in front of a big class in the US. The model had very red natural hair and redheads usually have very strong hair roots and coarse growth, particularly in areas where it’s hard to wax anyway, like the bikini area. I was demonstrating a Brazilian and the hair was coming off really well until I could not remove the wax on the labia. I put more wax on and it wouldn’t come off – it was horrific. She really had incredibly tough hair. I was getting hot and flustered and my hands were getting sweaty, which affects the temperature of the wax. I changed over to a different wax, Lyco Dream, which is a hybrid blend between traditional hot wax and a mineral-based product. I put that on top of everything and luckily it actually removed it. I was so relieved, I’d really never had that kind of situation before and I’ve been waxing for a long time. Afterwards I just carried on with the treatment.”
Lydia Jordane, founder, Lycon

Story four: the missing skin
“My client had a great brow line but much to my concern there was no skin beneath it, just a nasty graze which she claimed was the result of an attempt at DIY brow waxing! After making some sympathetic noises, I sent her away with a jar of Hive Cool Down After Wax Treatment and made an appointment for her to come back in four weeks. When she returned, her brows were back with full force but I was still cautious so I used a sensitive wax packed full of plasticides that keep it flexible, so that the wax only sticks to the hair and not the skin, avoiding any trauma. This gave a really smooth finish and even the shortest hairs were removed with the root bulb intact without any cutaneous damage. This kind of wax makes waxing delicate areas far more effective for therapists and more comfortable for the client.”
Fiona Bale, therapist and area manager, Hive of Beauty

Story five: the extreme reaction
“As a newly qualified therapist I once had a client with ultra-sensitive skin who experienced quite a serious hive-like reaction to the patch test, which meant I couldn’t continue the treatment. Since then I’ve discovered that this kind of scenario can be avoided with the right product choices and a good treatment routine. From experience I’ve learned that skincare is just as important as removing the client’s hair. Choice of wax is far more extensive than it used to be so if your client has very reactive skin, choose a gentle formula specifically designed for them, such as Sienna X Peppermint Gelee. It doesn’t contain any rosin (the main ingredient in most waxes) or tea tree oil, so it’s less likely to cause a reaction, even on super-sensitive skin.”
Charlie Hopewell, therapist and training executive, Sienna X

Story six: the nervous first-timer
“I had a client booked in for a first-time intimate wax. She didn't know what to expect from the treatment and was visibly nervous from the moment she walked in. I took her up to the wax room, explained the process thoroughly and left her to get changed. When I came back I could tell she was still anxious, so I went through the treatment step by step with her again, hoping she would feel more at ease by knowing exactly what I was doing at every moment. When I applied the hot wax I asked if the temperature felt comfortable then carried on with the treatment. During the wax I asked her to stretch areas of the skin and take a deep breath when I took the strip off. If a client can’t relax it can cause them to perspire, making the wax harder. If this happens, wipe a cotton disc over the excess perspiration or use talcum powder to soak up moisture. Half way through the wax my client was considerably more at ease, as she understood what was happening. By the end of the treatment she had conquered her nerves and happily rebooked for another wax.”
Gemma Cafferkey, founder, Waxu

Do you have a waxing story you want to share? Comment below.