4 Ways You Can Turn a First-Time Wax into a Good Experience

February 28, 2017

For a first-time waxing client, walking into the waxing room is like entering unknown territory. Whether it's just an underarms or leg wax, and especially if it's a bikini or Brazilian wax, clients who turn to professional waxing for the first time feel anxious, scared of the pain, and embarrassed about the idea of showing intimate body parts to a stranger.

Traumatic and overly-painful waxing treatments are a common story in the beauty industry, but waxing doesn't have to be necessarily a bad experience. It's an esthetician's job as a beauty professional to ease the client's mind and provide a good waxing treatment following the right techniques, using quality hair removal products and informing the client about the upcoming process.

It's important to highlight that by good experience we don't mean painless; waxing is always going to hurt, even if it lessens over time. We want clients to be informed of all the benefits of waxing compared to other hair removal methods, regardless of the pain. For that purpose, here are some tips that will help ease a first-time client's nerves and make him or her want to come back to your spa or beauty business for a second waxing appointment.

• Give pre-waxing advice
Knowledge is gold. When clients call or visit to schedule a waxing appointment, tell them what and what not to do in order to avoid surprises on the fixed date. To ease the pain, you can advise them to take pain-relievers before the session. Some people think that drinking a glass of wine or any other type of alcohol can help with the pain, but this is not entirely true. According to professional estheticians , alcohol tightens the pores, which can make the experience more painful. To make the treatment easier and faster, advise them to take a long, exfoliating bath before the session; it's much comfortable and safer to work on clean skin.


• Welcome the client in a nice environment
First-time clients are examining everything the moment they step into your spa or beauty business; therefore, customer comfort from the beginning is key. Having a comfortable and clean waxing room will make guests feel relaxed and less anxious about the upcoming treatment.

Furthermore, clients who visit a professional waxing room for the first time might not know a lot about how a waxing treatment works, that's why it's important to explain from A to Z the hair removal procedure before it begins. You should mention what they might feel during the process and what kinds of positions will they have to make – certain waxing treatments require the client to sit in uncomfortable or unusual positions so it's best to let them know beforehand.


• Ask the client about their expectations
First-time clients may also feel overly embarrassed about the fact of showing a stranger their hairy body parts, especially if their first appointment is a bikini wax. Even if you're used to treating clients every day, they are not used to be inside a waxing room, so communication is important. Talking to your clients will give you the necessary information about why they decided to try waxing in the first place, their previous hair removal methods, allergies, skin type, etc. Ask what exactly do they want out of the session: do they want a specific shape for the eyebrows? What kind of bikini wax do they prefer (Brazilian, American, French)?


• About the pain: Don't sugar-coat it
There is no point in lying to the client about the pain. The effect of pulling the hairs from the root will always hurt, even if it gets better over time as the hair follicles weaken. Nonetheless, the first wax is always the most painful one. You can reduce the pain though, by using quality hair removal products that allow you to take all the hair from an area in just one go. Also, let the clients know when you're going to treat an area that is especially sensitive – the labia, the belly, below the eyebrows and others.

Once the pain has subsided and the client notices how perfect their eyebrows, legs, armpits, or bikini line look, they will not regret having turned to a professional to get waxed. Before your clients go, remember to give them a post-waxing care guide so they can take care of their skin at home; first-time clients probably don't know a lot about post-waxing skincare, therefore it is essential you instruct them about what to do – and not to do – or what post-care products to apply on their bodies after the session.

If you're looking for quality hair removal products to use at your spa, Beauty Image offers you a wide array of soft and hard body waxes, pre- and post-depilatory products, and waxing accessories so you can treat your clients with the best of the beauty industry. Navigate through our website to know more about our products or find us on Facebook at Beauty Image USA, follow us on Instagram @BeautyImageUSA, or subscribe to our YouTube channel Beauty Image USA.