Our industry commonly addresses the female client, yet what about our men? We are now seeing funky barber shops pop up all over the place, and amazing treatment salons with bars included.
There is significant investment going in to beauty for men. Men’s fashion doesn’t stop at the clothing store, it also comes into play on the grooming side of things, and we are not talking just beards!
Over time, male waxing in particular has become increasingly popular. There are many reasons to why and such include the feeling of smooth skin, sport or athletics reasons, or possibly partner influence. We know as females, it’s about convenience, a great feeling and indeed self-confidence; and this also applies to our male friends.
Male waxing trends seem to fall into categories with the older generation opting for Brazilians, back and shoulder waxing. Our younger millennial clientele prefers the chest and stomach to be hair free and smooth as a baby’s… well you know!
The real question is are you confident in performing your male waxing or grooming services?
More so, have you got the correct tools and pre and post care products?
A few tips from us:
- Seek the right tools to perform different waxing services. Think men’s brow waxing or ear waxing, neck waxing and other services.
- Most importantly be sure to educate your male clients with a little pre waxing advice. Especially if they have only just embarked on this. Think of how long it took us ladies to find the perfect wax therapist. Most of this came from her technique, yet also her great pre and post advice!
- Here’s a little pre wax advice from our wax experts at Barneys Salon Supplies, that you can turn into an advice card for your male clients. After all, the right advice for waxing newbies can make a huge difference to their experience. We have written some great points you can simply paste and use:
- Let it grow! Always ensure it’s the correct length. If you’ve been shaving or trimming hair very short then you must ensure its long enough to wax. Ideally you want the hair to around 1/4 inch (the length of a grain of rice). If you’re covered in hair and it’s very long then you may just want to check with your therapist if they’re happy to trim prior to waxing, or if they’d prefer you to do this. With most clippers/ trimmers a grade 4 should reduce long hair and still have it long enough for a successful removal.
- If you’re coming directly from work, you should bring a clean t-shirt to change into after your upper body wax as it will ensure your skin will be nice and clean. Remember you’ve been wearing your T-shirt or shirt all day and it’s a good way to start your after-care by putting on a clean item of clothing onto freshly waxed skin.
- Same rule applies to intimate waxing treatments. Bring a clean loose-fitting pair of boxers/ underwear (better than tight fighting underwear). Tight-fitting underwear will be rubbing against the skin and won’t allow the skin to breathe.
- Try not to rush getting to your appointment, especially in the middle of summer, or when travelling on a hot tram or train, as you’re going to increase your body temperature and run the risk of sweating/perspiring as this can often make your waxing treatment a lot more uncomfortable. Cool skin is so much easier to wax! Carry a bottle of water and keep cool and wax on!
- Gentle exfoliation of the skin using a washcloth or loofah a few days before your waxing Is really good as it will help to remove any dead skin, it will also help to lift the hair slightly, which will make for a better waxing treatment and can reduce the risk of ingrown hairs. Moisturising between waxing treatments will hydrate your skin and keep it nice and soft prior to your waxing treatment. Dry skin can be more uncomfortable to wax!
- Don’t have your waxing carried out if you’ve just been sunbathing or you’ve just had a sun-bed session, as your skin will be much too sensitive. Ensure you leave a few days between sun exposure and having your waxing treatment carried out, as your skin will be more likely to lift and will take much longer to heal.
- If it’s your first time to wax, avoid scheduling your first appointment just before a special even like a photoshoot or a holiday etc. Your skin may react with redness or a slight irritation so if it’s possible to wax several weeks before so you will know what to expect.
- Make sure you’re 100% honest with your therapist when you complete your pre waxing consultation. The questions we ask are essential to ensure we wax you safely and we’re trying to ensure that we offer you the best outcome. If we identify some issues that could affect the waxing treatment or how your skin may react then it allows your therapist to arrange a patch test and to use the best suitable wax and products for your skin, or to discuss/review your best treatment options. Please disclose all relevant information during your consultation.
- Pre-planning is key to getting the best from your appointment. Make sure that you wear suitable clothing, for example you don’t want to wear tight skinny jeans after having your legs waxed, as this will cause too much friction and discomfort on freshly waxed skin. Try and avoid too many layers of clothing so that you can keep your skin cool and avoid sweating.
- Lastly, but importantly, if you’ve got a very low pain threshold then you may want to consider taking some pain relief to help with the discomfort. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen are a popular choice for some clients. Anti-Histamine or anti-allergy tablets are sometimes really good for helping your skin to settle much quicker after your waxing treatment, especially if it’s your first experience, or if you’ve got particularly sensitive skin. You should also check with your therapist which retail items they stock and what they recommend for post waxing after-care. If you are going to purchase your own from the High Street make sure that you plan so that you’ve got these to use straight after your waxing treatment.
Here at Barneys, we recently launched our very first Manscaping Workshop. Wow, what a response from our clients! Yes, there is an art and a fundamental difference to the way we approach our waxing treatment and the pre and post care we recommend.
If you would like to join our upcoming Brows to Brozilian Manscaping 101 Workshop, then jump to it quickly! This is our most popular workshop ever! We will walk you through the art of all things in male grooming including Beard Tinting, Mens’s Brow Waxing, Ear, Nose and Neck Waxing. If you are eager, we also offer an add-on to explore the delicate art of Brozilian Waxing! Plus, at $50 for this intro workshop, how can you go wrong?
Book now or explore our range of pre and post wax products at barneys Salon Supplies. https://barneyssalonsupplies.com.au/collections/pre-post-wax