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Permalink Reply by Samantha Maline on June 2, 2013 at 12:10pm

To me it's not really about preference more than its about using the appropriate wax for the hair. You will need to be versed in both because you will have times where clients will request wax based on a preference acquired somewhere else. It's better to just simply be comfortable using both where needed.

Soft wax is stickier so comes up off the skin with a bit more sting but is much better at grabbing fine hair and doing large areas. Hard wax is excellent at gripping coarse hair, is more versatile in trickier areas, and does not stick to the skin as much so you lose the sting that soft has. However, hard wax can be irritating because of the "flick" that's required to lift an edge. If its placed on hair instead of a bare skin area it is exceedingly irritating to experience the initial lifting. Hard wax also requires a small waiting time for it to firm up before removal which can add significant amounts of time to a service.

I use hard wax only where necessary and use soft wax to remove the bulk of an area or to perform clean up. It's fast, efficient, and you need less of it to get the job done. However, areas like the inside of the labia, the ear, and the nose are usually always hard wax. My approach is to get everything I can with soft and use hard on tender spots then perform any necessary cleanup with soft. If you're using soft correctly it should go on thin like cellophane and your applicator should be slanted at a 45 degree angle (don't "butter" it on). Use your hands wisely to pull areas taut (so important) and don't take too much off at once which causes lifting. When I use hard wax on eyebrows, apply it thin but with a good lip. When I use it on the labia I apply it medium and leave the lip on a bare skin area.

The one area I refuse to be versatile in is being asked to do a Brazilian in entirely hard wax...how excruciatingly difficult. If they don't like 15 minute brazilians they can go somewhere else.

I know it's a lot but there is so much more...hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by Crickett Enos on June 13, 2013 at 7:22am

Depends on the area you are waxing.  Soft wax is great and more cost effective for larger areas of the body (back, chest, arms, legs) but hard wax rocks in the more sensitive areas (bikini, face, brows, underarms). 

My guess is that you were never properly trained how to use hard wax and that is why you thinks it's painful.  Hard wax, by nature, is meant to be much more gentle on the skin, but you have to have the right technique when using it. 

I have some good tutorials on my website on how to properly use hard wax and I also offer educational dvd's on waxing as well waxing products.  Check out www.thewaxchick.com for all the info. 

You can also join my group here on ASCP "Brows and Brazilians....just do it"  if you haven't yet. 

Best of luck to you

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