Facial Waxing Problem

Re: Facial Waxing - Brow and Lip

I had a new client today who, brought by her mother, came to have brows and lip done.

She is a young teen, caucasion with dark hair and light skin tone.

Her brow hairs are long, and thick. The lip hair is very noticeable, but is of a softer hair type and less thick.

She doesn't have a defined hairline; hair is visible across the forehead to the brow around the brow and temples. Genetic makeup. The hair on the skin outside of the brow area is softer and thinner.

The client uses BPO 5% nightly with no irritation and really her skin looked very good, maybe one or two small blemishes. She has young skin, but not necesarily sensitive skin. She was not red after my waxing in the brow area, a little pink on the upper lip - mild, nothing unusual there.

No allergies, no other medicine. She does swim five days a week.

Okay, so that is about the client.

I am Aveda trained and have always had success with the products and the techniques I use. I make sure I use good prewax and postwax products (most are Aveda) - depileve gold hard wax (I love it). I did not use a prewax oil. I've sorta moved away from that actually.

I cleansed the areas and applied hard wax. When I removed the wax there was still significant hair remaining. With hard wax you can go back over which I did, but really I wound up tweezing quite a few hairs just to try to get a cleaned up look!

The problems -

1) lacked a good result with wax removal

2) too much post wax tweezing

3) way too long a time in service

Perhaps some of you may have some suggestions that have worked for you in a similar client or situation.

Thanks - Sally

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cheryl Bruss on April 23, 2012 at 1:23pm

Hi Sally, Alot of times when the hair is super fine on the upper lip unfortunately I have had to use soft wax it grabs all the fine soft hairs well It may be a bit more painful on some to use but it gets the job done apply a cooling gel or cold compress that has been soaked in tea tree and lavender ice water. It helps alot . I have had alot of women who do very well on the upper lip with soft wax. No swelling no redness just a bit pink some nothing all good . Hope this has helped

Permalink Reply by Sally Connor on April 23, 2012 at 3:55pm

Thank you Cheryl. This is exactly what I am hoping for; Estheticians who have had similar issues and what worked for them.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie G Laynes on April 23, 2012 at 11:05pm

What did you cleanse the area with prior specifically? Have you always use depileve gold hard wax for other lip wax clients and has it been sucessful as well?

Permalink Reply by Sally Connor on April 24, 2012 at 1:11pm

To Stephanie:

All good questions.

Process pretty similar to what I use regularly on customers and all goes super well. Also was used in the Aveda Institute.

Aveda's liquid exfoliant to clean off the skin.

Yes, depileve has been my favorite for a while. It works very well and is good for sensitive clients, too.

Permalink Reply by Stephanie G Laynes on April 24, 2012 at 6:02pm

Hmmm...I see this a lot when products are mixed and match. It can work well and then all of the sudden on a random new or old client it doesnt work.
Do you have the pre and post depileve products? If so why or why arent you using them. Did you ask what she using for skincare product specifically?

Do you have a backup for when the deplieve doesnt work....in this case?

Permalink Reply by Sally Connor on May 2, 2012 at 12:48pm

I have used the Aveda products with the depileve wax, both hard and soft, pretty exclusively with good result. I have not purchased the pre and post products that are sold by depileve because I believe the Aveda products are superior to Depileve (pre/post wax).

The use of Aveda's products for both precleanse and post care paired with Depileve was the practice at the Aveda Institute I attended so it's not a random pairing. Aveda does not produce its own wax line.

I do understand that same company products are made to be paired together, to work well together and also so you don't get too much or too little of particular ingredients. Just like facial product lines, there are reasons why it can be advisable to stay within a particular line.

It is important to have knowledge of ingredients and to check the ingredients in products. This further alows the esthetician to, not only proceed appropriately in cases where you might not use one line exclusively but be able to adjust for particular skin types, skin conditions... I will double check the ingredients in depileve's pre and post products and make some comparison with what I am using. Good point.

I will dig a bit further on her skincare products. I am aware she used BPO nightly and does not use anything that would raise any red flags or lead to the wax not catching the hairs per se. I understand applying and removing the wax appropriately and do not believe that was a contributing factor.

I am considering as Cheryl mentioned above that the soft wax might be a better way to catch the softer, fine hairs of this younger client. If I use soft wax I would also adjust my post wax treatment a bit, to one that adds another level in cooling and calming the skin.

I have references for other waxes that were referals in continued ed classes and in another spa I worked in, but have not found a wax that made me want to change from depileve. Of course there are a lot of wax choices out there I have not experienced.

What is your preferred wax for soft, fine hair removal on very youthful, somewhat delicate skin?