Both estheticians and clients want to get flawless results from each waxing treatment. There are several steps involved in this process, from heating the wax correctly to applying the best technique. Read on to find out the know how's to achieve the perfect waxing results, every time.

Melting

The first thing you should do before you use soft waxes is melting them but use only a professional wax warmer (except for Biosoft microwavable waxes). Melting your soft wax on the stove or in the microwave does not help with the performance of the wax because the heating process might be uneven or out of time, which would ruin the consistency of the wax.

Application

Soft wax has a few tricks to consider in order to make application a lot more effective.
• Always apply a pre-depilatory product before you start the waxing treatment. The aim is to clean the skin and remove any residue that might hinder waxing.
• Make sure you spread a very thin layer of wax. Otherwise, it'll be difficult to strip hair off. Excess wax will smother the hairs and won't allow them to adhere well to either the wax or the strip, and you might get very few (if any) hair out.
• Apply the wax in the direction of hair growth. Forgetting this basic rule might increase the chance of ingrown hairs and will obviously make removal more difficult.
• Press the strip firmly against the skin. If your strip is loose, hair removal won't happen.
• Keep the skin tight before pulling the strip, otherwise you'll pull skin and cause more pain.
• Swift action is the difference between successful or failed hair removal. Pull the strip close to the place where it sticks to the wax, not at the edge of the strip. Pulling at the edge diminishes the strength of the pull and can cause excess tugging.
• As soon as you pull the strip, press down on the area to soothe the sensation of pain.
• Never double-dip! Every time you have to take new wax from the can, you should use a new spatula. Remember that double-dipping can contribute to the risk of infection on your clients' skin. Always work with gloves and respect all other hygiene measures.

Effective hair removal

There are several reasons why hair might not come off when waxing. Here's why
• The quality of the wax. Bad waxes break and go brittle, so they don't adhere well to the skin.
• Leaving the wax on for too long. If the wax goes cold, it loses malleability and goes dry and brittle, snapping hair instead of removing it.
• Improper skin prepping. If there's oil, sweat or any other residue, the ability of the wax to adhere to the skin will be hampered.
• Skin that hasn't been exfoliated for too long. Old cells will clog the pores and won't allow new hairs to poke through and come out to be removed.
• Not applying enough pressure on the wax strip as you lay it down on the wax (with soft wax), and not applying pressure with the spatula when you use hard wax.
• Applying or removing the wax in the wrong direction. Always apply the wax in the direction of hair growth and remove it against it.
• Waxing on very short hair.