Hard Wax Vs Soft Wax

Hard Wax vs Soft Wax

Have you ever wondered why waxing salons use different types of wax?  Is there really a difference in quality?  Does one type of wax hurt less than another? Definitely.  Be cautious about what type of wax a center uses.  Make sure you go to a salon who puts their clients first. Unfortunately, some salons just care about how much money they spend on the wax, compared to the quality, safety and comfort of their customers.  Here is a little bit of info on the various types of wax used.

Soft Wax

Soft wax is applied to the skin in an extremely thin layer. The wax is then removed by placing a muslin strip on top of is and then ripping it off. Soft wax adheres to the skin (hair just happens to come out with it), therefore it removes a layer of dead skin when being pulled off the skin. This is why you cannot wax the same area twice with soft wax. There is an increased risk of lifting and pulling off the skin when this happens. You will then be left with the results of bleeding, scarring and scabbing to the skin. However, soft wax is very good at removing fine hairs. A very skilled professional can use this wax without harming you, they just have to know what they are doing.

There is also a chance of being burned with soft wax. The temperature itself needs to be higher in order to use the wax properly since it is applied very thin. Since soft wax adheres to the skin, when it is pulled off it also pulls at the skin. Many people tend to think soft wax hurts a little more than hard wax because of this. The wax is very sticky so it can be difficult to remove all of it, leaving the customer with a sticky residue on the skin. That's why it is important to apply a post wax oil after the appointment so get rid of the sticky feeling.

This type of wax is very popular in the waxing world because you don't have to use a lot of it to get the job done. Soft wax also costs a lot less than hard wax which means the business make more money using it. Whether a salon uses soft wax or hard wax, make sure you go to a professional to get the job done right.

 

Hard Wax

Hard wax (also known as strip-less wax or hot wax) is applied to the skin and does not require a strip to be pulled off.  Once the wax cools, it can be removed directly since it is not sticky like soft wax.  Hard wax adheres to the hair only, not the skin.  This means the Esthetician can go over the same area multiple times without the risk of also lifting and pulling skin off with the wax. You can still lift the skin, however it is must more difficult with hard. The waxing session is also less painful since the wax is not tugging at the skin when it is being removed.  The wax will solely pull out the hair resulting in a much more comfortable experience for the client. 

There is also less of a risk of a client being burned if using hard wax.  This is because it requires a lower temperature to work properly.  Estheticians do have to use more wax during a hard waxing appointment since the wax is applied thicker compared to using soft wax.  Unless you're using Mermaid Wax Signature Series Hard Wax which is super elastic and can be applied incredibly thin. This also means the wax itself will be more expensive for the business to use.  Hard wax is especially great for sensitive areas like Bikini waxing, Brazilian waxing, facial waxing and underarm waxing. It’s important to push down on the skin when applying the wax so it can “suction cup” the hairs.  This guarantees the hair will be pulled directly from the root. No sticky residue is left on the skin after the strip is pulled since hard wax isn't sticky. Imagine a wax this acts similar to candle wax, instead of super glue.

More of a visual learner?

Here Kristen explains in detail: Soft Wax vs Hard Wax