How To Apply Hard Wax

There are so many reviews and video tutorials of people applying hard wax and they are doing it completely wrong. This is dangerous because it is giving the views false information which could cause them to potentially hurt themselves. If you apply wax the wrong way, the hair will not come out correctly and can cause breakage or damage. The most important factor for hair removal using wax is applying the hard wax the right way. Since we want to help our customers do this correctly and get the most out of their wax, we are going to explain the best way to apply hard wax. If you are looking for soft wax instructions, then this is not the post for you.

Mermaid Wax's 5 key points for a successful wax session are as follows:

1. Always use a high quality hard wax
2. Using proper temperature
3. Making sure you prep the skin correctly
4. Having the right application of the wax strip
5. Removing the wax properly

Skipping any of these steps will result in the wax service to not be successful!

How To Apply Mermaid Wax Signature Series

First, it's important to use a high quality hard wax that is elastic and pliable. There are SO many hard waxes available that will break upon removal which causes the hair to snap at the surface, therefore not being pulled from the root. High quality hard waxes will “suction cup” the hair when cooling, while still staying elastic. When the wax is removed, the hair will swiftly be pulled from the root without any breaking.

The second step is ensuring the wax is being used at the correct temperature/consistency. Understand it will take time to get the wax to the best consistency, while will move like honey or molasses. Turn on the wax warmer and turn the dial all the way to the highest temperature. Leave the pot on high for about 15-20 minutes (time might vary depending on the size of your wax warmer). Then turn the dial down to mid heat and start stirring the wax so that the hot wax on the outer edges starts to warm the wax in the middle of the pot. Continue this while adding more wax beads until the wax moves like honey or molasses. Wax that is too hot will burn the client, while wax that is too cool will not be able to grip the hair.

Prepping the skin before applying the wax is crucial! Not doing so won’t allow the wax to be able to properly adhere to the hair. First, use a cleanser to clean the skin of any oils, make up, sweat, lotion or dirt.  If needed, apply a very small amount of pre wax oil (not all clients need this if they have oily skin, only use on clients with very dry skin). Next on areas like underarms or bikini area, we recommend a small amount of baby powder or cornstarch powder. This will soak up any access oils or sweat if the client is nervous.

Next, make sure all the wax is on one side of your stick and dispense wax onto the skin (unless you are doing facial services, then keep wax on stick). While using pressure, push wax down in the direction of the hair growth. When you get to the end of the strip, make a “lip” and curve back up to ensure a smooth edge. This means to have a thicker part of the wax at the end of the strip so it the wax won’t break off into a lot of pieces when it is removed. It’s also important to make sure the sides of your wax strip and not too thin and continuously smooth. If the strip is too thin in one place, it will break when it’s removed. Also make sure to apply proper pressure to the skin is required so the wax can adhere to the base of the hair follicle.  Not pushing down hard enough can cause the hair to snap instead of being pulled from the root.

When removing the hard wax strip, do so in a quick and smooth motion while keeping the strip parallel to the skin. Don’t pull up because this will break the hairs. Make sure to pull from the end of the strip that has a “lip” and remove in the opposite direction that you applied the wax.  Clean up strips which are applied after all the initial bulk strips are done, can be applied in the opposite direction of the hair growth. This helps pull up any hairs that didn’t want to come out the first time.

If you have any additional questions about this topic or if we missed something, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Happy waxing!!

If you're more a visual learner, check out our video: