Hi Everyone!
Today, at the grand age of 28, I went for my first wax in preparation for my upcoming holiday (you’ll be hearing a lot about this trip!). I didn’t know what to expect. My experience was less than ideal (to the point where I asked for a partial refund!) so I thought I would share it with you, along with some of the ‘things I wish I’d known’ prior to my appointment.
I had an underarm, bikini line & 1/2 leg wax.
For starters – I still don’t know the name of the lady with whom my appointment was with. I should have trusted my instinct, taken notice & acted on my unease at that point. My therapist talked very little. It made me a little uneasy in all honesty. I didn’t feel she was entirely comfortable in the situation. I tried to strike up a conversation with her & she responded, but she didn’t seem to have particularly good people skills. Certainly not to the extent that you would want from someone performing treatments.
I made her aware that it was my first time having a wax. She waxed my underarms & plucked a few stubborn hairs.
Again I should’ve gone with my instinct when I had to ask for direction as to what garments to take off/keep on for my bikini line to be done. When I booked the appointment, I asked if I needed to do/bring anything with me & not being told to wear old underwear/bring my swim suit with me, assumed there’d be paper undies to put on for hygiene reasons. This was not the case & I was told I could either leave my knickers on or take them off. Alarm bells should’ve rung – who else had put their bottom on that rug covered medical style bed!?! I hope I don’t get crabs! That would really ruin our holiday!
I found the bikini part of the wax process the most painful of the three. As she was waxing, the lady said to me “Oh, I can’t go any lower than that as I’m not qualified to. I hope that’s ok?” I looked down & she’d gone about an inch lower than I normally do! She hadn’t asked me how far down I wanted the wax to go. I told her it was possible to see my normal maintenance compared to where I’d let the hair grow for the treatment. She clearly didn’t follow this.
When I got home I found that, whilst the top had been waxed, there were still some stubborn hairs that had stayed & she hadn’t removed. I’m sure removing hair from another woman’s lady garden with a pair of tweezers isn’t much fun, but all jobs have their pitfalls & I’d paid for hair removal!
I also found that wax had been left in my remaining hair & that the woman had only done the top of my bikini line, not the sides!!! I know this was my first wax, but I’m pretty sure that it’s standard to do top & sides! I phoned up the salon & was able to go back in to have it sorted. The woman’s response was “I didn’t know you wanted that done” – really!?! You take the top of my bikini line down lower than I normally have it, yet don’t think I want the sides done??? Seriously!?! I asked for a partial refund & got a third of my money back.
Always make sure you’re very specific about what you want done (this applies to a lot of things). It may seem obvious, but you never know! After all, you’re the one who’s going to have to live (at least for a while) with the other person’s idea of what you want.
So then onto my 1/2 leg wax. I chose a 1/2 leg instead of a 3/4 because it’s the hairs on my shins & calfs that I get self conscious about when I’m cold. I find that the hairs stick up & no matter how well I shaved that morning, they stick out. Even with this, I kept finding patches she’d missed. The low lighting in the treatment room didn’t help this.
When I got home I spent quite a while tidying up my bikini line & legs with tweezers. Really frustrating!
Please note, every salon is different!
I was speaking to a friend about it on Twitter afterward & she suggested asking to see a person’s credentials. I hadn’t even thought of that! She worked in a salon. To me, that was enough for me to trust her to perform this treatment. My friend also told me that I should have been asked to fill in a client consultation form, which would flag up any medical conditions that may potentially be problematic & any allergies. By not doing this their insurance is null & void. The closest I came to this was being asked if waxing on the site of a bruise had been painful. It wasn’t, but that question came a little late!
So to round up:
- check the credentials of your therapist
- make sure they do a client consultation for you
- make sure you’re confident that everything’s sanitary – if not, speak up!
- check the therapist is on the same page as you regarding the final result & how you’re going to go about achieving it.
- If you’re not happy with anything speak up & don’t be afraid to ask for a partial refund.
I would also suggest asking to use the toilet before leaving. This way you can inspect the results of the treatment & won’t have to return if you are unsatisfied – there is nothing more embarrassing than having to get your bits out for a second time for a lady you’ve complained about!
I really hope that’s been helpful for some of you! If you’ve had a disastrous experience that you’d like to share, please leave it in the comments below so that we can learn from each other!
P.s. I’m on holiday from 9-13 March so will reply on my return. Xx
Oh Tania I can't believe how bad this experience was for you, especially for your first time too! As a therapist myself I can't believe half of the things she said and did – so unprofessional! Don't let it put you off though we aren't all like it. Hope you had a lovely time away xx
I won't thank you Charlotte, I will certainly NEVER be going back there for any treatment! She was very quiet when I returned, as though she'd received a bollocking from her boss. When I asked for a part refund the manager didn't argue at all & gave me £10 back from the £30 I have paid for the leg, bikini & underarm package. We had a lovely holiday, thank you! Not having to worry about stubble definitely removed an aspect of my body that I'm self-conscious of & I had a great time in the pool! Xx
Oh dear … I feel your pain reading this! Made for a great read though – I love reading honest lifestyle posts like this :} Fab post xxx
Haha Thanks Nia! I'm glad you enjoyed reading it – that was the saving grace of the experience, I knew it would make a good post! Xx
I trained as a beauty therapist and the first thing you always, always do is fill out a consultation form. It’s basic safety and should never, ever be forgotten. I cannot believe the therapist missed the sides and left patches of hair, that is something she should have checked before letting you go. Did she give you any aftercare advice? Ps. We used to practice bikini waxing on eachother during training. I used to absolutely dread it as it absolutely wrecks. It was even worse when you got partnered up with someone who couldn’t remove the strip properly… Ouch! xo
I’ve actually had another friend say exactly the same about the consultation form. This was something I was expecting, particularly as I had mentioned that I have a connective tissue disorder & that my skin is more fragile than most. I also said that I have a lot of allergies so the lack of consultation before the treatment worried me. I was given no aftercare advice, even though I made sure she knew it was my 1st ever wax. I went home & used a little baby oil as I didn’t think that could cause any problems. I won’t ever be going back there again! Haha I’d dread being a guinea pig for other people to practice on too, especially if I know them! Xx
I’ve actually had another friend say exactly the same about the consultation form. This was something I was expecting, particularly as I had mentioned that I have a connective tissue disorder & that my skin is more fragile than most. I also said that I have a lot of allergies so the lack of consultation before the treatment worried me. I was given no aftercare advice, even though I made sure she knew it was my 1st ever wax. I went home & used a little baby oil as I didn’t think that could cause any problems. I won’t ever be going back there again! Haha I’d dread being a guinea pig for other people to practice on too, especially if I know them! Xx
I have been getting a wax now for about 4 years and have had some horrific encounters too. But don’t lose heart, there are some amazing beauty therapists. Let me know if you need a recommendation. x
Thank you so much! I may very well take you up on that offer. I certainly won’t be going back there again – for anything! I’ve had my nails done there three times & one of them she filed into my nail bed. It was painful for days! Xx
Thank you so much! I may very well take you up on that offer. I certainly won’t be going back there again – for anything! I’ve had my nails done there three times & one of them she filed into my nail bed. It was painful for days! Xx