The Blue Wax Chronicles

When I was in beauty school we were taught waxing.  I wasn't impressed, I thought it was a hassle to smear runny wax on the body and then pull the hair off with strips while trying to refrain from going over the same spot.  The wax we used would grab a hold of the skin and the hair...it hurt and it left the skin tender and red.  One day this mysterious blue wax showed up, I was curious.  I remember my Aesthetician and Mentor, Tania, going on about how wonderful this stuff was.  So I tried it...on my classmates, my friends and even myself...I was hooked!

There are many types of waxes out there for Aestheticians and each Aesthetician has their favorite brand and type of wax.  These are just my opinions and my thoughts on the different types of waxes that are out there that I have played with.  I do use myself as a guinea pig, I am a firm believer that I have to try it out first before I would use it on a client.

Honey Wax - OUCH!  My other Mentor Diana loves this stuff!!  It is super sticky (and messy!!) and it does grab a hold of that hair like there is no tomorrow.  One day I decided to try it out on my legs.  I was almost in tears at first from the intense stinging sensation with each pull.  By the time I was done my lower legs were red, blotchy and warm.  I was impressed with how it did pull the tiniest of hairs, but I was not happy with the trail of wax I had from the wax pot to my legs and the random "streams" of honey wax on my shirt.  To this day I still can not figure out how I managed to get wax on my shoulder.

Cream Wax - Out of all of the runny, messy waxes I do prefer the cream wax.  I have tried several different brands and I still go back to the original cream wax I started with.  I'm not sure if it is a comfort thing or if it is really that good.  Some cream waxes don't grab the hair as well as the honey, but it does seem to be a little easier on the skin than the honey wax.  I do use the cream wax on larger parts of the body, to this day I still use it on my own legs.  The nice thing about the cream wax is "speed waxing", it is easier to cover large areas at one time and you do not have to worry about waxing over the same spot you just waxed.

Hard Wax aka Blue Wax- My favorite!!  I love this wax!!  The hard wax doesn't grab onto the skin like other waxes which is really nice.  Since it doesn't grab the skin there is less irritation, redness, and the only discomfort is from the hair being pulled, not the skin.  I use this wax for facial waxing, underarms, bikini, and brazilians.  This wax is easier to shape brows with, you can really get close without removing half of an eyebrow.  The downside to this wax is that you need to apply a thick layer and wait for the wax to harden before you can pull.  My clients know when I use the hard wax it will take a little bit longer, but they are willing to spend the extra time with less pain and redness.

When it comes to "do it yourself" waxing I do become a little concerned.  It may seem easy to just run to your nearest beauty store and pick up a wax pot, sticks and strips, but waxing is not as simple as it seems.  There are many contraindications to consider when waxing.  Using medications or topical treatments that thin the skin can cause the skin to tear when waxed.  You should never wax a mole, skin tags, bruises, scars, varicose veins, sunburns or open wounds.  There are many other contraindications to look out for so it is best to just leave it up to the professionals. Also, I find it disturbing when I hear about young children getting their eyebrows waxed.  Seriously?  Can the parent not wait until the child goes through puberty and the skin begins to "mature"?  If the child needs their brows done at an early age then use tweezers.  Waxing when done improperly can damage the skin and the underlying tissues.

And don't forget...in the State of Texas double dipping is not allowed when it comes to waxing but you are safe to double dip your veggies, fries and chips.