Going to the wax salon can be the ultimate luxury when you're working with a trained professional who values their work and their clients. However, since there are so many types of licensed beauty pros out there, it might not be so easy to find the best professional wax artist for you. If you're new to waxing or looking to make a change, we at Starpil Wax have an essential guide to knowing what to look for when looking for the best wax salon. From their website and skincare knowledge to prepping your appointment, we'll show you how to get the best from your waxing experience. We’ll even provide you with a questionnaire that shows you if your wax pro is on the right track during your appointment. Trust us; you don't want to go to the wax salon without these tips!

How to find the best wax salon:

There is a lot to consider when finding the right professional wax tech or salon. From their website and social media to reviews and what your friends think, these are valuable indicators to help you decide where to go for your hair removal appointment.

Wax reviews:

Start with reading reviews on Google, Yelp, or TripAdvisor. You can also put a post on your social media asking if anyone has tried a particular waxing place or ask your friends where they go. This is important for deciding where to go for a particular waxing service like Brazilian or manzilian wax or an eyebrow arching. 

Most licensed beauty professionals can remove hair using some soft wax from their wax pot, but these service types call for the best of the best, or you risk injury in the most sensitive places or hair loss that might never recover. It may seem convenient to have your facialist, manicurist, or hairdresser do a quick lip or eyebrow wax for you, but you should stick to a bonafide licensed waxing pro, so do your review research to get you started. 

Their wax salon website:

After you've gotten some great reviews on a wax salon, go check out their website. What kinds of professional wax are in their wax pot (polymer hard wax, wax beads, soft wax, blue hard wax, or pink wax anyone)? Do they use soft or hard wax for eyebrows? What types of wax products do they use? Starpil Wax wax products or something else? Where did they learn how to wax? What service types do they offer? Do they have online booking or a client intake form to fill out? These are just a few critical questions that should be answered in some way on their website. Their website should leave you feeling more secure than ever that you're making the right choice in booking with them.

What a salon intake form should look like in the “new normal”

Wax salon social media:

Another way to confirm where to get your waxing done is to go onto their social media. Do they have before and after photos of their services (especially eyebrows)? Do they share great educational tips regarding skincare and waxing? Do they have videos of them using blue hard wax or how to melt down wax beads, for example? Do they write blogs about waxing or skincare? The more they showcase their waxing credibility, the more you can get a feel for how great a wax experience you'll have.

By the time you've gone through all of their available information, you should be able to have a firm idea of what the waxing process will look like for you, how clean their salon is, and their commitment to hygiene.

Before you go to the wax salon:

Here is a list of tips that you can use to make the most out of your waxing appointment before you go to the wax salon. They range from simple life hacks to essential things you can do to avoid acne after waxing.

Lifestyle Prep 24-Hours Before Waxing and Day Of:

• Eat clean the day before/of – a diet full of antioxidants and high-water content. Avoid alcohol (a glass of red wine is OK), sugar, white flour, fried foods, or saturated fats.
• Drink a lot of hot water and cold water (not tea or coffee)
• Avoid excessive caffeine intake
• Exfoliate with dry brushing and/or a gentle scrub
• Avoid over sun exposure
• Wear clean moisturizers and lotions
• Take an anti-inflammatory about an hour beforehand
• Do all your sweaty, wet stuff beforehand (working out, pool, sauna, etc.)
• Don't self-tan beforehand

Facial Waxing Day of Waxing:

• Avoid wearing makeup to your appointment
• Book an appointment on a day where you don't have to wear makeup after

Body Waxing Day of Waxing:

• Wear comfy, loose-fitting, cotton fabrics
• Be freshly showered
• Avoid wearing heavy creams beforehand

Learn more on how to avoid acne after waxing

Once you're there:

Even if you think that you've found the perfect place for your service, here are some things to look out for to know whether you'll come back for another appointment. Add a point for every question answered positively. Fifteen to 20 points would be ideal! The bonus questions should both be total YES!

Salon Hygiene:

1. Were you greeted and taken care of immediately upon arrival?
2. Were you given an intake form to fill out?
3. Was the salon impeccably clean?
4. Was there literature on the salon, the professionals working there, or about the wax products used?
5. How was the waxing table or chair? Was there a new paper on the waxing table, or could you tell if the head and armrests on their service chair were cleaned before you were seated?
6. Did you notice any Barbicide (the "blue water stuff"), or a sterilization autoclave anywhere to be seen?
7. Were you sure that your pro washed their hands or was wearing fresh gloves?
8. Were there multiple wax types available for different skin types and uses?

The Consultation:

1. Did your technician go over your intake form?
2. Did your pro go above and beyond to determine your skin type and waxing needs?
3. Did your pro use a specific wax type for your skin type?
4. Did your pro offer any education on what/why/ how they were doing something?
5. Did your pro go into depth to explain everything behind which products they were using on you and why? 

The Service:

1. Did your pro prep your skin by cleansing it?
2. Did your tech test the wax's temperature from the wax pot or inform you that it was pre-checked in some way?
3. Did the wax professional use a new waxing spatula every time they dipped into their professional wax warmer? (Double-dipping ain't cute!)
4. Was the actual waxing service done in a clean, timely manner?

After-Wax Care:

1. Were you given an after-wax care treatment of some kind?
2. Were you given after-wax care instructions to practice at home?
3. Were you recommended the right after-wax care products for your skin type to use at home?

Bonus:

Did they achieve the results you were looking for while keeping your skin healthy?

The best hard wax formulas for your skin type

Final Thoughts:

In the end, it's always about your best judgment. If you got a great vibe from your wax salon and loved your service results, continue working with them. If not, keep using the above tips as a barometer for finding the best wax salon in your area.

If you found this article helpful, feel free to share it. Join the conversation and let us know what makes a great waxing experience for you. What do you look out for when searching for a beauty pro? What would you like waxing specialists to know about your specific needs? Let us know in the comments!

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