Male waxing is becoming much more acceptable and popular now with more salons offering it, and more clients requesting it. A lot of waxing training concentrates on areas of the body for women, who are still by a big majority the highest proportion of waxing clients. Back and shoulders is probably the most commonly requested male waxing treatment and if you have never waxed one before it can be quite daunting.
Preparation
When the client makes their appointment ask them to bring a clean t-shirt or shirt to wear after the waxing treatment. Some men with particularly hairy backs will often trim or shave the area around the base of the neck to avoid hairs sticking over the neck line of clothes, and for comfort. This can lead to those hairs being too short for us to wax, so when the client makes an appointment you may wish to advise them to let that hair grow a little before their appointment.
Start with the client in the prone (face down) position on your treatment table. You can now asses the direction of hair growth, there is usually a line from the base of the neck that grows down toward the waist, and then inwards from either side towards the middle.
If the hairs are over approximately 1cm in length they should be trimmed down using a suitable set of barbers clippers. Grade 2 (6mm) is a perfect length for waxing; this gives a good length for the wax to adhere to and for client comfort. If the hairs are left too long they can break off rather than being removed and it will be more painful for the client.
Wipe and cleanse the area to be waxed with a suitable Pre-Wax cleansing product. Blue Lotion or Lotion Eau de Cristal from Perron Rigot are both excellent products for this, and can also be used post waxing for removing any wax residue.
Ensure the skin is dry, wipe over with some couch roll or a disposable towel, and then apply a very small amount of light oil to the area to be waxed. The oil should be used instead of talcum powder; it is easier to use, is a lot less messy and really makes for a much more comfortable client experience. The oil provides a lipid barrier between the wax and skin, so that wax only sticks to the hairs and not the skin which makes it a lot less painful. Perron Rigot or Berins Jasmin Oil are both excellent products for this. It is important to remember you only need a small amount of oil! If you apply to much and you find the wax slips off then just wipe down with a wax strip or couch roll.
Waxing
Start by removing the central line of hair that grows down the spine towards the waist. Some therapists find it easier to do this using hot / non-strip wax – use whichever you are most comfortable and confident in.
This will give you a nice straight line to wax against now for the sides, remember not to wax around corners. So I do each side in two or three sections, depending on the size of the client. Starting about 10 – 15cm from the nearest edge of the waxed line apply a thin layer of wax towards the middle line. Start from just above the waist and move up to the scapula (shoulder bone).
Remember to apply the wax with the direction of the hair growth. Then using paper strips remove the wax and hair, remembering to keep the skin stretched and taught throughout. Then do another section, again about 10 – 15cm in length up the back and continue this until the nearest side has been complete. Now move around to the other side of the client and repeat for this side. When getting to the outside of the back, it is often easier to ask the client to lie on one side and lift their arm over their head.
If you find the skin dries out as you wax, apply a little more of the oil as you start each section.
It is important to take the hair line below where the client wears their trousers. Ask the client to lower their trousers and pants slightly, explain why, and then follow the same procedure above. Begin by waxing down the middle section first, and then in from the sides. This usually goes down to the top of the buttock cleavage.
Once done, this is a good time to apply your after wax products to cool and sooth the waxed area. I usually use a good quality Tea Tree based moisturiser, using a product that you can also retail afterwards is very useful.
Ask the client to now sit on the end of the table so that you can complete the waxing of the top of the back, base of neck and shoulders.
When waxing the shoulders ensure you go over the top and down to the clavical as this gives a natural line. For the outside of the shoulder always ask the client how far down they would like it to be waxed, I usually follow the deltoid muscle line. If the arms have a bit of hair on, it is usually better to ensure the waxed area does not extend down past the t-shirt line.
Aftercare
As you complete the treatment introduce the aftercare procedure to your client. Give them your aftercare advice both verbally and in written form. Also ask them if they would like any aftercare products to take away with them.
Men are quite lazy, so products such as Tea Tree based skin washes work very well.