Health & Beauty
Monday, 01 February 2010 06:02
Written by Rosemary Zhu and Jade Bremner

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What it takes to be a Brazilian waxer

Why did you become a waxer? An unhealthy obsession with body hair perchance?
No, I don’t have an obsession with body hair. I enjoy working in spas and salons. But, as a general beautician, you have to be professional and adopt a skill in a certain technique. There are few really good local waxers in Shanghai, but most of the professional waxers are from Thailand and the Philippines. I want to become as good as them, but with a Chinese face, of course.

So what does it take to make it to the top in the waxing game?
Technique, communication, patience and confidence. Confidence here doesn’t mean personal confidence. It means I have to make my customer feel confident, especially when they’re having Brazilian waxing done. The skin around the area of your private parts is much more sensitive than the skin on your face. When you first come and try the Brazilian waxing, you may get sore down there, and you can’t use boiling water or scrub in the first three days. Afterwards you have to exfoliate twice every week to prevent ingrown hairs. All these things you need to be advised by your professional waxer.

Who are the biggest babies when it comes to ripping off that strip, men or women?
I don’t wax many men [there is a special department for that], so would have to say women. Waxing is still a very girly thing to do. Those who are obsessed with muscles don’t usually do it.

Which nationality is the hairiest?
Europeans and Americans. Although some people from the Middle East are really hairy – they do full face threading a lot.

What is your favorite-technique waxing?
Brazilian waxing. I enjoy doing first timers the best, because their natural response shows how good my skill is.

If you could avoid waxing anyone, who would it be?
My family members. Recently, my sister came to the salon to do Brazilian waxing, but I refused to do it and asked one of my colleagues to do it. It’s too weird to face my own sister’s private parts.

What’s the funniest experience you’ve had while doing your job?
I finished Brazilian waxing on one of my customers and asked her to turn over to do her crack. Meanwhile, I changed the waxing stick. When I looked back, she was doing a doggie style posture. I was so shocked and asked her to lie down. She was very embarrassed and told me that she usually does this at her salon in New York. She said her previous waxer would ask her to do a lot of acrobatic positions.

Woof! What waxing treatments do you offer?
All things: Brazilian, full arm, full leg, under arm, full back, chest and stomach, neck, ear… you name it, I rip it off.

And tell us about the tools of the trade (strip, hot wax, cool wax, etc)?
We have threading, hot wax and cool wax, and permanent laser waxing.

What kind of people usually come to the salon?
Dancers, models, yoga practitioners and people who often go to gyms. Most of our customers are foreigners.

What is the strangest wax job you offer?
We have three kinds of Brazilian waxing: Square, heart-shaped and a runway line. Some of the customers in the past have asked me to do an arrowhead, an oval and even a fish shape once. I’ll have to practice those.

Are there any occupational hazards?
Yes, I am sick of hair. Now I get my family and my friends and people around me to wax on a regular basis. I can’t stand seeing people who don’t wax, for example in the public bath houses. I always want to rip off the hair.

To get waxed by Apple or one of her colleagues, visit Strip & Browhaus, 158 Xinle Lu

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