Too slow at beauty treatments

[Jenza]

Hi everyone,

I have used salon geek alot to gain advice but just decided to join as I feel in desperate need for support.

I qualified in beauty therapy a year ago after 2 yrs of training. I have held a few jobs, starting in spas and then salons. Spas just felt like a conver belt of massages to me and I love the variety of treatments that a salon environment provides.

I am not the youngest at nearly 40. My reoccurring problem seems to be my timings. I am continually running over and am really at the point of asking myself if I am cut out for this. I feel under such pressure with it as the salon is very busy. The boss and other therapists are always pulling me up. I feel so deflated and depressed and just feeling completely useless.

I know I do a good job and have lots of return clients and positive feedback it's just the timing thing with in particular nails and waxing. The other girls charge about the salon and maybe it's an excuse but am feeling my age is against me. I have been told I am a perfectionist but worry that if I don't do a job to my best that I will get complaints.

I know the other therapists are feeling annoyed with me and I feel I am always being judged and watched which makes me more stressed and slower. I also always seem to have the clients that require more work than initially expected...remnants of gel, late arrivals and ditherers etc. But this is an excuse that doesn't seem to wash with the other girls.

I feel that I am more used to working with certain utensils such as lint free wipes for nails instead of cotton wool, which always leave hair sticking to the polish and paper wax strips which I find I have more control over. Again though blaming tools seems like an excuse that won't wash.

Sorry for long post, just want to be specific and desperate for help/advice. X

 

[BeautG]

Hi Jenza

I used to feel the same, especially where waxing was concerned but I've honestly found over time i have become quicker. I think in the first year or so I used to overthink the treatments which was why I would take longer.

Do you time yourself on certain treatments? How long do you tend to go over?
I try & break the treatment time down in my head & give myself so long for each part of the treatment.

Sometimes being a perfectionist doesn't pay off- but at least you know when the clients leave you have done an amazing job. Also don't stress about what you can't control- people who turn up late or the ditherers that change their minds ten times! x

 

[fluffycat]

Jenza i feel like you have written out whats in my head too! Do you get quite nervous too? I am in awe of the girls that seem to do a perfect job within the time and sometimes finishing it quicker than the time booked.

 

[squidgernetball]

We do refresher training at our salon to help therapists with any area of training that they need a boost with. Because we're a salon, we understand timings and how to provide a good service in the time allowed.

It may be worth looking around near you to see if there is similar. It shouldn't be too expensive as you're not gaining a qualification.

Vic x

 

[Jenza]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and suggestions. I have been breaking down the stages of the treatments as BeautG suggested and it is certainly helping. Saying that it has been quite quiet at the salon the last couple of days.

I have actually been really nervous too about doing them as trying so hard to keep to my times whilst doing a good job. I also spoke with my boss, who it seems had over estimated the extent of my experience. She has given me slightly longer on my weaker treatments with the view to improving my speed over the next few wks. She has also been showing me different techniques such as breaking waxing down into sections depending on hair growth. I am also asking questions about any areas I'm struggling with.

I think the important thing is being honest about where you are struggling and if you have a sympathetic boss she will help improve you. However clients are unpredictable creatures. Lol. So I guess having the confidence to be assertive with them and explain if they are late or dither about that parts of their treatments will need to be missed. It's a hard balance because I guess clients want to feel relaxed and unrushed but at the end of the day you have other clients to think about too.

I really hope fluffycat you can find a way forward too. X

 

[fluffycat]

I think its quite a lot of pressure to be under to improve in a certain time frame, thats a stressful part as well. Just remember that you are doing your best, its not as if youre being slow or lazy on purpose! Maybe sometimes its a case of trying too hard, but its nearly like you feel if you dont do every little bit you feel like youre providing a poor service! I think with regards to waxing that legs is the place where you lose a lot of time and i think thats a good tip of breaking it down into sections depending on hair growth, i think further on from that is also just getting more efficient at getting the wax on and taking it off, i think you can get a bit slow and fumbly with application and then fingers sticking together or the wax strip sticking to itself etc etc. lol Ive improved this slightly with rubbing a bit of after wax lotion on my hands first. I think other areas are generally quick as they are small areas. I havent figured nails out yet though lol! I think i would get quicker and better if i could just relax - i screw myself up in the chair trying to focus on the nail and give myself a headache in concentration and my eyes go cross eyed! lol

 

[NatalieJane10]

I've just come across this thread, I hope that your feeling much better about everything after the lovely advice from others.

I think it really refreshing to see a therapist care and spend time with their clients.

I have worked in salons and unfortunately they have treated the clients like "one in one out".

I've now got my own business and I book out extra time so that I'm not rushing myself or my client. Effectively I know that I could be earning more but my priority is my client!

Stay positive and definitely don't compare yourself to others. You have returning clients for a reason, they like & trust you and your attention to detail!!