double dipping when waxing

[Nina87]

So Im recently qualified therapist, got my job in a spa and Im a bit torn on the double dipping situation. When we was taught in college it was ok to double dip when there was no blood. When there was spotting or bleeding then we would use a new spatula, I did training and salon experience work with this method because its "money saving" In our exam there was absolutely NO DOUBLE DIPPING whatsoever which was tought because it took a little longer.
In my work now, everyone double dips no matter who or where or anything. Because im new and we get booked up alot and im not the fastest waxer it takes me long enough with double dipping, Ive also been told that the heat of the wax in the pot kills bacteria anyway so you can double dip. So im a bit lost. I have even been pulled on the fact I was using hot wax for a bikini instead of strip wax which I wasnt shown at college anyway because the school was very particular.

Ive even been told at my work they dont like me using gloves when waxing non intimate areas and doing pedicures. But I ended up first time doing it in a back wax putting my had in a load of blood and plasma thinking this is very wrong now I wear gloves in anything except my pedicures unless the feet have anything on them.

But yeah, I would like some advice from experience people. Shall i just say screw it and never double dip again or is their certain areas i can get away with or what. I am striving to be the best but people with years of experience tell me different things who they have been taught off of some therapists with years of their experience.

thanks

 

[Bingfairy]

Hi Nina

In all honesty I would never double dip. and if would never go back to a therapist/salon if I saw them double dipping.

I have had quite a few arguments with previous employers but have always stood my ground (been difficult though). Wax spatulas are not that expensive and its not worth the risk of a lawsuit against you. The fact that wax gets hot enough to kill bacteria, i dont think it does. If you think about it an Autoclave reaches 121C for it to steralise equipment and wax no way reaches that temp. (my opinion anyway)

There are a few wax pro's on here though who might have a different opinion. Kim Lawless is proberly the woman to ask.

Hope this helps

p.s with plenty of practice you will get quicker. xxxx :hug:

 

[Noodle]

Hello and welcome to Salon Geek :hug:

We have lots of Skin Geeks who no doubt will be able to answer your questions.

In the meantime, to find other info, hints and tips on waxing, be sure to check out our Skin Geek Forum. Click on Forums, then click on The Skin Geek. Another way to look for information is to use the Search facility at the top of the tool bar.

Hope that helps.

 

[Martin Duffy]

There have been quite a few threads on this; I seem to remember a lot of people pointing out the obvious that any wax that comes in contact with the skin never goes back in the pot anyway as it's stuck to the skin.

 

[angelina221]

I don't double dip with my hot wax but i do with strip wax. Hot wax i use mainly for intimate wax and i use disposable spatulas. It's very hard to contaminate a wax pot but i don't think it looks nice for clients when doing intimate waxing.
For strip wax i use a metal spatula and i do double dip unless there is any blood spotting.
Your spatula is covered in wax so the spatula doesn't actually touch the skin. The wax touches the skin and any wax that touches the skin, stays on the skin.
There is no law, at present, to say that you can't double dip.

 

[VelvetPatch]

http://www.habia.org/uploads/waxing_code_of_practice_booklet.pdf

This is an age-old debate and one that see's therapist/salon owners in many-a-different camp.
Habia's doc code of waxing (link above hopefully) is worth a gander to familiarise yourself with the industry guidelines... basically: New spats for new body areas
New spats if blood spots present.
This also applies for initmate waxing HOWEVER those doing-the-do will tell you it is somewhat distasteful to be double-dipping for intimate waxing...I don't as a therapist and would not tolerate it if it was done with me as a client!!

Good on you for challenging - don't compromise on the standards you want to set yourself...you'll be a fab therapist as a result!
:hug:

 

[Kim Lawless]

I agree with Angelina and Velvet Patch cc

 

[Nina87]

Thank you so much to everyone who gave their opinion. I do appreciate it. I will not double dip. I am going to set an example and i really don't care if anyone has a problem with it. Whatever it takes to make me a better therapist.
And sounds a bit sad but omg kim lawless - I would LOVE to learn your techniques. The intimate waxing and any techniques for faster leg waxes too.

 

[Maizy]

We are going through a similar thing in college some teachers say double dipping is ok and allow us to do so with clients and others we do the drizzle method which takes longer but think it is putting the client more at ease if they see you do this, xx

 

[Nina87]

We are going through a similar thing in college some teachers say double dipping is ok and allow us to do so with clients and others we do the drizzle method which takes longer but think it is putting the client more at ease if they see you do this, xx

Im not going to deny it, I have been double dipping. We was told to do it in college, we was told to do it at work.
But I need to set an example and standard for myself, so my clients can see Im always putting them and their health before anything else. So no matter how booked up I am or no matter how long it takes me I will do it anymore.
When you get taught at college you dont take into consideration the time it takes too much, your aware but time goes so quickly.
We get 10 mins for underarm/eyebrow
20 mins for half leg/bikini/back/chest
30 mins for braz
40 for full leg/hollywood

But that includes, consultation/change time/aftercare/cleaning up and prep for next treatment and sometimes I will have a treatment straight after and I must admit maybe people laugh and think oh thats plenty of time but for me its not :cry: especially with eyebrow waxes, i have nightmares i will wax someones eyebrow off lol. Its not yet happened thank god but it takes me ages.
I do try my best and try to be polite and I try to talk too not too much and i do LOVE the job i do.
Sometimes i just feel like all im constantly doing is rushing around and im exhausted too. I feel about 50 years old when I finish a busy day because its non stop. But I do what I need to do always with a smile even when im crying inside :green:

But yes, Its honestly just practice we will all be fantastic if we put the hard work and passion into it.

 

[weezie]

Just to add drizzling is basically double dipping as some of the wax still drips off into the pot. Unless there is spotting (very rarely on coarse hair on the upper thigh) I must confess I double dip warm wax for leg waxes as not only do I not believe the wax that has touched the client doesn't go back in the pot but also you can give those areas a good cleanse and they don't cause spotting but I don't double dip for bikini and underarm as it is harder to cleanse these areas properly due to the coarser hair and they are more prone to spotting.

 

[shedunlop]

I agree with Angelina and Velvet Patch cc

Totally agree with these lovely ladies and have been waxing for the last 16 years now! :green:

 

[PLAOH]

I don't double dip with my hot wax but i do with strip wax. Hot wax i use mainly for intimate wax and i use disposable spatulas. It's very hard to contaminate a wax pot but i don't think it looks nice for clients when doing intimate waxing.
For strip wax i use a metal spatula and i do double dip unless there is any blood spotting.
Your spatula is covered in wax so the spatula doesn't actually touch the skin. The wax touches the skin and any wax that touches the skin, stays on the skin.
There is no law, at present, to say that you can't double dip.

Excuse my ignorance but what is the difference between hot wax and strip wax?:o

 

[stirthemud]

Hi Louise,
Strip wax is also known as warm wax and it applied to the area to be waxed then a paper of fabric strip rubbed over the top and then it is pulled back on itself to remove the hair. Hot wax is applied to the area to be waxed with one end left slightly thicker to make a 'handle' it sets hard and it's the actual wax that the Therapist removes. kx

 

[fozzyo]

I'm confused. How is double dipping quicker?

I have a jar of spatulas on my trolley. As soon as I am done applying wax I drop it straight into the bin.

Mat x

 

[happy_girl]

i'm so confussed but it is friday night lol
what is double dipping. i have done waxing at college and we were taught just to use the same one on the same client as long as it didnt come into contact with blood spots, is this not right then

 

[linzi]

i'm so confussed but it is friday night lol
what is double dipping. i have done waxing at college and we were taught just to use the same one on the same client as long as it didnt come into contact with blood spots, is this not right then

That is double dipping!

Using the spatula more than once vs using it once and binning it.

 

[Bunz]

All colleges should adhere to the standards set by Habia, who set the standards for awarding bodies.

Habia, I think perhaps about two years ago (not exact) stated that a new spatula should be used for each application of wax. The college in which I work follows this method which has superseeded the former method of the 'drizzle technique'.

I would wear gloves no matter what area I was waxing or indeed wax I was using. Just because you cant see blood spotting doesn't mean that there is are no blood particles or bodily fluids. These may not be visible to the naked eye.

Like, perhaps all industries, what is recommended, and what happens in reality or industry is not the same. You only need watch t.v shows that show treatments such as waxing and makeup application, to know the difference between what should be practised and what is the norm.

 

[Martin Duffy]

A new spatula for every dip?! Blimey, can't even begin to imagine how many boxes of spatulas you'd get through a week!!

 

[angelina221]

Habia guidelines;

Current accepted practice is that a new spatula is used for each client and the risk of cross-infection from re-dipping a spatula into the same wax pot for more than one client is small.

If spatulas are used and blood spotting occurs, they should be disposed of before continuing with the service.