Waxing question#3 - full legs make me give up the will to live - help!

[Martigirl]

Sassy you are ok for timings as far as I can see:hug:

An example my neice started coming to me last November full leg, lots off at bikini and underarm the 1st time it took me just over 90 minutes. She has been coming regularly and her hair is much less course and has thinned significantly.

Today I was 55 minutes for the same areas.

Don't despair as the hair grows back less the less time it takes.

I priced my waxing as Andy recommended (I am an Andy disciple so what he says goes , the only man I ever listen to) and I have a Max price for each area. I charge according to how long it takes me so as they return more regularly the price decreases slightly as the hair decreases, the clients love this and it is also a loyalty reward for them.

 

[Snugglepuss]

Sass - waxing is my favourite - I vent all my anger when I do it:lol:

I do the lower leg first as you do - do you put most of the wax on the leg then do the waxing - then onto the next leg?

I tend to only do a strips worth down the leg then another then another - if that makes sense - BUT I leave a hands worth of flesh at the bottom by the ankle so I can really pull the skin taut. I find that this makes it quicker and the wax on the leg is more workable (omg I'm crap with my words tonight - hope you can understand)

If you already do this already - tell me where to go :lol:

Once you have applied the wax, start at the knee and leave a little bit of the strip either side - (that is by the knee ensure all the wax is covered but a bit of fabric free) pull at the ankle - also asking your client to have a slightly bent knee and smooth down - I tend to smooth down several times firmly - if nothing else it makes the client feel that you are doing a good job :lol: then obviously pull them horrible critters of hairs out as quickly as possible :lol:

If they haven't exfoliated prior to the waxing - it will also take longer - for 2 reasons - the wax will adhere to the dead skin and any ingrowing hairs just under the surface will need tweezing - if this is the case then you can not be blamed for it taking a long time :hug:

If anybody thinks I am doing it wrong let me know on a bit of a confidence crisis at the mo :lol:

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Wow I've been out for a meal tonight and come back to such fab advice thank you, maybe I won't worry so much about the timings, i was just so conscious I was slow, but maybe I don't feel so bad now ... I still give up the will to live though, does anyone ENJOY doing a full leg?!!!!

 

[Axiom]

I feel I have to comment on the charging of different prices depending on amount of hair.

I personally would NOT recommend this at all.Firstly Andy ,you work on the male clientelle who are not easily offended,well...not as easily:green:

Women on the other hand are a different matter altogether.What would you say for example to the 2 friends who come in for a half legh wax each.one is a size 8,you charge her £12.50,the other is a size 22,you charge her ???????How is a therapist going to diplomatically explain the reaon behind her price difference??

I think it would be a huge minefield and I have never been in any salon or known of any therapist who charges more for the bigger person,well.....until now Andy:hug:JMHO

That's a fair point Babs, and I can see where you are coming from.

I will be 100% honest and admit that I was thinking about my experiences with male clients when I mentioned the timing of a treatment could be influenced by the size of a customer (big burly rugby players, to be precise, but that's a story for another time!! ). I can see, however, that it could be a potential minefield and I guess my point was more about charging for the time it takes rather than focusing on the reasons why it takes more time.

I do think there is a place for flexible pricing but you are right in saying there's an issue around diplomacy - in the example you gave above I wouldn't dream of telling a customer they'd been charged more than their friend because they are bigger, and as you said it doesn't always follow that a larger customer has more hair anyway, but if it takes me longer because I've had to tweeze more or the hairs were short and troublesome (for example) I think that it's perfectly legitimate to explain this to a customer and that I should charge appropriately for my time.

You've given me food for thought on the issue, though, thank you - I'm off to mull that one over :hug:

Andy x

 

[ValencianNails]

You've given me food for thought on the issue, though, thank you - I'm off to mull that one over :hug:

I'm not a skin geek but I've read this thread with interest because it can apply to more than just waxing (re the pricing).

I suppose the way I was reading it was like this...
You get 2 nail clients (both are friends) who both come in for a rebalance, one of them has lost 3 nails, the other has a problem free rebalance...
Do you charge them both the same price?
Answer... no...
Why? because the one who's lost 3 nails not only takes longer but uses more product.

Like I said, I'm no skin geek, but looking at it from a nailtech's point of view I can see both sides.

I'm no stick insect (far from it lol) and I suppose I would be offended if I were charged more than my friend for the same area waxing just because I was bigger than she was... but, having said that, if I were to be made aware BEFORE the treatment that it would cost more due to xyz then I could take it on the chin.

There have been some very vaild points being made on this thread :green: Sorry to go off on a tangent lol

 

[Katelisa]

Given the problems I have in Q1 and Q2 already given I know that it is not helping my quest to do full legs in a decent time as I am struggling to get the wax to flow as I want it to, and then maybe having to rego over areas because I didn't get the hair out first time.

That said I just find full leg waxes mind numbingly tedious and seem to take me forever. Does anyone else find this, or just me? Please say I'm not alone and I will feel much better!

At the moment I do the lower half of each leg with wax and then remove, then the knees and remove, and then the tops of the legs and remove. Same on the back (minus the knees). But somehow it can still take me up to an hour, especially really hairy people and larger ladies. I do spend a lot of time making sure I get every last bit of wax off and tweezing a lot, but I know I have been to salons for my own waxing and they have done neither when it has needed doing. Am i being TOO meticulous?

Again any tips anyone can give I would be mucho obliged. Thank you
PS I am using the Australian Bodycare tea tree system

I start on the outer leg, top to bottom, then straighten the leg top to bottom, then inside leg top to bottom (if im doing bikini aswell i do that side of the bikini whilst the leg is in the outwards position) then Same on the other side, then turn them onto their side if they are having their bum waxed, then onto thewir front to wax the backs of their legs.

I used to hate leg waxing aswell,because it was tedious, but now i just whizz thru it so its not so bad. I will tweeze out any blindingly obvious hairs, but i dont find that many clients get a perfectly smooth finish because of the tiny hairs too short to wax. and im sure as hell not damaging my back and eyes plucing them all out!!

 

[Snugglepuss]

I'm no stick insect either and in terms of pricing, I think I would be offended if I was charged due to size

HOWEVER,
You Never Lose a Hair Follicle

Amazingly, we are born with all the hair follicles we are ever going to have, and these follicles normally continue to produce hairs throughout our lives.

Why then do so many of us get bald with age? Beginning at puberty, some follicles that had been producing terminal hairs begin to replace them with almost invisible vellus hairs. So you don’t lose hairs as you age, your hair just gets smaller!

So therefore, what probably we need to take into consideration when pricing, is that we use more wax and yes it will take more time to remove the applied wax! Therefore imho we always need to have a price range and if those Fatty and Thinny friends turn up together, you can quote each a price putting it down to time and product used without a hint of "wowser, you are one fat girl":smack: :lol:

MMM I feel an article coming on

 

[Sassy Hassy]

well I can''t thank you all enough for your help, I'll let you know how I get on as I have a lady in for a full body wax tomorrow ... oh joy!!!!

 

[tinkywinky]

Sounds silly but make sure your wax is warm enough, if it isn't quite warm enough it won't stick properly to the hairs.

 

[ADiva1]

Hang in there Sass, do not despair! Sounds like you are doing a great job to me!

If it makes you feel any better, I'm struggling with waxing at the moment too.

I did a Brazilian and a full leg wax on Friday night at the salon in 1 hour 15 minutes and the salon Manager was horrified. I should have done it all in 50 minutes maximum.

I am soooo good at tweezing that even the clients are complimenting me about how good I am at 'TWEEZING'!

Full legs are a hard slog at first and I've done a few and I am no where near confident as yet. The best I have done is 35 minutes...

Your technique is very similar to mine...:hug:

 

[debxonick]

wow..so glad I clicked on here..I've been waxing etc.. for 7 years and I still get all anxious when I get a full leg!!..I am in the process of opening my own biz and I am going to put "market price" on my menu for full leg wax..meaning i'm going to charge whatever I want!!..sometimes there is simply more area to cover..and if the person has a flabby leg..oy vey!!..best of luck and keep at it!!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I have often wondered why we charge what we do for leg waxing! I mean the top half of the leg can be up to double the size of the lower leg and yet we don't charge even double the price of a half leg. I wonder why this is?

I think a full leg should cost more than double a half leg. What do you others think? I know that there is the time factor of getting undressed and dressed, but it's not THAT long.

 

[Martigirl]

I have maximum prices on my brochure

half leg is max £12.50 and full leg max £22.50

I use roller wax and do the majority of the leg with that and spatula to finish any smaller awkward areas, it takes me about 30-40 minutes

 

[pazzy]

Like nails we seem to have the pricing so very wrong with waxing a full leg.

My pricing structure seems to be the more they have done the cheaper it gets...after all I am in the house there anyway. But yes it should be double the price of a half leg.


My tip for stubborn short hairs is to first go over those hairs the 'oppsite' way with wax then back to hair growth way - it seems to pick up more 'shorties' than if you dont...try it!!

 

[gillian w]

I wouldnt want to do full legs without my roller system now its so quick.
Dont be afraid to get your client to move around if needs be.Its easier to do the majority of the top back of the leg with the client on her back pulling her leg towards her.
I also get them to lay on their sides sometimes if they seem able enough and arn't going to roll off the couch.

 

[SuzyB]

Have watched with interest this thread and the average seems to be around 35-50 mins, but it is down to practice and my daughter Lauren has it off to a fine art. Most of her clients call her the waxing queen as she can do Full leg, bikini, underarm and eybrow in 30-35 mins and leaves not a hair in sight! Me on the other hand I'm with you Sassy I hate Full legs so I make sure Lauren does them! LOL
She uses PHD system and does the whole front of the legs (really thin application) takes off with 1 strip per leg and does the back of the legs in the same way. I think Asutralian body care is similar to PHD.
Obviously its practice makes perfect, I end up sweating buckets though!
Suzy

 

[miss lush]

hey guys, dont mean to be big headed or anything... but i do full leg and bikini in under 30 mins, i swear!!!! the trick is to do front of both legs, lie em on their side to inner side of one leg and outer side of other leg, den turn to other side do da same! when you turn em over to do the back you will have one thin strip to do! and then bikini dont take long anyway! i use basic creme wax with spatula and strip system! trust me try it!!! xxx

 

[huberella]

I think with practice and a good system your speed will improve. For a full leg/bikini/underarm, I am usually done in 30minutes. For full leg/braz/underarm and brows I take about 45minutes. I only use honey wax with a pot and spatula.

 

[Kooky]

I'm quite quick too, only about 25 mins for a full leg, regardless of size of client! If i charged different prices the town would be in uproar! I'm super cheap and super quick, that's why people come to me, i'm also in very close competition with another therapist who's been there 10 years, so my prices reflect that!!

Sassy, i'm only about 3 hours from you, i use phd which is the same s**t different packaging!! If you want to meet up to wax each others legs, and share tips i'm well up for it, only ever driven past javea (very quickly!) so wouldn't mind a visit!! Let me know babe xx

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I'm quite quick too, only about 25 mins for a full leg, regardless of size of client! If i charged different prices the town would be in uproar! I'm super cheap and super quick, that's why people come to me, i'm also in very close competition with another therapist who's been there 10 years, so my prices reflect that!!

Sassy, i'm only about 3 hours from you, i use phd which is the same s**t different packaging!! If you want to meet up to wax each others legs, and share tips i'm well up for it, only ever driven past javea (very quickly!) so wouldn't mind a visit!! Let me know babe xx

Cheers hun! If you know youa re coming this way ping me a pm! I warn you though I am damned slow so bring a book to read!!!!