As we all know, the beauty industry is constantly changing and the waxing trade isn’t immune – in fact, it evolves faster than most. In order to stay abreast of the latest trends, we need to constantly educate ourselves, and how better to do that than with one of Australia’s leading waxing brands?
Professional Beauty sat down with Lillian Caron, founder of Caronlab Australia and waxing expert, to discuss all things waxing techniques, ingredients and client trends.
Techniques:
Hard wax is being used more and more to combat the issues that come with waxing sensitive skin and delicate areas such as the eyebrows, upper lip, underarms and bikini line.
It’s excellent for coarse and fine hair alike, with the wax grabbing and lifting strands up off the skin as it cools and hardens, rather than attaching to and pulling the skin. This eliminates the need to wax the area twice and reduces the discomfort and skin irritation client’s with sensitive skin usually experience.
Despite this, hard wax does ensure a higher level of skill thanks to its thicker consistency. It needs to be applied with a spatula and removed by hand.
Formulations:
Sugaring has been around for centuries, but it’s experiencing a burst of popularity at the moment as clients become more and more conscious about their beauty treatments. Consumers are looking for more natural alternatives for their food, skincare and cleaning products and are taking more notice of what we are putting on and in our bodies.
The technique of sugaring uses a natural toffee-like substance that is kneaded into the skin repeatedly, removing the hair as it goes. The paste is spread or moulded onto the skin by hand or with a spatula against the direction of hair growth.
It is said to seep down into the hair follicle and wrap itself around the shaft of the hair. When the sugaring paste is flicked off, the hair including the bulb slides out in the direction in which it grows. This technique differs to waxing which removes the hair in the opposite direction.
Film wax too is becoming increasingly popular among therapists, with the hybrid of hard and strip wax having the ability to spread ultra-thin but be removed like hard wax. Caronlab’s version, Brazilliant, is not only effective but incredibly gentle. It adheres firmly to both fine and coarse hair yet avoids sticking to the skin, not to mention needs only one application. A low working temperature makes it incredibly flexible, so it’s excellent for applying to large areas without breaking or dripping, making it ideal for speedy applications.
Keeping your wax room clean, especially when there’s liquid, hair and heat involved, is easier said than done. Despite this, hygiene will always remain that absolute most important thing when it comes to waxing, and this is being reflected in many salons now using TGA approved hospital grade disinfectants. Our Micro Defense product line is organically derived and eliminates 99.99% of bacteria, fungi and viruses, on contact. It’s also suitable for repeat use on sensitive skin and intimate areas.
Salon trends:
As I mentioned earlier, consumers are being increasingly more conscious about their beauty treatments. There’s been a significant rise in vegan-friendly products and that awareness also extends to how the product has been formulated. A recent Roy Morgan study found that 46% of Australian women take an anti-animal testing when buying makeup.
This figure is up from 2012’s 41%, with the study announcing that the cruelty-free label is the third most important feature women look for when undertaking or purchasing beauty products. Clients are much more aware of the presence of toxic chemicals in traditional waxing products, so the industry has experienced a shift towards all natural formulations with a focus on being environmentally-friendly.
Unsurprisingly, eyebrow waxing is still the most popular style trend in our industry. Full, natural brows that aren’t too harsh but still bold are trending at the moment, and probably will be for quite some time.
Product development:
The consciousness trend has extended throughout all aspects of waxing, including formulations. Lately consumers have been requesting eco-friendly and vegan products and we’re reflecting that in our products.
Caronlab has been in the beauty business since 1979, with the Australian brand providing local and international salons with their world-class products for almost 40 years. To learn more about their products, education programs and innovations, click here to visit their website.
Related:
- Six things we all wished our clients knew before a wax
- How to get your clients waxing in winter
