The beauty industry secrets salon owners would love you to know

For some women, having a spray tan or bikini wax is just an essential part of their beauty regime. But for others, it’s a treatment done only when completely necessary. And for those people, and the first-timers, it can feel very daunting. Getting naked in front of a stranger, worrying they’ll be staring and judging your body and all your jiggly bits. Or the thought of being spread-eagled on a bed whilst someone rips your hair out. Ouch! However, it’s not as bad as you might think. Salon owner and beautician Claudia Boroughs is keen to reassure women that there’s no need to feel anxious about any treatment. Here she gives us the lowdown on the beauty industry secrets therapists actually want us to know.

Beauty Industry Secrets about waxing

Let’s face it, hair removal is a total pain. Shaving only lasts about 24 hours for most of us, so if you’re on holiday you have to stay on top of the annoying stubble. Hair removal cream is messy and the products are often smelly – plus it’s hard to get the cream in all the right places. There’s laser, but this can be expensive and takes a long time – plus it doesn’t work on all hair types. So, therefore, waxing is the lesser of all the evils.

But at-home waxing is very hard to do. Getting the wax in all the right spots, pulling it off correctly, and ensuring there are no skin tears or burning. It’s better to get the professionals to do it. “We use a higher quality wax,” explains Claudia as she talks beauty industry secrets. “So the results are much better. Plus we can see what you can’t and can make sure you’re completely hair-free on the areas you’ve asked to be waxed.”

All Bodies Are Different

Claudia, who owns salon Beautiful You in Hertfordshire, also explains that no one’s vagina is the same, and beauticians aren’t looking at or comparing your bits to other people’s. “Lots of clients hate stripping off and for a wax, you are put in vulnerable positions that can make you feel very exposed,” Claudia continues. “But trust me, no beautician is looking at your bits. We’re looking at the hair and the skin and focussing on the job at hand. The last thing we’d want is for clients to feel uncomfortable.

“And remember, we do this day in and day out. We see a lot of naked people and, like a doctor or nurse, are not phased by anything to do with the human body. Our job is to make you love your body that little bit more!”

It’s not just about getting naked, though. Many people fear letting off a fart during the treatment too. “So many people worry that they’ll accidentally fart during a wax,” laughs Claudia. “At the end of the day it happens, we know that the body is in funny positions that can make a fart happen so don’t worry at all. Let’s just laugh about it together and move on.”

However, there are a few things Claudia would love for clients to do before their treatment. “Please wash,” she says. “And if you’re on your period, wait until it’s light or has finished as tampon strings can get in the way. Also you are much more sensitive at this time of the month so the pain can be more intense.”

Tan Time

Having a tan, especially in winter months, really can boost your self-esteem and body confidence. But again lots of us feel uncomfortable stripping off and being so exposed. You are standing there in front of the beauty therapist with only a tiny pair of paper knickers on.

But again, as with waxing, the beauticians are not looking at your lumps and bumps. “Lots of clients apologise when they’re getting a spray tan about their bodies. Things like, ‘Oh sorry about my fat tum’ or ‘Sorry, my boobs are gross.’ Never be sorry about your body! It’s a beautiful thing and we only want to make it more beautiful.

“As with waxing, we’re not staring at your wobbly bits, scars, spots or birthmarks, we couldn’t care less. We’re there to give you a tan and we need to concentrate on the task. Making sure the colour is even and we’ve not missed any spots, that the colour is natural and looks good, this is what we’re thinking about when we’re spraying.”

So if you fancy a tan, don’t let the idea of being naked put you off. And if you’re confused about what prep you might need to do beforehand, Claudia explains. “Make sure you exfoliate, wear loose clothes to go home in, take off your jewellery and don’t wear deodorant as that can impact the colour.”

Pampering The Toes

Pedicures can feel like a real treat. Having your feet massaged, exfoliated, scrubbed, buffed and nails polished. And a foot with a pedicure looks a lot better than a foot without.

But what if you’ve booked one in and, god forbid, forgotten to shave your legs? Or you just remembered as you pull up outside the salon that your toenails are super long and you worry the beautician will think you’re gross? Or, even worse, you’ve been at work all day and you know your feet will be smelly.

These are things a lot of us worry about. But Claudia’s beauty industry secrets give us the lowdown we need to put our minds at ease. “When it comes to a pedicure, we prefer for the nails to be long,” she says. “Then we can file and shape them perfectly. If they’re short, it’s much harder to get the right shape.

“If you’ve been on your feet all day, don’t panic. The first part of a pedicure is a soak in hot, soapy water. We want your feet clean before we start our work, it’s for hygiene reasons and to put your mind at ease too.

“Hairy legs too are not an issue in the slightest. Yes, we will massage the foot and leg at the end of the treatment but a little stubble or hair is the last thing we’ll be thinking about. Plus that’s what we deal with all the time, body hair!”

Fancy a rub down?

One real treat for anyone visiting a beauty salon is getting a massage. Again, you’re stripping off. But this time, the room will be dark and you’re covered with a towel or blanket. So being exposed is not something to think about.

Your therapist will guide you through the treatment too. Adjust your body, tell you when to turn, and ask about the pressure. “If you’re having a massage and the beautician is going too hard or too soft, don’t be embarrassed to tell them,” Claudia says. “The last thing we’d want is for you to spend an hour feeling uncomfortable but unable to say anything.

“Also, one thing to reassure clients is that we don’t expect to chat. A lot of people want to switch off during a massage and that’s ideal for us as it gives us the space to focus on the movements and the pressure. We also can use the time to think. It can be relaxing for us too!” 

So all in all, a trip to the salon is not a scary thing at all. In fact, it’s fun and will make you feel fabulous!  Now those are the beauty industry secrets we can get on board with. Got an insider industry tip or perhaps a funny story about a salon trip, contact us here. We’d love to hear from you.