SUMMER CRAZE GUIDE
FOR HER • The touch up Despite the growing inclination toward more original styles in bikini wax, one that stands the test of time is the traditional tidying up of the panty line area. For this style, hair is removed from anywhere close outside the panty line, near the top of the thighs and bottom of the navel. • Full bikini line Going one step beyond the traditional touch up, a full bikini line wax removes hair around the top and sides of the pubes in addition to the areas right around the panty line, leaving behind a smaller amount of hair. • French For clients who want to go more (but not completely) bare, the French way is a popular option. For this style, the hair on the front and sides of the bikini area is removed, but the hair on the labia and around the back (butt and crack) is left in place. The hair left on the front can be shaped according to the client’s preference. Popular choices include the landing strip, postage stamp shapes and small triangles. • Brazilian Like a French wax, the patch left behind in a Brazilian wax can be made into any shape according to the client’s preferences, and it can be large or small. It differs from the French style in that in addition to taking all the hair off the top and sides of the bikini line, it is removed all the way under and around the back. Essentially, it is like a bikini line wax except that it includes the hair on the labia and back. One popular look is the sparse “deserted island” concept, in which a mini triangle is left on the pubic bone. Another variation of the Brazilian style leaves a larger triangular patch, also known as a “Bermuda Triangle” Brazilian.
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• Full Brazilian/Hollywood More clients are opting to go completely bare. This style entails the removal of ALL the hair on the bikini zone and beyond. Every last hair is waxed away from the front, middle and behind. Another variation of a full Brazilian entails removal of all the hair from the front, without any hair being removed from the back. • Heart Some clients are choosing to go beyond the clean and sexy and actually getting romantic with their bikini waxes, requesting a patch cleverly shaped into a heart.
* Note that with more complicated shapes such as the heart, you may need to wax in the opposite direction of hair growth, which can lead to ingrown hairs. Advise clients of this risk beforehand and recommend applicable home care.
FOR HIM • Basic bikini line Just like the female version of this style, all the hair that shows around the edges of a bikini or speedo style bottom is removed, leaving the hair of the genital area in place. • Strip and bikini This style is similar to the bikini line wax, but more hair is removed, leaving only a landing strip behind. For this style, the remaining hair is also generally trimmed down to approximately a quarter inch. • Bro-zilian Hair is removed from the shaft and scrotum. An optional addition to this style can include hair removal on the area between the scrotum and butt crack. Some men who request this service also prefer to leave a patch of hair above the shaft in the shape of a square.
more clients are opting to go completely bare. • Full Bro-zilian For this style, ALL genital hair is removed, front to back, including the butt and butt crack. This style can remove hair up to the “speedo line” or it can go further up to the navel. Some men who choose this style opt to go hair free on their entire back as well. • BSC (Back, sack and crack) This is the most all-encompassing bikini wax for men, in which hair is removed from the butt, crack, shaft and scrotum as well as the tops of the arms, shoulders and back.
ALWAYS ASK…
While the terms described in this article are the ones commonly used to refer to specific bikini wax styles, realize that your clients may have a different understanding of what they mean and may even be embarrassed to ask for clarification. Avoid any misunderstandings by asking each client to explain upfront what they envision for their bikini wax. This will avoid any embarrassment on your clients’ part and sidestep the possibility of a bikini blunder! Tiely Araujo is a licensed paramedical skin care specialist. After working in many spas and dermatologists' offices, she has specialized in waxing for more than a decade. Waxing is Araujo’s passion, and she now practices that passion at Honey Bee Waxing in Coral Gables, Fla.