Esthetic Treatments and Hair Removal
Facial treatments
Know the phases: cleansing, analysis, exfoliation, extraction (softened skin only, no broken tissue), massage, mask, and finishing products. Massage movements are effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (percussion), friction, and vibration; all are contraindicated over inflammation, recent surgery, or suspicious lesions. Exfoliation divides into mechanical (scrubs, brushes, microdermabrasion) and chemical (AHAs such as glycolic and lactic, BHA such as salicylic, and enzyme peels). AHAs suit sun-damaged, thickened skin; BHA suits oily, congested skin. Neither belongs on compromised or freshly waxed skin.
Hair removal
Hair grows in anagen (active), catagen (transition), and telogen (resting) phases; only anagen hair responds well to light-based methods. Wax types: soft (strip) wax for large areas, hard wax for sensitive or coarse areas like the lip, brows, and bikini. Direction rules differ by product. Soft wax is applied with the direction of hair growth and removed against it, holding skin taut. Hard wax is applied against the growth and removed in the opposite direction of application; sugaring paste is likewise worked against and flicked off with the growth. Tweezing, threading, and sugaring are alternatives; depilatories dissolve hair chemically and require a patch test; laser and electrolysis are permanent-reduction services limited by license.
Contraindications
Isotretinoin, recent peels or retinoids, sunburn, varicose veins, moles, irritated or broken skin, diabetes with poor healing, and blood thinners. Skip waxing over the brows if the client had a peel, and never wax over a client's moles - wax around them.
Traps
Direction questions are the most missed. So is confusing depilation (surface hair removal) with epilation (removal from the follicle).
Rule of thumb
Post-wax care: no heat, exercise, sun, or tight clothing for 24 hours; recommend soothing product.