The 7-minute Brazilian is being touted as the next big thing in waxing. But hard and fast just isn’t a good idea says Lilliane Caron, owner and director at Caronlab Australia.
Even the most dedicated waxing client doesn’t exactly get giddy with excitement over their next Brazilian appointment, so it makes sense that we would want to offer our clients the option to get it over and done with in under ten minutes. Yep, the 7-minute Brazilian has its appeal and can look good on your treatment menu. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Lilliane Caron, Owner and Director of Caronlab Australia, says it’s just not the way to win over clients. She says taking your time and making that appointment an experience clients want to come back for is a much better business model.
Professional Beauty asks Lilliane for her professional advice when it comes to the super-speedy waxing treatment. Here’s the, um, lowdown on the 7-minute Brazilian…
So it’s all marketing hype…?
“Brazilians are the treatment that therapists struggle with the most. There is a lot of hype about ‘7 Minute Brazilians’ at the moment and let me tell you, it is a joke! It is simply a marketing tactics designed to make you question what you know is best. Can you rip all the hairs from someone’s private parts in less than seven minutes? Yes, absolutely! But there is a reason we all have jobs, and it’s not because we can pull hairs out quicker than you can say, “I’m here for my Brazilian wax thanks”. People expect that as professionals, we know how to do it, and we know how to do it well. We take our time, and make sure the treatment is done properly, resulting in no irritation, pain or redness.”
Does it hurt more? Or less?
“The ‘7 Minute Brazilian’ is a rough and quick technique which can cause the hairs to snap at the surface which can result in severe ingrown hairs, bruising and very tender and sore skin for your client.”
So faster is not actually better…
“Pushing people in and out your door is not the way to create ongoing, loyal customers. What’s to gain? Yes, you can fit more clients in one day, but if you are conducting a treatment in less than half the time, your customers are going to expect to pay at least half the price. If anything, in the long run you will be out of pocket because if you are butchering their most private areas, my guess is you won’t be seeing them ever again.”
How long should a Brazilian appointment really take?
“As you get quicker with experience, a good Brazilian wax generally takes on average 20 minutes to complete. It’s not uncommon, however for it to take up to an hour when just starting out, as you can sometimes feel a little timid and may need guidance. With a new client, I would always make a longer appointment as you never know what you are going to be dealing with. If you are shown a good technique from an experienced waxing mentor to start with, after a few goes you will feel much more confident and be able to perform each treatment in a reasonable amount of time with flawless results.”
Can Brazilian appointments really be something clients look forward to?
“Treating your clients the way you would like to be treated and making their appointment more than just a maintenance routine, creates an experience that they look forward to each month. Always keep in mind that it will take more than seven minutes to perform a treatment AND win over your new clients.”
So your advice is ditch the 7-minute idea?
“Instead of spending the time it takes arrange advertisements and marketing to draw in new customers with the 7-Minute Brazilian, spend that time ensuring you KEEP a client. It’s common sense.”
Lilliane Caron is Owner & Director of Caronlab Australia. If you’d like to ask Lilliane Caron for some advice on your own salon, email info@caronlab.com.au
For more information on Caronlab visit www.caronlab.com.au