When Hard Wax is Ready?

Too thin, too thick or just right? Hard Wax Consistency, answered!

Ensure your Cirépil Hard Wax is the correct consistency in these 3 simple steps. 

3 Simple Steps to be sure your Wax is ready and just right!

1) Melt the Wax

First things first, melting your wax properly is important. Be sure to melt your wax in the Cirépil Happy Heater which will melt the wax evenly and at a low temperature.

Pour your hard wax beads into an empty tin. Place the tin into the heater. Turn the temperature control knob to the highest setting, ‘6’. After about 20 minutes, the wax touching the sides of the tin will be melted with a small island of beads in the center. Turn the temperature knob down to 4.5-5.0 and stir the wax. 

The wax should now be ready to go. But how do you know if the wax is the right temperature and consistency, especially when other factors such as room temperature can affect the melting process?

Here are a few more key points.

2) Wax Temperature

Cirépil wax is a low temperature wax. This means it is applied at a low temperature, just a bit warmer than body temperature. When applied it should feel very comfortable, not hot. But low temperature wax also means the wax is melted at a low temperature.

Cirépil hard wax is created in creamy, gel or ultra fluid gel textures.

The Original Blue hard wax, an all purpose gel wax, will be thinner than a cream wax but a little thicker than an ultra fluid gel. The temperature of the wax affects the consistency. Typically, the thinner the wax, the hotter the wax. The thicker the wax, the cooler the wax. But don’t be fooled, you must check the temperature of the wax on yourself and your client to ensure the wax is a safe temperature. Continue to adjust and check the wax temperature throughout the day. You will likely need to turn the temperature control up after refilling the hard wax beads into the heater. The temperature of your treatment room will also be a factor. If your room is warm, you may need to keep the wax a bit cooler and if the room is cool, you may need to turn the heater up just a bit.

3) Stir the Wax

When you stir the wax, observe how the wax is responding on the spatula. If the wax is very thin, almost watery, it’s too thin and likely too hot. If the wax is too thin, it will be difficult to get enough wax onto the applicator for wax application. If the wax is too thick, the wax will be difficult to adhere and spread onto the skin, it will be tacky, sticky and might leave behind many ‘wax strings’.

When the wax is too thin it won’t stay on the spatula dripping off quickly. If the wax is too thick, the wax will remain on the applicator without dripping off. Cirépil wax is unique because it sets up very quickly. For this reason, twirling the wax round and round on the spatula or trying to create a wax ball at the tip of the spatula by rotating the spatula many times isn’t ideal because the wax will set up on the spatula and will then not adhere to the skin and remove the hair properly. The wax can be removed from the heater and immediately applied. Scoop, scrape one side of the spatula and apply, removing all the wax off the applicator onto the skin, then spreading in an even layer leaving a thicker edge.

The perfect consistency is when the wax will slowly drip off the spatula.

Think of cake batter or brownie batter that form perfect ribbons when stirred and when dripping off a spoon. When the wax is the right consistency, it will be very easy to apply and spread. The wax will remain warm enough to sink to the base of the hair encapsulating the hair for a complete removal from the root. If the wax is too thin the wax will be hard to apply in a thick enough layer, will break upon removal, crack or might be too hot. If the wax is too thick, it will not be able to spread, either rolling off or stopping short in the application. If the wax is too cool, it will not sink to the base of the hair which could lead to hairs not being removed. Although creamy waxes are thicker and ultra fluid gel waxes are thinner, the way in which the wax drips off the applicator in a perfect consistency still holds true.  A thicker consistency cream wax should still drip slowly off the applicator, the same as an gel or ultra fluid gel wax should also be thin enough to drip but not dripping too quickly. Wax dripping completely off the wax stick very quickly is too thin. Wax that doesn’t drip off the wax stick at all or very slowly is too thick. Wax that has thick ribbons when stirred and drips off the wax stick in beautiful thick ribbons is just right. 

Mastering the correct consistency takes a little time, but once mastered, you will be able to work swiftly, removing every hair with every strip while maintaining ultimate comfort for the client.

Discover Cirépil Happy Heater in video

Article Written by Cali VanAelst, National Training Director at Perron Rigot Inc., 12 February 2021.