The waxing franchise industry may not yet know it, but there are big things happening in the self-care space, particularly in the hair removal business. Hair removal by sugaring is on the rise. The more people who experience what sugaring can do for them, the more they’re abandoning their waxing ways and booking future hair removal services exclusively with sugaring franchises like L.A. Bikini. Have waxing franchises already had their heyday? Are we at the beginning of the perfect time to invest in an L.A. Bikini sugaring franchise?
Sugaring Franchise vs Waxing Franchise: Transforming the Self-Care Space
First, what is the difference between waxing and sugaring? Let’s take a look at that to start.
How Does Waxing Hair Removal Work?
With the waxes traditional waxing franchises use, the optimal length of hair is ¼” to ¾” long. Too short, the wax can’t “grab” onto it; too long, the pull of the wax will be quite painful. Often, over-the-counter pain reducers and anti-inflammatory medications, like ibuprofen, are recommended. The wax is warmed to a melted state. It is then applied to the skin in the direction of hair growth. Before it can dry, a strip of paper is pressed to the wax and held for a few seconds. Next, the skin is pulled taut and the strip is quickly pulled off the skin opposite the direction of hair growth, taking the wax, and presumably all of the hair the wax adhered to, with it. The hair is removed at the follicle, and will grow back within the next 4-6 weeks, though growth rates vary by individual.
Sugaring Franchises vs Waxing Franchises
The same principle for waxing at the waxing franchises is applied to sugaring hair removal with just a few key differences. These differences, however, are what make sugaring a significant improvement over waxing. The sugar paste is applied at room temperature. This completely removes the risk of burns, and makes sugaring far safer and more comfortable for the customer than waxing. The sugar paste is applied to the hair strands in the opposite direction of growth. When the paste is pulled, it removes the hair follicles in the direction of growth. The result is far fewer broken follicles, much easier removal from the skin, and far less pain for the customer. Sugar paste also adheres only to the hair follicle itself and dead skin cells in the treatment area—not at all to live skin cells. So when sugar paste is pulled to remove the hair, it does not pull on skin cells with a blood supply or nerve endings. Also, because the sugar paste removes dead skin cells, sugaring is an exfoliation treatment, too, resulting in super smooth skin in the wake of incredibly effective hair removal. In fact, it’s so smooth, at L.A. Bikini, we call it The New Smooth™. Sugaring hair removal is much less painful as a result. The client experiences greater comfort, a more thorough hair removal experience, less risk of damage to the skin, fewer chances of future ingrown hairs because there’s minimal follicle breakage, and a much better experience overall. As a bonus, on top of The New Smooth™, sugar paste adheres to shorter hairs than waxing does, so clients don’t have to let their hair grow quite as long between appointments, which results in less embarrassment for them between sessions. Getting the hairs sooner also signals to the hair follicles not to grow back as much, so over time, the hair in their treatment area becomes more sparse, so it’s less noticeable between visits! That’s the L.A. Bikini difference compared to waxing franchises. It’s The New Smooth™.
L.A. Bikini’s Roots in the Waxing Franchise Industry
L.A. Bikini has roots in the waxing franchise industry, with our founder, Clay Haley, trying to revive a waxing and tanning salon in Birmingham, Alabama. A key piece of the puzzle was customer experience, which Clay was determined to improve. When a friend introduced him to sugaring, Clay decided the safe, gentle hair removal experience that had been around dating back to ancient Egyptian times could be the solution for which he’d been searching. Customers and staff alike were astounded by the more thorough, less painful sugaring experience, and Clay immediately knew he had a winner. With that, Clay began refining the sugaring business model for what would become the L.A. Bikini hair removal franchise as we know it today.
Owning an L.A. Bikini: The Hard Part is Already Done
If it’s not already clear, wax franchises have some stiff competition in the self-care space with the sugaring hair removal franchise. L.A. Bikini may just be the premier sugaring franchise to own, considering the support we offer our franchise owners. Investing in a sugaring franchise instead of a waxing franchise isn’t just about opening a business. You’re joining the self-care industry where millions of people are bettering themselves and finding ways to boost their confidence. That’s a heady feeling, being part of someone’s feel-good moment.
Thinking About the Cost of a Sugaring or Waxing Franchise?
That’s just the start. Once you become an L.A. Bikini franchisee, you go through our 5 day training course. You’ll learn everything about our history, values, and mission, plus how the products we offer stand out in the industry, and how our sugaring methods keep our customers returning. Each L.A. Bikini location requires only a small footprint. We embrace efficiency this way because we do not require a lot of equipment to run a smooth business. This also lowers operating costs, minimizes decor and build-out expenses, and helps you with optimal staffing. Our technology tools follow the same efficiency standards, with POS systems, data reporting, and management programs that fit into the streamlined business model of our franchise with ease. We also have unparalleled ongoing support for franchisees and sugarists with quarterly video training sessions. This keeps our sugarists across the US at the forefront of the hair removal industry and L.A. Bikini standards. Our marketing standards and customer retention membership model are also designed for incredible relationship building with our clientele, and make for a business model that operates on free-flowing respect between customer, sugarist, and owner. Not only are we helping our customers remain hair-free as comfortably as possible, but our sugarists love what they do, and our franchise owners are giving a whole new meaning to The New Smooth™. Think this sounds better than the standard waxing franchise model? We do too! Contact us today to learn how you can be a part of the next wave of hair removal and self-care!