Brozilian Breakdown: 6 Questions to Ask Your Male Clients

Times have changed, and more men are stepping into the salon and spas to get their grooming needs fulfilled, and yes, that also includes waxing. There’s been a booming increase in the amount of male Brazilian/Brozilian/Manzilian waxing and they are looking for professionals to help and accept them. The stereotype for men attending to their grooming needs being seen as “unmanly” is fading and “men’s self-care” is sexy and sought after. Men are becoming more self-aware and understand the importance of taking care of their well-being.

Waxing men has always been a sensitive topic amongst professionals, since many of our professional waxers are women. Many professionals are uncomfortable providing intimate waxing services to men because they’ve been subject to an unpleasant situation or heard others tell their stories.

Do we let these few stop us from providing waxing to such a large market with an amazing potential for growth and success? How can we, as professionals, ensure we can also welcome everyone into our rooms for waxing? The pre-consultation before the appointment is scheduled will be the key to screening any new clients. Here’s my six-step questionnaire to follow to ensure any new clients, not limited to just men, are the ideal clientele.

1. How Did You Hear About/Find Us?

This question covers the basics. If any new client was a referral of an existing client, then you know for certain there won’t be any issues with booking them in. However, continue on with the questionnaire and onto Question 2. If they found your business elsewhere, this is a great opportunity to know which social media platform they used to find your business.

2. What Methods of Hair Removal Are You Currently Using?

When it comes to men, they avoid waxing (due to stigma and finding the right professional) and have resorted to shaving. Find out how long they have been shaving and how frequently. Shaved hairs are a wax professional’s worst enemy, since they are the most stubborn hairs to remove. Be prepared and know you have the right kind of wax that can easily take care of stubborn, short coarse hairs and that can safely overlap if needed. It is also important to prepare your shaved client that the first wax will not be perfect because of shaving and the different stages of hair growth, and get them booked in again two to four weeks later to grab the remaining hairs.

Related: Making Male Clients Loyal

3. Is This Your First-time Waxing?

If this is not their first time waxing make sure to ask when their last wax was and how the experience was. Check if there were any immediate reactions, allergies or medical concerns. If this is a brand-new client who is new to waxing, as a professional, you know to give them all the pre- and post-aftercare instructions for their first appointment. You may want to set aside an extra 15 minutes to give yourself and your new client a bit more time. I guarantee when it comes to men, they will be extremely nervous of the potential pain, but also their body’s involuntary reactions, and will feel embarrassed of just simply having a different anatomy.

If this is a client who has been waxed before, it is a good idea to find out about their experience from their last appointment and how long has it been since their last wax. If it has been a while, find out why they stopped and if there was an issue with their last experience. It could be your client broke out in hives, or the skin produced a lot of erythema, or they didn’t follow proper aftercare and broke out in folliculitis.

Believe it or not, most of the time when a client suddenly stops their wax upkeep it is due to an embarrassing or bad experience that has made them afraid to schedule another appointment. This experience may determine if you want to continue with the questionnaire or stop right here and reject their appointment request. Men are some of the most loyal clients once they find the right professional and understand the importance of scheduling and upkeep.

4. Are You Doing Anything For Aftercare?

If this client was not a serious candidate, they will usually ghost you at this question. Why do you need to ask this though? It gives you an opportunity to inform your client of proper aftercare for exfoliation and hydration to give them a better experience, and make your job easier for the next waxing appointment. Quite often, men are not using anything so make sure you upsell them products to take home and use!

This also gives you a good indication, especially if you live in a cold or dryer climate, that the skin and the hairs will be dry and the hairs may be brittle. Do you have a wax suitable for this type of skin and can it grab these kinds of hairs effectively? A synthetic resin-based wax in this case would be the best choice, since they are best known for being more gentle and able to protect the skin. A synthetic resin that caters to all skin types, with no color or scent would be an extra bonus, so you can broaden your clientele range without carrying too many waxes.

5. What Are Your Goals?

Another variation of this question would be, "what are you looking to achieve with waxing?" We set goals for skin care, why not with waxing? The obvious answer would be, “to be hair free and smooth as a baby’s bottom.” By understanding their goals, we can provide them with a plan by scheduling them back in accordingly and by providing them with recommendations for aftercare. This is an important question to include to reinforce that you are a wax professional and mean business. It also shows you care and value them as a potential client.

6. Do You Have Any Questions For Me?

If your client has made it through the questionnaire, do not celebrate yet. This final question is the key to determining if this is a “good apple” for you. Although you have been professional throughout the questionnaire, this gives them an opportunity to ask anything. Believe it or not, this is when they sometimes ask about including inappropriate “add-ons!”

Discover Your Wax Identity

A good business requires time and effort. As tedious as some steps may be, sometimes it is necessary, and it will be what sets you apart from the next professional. If you’re a professional who is still on the fence on whether to start broadening your range of clientele, try this questionnaire out. Tweak it to your “waxdentity” and make it your own. This is a fantastic way for you to screen all clients, so you are able to pick and choose your ideal clientele.

Chanel Mak has been a certified Esthetician for over 10 years. In addition, Chanel is certified in both Laser Hair Removal and Electrolysis. She co-owns "On The Q.T. Salon and Spa" with her husband, where she specializes in waxing and facial skin therapy. She is the Caronlab Master Educator for North America and has been sharing her knowledge and expertise for the last 3 years.