It was another manic Monday in the clinic, I sipped my freshly brewed coffee whilst I opened up the online diary to view the day’s appointments.
I noticed that one of the appointments had changed. Our morning spray tan client had cancelled and someone had booked in for an early manicure treatment. I called out to Lizzie to let her know she no longer needed to prepare the spray tan room.
Luckily, I had learned the importance of checking the clinic diary before entering the beauty industry myself. A few years ago, I was a client at my local beauty salon. I had finally plucked up the courage to book an intimate waxing session, ahead of my anniversary with my boyfriend.
I had never been so nervous in my life. Thinking about it, I should have booked a nail appointment as I had bitten off my nails in anticipation of the day of the wax treatment…
Oh well.
I arrived at the salon and checked in.
“Hi, Kate, lovely to meet you. My name is Lara and I’ll be your beautician today! If you’d like to follow me”
I smiled uneasily.
I was swiftly taken to my treatment room by my beautician. I looked around the room, expecting to see wax heaters, wooden spatulas and wax strips. Instead, I was greeted by a large, black, unusually shaped machine with a spray nozzle attached to the top of it.
Maybe it was their hoover?
I tried to relax and not worry about it too much. After all, the beautician knew more than I did, surely…
Lara reached into the cupboard and pulled out a large tub of what appeared to be body scrub. She opened the lid. It smelled amazing! I started to feel a little more comfortable. Prepping the skin was standard practice for any waxing treatment.
She applied the scrub to an oven-style hand mitt and began to rub it over my legs, not precisely my treatment area, but perhaps she just wanted to be thorough. Although, when she moved on to my stomach, chest and arms, I started feeling suspicious.
Lara then asked me to step into the shower cubicle to remove the scrub and towel myself dry. She then used some oil-free wipes to ensure my skin was primed, prepped and ready.
And now for the wax!
Or so I thought.
To my surprise, Lara took out three large gold bottles and asked me which shade I would like.
I thought it was a little odd that you get to choose the colour of your wax, but I had never had this treatment before and with my nerves building, I was in no position to question it.
I chose at random, not realising I had chosen the darkest shade.
She emptied the bottle into the machine, which I now understood could not possibly be a hoover.
She plugged the machine in and handed me some disposable underwear to change into. The beautician left the room. I put on the underwear. How could they remove my hair if it was covered?
It was at this point that I realised that I was not in an intimate waxing appointment. But it was too late to back out now…
The beautician turned on the machine started spraying the solution on and told me to wait for 5 minutes before turning to face the other direction. I prayed and prayed that this was some type of advanced hair removal cream and that after the time was up the beautician would wipe it off to reveal my silky smooth skin.
But no.
I wanted to bolt for the door, but I figured a half-finished spray tan would not be a good look for the restaurant.
I took a sneak peek underneath my disposable knickers, yep, the hair was all still there. This isn’t what I signed up for. I had to say something.
“Erm, L-Lara, this spray tan is great and everything, but I’m s-sure that I was booked in for an intimate wax?” I stuttered.
Lara’s eyes widened. She dropped the spray tan nozzle, leaving bronze paint splashes across the floor.
“Oh – Oh Kate, oh my goodness. I am so sorry” she stammered as beads of sweat gathered on her forehead. She grabbed her iPad and frantically checked the appointment book app.
Kate Jade Smith – 11 am – intimate wax
“Kate, I can’t apologise enough. Things have been crazy here lately with staffing, someone added a spray tan appointment just above yours and didn’t specify a name. I assumed it was you” said Lara, her face tight with embarrassment.
“Honestly, don’t worry, i-it’s not important”
“I’ll leave you to get changed,” Lara said, forcing a smile.
As I left, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Full-on tangerine. Perfect. I called my boyfriend to cancel the dinner date, takeaway night on the sofa it is.
At Hampson Beauty Clinic, we always check the diary. Click here to book your next treatment with us
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