It is best to buy the highest quality equipment that you can afford. Remember that if you are working mobile you will be carrying this equipment around on a daily basis and if it is heavy you could injure yourself or risk repetitive strain injuries. Buy the lightest but sturdiest equipment available.

If you visit your local wholesaler to purchase your equipment you will need to show them copies of your Guild membership insurance cover documentation to prove that you are qualified before they will issue you with a trade card.

Make sure that you check all of your equipment is present, clean and in full working order. If any electrical equipment appears to be damaged, do not use it and inform the salon manager.

Before commencing the treatment, you will need to have the following equipment:

• Couch – this can be static or collapsible if you are Ask the supplier if you can try to put up and dismantle the couch before you buy it and check that you are able to lift it. The couch must have an adjustable head rest and be covered in a washable material. Electric couches are available but are more suited to salon based therapists as they are not transportable.
• Waxing trolley – this must be sturdy and large enough to hold all your equipment safely.
• Thermostatically controlled wax heater – the wax pot must have a removable lid, so that the wax can be covered when not in use. This prevents contamination of the wax pot and can help prevent spillage.
• Couch cover – ensure that this is made of a material that can be washed at a high temperature. Some therapists have a plastic couch cover that they put on the couch when carrying out waxing treatments that protects the couch further from wax drips and spills.
• Disposable bed roll – this is placed over the couch cover and is replaced after each use.
• Protective floor covering – if you are working mobile you should carry with you a protective cover that can be placed over the client’s own floor covering. Then if you do accidentally spill or dribble any wax it won’t result in an insurance claim. Care must be taken when moving the wax around the salon or in the client’s home.
• Disposable wooden spatulas – you need a selection of different sizes; small, thin ones for eyebrows and lip waxes and wider ones for body A new spatula must be used for each client. If a client is having several different areas treated at the same appointment you must change the spatula when moving from one area to another. If blood spotting occurs during the wax treatment, you should always dispose of the wooden spatula immediately and replace it with a new one to prevent contamination of the wax pot.
• Disposable wax strips – these can be either paper or fabric. It is up to you which you prefer to The fabric strips are more flimsy and sometimes the wax can soak through. The paper ones are the most popular as they are more sturdy.
• Talc-free powder – you should purchase good quality powder that is unperfumed. A small amount can be applied to the skin to absorb excess moisture on the skin prior to waxing. There has been some concern that using talcum powder on the genital area may increase the risk of ovarian cancer. The evidence for this is uncertain and inconclusive and no link has been found between talcum powder and any other form of cancer. In order to be certain, avoid the use of talcum powder on clients and instead use a non- talc based powder.

• Tissues – are used to dry areas of the skin that have been cleansed, prior to a waxing treatment.
• Cotton wool – is used to apply pre-wax and after wax products to the client’s skin. Keep the cotton wool clean by storing it in a covered container.
• Hand sanitizer – after washing your hands in hot soapy water and before putting on the disposable gloves, hands can be cleansed again in front of the client with a hand sanitizer.
• Hand mirror – for facial waxing and brows, the client will need to view the
• Sterilised tweezers and scissors – scissors are required for trimming long hairs and tweezers for removing stray hairs that cannot be removed by the wax. These should be stored in a clean, sealed container until you are ready to use them. Alternatively, they can be stored in a jar of antiseptic solution with a lid on. When purchasing tweezers and scissors always choose stainless steel as these can be sterilised using an autoclave or placed in a sterilising solution without the risk of damage or rusting.
• Pre- wax products – lotions, oils or gels to cleanse the skin prior to Where possible, try to purchase these products in pump action containers that prevent contamination of the product inside.
• Aftercare products – lotions, oils or gels to soothe the skin after the treatment is Where possible, try to purchase these products in pump action containers that prevent contamination of the product inside
• Pedal bin with lid (double lined) – for placing contaminated wax strips into prior to collection.
• Wax equipment cleaner – always store securely in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions as the products can be flammable.
• Clean towels – must be used for every
• Clean bath robe – for each client to put on prior to the treatment to avoid wax spillages onto clothes and to protect the client’s modesty.
• Disposable underwear – that can be offered to clients who are having a bikini or full leg wax treatment.
• Plastic disposable apron – the therapist needs to protect their uniform from wax spills and drips.
• Written aftercare advice – an aftercare advice leaflet should be given to the client after their first appointment and you should record on the record card that this has been discussed and the client has taken it away with them.

Gloves should be worn where there is contact with mucous membranes, blood or serum. Gloves should be replaced after each client. Due to an increasing number of cases of latex allergy, it is advised to use disposable gloves made from another material such as nitrile or PVC. If you do use latex gloves and either you or the client shows signs of skin irritation then further contact should be prevented.

Dispose of single-use gloves after each use. Blood-contaminated gloves should be treated as contaminated waste and disposed of in the correct manner. Never re-use disposable gloves. When removing the glove, do not touch the outside.

Follow these steps to safely remove contaminated gloves:

• Use the fingertips of a gloved hand to grasp the other glove near the
• Slowly pull the glove down while removing your Turn the glove inside out as you pull.
• Drop the contaminated glove into a plastic
• Use the fingertips of the ungloved hand to grasp the inside of the gloved hand near the cuff.
• Slowly pull the glove down while removing your Turn the glove inside out as you pull.
• Drop the contaminated glove into a plastic
• Wash your hands after removing the

Treatment Room

• Your treatment room must be clean and tidy and well
• The room must be heated to a comfortable temperature as the client will be partly undressed for most of the treatment.
• Ensure that the room is well
• You must have a floor covering that can be wiped clean
• Your treatment room must ensure complete privacy for your
• You must endeavour to create a relaxing environment. You can play music but it must be light and suit the majority of client’s taste rather than your
• Ensure that all equipment and materials are ready and within easy
• When you have completed your treatment, make sure the room and equipment is left clean and tidy ready for the next client.