Introducing Buff Wax Spot

Hey YEG, there’s a new wax spot in town and trust me, you’re gonna want to check it out! I recently had the pleasure of connecting with Sina, the owner of Buff Wax Spot - a new wax bar in South Edmonton. After moving to Edmonton from Toronto, Sina grew frustrated in trying to find a convenient wax bar that offered affordable high quality services. She figured there had to be a better solution out there for us Edmontonians so she set out to launch a wax bar that offered expert, efficient, and meticulous hair waxing services for women and men that don’t break the budget. Just like that, Buff Wax Spot was born!

At Buff Wax Spot, their mission is to provide to you high-quality, quick, clean and affordable wax services in convenient time slots and that’s exactly what they’ve done! As soon as you walk into Buff Wax Spot’s bright and stylish space you feel immediately welcome. Sina did a fabulous job creating a modern oasis that’s comfortable and relaxing for your wax appointments.

In addition to their specialized waxing services, what I just adore about Buff Wax Spot is that they support local and green beauty businesses. I was absolutely spoiled with a few Mint and Daisy products that I have been loving. Other brands carried at Buff Wax Spot include Lavami; Lenity Soaps; Peregrine Supply and Lowen's Natural SkinCare. For Valentine's Day they also carry blush lingerie matching bralette and panties sets that come in the most adorable package that looks like lipstick!

Plus, they’re also big on dry brushing which is a routine I’ve been meaning to get into for over a year so I was just tickled when they gave me a dry brush of my own. That deserves a whole post of its own so stay tuned for that coming soon ;)

Now, back to what we’re here to talk about today, the waxing. I had a chance to chat with Sina about a few of the common questions that I know came to mind before my appointment and I figured I couldn’t be the only one so let’s spread a little wax awareness…

If you’ve never had a wax before, or have never been to Buff Wax Spot and are a little nervous don’t worry - at Buff Wax Spot they’re experts, so you can rest easy knowing you’re in good hands. And according to the owner Sina, “Waxing is one of the most ancient methods of hair removal. In fact, very little has changed from the time of Cleopatra with respect to wax ingredients. There’s a reason for that- it works! Waxing is one of the most effective and affordable permanent hair reduction methods on the market. If you’re shaving, know that you could shave for the rest of your life and never reduce hair density or growth whereas with waxing, the results are noticeable as quickly as after one wax. Professional waxes are very gentle on the skin and coupled with proper waxing techniques, truly offer a superior wax experience that’s nothing to lose sleep over.”

At my visit I opted for a ½ leg wax - something I’ve never had done before! I can tell you I was expecting it to be fairly painful but I was very pleasantly surprised. My wax expert Ashley was incredible. Not only was she so easy to talk to and totally hilarious, but she made me feel so comfortable throughout my appointment. Plus, when I exclaimed to her that I was surprised how pain free my wax experience was, she explained to me that Buff uses the highest quality wax and that everything from their technique to the products they use are done that way to ensure a pain free wax appointment.

When I asked Sina what sets apart Buff Wax Spot from the competition - she told me about Buff’s Seven Commandments which I absolutely adore!

1. We specialize in expert, efficient, and meticulous waxing

2. We use luxe, hand-picked (and self-tested) hard and soft waxes that promise you satiny smooth skin.

3. Our fully certified Wax Techs specialize in pain-free waxing

4. We have super convenient appointment times to fit your #boss schedule

5. We don’t ever double-dip and we always wear gloves. We take pride in our standards of cleanliness!

6. We are convo connoisseurs trained in the art of pillow talk

7.  We don’t judge or have discriminatory pricing. Just a really great wax at a really great price, for everyone.

If that’s not a good enough answer, I don’t know what is! #nailedit

Now if you’re a newbie waxer or just need a little refresher - here’s Sina’s tips to keep in mind before your appointment:

-If it’s your first wax, let us know! We’ll walk you through what to expect and offer lots of encouragement and laughs.

-If you’ve shaved, let your hair grow out to least ¼” or book your appointment out about 2-3 weeks post-shave. This ensures the hair is long enough to be removed during your wax appointment.

-If you’re booked for an intimate wax and haven’t groomed in a while, you’ll need to trim with scissors until the hair is no longer than a ½” long. That’s about half the distance from the tip of your finger to your first knuckle.

-Let your Wax Tech know if you have a medical condition, are taking any medication, are using any anti-aging or anti-acne products, or have a new tattoo or piercing.

-If possible, take a warm shower before your appointment to open up your hair follicles. Exfoliating the area to be waxed the night before helps to remove any build-up of dead skin cells.

-The day following your wax appointment, begin a daily routine of exfoliating the skin to prevent ingrown hairs. Buff Wax Spot sells fab ingrown-buster products to prolong the silky smooth skin.

In addition to all things wax related I wanted to ask Sina about her experience and advice for starting and running a business. I’m always so inspired by women following their passions and being your own boss is a ton of work. I have to say, I’ve asked a lot of women this question and Sina’s answers were by far my favourite- as I read each of her pieces of advice I found myself nodding along or want to yell out “hell yes”! Just check out a few of these nuggets of wisdom:

Trust your decisions. You don’t need to check in with your bestie or squad- this is your dream, not theirs. As a girl boss, you have to get used to calling the shots!

Don’t ignore the voice telling you “there’s more to your life than this”

Be prepared to say “no” more than “yes”

Measure twice, cut once. Research the hell out of your idea before jumping in. Assume 100 competent people have had the same idea. Your job is to figure out why that opportunity is an opportunity. Take baby steps and don’t quit your day job until your venture can fully support you.

Be selfish and own being selfish. This is your time to manifest your aspirations and it may mean that everything fun and distracting has to go away for a while. Women in particular struggle with this word called “guilt” if they’re self-absorbed. So you’ll have to decide if you’ll give in to demands on your time or take control and dive deep into manifesting your desire.

Find your God because you will need something to lean on. Food and alcohol are not it.

Have a business plan and expect it to be an ongoing labour of love. You may not have all the answers right away, but it gets you thinking about the right questions that need answers. It can also be painful to construct but if you can’t pen the 5 W’s of your business, then it’s unlikely you have a viable business to begin with.

Your business plan is your blueprint for success and you never know what door it will open for you. My business plan trumped my business’ financials, my personal financial worth, my education, and my references in convincing a sceptical property management group of Buff Wax Spot’s commercial viability which allowed us to open a shop in a highly desirable and high-traffic neighbourhood. I highly recommend the Resources section on Futurepreneur’s website where you can download a free, interactive Business Plan template. The website is: www.futurpreneur.ca/en/resources/

I love that Sina mentions being selfish and learning to say NO. I’ve talked before about some of my struggles with saying no and how as I’ve grown in my own business, I’ve had to learn to prioritize myself and do just as Sina said - become a bit selfish with my time and focus on what I truly want to be doing, not what I feel like I should be doing. Reading her advice was like a breath of fresh air! Preach it sista!

Overall, my experience at Buff Wax Spot was fabulous from start to finish. I had so much fun chatting with the girls there (just look how fun they look!) and my treatment left me feeling pampered and actually quite relaxed - I feel like I could have easily fallen asleep on the table (is that weird? lol). Sina and her team have got a good thing going and if you’re in Edmonton I’d highly recommend checking them out.

From their bright and beautiful space, friendly staff that make you feel totally comfortable (because let’s be honest, comfort is important if you’re letting someone wax your “bits”!) to their luxurious local products I can promise you’ll love it there too!

You can visit Buff Wax Spot at 9220 Ellerslie Rd SW. You can book appointments online at www.buffwaxspot.com or by calling 780-250-WAXD. You can also pop in and shop the incredible lines of green-beauty skincare for women and men that are locally made and highly effective in cleaning, moisturizing and protecting you beautiful skin.

This post was sponsored by Buff Wax Spot but as always all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog!

*Studio and staff photos provided by Buff Wax Spot