How do you eat an elephant?

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

I was reminded of the above advice from waxing legend Lori Nestore last week, and it's the perfect inspiration for when you're feeling overwhelmed with the task ahead.

It happens to all of us at least once. Usually in the early days of our hair removal career, fresh faced and starry eyed, it seems the universe decides to test our mettle: "so you think you're a waxer, huh? Well then, wax THIS!"

The client unbuttons his shirt or you whip off the modesty towel and it's like the first days of disco all over again. You literally can't see skin for hair. Your mouth goes dry, beads of sweat start running down your forehead and the room seems to spin. You don't know whether to wax it or plait it, and running away to join the circus suddenly seems like a much more attractive career option...

Well, my little waxlings, next time you find yourself wondering whether a woolly mammoth snuck into your treatment room while your back was turned, remember the wise words above.

1. Stop, breathe, and break things down into manageable chunks.
2. Trim if you need to - you'll be able to see the directions of growth easier and it'll prevent longer hairs getting tangled in the wax.
3. Section things out - you don't need to apply and remove all of your wax in one fell swoop.
4. Start by laying one strip at a time and don't be afraid to work small - shorter/narrower strips of wax over smaller areas are easier to keep track of if you're feeling overwhelmed.
5. If it takes you an extra 10 minutes but means your client walks out hair-free and happy (and you don't want to jack it all in and join the circus after all), then it's an extra 10 minutes well spent.

 Elephant Eater: achievement unlocked! 🏆🐘👍

© Andy Rouillard 2017