Ministry of Waxing

Welcome to Ministry of Waxing’s Tumblr, we’re the London Waxperts and this is our home online.

Here we’ll be talking about our products, our salons, our treatments and aftercare, our staff trainer Chloe will be answering all your beauty questions and look out for Ministry Recommends our chic guide to fabulous London life!

We’re social Waxperts, so don’t beat about the bush and join the London Waxpert community on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and foursquare.

Remember ‘ouch’? Or ‘aah’? We don’t. We stopped hearing noises like that so long ago we’ve forgotten how they sound. That’s because we’re the Waxperts, and we do things differently.

Our founder Cynthia Chua pioneered new waxing methods over a decade ago that made Minstry of Waxing what it is today. She wanted to make waxing less painful, less embarrassing and more hygienic, and that’s the ethos we still work by today. Across the world, our salons are devoted to the holy trinity of waxing: hygiene, speed and quality.

We know being waxed can be daunting, but you can trust us to make it as pleasant and comfortable as possible. Not only that, we also offer unrivalled standards of hygiene. We were the first to banish the ‘double dip’ from our salons, and every customer gets their own, vacuum-sealed waxing pack, so piece of mind is on the house.

Over the past decade, we’ve pruned over 2,000,000 bushes and performed more than 500,000 IPL hair removal procedures. We’ve got our technique so refined that we can neaten any unkempt bushes in a record 30 minutes. Our menu of secret recipe lotions (including Malin + Goetz & MOW Ingrown Hair Cream and MOW Ice Cream) offer unrivalled tenderness during and after waxing and IPL and keep you smooth and soothed from beginning to end and beyond.

We know what we’re doing. With us, you’re in safe hands. Literally.

SALON - FLORAL STREET

Tucked away on Floral Street, right around the corner from Covent Garden tube station is our stylish Covent Garden branch. With its vibrant carnival theme, wonderful, open reception area and labyrinthine passages that lead to our cosy salon treatment rooms, Floral Street is the temple at which our fur free congregation worship.

Given that we’re situated right in the heart of Covent Garden, we’re not the only reason you should visit. Wander round the buzzing piazza, grab yourself a cocktail in Light Bar, try the dresses in Betsey Johnson and grab a bite to eat in one of the hundreds of restaurants (maybe even pop into Coco De Mer if the fancy takes you). Don’t just come to see us, make a day of it.

Our Floral Street branch is open:

Monday – 10am – 8pm
Tuesday – 10am – 8pm
Wednesday – 10am – 8pm
Thursday – 10am – 9pm
Friday -10am – 8pm
Saturday – 10am – 7pm
Sunday – Noon – 6pm (Spring and Summer)

MAP

The closest tube station is Covent Garden. Pay us a visit, say hello to our Waxperts, admire the decor and feel at home as we go to work. We’ll see you soon!

Foursquare location: https://foursquare.com/v/ministry-of-waxing/4c9dfdcd2fb1a143ab96e540

When Cynthia Chua created Ministry of Waxing over ten years ago, waxing in her native Singapore was a bit ‘behind the times’. Poor standards of hygiene, a lack of understanding in pain prevention and little to no aftercare all contributed to making Singapore a pretty awful place to be tidied up.

Then Cynthia came along. She pioneered virtually pain-free waxing and locally unheard of standards of hygiene that revolutionized waxing for Singaporeans. But she didn’t want to stop there. Since then, Ministry of Waxing has become a worldwide institution. We have 34 salons in 10 countries and have been responsible for over 2,000,000 pruned bushes and 500,000 IPL procedures.

In our London salons at Floral St and South Molton St, we adhere to the same ethos Cynthia laid down back in Singapore a decade or more ago; we always want to be the best. Our Waxperts are trained to her high standards, meaning our hygiene is beyond reproach – no double dipping, sealed wax pack for each individual customer – and our aftercare products are amongst the best that can be bought.

So committed are we to ensuring the experiences of our London customers match those of our Singapore customers, our London trainers are sent to our Singapore HQ to learn the ins and outs of providing the very best service, the Ministry of Waxing way.

So from Cynthia’s mind to our spatulas, we know how to look after you. Pop in for the experience that rocked Singapore.

Feb 04

Ministry of Waxing is privileged to have salons in some of the best cities in the world. We’ve got salons in stunning cities like Hong Kong, New York and Singapore, and right at the top of this list is the fabulous, glamorous, ever-brilliant London.

Us London Waxperts love our home city, and we’d like to share that love affair with you. It’s for this reason that we’d like to introduce Ministry of Waxing Recommends.

Ministry of Waxing Recommends is an ongoing series of blogs and Foursquare tips that give you the inside track on everything the London Waxperts love in London. While our blog will be upcoming events, parties and exhibitions, our Foursquare tips give you all you need to know about things to do around our salons in vibrant Covent Garden and elegant Mayfair.

These tips include boutiques, bars, bistros, brasseries and everything you could possibly need for your perfect day in London town.

In 2001, our founder Cynthia Chua opened her first waxing boutique in sunny Singapore. Since then, our little outfit started a global waxing revolution that has moved across oceans from Singapore to London to New York City.

Today, we have 34 marvellous sister salons in nine cities around the world. All of our sisters have helped millions of ladies look and feel silky smooth— that’s why we’re not just Waxperts, we’re Global Waxperts!

So come and take a peek at our stylish salons and give us a call if we’re near you. We’ve been in this business for over 10 years, and our expertise will make you feel beautiful (and comfortable) no matter where you go.

The beach theme of our Kuala Lumpur salon is fun, quirky and memorable, helping to ensure our customers remember their time with us for all of the right reasons.

The edgy, industrial feel of our Shanghai branch adds to the unique experience provided at Ministry of Waxing.

The salons in this Jakarta branch are designed to put our customers at ease while our Waxperts go to work.

Quintessentially New York, this salon boasts bare brick walls, wide open spaces and creates a cosmopolitan feel.

So what are you waiting for? Pop into one of our London stores and meet the Waxperts. We’re waiting!

At Ministry of Waxing, we live by the simple mantra of Hygiene, Speed and Quality. Our waxing processes are safe, comfortable and – most importantly of all – put our customers at ease, no matter what the procedure.

However, if you think being waxed is a bit of a faff and want to save time, effort and – in the long run – money we are also world leaders in Intense Pulsed Light treatments. Want to know more? Read on.

Intense Pulsed Light treatment, or IPL, comes to you straight from the realms of sci-fi. The machine directs pulses of light straight down into the follicles of your stubborn, unwanted hair. The melanin in your hair absorbs the energy, converts it into heat and this process, over the course of six treatments, weakens the hair to the point where it won’t grow back for a long, long time. Not only this, but IPL treatments also reduce pigmentation in treated areas, giving you a smooth, blemish free finish for a long time.

It’s effective, it’s quick, and as with any visit to Ministry of Waxing, you can be assured that you’re in the hands of the best around.

We know what you’re thinking. And yes, it does sound complicated. But we promise, it’s not. Our technicians are intensively trained over eight weeks at a dedicated IPL academy to ensure that their knowledge is as comprehensive as can be.

Aside from this, we’ve spent nine years developing our technique and furthering the field of IPL. The machine we use is the toppest of top of the line – the Ferrari of IPL machines, if you will – so all of our customers are safe in the knowledge that the entire process – from tech to technician - is free of pesky bugs or weak links.

The main, standout benefit of IPL treatment is that you’re hair free for longer, while spending less time in salons. Our waxing treatments are already hassle free – IPL is even less fuss than that. Just six sessions (ten for facial treatments) and you’re hair free for around two years.

Over the course of three years, IPL Brazilian treatments can save you 75 hours in salons. That’s over three days for you to learn how to windsurf, speak French or anything you can’t get done while sitting in a salon.

Our post IPL treatments have been specially developed in conjunction with our global Waxperts to ensure that our customers have the best possible soothing care during and after treatment. The same ethos that runs through our waxing practices continues through everything we do.

Pop in for a chat, or speak to us on Facebook or Twitter. We’ve got all the answers you need.

When you’re a high flying fashionista like Poppy Dinsey, we understand how important it is to always look your best. That’s why our London Waxperts have given Poppy the chance to undergo one of our signature services here at Ministry of Waxing - IPL treatment. This is the first time Poppy has tried this de-hairing technique, and we’re following her journey; updating you with the access all area info on IPL!

Q. Hi Poppy, great catching up again. How have you been since your first round of IPL treatment?

A. Great thank you! A lot has gone on since that first session, there’s been New York and London Fashion Week, our new Android and iPhone apps were released, there have been parties and photo shoots and holidays and all sorts. Busy busy as always!

Q. What are your thoughts on your second and third follow up rounds? What else can you see and feel?

A. The results are pretty amazing already. My bikini line is really patchy now, it seems like some of the hairs are dead and gone forever. It’s fab where that has happened as the skin feels freshly waxed day after day after day. I can be so much lazier with shaving now, so it’s going to be unbelievable once I’ve finished all my sessions!

Q. How much of a difference is there between before you started the treatment, compared to the results of your last round of IPL?

A. The difference is massive, my skin looks completely different because even when I’d be freshly shaven I have such dark hair that you’d see it under the skin.

Q. What do you do to occupy yourself during your treatment time?

A. The beds at Ministry are so comfy that it’s hard not to sleep, I want one at home! There’s always plenty to chat about with the therapists but to be honest I’m usually so knackered that I just doze off. And I guess that’s a testament to how it really doesn’t hurt apart from a couple of mins on the more, errr, awkward areas!

Q. How has this changed your typical beauty regime?

A. It’s changed a lot as I would normally want to shave my legs as the last thing I do before going out, now I don’t really think about them. I loved the results of bikini waxing but hated the growth period in between so I love that IPL requires shaving before treatments…and obviously the need to shave at all is getting less and less.

Q. Do you plan to keep up your IPL treatments, are you tempted to go back to waxing or shaving?

A. It’s funny, I haven’t embarked upon IPL for my underarms so as I don’t really think about shaving any more I sometimes realise I haven’t shaved my underarms and I catch them in the mirror and I’m horrified! I think I need to invest in getting them zapped too before I do a Julia Roberts somewhere important. I may always have to shave a bit depending on how much of the hair gets ‘killed’ forever, but the results of IPL have already made a huge difference and I’m only three sessions in. I’m going to the Bahamas in January and I *may* be tempted to wax my bikini line for that just so I don’t have to think about it out there at all, but by then I’ll have had a couple more IPL sessions so may not even need to. Also, you can’t overstate how fun it is to actually see your hairs fall out a few days after a session….it’s very rewarding!

Q. Would you recommend to invest in the treatment, and why?

A. Yes, definitely. Or at least go and speak to a therapist and see how suitable you are. I’m very lucky as my skin/hair tone makes me a very good candidate….but at the same time it’s being that skin/hair tone that has made shaving/hair removal such a chore my entire life! I was doing a photo shoot for a pair of shoes recently and I had to have make-up applied to a horrible three inch scar I have on my ankle from a shaving injury…and it STILL looked terrible in the shots. Luckily they could airbrush it all out but I remember thinking at the time how grateful I was that I’ll hopefully never have a razor injury again. Shaving is such a chore and I’ve never found it as ‘pain-free’ as everyone makes out, yes it’s cheap and easy but the results never impressed me. I like waxing but the cost of it over the years plus the hair re-growth issue means I can’t see why you wouldn’t switch to IPL if you were suitable.

Q. What are your favourite beauty trends of the year so far?

A. I’d love to have a go at grungy dip dying, but I am sticking to all things classic. Maybe I’m getting old? My main obsession is good nails (I like nude polishes best), strong eyebrows (thanks toBrowhaus!) and flawless skin with flushed/sunkissed cheeks. I’m loving seeing this 90s revivals on others and all these dark vampy lip stains but I’m more of an eyes girl, I like to keep my eyes smoky so to wear with statement lips as well can be a bit drag queen. I’m happy with lip balm! I am getting laser eye surgery next month though (I’m obsessed with lasers, clearly!) so I can finally ditch my glasses and show off my peepers!

Thanks Poppy! If you have any questions for Poppy, or would like to know more about IPL treatment and book an appointment, you can contact us here, on Twitter or Facebook.

Nov 06

Aug 08

London Fashion Week correspondent and founder of fashion social network WIWT Poppy Dinsey comes to Ministry of Waxing for her IPL. Over the next weeks and months we will be following Poppy’s experiences as she undergoes a full series of IPL treatments at our London HQ. Here are Poppy’s thoughts in her first interview after her treatment, answering the questions you all want to know!

Q. Hello Poppy, welcome to Ministry of Waxing, can you please tell us and the Ministry of Waxing fans a little bit about yourself?

I run the outfit sharing social network What I Wore Today - WIWT.com. It’s an exceptionally busy job! As well as managing an ever growing community of fashion types, I work with brands on a whole range of projects from reporting at London Fashion Week to evangelising about tech products. I live in West London and I’m 25.

Q. For all those who aren’t 100% sure what IPL is, how would you best describe it?

Whenever people ask me about it it seems the main things they want to know is does it hurt and does it work - well it doesn’t hurt and does work! No reputable salon will ever guarantee permanent total hair loss, but you should get a pretty unbelievable reduction in hair growth. As for how it feels, the most uncomfortable part is probably the cold gel that’s applied straight from the fridge to prepare the skin! Once that’s lathered on nicely the therapist gets to zapping away. You have to wear some pretty unsexy dark glasses but the process itself is a bit like getting an ultrasound scan. (Except on your legs). You always read online that the sensation of being ‘zapped’ is like being flicked with an elastic band, I don’t think it even feels like that to be honest. You can barely feel anything, just a bit of warmth.

Q. Was there anything that was worrying you about attending an IPL treatment? How did Ministry Of Waxing put you at ease?

I wasn’t worried about the pain, but I was worried about some of the practical issues like whether or not you need to be freshly shaven (you do) and length between tanning and waxes before starting IPL and so on. There are quite a few things to bear in mind when it comes to sun exposure (and fake tan too - anything that changes the colour of the skin) so you need to follow the prep guidelines and post-treatment care advice that you’re given. I thought I’d be able to wax between treatments but this is a big no-no as MOW explained. If you’re used to waxing, don’t assume the usual do’s and don’ts apply for IPL - they’re very different treatments. MOW made everything very clear, even things like how long I should expect the session to last and giving me the option of separating my legs/bikini appointments if I was worried about being in there for more than an hour.

Q. What do you think of the results?

I am literally stunned at the results after one session. I’ve just been on holiday and didn’t shave my legs once, I’d usually have to shave them twice a day as my hair is SO dark! It’s weird seeing the hairs shed, pulling at them becomes quite addictive. Seeing hair you’ve battled with for years just fall out is pretty heavenly. I’m very excited to see the effects after a few more sessions.

Would you recommend IPL over any other type of treatment, such as waxing or shaving? Why?

100% yes. I despise shaving, I often feel like the only girl in the world who actually finds shaving painful. My skin gets so irritated and you can still see the dark hair under my skin anyway so it just feels like a completely pointless exercise. Waxing is great as the results are instant whereas the shedding stage of IPL only happens a few days after treatment, but IPL offers a much more permanent solution, is a hell of a lot less painful AND you don’t have to let the hair grow in between treatments. Surely the worst part of waxing is having to let the hair grow out first?! For IPL you have to be clean shaven.

Is there a Ministry of Waxing or Browhaus treatment you’re secretly planning to try out next?

I desperately want my eyebrows done, but I’m not sure I’m brave enough for threading so I may have to stick with waxing and plucking! I’d love to get my eyelashes done too but I’ve heard that gets addictive! Oh and IPL on my underarms, they’re getting jealous of my legs and lady bits.

Poppy is here to answer all your questions throughout, so feel free to submit your questions through Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr!

Jul 04

Hygiene, Speed and Quality at Ministry of Waxing

Ministry of Waxing follow three simple rules to ensure that the waxes we give are set apart from any other salon in London, the country, the world… anywhere. These rules are known as HSQ: Hygiene, Speed and Quality.

We are nothing less than scrupulous about how treatments are carried out and how our staff are trained, so every Waxpert has had waxy wisdom imparted to them before they go anywhere near your fuzzy bits.

Hygiene:

For us, hygiene isn’t just a process; it’s a mantra. Every single customer receives their own sealed hygiene pack containing latex gloves, spatulas, wet wipes, cotton pads and gloves. We were also the first salon in London to enforce the No Double Dipping rule - each spatula is fresh and sterile before touching any area of your skin.

We’re so serious about the standard of our work here at Ministry that our therapists are put through bootcamp before they start work at their respective salon. This is based in Singapore, where Ministry of Waxing was born, and is a lengthy four weeks of vigorous training to ensure they achieve true Waxpert status every time they service a customer.

Speed

How long your wax takes is going to depend on the thickness and amount of your hair, but as a rule it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes - 15 in most cases.

Some customers prefer to be waxed slowly, whereas others prefer wax to be whipped off quickly. It’s all down to you, just let us know what you’d prefer.

Quality

Gone are the days of fiddly, painful strip waxing. We use combinations of hard and soft hot wax which are suited especially to each customer. For example if your skin is over-sensitive, a good option is usually our Lavender soft wax, whereas the perfect wax for Hollywood and Brazilian services is our Wild Berry Chocolate wax, which induces minimal pain for maximum effect.

HSQ is our secret for that smooth, hairless, painless result you expect from the world’s leading Waxperts. When will you be coming in to see us?

May 11

John De Lucie’s Lion NYC is a stylish and exclusive speakeasy themed restaurant that sits on New York’s West 9^th St and serves up classic dishes to the great and the good of New York City.

Now, De Lucie has brought his Lion to London, with a two-month residence at the Brompton Club, South Kensington.

The Brompton Club is usually a members only affair, but is opening its doors from now until July for diners at Lion, so visitors to the pop up get two doses of exclusivity for the price of one. The opening saw guests like Pixie Lott and Nicola Roberts stopping by to sample some of De Lucie’s signature dishes, including a chicken pot pie that we hear is to die for.

The Lion is a taste of New York flown all the way across the Atlantic to SW7 and – in our opinion, anyway – it’s just too good to miss!

May 04

Looking for the complete waxing experience? Here’s 10 reasons why we outstrip our competitors

We love what we do. Over a decade of experience, passion, craft and wisdom has gone into making Ministry of Waxing outstanding in our field. Our ever-evolving methods live by our never changing ethos – Hygiene, Speed and Quality.

But what reason would you have to choose us over our competitors? We’ve had a think, so here’s 10.

1. Ministry of Waxing is an institution. Set up over a decade ago to take away the pain and embarrassment from the waxing process, that’s what we’ve been doing ever since.

2. We’ve pruned over 2,000,000 bushes, and performed over 500,000 IPL procedures. Our Waxperts are the best around, and they have the experience to give you peace of mind and a virtually pain free, lightening fast wax.

3. We’ve set tongues wagging. Over the years we’ve repeatedly been voted Best Brazilian Wax and Fastest Waxer and featured in Wallpaper Magazine, WWD, The Luxe Guide, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

4. We don’t believe in flat pack salons. Each Ministry of Waxing salon is individually designed to give our customers a unique experience that’s memorable for the right reasons, not the wrong ones.

5. No double dipping! We outlawed double dipping of spatulas in wax. Our Waxperts deal only in the highest standards of hygiene. Each customer gets their own sealed wax pack, our Waxperts wear latex gloves and masks for all their treatments. When you put yourself in our hands, we look after you properly.

6. We have the highest commitment to quality from beginning to end and beyond. Our full time Quality Control team constantly tests our products and procedures to ensure you get the best from us.

7. Our therapists are bootcamped by world-class wax experts. Trainers are sent to our Singapore HQ to learn their techniques from the masters.

8. The customer is our first priority – all customer service calls are answered within 24 hours and we have on site medical specialists to take care of all your post wax needs.

9. Relentless research and development means that the latest innovations in waxing or aftercare are passed on to you immediately.

10. With salons in Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, Shanghai, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, it’s only a matter of time until the whole world’s been waxed at Ministry of Waxing!

Apr 05

It seems like Damien Hirst has been at the cutting edge of the British art scene since forever. It’s been over 20 years since his Natural History series that saw him suspend dismembered animals in formaldehyde planted him firmly into the public consciousness, and he’s been there ever since. Perhaps the most famous (or should that be infamous?) of the YBAs, Hirst has fascinated and shocked in equal measure for a generation.

This latest exhibition is a retrospective of some of his finest work. Expect pill cabinets, spots, butterflies and skulls, as well as The Physical Impossibility of Death in The Mind of Someone Living, a shark suspended in formaldehyde (part of the aforementioned Natural History series).

We certainly won’t be missing this, and we would recommend that you don’t either. If you’re lucky, you can even get a Damien Hirst designed Thames Clipper from Millbank pier to take you to the Tate Modern. We will see you there!