By Editorial TeamIt’s 2026, and the story for us in the waxing industry is one of serious waxing industry growth, but it’s easy to forget how bad things got back in 2020. That global health crisis shut everything down. Salons went dark, our books emptied overnight, and the whole personal care routine people relied on just… stopped. This recovery we’re seeing didn’t happen by accident. It was built on salons figuring out what clients actually needed to feel safe again. So how did we get here?
Key Takeaways
- By the middle of 2025, client volumes had already bounced back to over 70% of what they were before the pandemic, mostly because people were ready to get back to their personal grooming and self-care routines.
- To get back on their feet, 85% of salons that made it through adopted digital booking and contactless pay systems, which gave clients the convenience and safety they were looking for.
- Showing clients exactly what you were doing to keep things clean, through new hygiene rules and being totally open about them, was what rebuilt trust and brought people back in the door.
- Adding new services like express treatments and bringing back loyalty programs helped push the average client spend up by 15% over 2019 levels.
- Focusing marketing on local clients, especially using social media, worked way better for re-engaging the community than big, generic ad campaigns ever did.
The biggest hurdle at first was obvious: our doors were locked by government mandates, so nobody could get in. But even when we could technically reopen, a deep-seated fear of close contact kept people away, which made the old model of relying on walk-ins and word-of-mouth totally useless. This was a complete reset of how clients thought and what our salons had to do to function. Any business owner who just sat around waiting for things to go back to “normal” got left behind, fast.
A lot of salons misread the room at first by underestimating how freaked out clients were. People were worried about getting too close to anyone, sure, but they were also looking hard at their budgets. Just reopening the doors with a few minor tweaks didn’t work because it ignored those fears. I saw some places offering huge discounts before they even proved they were safe, which just made them look cheap and didn’t convince nervous clients to come in. Others wasted money on big, generic ads when what their local clients really needed was to hear directly from them about what they were doing to protect them. I’m convinced the issue was never a lack of demand for waxing. It was a total lack of confidence in how that service was going to be provided.
The salons that recovered fastest zeroed in on two things: obsessive hygiene and easy-to-use tech. A total revamp of sanitation rules was the first step and it wasn’t optional. We’re talking about very visible, very thorough cleaning between every single appointment, estheticians in proper PPE, and then telling clients exactly what you were doing. Many of us brought in medical-grade disinfectants and even air purifiers, and we made sure to mention those upgrades in our emails and social posts. It wasn’t just for show. A 2025 report from the Professional Beauty Association confirmed that salons who were public about their improved waxing studio hygiene saw clients come back 30% faster than the ones who kept quiet.
Confidence-boosting bikini & Brazilian waxing
Gentle, expert waxing that leaves you smooth for weeks. Find a trusted studio near you.
Find a Studio Near You →On the tech side, things moved fast. Online booking went from a nice-to-have to an absolute must-have because clients wanted to schedule from their couch and avoid hanging out in a waiting room or at the front desk. The same went for contactless payments through apps like Google Pay and Apple Pay which cut down on another point of physical interaction. This move to digital was also about making everything easier, as clients now expect the whole process to be smooth, from booking their appointment to paying for it on their phone. Salons that got these systems in place found they were running a much tighter ship with less paperwork and happier clients, and it was great to see so many smaller, indie spots that had been tech-averse finally take the plunge and see it pay off right away.
Smart businesses didn’t just sit back and wait for the phone to ring. They went out and got their clients back. They sent out personalized emails, maybe targeting regulars who always got a Brazilian, to remind them how good a professional wax feels and to walk them through all the new safety rules. Social media was huge for this. You’d see a salon in, say, Midtown Atlanta using its Instagram stories to give a tour of its super-clean treatment rooms and show off a new air filtration unit which is exactly the kind of thing city clients wanted to see. That kind of targeted, local communication that built real trust worked infinitely better than just buying a generic ad.
And it all worked. By the end of 2025, the industry was back, and in a lot of places, business was even better than before the pandemic. An early 2026 market analysis from Grand View Research confirms it, showing a global market value for hair removal that points to real consumer confidence and consistent demand. This growth is being fueled by a huge cultural focus on personal well-being. After years of being cooped up and uncertain, people are spending money on routines that give them a confidence boost, and professional waxing delivers that immediate, feel-good result that they’re looking for.
That forced downtime also gave a lot of us a chance to rethink our menus. We saw salons roll out “express” waxes for busy clients and develop new treatments for sensitive skin or niche areas. Loyalty programs came back in a big way, with perks and discounts for regulars. All these moves helped push the average client spend up, about 15% higher than in 2019, and kept those clients coming back. It turned out people wanted an experience that was safe, fast, and felt like it was designed for them. That’s the kind of adaptability that’s driving all this waxing industry growth right now, if you ask me.
The industry’s comeback really shows what happens when businesses adapt. The salons that put client safety first with better hygiene, made life easier with digital tools, and talked openly with their local communities turned a disaster into a chance to build something stronger. Personal care is different now, and the people who figured that out are the ones winning.
If you want to keep growing in this market, you have to stay focused on the client experience. The new standard is a service that feels safe, personal, and runs without a hitch. That means investing in ongoing staff training for new techniques and better customer service, and it also means keeping your booking and payment tech up to date. You can’t just fix things once and call it a day. You have to keep getting better.
Things look good for the waxing industry, and I expect we’ll keep growing. People are still committed to their self-care routines, and the industry keeps getting better at service, hygiene, and tech. The salons that keep their waxing salon safety standards high and listen to what clients want are the ones that are going to do well.
What specific hygiene measures became standard in the waxing industry post-pandemic?
The new standard is pretty strict. It means using medical-grade disinfectants on every surface and tool, using disposable items whenever you can, and having technicians in full PPE (gloves, masks). We also saw better ventilation systems put in place. A lot of salons started staggering appointments to get more cleaning time between clients and to keep the waiting room from getting crowded.
How has technology influenced the recovery and growth of waxing salons?
Tech was a huge part of the comeback. Online booking for scheduling, contactless pay to avoid handling cards or cash, and digital intake forms became the norm. These tools just make everything run smoother and safer for the client, which is something people now expect everywhere they go.
Are clients spending more or less on waxing services compared to before the pandemic?
People were careful with their money at first, but by mid-2025, the average client was actually spending about 15% more than they did back in 2019. This is because everyone’s more focused on self-care, plus salons are offering more services and have good loyalty programs that get people to come back and try new things.
What role did local marketing play in the industry’s recovery?
Local marketing was everything. Using social media like Instagram let salons talk directly to their actual clients in the community. They could post videos of their clean rooms, explain their new safety rules, and run special deals for locals. It was a much better way to rebuild that neighborhood trust than spending money on some big, faceless ad campaign.
What is the outlook for the waxing industry in the coming years?
The future looks strong. Growth is expected to continue because people remain dedicated to personal grooming and the industry keeps improving how it delivers services. As long as a business keeps its standards high for client experience and safety and pays attention to what people want, it should do just fine.
