Wax Rhapsodic

Dipping your appendages in hot wax may not sound like an indulgence to most people, but it is to those in the world of beauty.

If you’ve never had a brush with a luxury manicure or pedicure, dipping your hands and feet in wax is what’s known as a paraffin treatment. The process leaves skin nourished and moisturized. The hands, forearms, shins and feet are then dipped in a metal vat of hot wax. If it sounds painful, it is--in a no-pain-no-gain kind of way. The hands and feet emerge covered in a warm, gooey mess, which begins to harden in the cool air. After the paraffin is wiped off, the skin feels silky soft. We were a bit surprised to learn Burke Williams Day Spa in Los Angeles also offers full-body paraffin treatments. Ouch!