10 Questions with Kaylyn Kuntz, Owner of Sirens & Sailors Wax

Let’s not kid ourselves, skincare is complicated, sometimes pricey, and so many people know very little about what we should and should not do.  Let’s take some time to get professional advice from a skincare expert.

Save for dermatologists, there are few people as knowledgeable about the inner workings of our skin as Estheticians.  They see EVERYTHING – acne, scarring, rosacea, you name it.  We won’t even get into the unmentionables…I don’t know that we novices could handle it!

Kaylyn Kuntz, the owner, and founder of Sirens & Sailors Wax squeezed in a few minutes to be interviewed by Mr. Glitterati.  It should be known I’ve had the “Signature Brow Wax” and it is outstanding!!!

Let’s see what Ms. Kuntz has to say and what we can learn.

Let’s start with the easy one, what made you decide to become an Esthetician?

Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t see the signs when I was younger! When I was a kid I would literally rip the hairs out of my cousin’s legs (with tweezers so it was extra slow & painful, one by one… oops!), it’s a good thing they still love me and that I’ve learned so much since then! Little did I know as soon as I would turn 18, I would immediately schedule myself for my first Brazilian wax. I’ve been addicted ever since. Being an Esthetician is a skincare profession where you can choose where you specialize. When I started & to this day my passion lies within the waxing industry.

What’s something everyone should know if they’re going into the Esthetician business that isn’t commonly known?

Prepare yourself for ever-changing knowledge within the beauty industry because it’s happening constantly & rapidly. Take a look at the nail & lash industry… Nails have been around for quite some time but Lash Extensions are a little newer to the game. There’s so much to learn and it can be extremely overwhelming at times. Find your first interest & “anchor” yourself to it. Build up from there and see where your journey takes you.

How’d you come up with “Sirens & Sailors”?  Is there a backstory to the cool name and logo?

I love it when people ask me this but I also feel like I should have a much cooler answer than what I give, haha! Ultimately, I dreamt of creating an atmosphere for waxing that had a more androgynous feel to it. When people (especially men) think about “waxing” and where they need to go to have it done, the first image that pops into their mind is more times than not a very feminine boutique. Not to say that that’s bad, but the goal was to make not only women but men & nonbinary people feel welcome and comfortable to get any and all of their waxing services done in a safe environment with the utmost professionalism.

As far as the logo goes, I have to give credit to the incredibly talented artist (and sister), Jessie Kuntz. I gave her an idea to incorporate both a “sirens tail” and an “anchor” and she executed it flawlessly as always. I immediately fell in love and didn’t ask for any revisions or touch-ups as it became the official logo for Sirens & Sailors Wax from the very beginning.

What’s your favorite service?  What do you like to do the most?

Ooo, that’s a tough one. I personally love to do both our Signature Brow Wax and Brazilian services (Below-Deck Brazilian & Blackbeard’s Brazilian). If the eyes are the windows to the soul then the brows are the curtains! 😉 I love helping people feel beautiful in their own skin and you’d be surprised how much of a transformation brows can do to one’s confidence! As far as the Brazilian goes, well… you’ll just have to try and see for yourself one day (You’ll never want to pick up the razor or trimmers again)!

Tell us something everyone thinks is correct, but are completely wrong regarding skincare?

Stop looking at “skincare hacks” on Pinterest, TikTok, whatever. Rubbing acidic fruits such as lemon or grapefruit directly on your skin, or even toothpaste, to combat dry skin or treat a breakout is absolutely wrong and can damage the integrity of your skin. Let serums become your best friend as they’ve been clinically tested and perfected to actually assist in correcting your skin’s concerns. Always follow it up with a moisturizer and NEVER forget to SPF!

What’s the one client pet peeve you have?  Something that happens all the time that ruffles your feathers?!

It takes a LOT to ruffle my feathers, let me make that clear. Although, to be fair there are two things that more or less “irk” me that happen more often than you’d expect. One, when a “wax-virgin” is so scared (which is completely normal, I was there once myself) and without fail brings up the scene from “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”. We all know that scene. Any licensed professional who specializes in waxing can pick out piece by piece the incorrect technique & all-around poor execution of the service. But it’s Hollywood, they want the dramatic effect so unfortunately us specialty waxers get a bad rep until you dive off the deep end and try it yourself (Guess what, it’s not that dramatic, I promise)! Secondly, when a guest picks up the tweezers/razor/trimmer in between waxing sessions. It completely disrupts the hair cycles and delays getting you the smoother longer-lasting results that ultimately both YOU and I want. Don’t do it and don’t try to hide it either, we know. ;D

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your business?

I registered my business in February 2020 and the grand opening was scheduled days before the shutdown in March. It was definitely a bummer. Thankfully, not only did I have the most patient & supportive guests to wait it out with me (we didn’t really have a choice) but the landlord for my suite chose to withhold collecting rent while everything was at a standstill. He didn’t have to do that but he chose to anyway & foot the bill for his tenants during such a difficult time. Once we had the clear to open in Phase Two, we had an outstandingly strong Grand Opening weekend! We are now in the midst of the scorching summer months and have had a lovely influx of guests from the Henderson & Las Vegas Valley, not to mention people from Lake Las Vegas, Boulder City, even Pahrump! It’s been a crazy past few months but I’m staying hopeful and I’m staying safe and I ask my guests to do the same.

Many people hear “waxing services” and esthetician work and assume women’s services.  Would you say more men are receiving services?  Less?  About the same?

Waxing is primarily a very female-dominant industry. Now to say that men don’t get waxed would be a lie. There are plenty of men who get waxed, whether it’s a brow cleanup or a Captain’s Chest & Buccaneer’s Back Wax, everyone’s needs & hair is different. I believe waxing should be marketed more towards anyone regardless of your gender/identity. It ultimately boils down to being comfortable in your own skin, preferably smooth, hair-free skin. 😉

What’s a common misconception regarding Estheticians or what Estheticians do?

I’ve had people ask me on multiple occasions if I (word for word) “do hair”. They then immediately follow it up with a “how much would you charge for a cut & color”? I then have to specify what it is with hair that I “do”. They then blush if I ask them if they still want me to “cut and color it”. (Which yes, they do have fun colors for hair down there!) ;D Other than that, it’s usually just a little confusion in assuming we are Cosmetologists, they’re pretty cool too!

What would you say makes Sirens & Sailors unique?  What would you say is special?

The atmosphere, quality of care, and attention to detail. Even though there’s no beach in Nevada, I wanted to give a nautical retreat vibe to take my guests away from their day-to-day routines all while treating them to a high-quality service they wouldn’t forget. Waxing is no “walk on the beach” but I beg to differ.

In Kaylyn’s own words:

The formula of happiness and success is just being actually yourself, in the most vivid possible way you can. – Meryl Streep