We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mayra Cortes a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mayra, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a time you helped a customer really get an amazing result through their work with you.

My client, Alexis, struggles with PCOS, a hormonal disorder that causes hirsutism. Hirsutism is a condition that results in excessive hair growth in women like the face, chest, and back. Alexis’ problem area with hirsutism is her face, specifically her chin. She would spend over an hour every week trying to remove the hair with tweezers, would avoid pictures, and miss out on social events due to being self conscious and embarrassed of her facial hair. She was hesitant to get waxed because she didn’t know what to expect. I reassured her the process is a lot quicker and the results last longer due to removing hair from the root. I explained how important it is to keep a waxing schedule and adhere to a proper skin care routine for the best results. From the very first wax appointment to now Alexis has loved the outcome. The confidence that now radiates off Alexis is most meaningful to me. Bringing her self confidence up, making her feel: free, refreshed, womanly is an indescribable feeling.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Mayra Cortes, I’m a full body waxing expert and owner of Bare Basics Waxing Studio LLC. I started off my journey at Aveda in 2019 and became a certified esthetician in 2020. Due to covid being at its peak in 2020 my career in waxing was nonexistent pushing me to work in banking. From 2021 to 2023 while working at the bank I applied to several waxing chains but my schedule never aligned with theirs. However, I never gave up on my craft; I would wax a couple of friends and family members in their homes or mine, I watched countless videos, read articles, and tested several different wax brands. In the midst of testing different wax brands I found Nova Wax to work best for me. It is hypoallergenic, works on all hair types from fair to coarse, and gentle on skin. I not only use their wax but also their pre and post care products. After being in the banking industry for a few years I decided in 2023 to rent out a suite and pursue my waxing career on my own. It was not ideal to start a business with very limited clientele but I took that leap of faith. My clientele has grown over the year and a half due to word of mouth, networking, and social media. Im extremely proud of myself for not giving up especially in the beginning (although I still feel as this is just the beginning for me) and for continuing to make women feel beautiful. A lot of people believe this is just cosmetic but I boost women’s confidence. The best part is seeing my clients leaving with a smile knowing they are feeling their best. My ability to create bonds with my clients makes the waxing experience unique here at Bare Basics Waxing Studio LLC. I’m not just removing hair, I’m also an outlet for people to be heard, seen, and valued.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I officially opened my doors at Bare Basics Waxing Studio LLC I had maybe five people total who came to me for their waxing needs, all family/friends. It was enough to keep me going and believing in myself but not enough to pay the bills. Working full time at the bank left minimal time at the suite. I began small and asked the few clients I had to refer me to different friends/family with a chance to get a discount on their next wax. I created an Instagram page, @barebasicsws, dedicated to Bare Basics Wax Studio LLC. Creating content was not easy (and I’m still not a professional) but the videos and pictures are starting to become more natural. My persistence on Instagram and sharing my work in person has helped me gain new clients who now come to me regularly.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I decided to go back to school in 2019 to become an esthetician. At the beginning of 2020 I graduated from Aveda, scheduled my licensing exam right after, but was forced to reschedule due to the Covid. Restrictions for Covid rose and the shutdown began. The shutdown forced me to look into other career paths, I went with banking. Very different from what I had wanted but in 2020 it was one of the few jobs hiring and keeping employment. Covid was something that came out of nowhere that forced me to adapt to the circumstances.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://barebasicsws.square.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barebasicsws

Image Credits

Adriana Mancio