Published: May 6, 2008
By Renew

Wax on. Wax off. No matter how creatively you name your eyebrow shaping services ("Arch Nemesis," anyone?), chances are your menu might be getting a bit stale. If you’re looking to spice up your hair-removal repertoire, sample an ancient Indian technique called threading. It’s a simple, super-precise alternative to tweezing and waxing smaller areas, like the eyebrows and upper lip.

Threading uses a strand-thin piece of twisted cotton, which is run along the skin to grab and remove the hair at the follicle. Your clients will love it because the procedure is said to be less painful than tweezing and less irritating than waxing. Plus, the overhead costs of threading supplies are remarkably low.

One Southern California-based company, Ziba Beauty, has made threading the root of its ever-growing business. The company was founded 1986 with only $2,000. Still charging just $11 to thread both eyebrows, Ziba Beauty plans to open 51 stores by 2012.

“We created this business with our hands,” says Sumita Batra, CEO of Ziba Beauty.

You can learn the art of threading through Ziba Beauty’s Ziba Academy, for example, or through a local class or workshop.

Weave an exotic, inexpensive, service into your spa menu—your usual waxing clients will be up for the adventure.