Wax On, Wax Off

I go to a salon near my house every couple of weeks to get my eyebrows waxed. Occasionally I'll stop in and get a manicure or pedicure, but generally I'm there, like clockwork, every couple of weeks just to get my eyebrows waxed.

The native language of 99 percent of the women who work in this particular salon, which specializes in manicures and pedicures, facial treatments and waxing, is not English, but in all the years I've gone there, I've never noticed a language barrier when it comes to the women there meeting and greeting, or when it comes to customers requesting whatever services they need to have done. This brings me to my question: is my lip really that hairy?

Yesterday afternoon, I walked into the salon and was greeted with smiles.

"I'm just here to get my eyebrows waxed," I said.

"You no want lip wax?" the lady at the counter asked.

This is pretty much the same scenario that plays out every two weeks when I go to that salon to get my eyebrows waxed. They always ask me if I need my lip waxed and I always tell them no. And when the esthetician waxing my eyebrows asks me why I don't want my lip waxed, I tell her that, when I've had my lip waxed on prior occasions (and I have), the skin above my lip breaks out about eight hours afterward. I've used the words "blemishes," "acne," and "breakouts" to describe what happens to the skin above my lip after it's waxed. And whoever is doing the waxing always nods--seemingly understanding what it is that I'm telling her. So, I don't know if these estheticians don't understand what I'm telling them, don't care, or just really need the money. (For the record I normally tip them $2 for the $8 eyebrow wax.)

Truth be told, though, I don't really care what their reasoning is for continually insinuating that I need to have my lip waxed. The truth is, when I walk into that salon and they ask me what I want done and I tell them "I just need my eyebrows waxed," that's what I mean. Whatever happened to "the customer is always right"? It does make me wonder, though, whether I should start braiding that hair above my lip.