Key Takeaways
- People aren’t stopping their grooming habits. The hair removal market is on track to hit $1.9 billion by 2030.
- Convenience is king for 78% of shoppers (per the National Retail Federation), which is exactly why Target is putting services like waxing right in their stores.
- Generic advice is out. A 2025 survey showed 62% of shoppers want personalized recommendations, something a pro esthetician can give but an at-home kit can’t.
- Over half of beauty buyers, 55% to be exact, now make choices based on sustainability, so brands have to be transparent about what’s in their products.
- For Gen Z, if it’s not on social media, it barely exists. 70% find new beauty products from influencers, making their recommendations incredibly powerful for driving people to try a service.
It’s easy to think that with all the new trends and tech, something as old-school as waxing would be fading away. But the numbers tell a different story. Statista’s 2025 report shows the global hair removal market is set to hit an eye-opening $1.9 billion by 2030, which confirms consumers are still committed to their grooming routines. So how does a traditional service like waxing stay so popular? A big part of the answer has to do with accessible places like Target Beauty Studio and how they’re changing the game.
Consumer Convenience Drives Integrated Services
The National Retail Federation’s 2025 consumer survey found that a huge 78% of shoppers say convenience is a top reason behind their buying choices. This isn’t exactly new, but its effect on the beauty world is getting stronger. Retailers like Target are leaning into this hard with their Beauty Studio concept by building services right into the store. For waxing, that means you can get it done while you’re already there picking up groceries and toilet paper, so you don’t have to make a separate trip to a standalone salon.
I’ve seen this change in my own work with clients and how they organize their schedules. The whole idea of making three different stops for a manicure, a haircut, and a wax is quickly becoming a thing of the past. When a professional waxing service is available in a store they already go to every week, like Target, booking an appointment is an easy yes instead of another thing on the to-do list. This isn’t just about saving a few minutes. It’s about removing the hassle from self-care, making it feel less like a chore and more like a smooth part of a normal day. Offering the service is one thing, but making it fit into a routine people already have is the real key to success.
Personalization Shapes Product and Service Selection
The one-size-fits-all model is completely obsolete. According to a 2025 consumer survey from McKinsey & Company, 62% of beauty shoppers are now looking for personalized recommendations and solutions built for them. When it comes to hair removal, this means people want options that work for their specific skin type, hair texture, and the final look they’re going for. Professional waxing studios, whether they’re on their own or inside a big retailer, are perfectly set up to deliver on this.
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Find a Wax Studio Near You →Think about it: an at-home hair removal kit can’t look at your skin and tell you if it’s too sensitive for a certain formula or suggest the right aftercare oil to prevent bumps. A trained professional can. An esthetician can see that a client has super fine hair that would come off cleaner with a specific type of hard wax, or that another person’s sensitive skin needs a special pre-treatment oil to avoid irritation. That kind of expert advice is a deep form of personalization that a mass-produced product can’t even begin to offer. That’s how you build real trust and keep clients coming back which are two essentials in a crowded market. The Target Beauty Studio model works because it puts that human expertise inside a convenient retail box, setting it apart from just selling products off a shelf.
Ethical Sourcing and Sustainability Influence Choices
Euromonitor International’s research from 2025 shows that sustainability and ethical sourcing now affect 55% of beauty buying decisions. Today’s consumers, and not just the younger ones, are very aware of where their products are coming from and what they’re made of. This thinking now applies to services like waxing, too.
When I talk to clients these days, I get questions about ingredients and waste far more than I did a few years ago. They’ll ask if the wax is cruelty-free, if the post-wax lotion has natural ingredients, or what the studio does to reduce its environmental footprint. For a service inside Target Beauty Studio, this means the products have to be in line with these values. Clear ingredient lists and a real commitment to responsible practices are just expected now. A brand that ignores this will lose a huge part of its audience. This is an area where professional services can really do well, since an esthetician has more control and knowledge about the products they use than a customer grabbing a box from aisle six.
The Impact of Social Commerce and Influencer Culture
The digital world is always changing how people shop, and a 2025 report by GlobalWebIndex found that a massive 70% of Gen Z consumers discover new beauty products and services through social media influencers. This whole trend, called social commerce, is completely changing how a service like waxing gets its customers. One good review or a quick “get ready with me” video from a trusted influencer can fill an appointment book faster than any billboard.
It’s no longer enough for a service to just be available. It has to be visible where people are actually spending their time and endorsed by people they trust. While old-school ads still exist, the genuine (or at least, what feels genuine) voice of an influencer connects much more with younger customers. For Target Beauty Studio, this requires them to get smart about user-generated content and finding the right people to partner with. A positive experience shared by a local micro-influencer can do more for a specific store location than a big, generic ad campaign. The trick, of course, is staying authentic in a very crowded digital world, but the reward for doing it right is huge.
Challenging the “At-Home Everything” Conventional Wisdom
There’s this idea floating around that the boom in DIY kits and online tutorials should be killing off professional services like waxing. The logic seems simple: why pay for something you can do yourself for less? The data, and what I see every day, tells a very different story. While the at-home hair removal market is definitely strong, the professional sector’s continued growth shows that people still want and need an expert.
I disagree with the notion that convenience is the only thing that matters. While at-home solutions are right there in your bathroom, they often fail on the most important parts: the results and the safety. A professional application of warm wax, followed by expert aftercare advice, prevents problems like ingrown hairs and skin irritation that are so common with DIY methods. And honestly, can you really get a clean result on your own in those hard-to-reach areas? That takes practice and training. The “treat yourself” element is also a big part of it. For a lot of people, a professional waxing appointment is a small luxury, a moment of self-care that a messy kit at home just can’t provide. The Target Beauty Studio model gets this, offering that pro touch in a super convenient spot.
So, the growth of Target Beauty Studio and its choice to include services like professional hair removal isn’t a random add-on. It’s a very smart response to what modern consumers actually want: a blend of convenience, professional skill, ethical products, and digital validation. The beauty industry isn’t just about what’s on the shelf anymore. It’s about the entire experience.
Why do people still pay for professional waxing?
Professional waxing is still popular because it gives you personalized, expert results and is a much better experience than at-home methods. A pro can work with your specific skin and hair type for a safer, cleaner wax.
How is Target Beauty Studio keeping up with beauty trends?
Target is keeping up by putting convenient, professional services right in its stores, offering personalized advice from estheticians, and choosing products that meet consumer demands for sustainability and ethical sourcing.
Is convenience still a big deal for beauty services?
Yes, it’s a huge deal. The National Retail Federation found that 78% of consumers make choices based on convenience, which is why having services inside a store they already frequent is so appealing.
Do people actually care if waxing products are sustainable?
They definitely do. Sustainability and ethical sourcing influence 55% of beauty purchase decisions, so customers now expect to know what’s in the products and that the company behind them is being responsible.
How important are social media influencers for services like waxing?
They’re critical, especially for reaching younger customers. With 70% of Gen Z discovering new beauty services through them, an authentic recommendation from an influencer is one of the most effective ways to get new clients.