Stephanie Spear Anh ‘Annie’ Nguyen is the Ms. Annie behind Ms. Annie’s Waxing Studio. While her two locations, in Tysons Corner and Reston, offer solely waxing services, what Annie offers to clients is a welcoming and peaceful environment for first-time or umpteenth-time wax clients. Clients return to Annie’s for the top-tier waxing services and the boutique selection of items available in-store. Read on for more about Ms. Annie and her two wax studios.
About Annie
Anh ‘Annie’ Nguyen came to the US from Vietnam as a teen and landed in Northern Virginia. She has since stayed in Fairfax County. Her first professional role was as an IT recruiter. “I was in IT recruiting for seven years, and I was just lost. I didn’t like it, and I wasn’t good at it,” she said. While Annie considered her next move, she explored different career options that would give her more autonomy and professional satisfaction.
She knew that on-the-job training would make a difference for her, and when a five-star spa and salon accepted her for training, her path was set. “I worked there for about two years and then went out on my own,” she said. The first location of Ms. Annie’s Waxing Studio opened in 2016 in Tysons Corner, at 7777 Leesburg Pike, Suite 201S.
Annie grew her client base and hired additional aestheticians while keeping the focus on providing high-quality waxing services. In 2021, Annie opened a second location in Reston, at 11730 Plaza America Drive, Suite 120. Annie said that the Reston location grew a lot faster than the Tysons location, based on the salon’s reputation. “We build a really good clientele and because of Tyson’s reputation,” she said. “we were able this was able to take off much faster than Tysons.”
About the Salon
The wax used at Ms. Annie’s is custom-made per Annie’s specifications. The formula is designed to prioritize the client’s long-term skin health. “It’s not just about removing hair. It’s about how you feel after waxing—not just today, but in two weeks, in a month,” Annie said. The wax was developed in partnership with a female-owned manufacturing company in Colorado, and removes 99% of hair roots, leading to softer regrowth and fewer ingrown hairs over time. “It’s called Ms. Annie’s Wax and only other licensed professionals can buy it,” she said.
The salon has a boutique feel, thanks to the curated selection of products available for purchase. “Every product in the studio is from a female-owned, small business. If I can text the owner directly, that’s a small business to me,” she says. Fan favorites include body scrubs, lotions, and non-toxic scented candles.
Annie’s love for plants is also apparent at the salon. There are mature, leafy plants filling the space, giving the space a calm energy.
What to Expect
For Annie, it’s important to create a welcoming and supportive environment for clients and staff. “We care about the client’s experience, the results, and helping them take care of their skin,” she says. “It’s like coming to see a friend, not just a waxer.”
This ethos extends to her team “We try to be happy and enjoy what we do, and that translates into the customer service we provide,” Annie said. For first-timers in particular, Annie wants them to feel cared for. “We care about their own experience, and we care about the results. We want to help them take care of their skin,” she said.
Both men and women are welcome in the salon. Annie says she was one of the first waxers to offer male Brazilians many years ago. “It used to be taboo but a lot of male clients will come in for a Brazilian and get something else like a back or chest wax,” she said. “And they like it, so they tell their friends, and we get a lot of word-of-mouth referrals that way.”
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