Lay Bare wasn’t born from a flashy marketing strategy or a massive capital injection—it began with a personal problem and a big idea. “The business has been in existence for 17 years now,” shared Paolo Hilario, co-founder of Lay Bare. “It was founded by myself and two of my sisters. The three of us started it to address a very personal problem we wanted to solve.”
That problem? Unwanted hair—and the lack of clean, specialized, and affordable hair removal services in Metro Manila. Paolo’s sister, Fiona, had tried multiple solutions but found most places lacking. “She went to a parlor that offered a very similar technique and service and it solved her problem,” Paolo said. “Pero the problem was, the place was unhygienic, madaming tao, it was sort of congested and the service that the parlor was selling hindi naka-focus dun sa experience.”
Fiona saw a clear opportunity: create a focused, professional waxing service that emphasized quality and hygiene—something missing in the local market at the time. “She said, you know, what if we just focus on the quality of the service and position ourselves as experts?” Paolo recalled. “We could attract a lot of people who limit themselves and settle for something like this.”
Despite having no experience in salon operations or the beauty industry, the siblings leaned into their strengths and trusted each other. “Si Fiona, wala talaga syang business experience. Ako naman kasi mahilig akong mag-sideline, so parati akong may side hustle,” said Paolo. “When she floated the idea to me… I told her there’s nothing that I know about salon operations and hair removal in general, but let’s take a look at what you’re seeing.”
Their first location wasn’t in a mall or upscale neighborhood—it was a small commercial space beneath a rented condo in Paladan, Makati. “We couldn’t afford a mall location. In fact, the malls weren’t interested in us,” Paolo said. “So, we put up the salon in the area where my sister used to live.”
With an initial investment of just P200,000—pooled from the three siblings at P70,000 each—Lay Bare began its journey. Their goal wasn’t just to start a business but to improve a service that many had simply settled for.
Seventeen years later, Lay Bare has become a leading name in waxing and hair removal, proving that even the most personal challenges can lead to industry-disrupting innovations—especially when family, vision, and grit come together.
This article includes quotes from an interview originally published by Esquire Philippines, authored by Henry Ong.
