Ladies,
Let me start by saying…this entry is not for the faint at heart, sensitive skinned, or painfully (pun intended) shy. Since most American women have abandoned their Neanderthal ways, hair removal in the 21st Century is very much a routine if not a requisite. Some shave, others use depilatories, still others pluck, some thread, many wax, and more are beaming (laser-ing). And if you’re a true hair-contender, as I am, you probably have tried all of the above (at least once). Ouch…I mean, oh, how I wish there were one method that worked smoothly for every body part. I prefer the precision of "threading and plucking for my brows(I visit Thread in midtown Manhattan bi-weekly), a shave for my under arms and legs sans moisturizing cream (in my shower almost daily), and waxing for my “down there”– the mature focus of this entry.
I’ve waxed my (in the words of “friend-in-my-head,” Oprah) “vajayjay” religiously every 5-8 weeks for the last 8 years, year round: spring, summer, fall, and winter. At roughly $70 a session, plus the essential maintenance products: an exfoliant and anti-inflammatory/in-grown hair eliminator liquid or pads, I’d say, I’m pretty invested in my pubic life.After shave I use also Brazilian soap made of Coapaiba
you can get here natural handcrafted soap
My relationship with my primary South-of-the-Border aesthetician, Bella W. of NYC’s Bliss Spa http://www.blissworld.com is an intimate one. I feel like I know her newlywed daughter and entrepreneur son personally though I’ve only seen wedding and camera-phone pictures. She knows when my visit is one of maintenance or something else…like a vacation. She knows when I’m working out hard or going through an emotional eating phase. Bella knows.
I’ve personally referred at least 15 friends and colleagues to Bella over the years. Almost each one of them, like me, grew to attest that waxing “down-there” helped them experience a new level of femininity. I always leave her table, even after reshaping my form as only a contortionist would, floating through the streets of NYC like a ballerina, stopping at each corner with the alluring confidence of a salsa dancer. I feel all woman!
So when a “Brazilian Virgin” friend of mine, Ms. O, told me that she wanted to go completely bare before she returned to the heat of her temporary home in the desert, but had no clue what to do, what not to do, what to expect or how to maintain, I decided a simple guide was in order. And to put my mind in the spirit of being a “BV”, I went to a hair removal outpost I’d never visited, Completely Bare Downtown NYC (http://www.completelybare.com/) and saw Lorraine.
WHAT TO DO:
Schedule your wax one or two weeks after your period, never right before as your skin is typically more sensitive right before your menstruation.
If you have a low tolerance for pain of discomfort, take a Tylenol or ibuprofen one hour before your wax, says Anita Schuessler, Education Manager for Bliss Spas.
Take a relaxing shower or bath at the spa or as close to your appointment as possible, says Lorraine. It serves two purposes: you’ll feel fresh for your close up and ultimately more relaxed.
Communicate with your aesthetician. Tell her if the wax feels too hot or if you have any skin sensitivity.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
Don’t shave for at least three weeks before going for your appointment. Hair must be long enough (at least 1/8 of an inch) for the wax to grip.
Don’t tense up. When you tense up your skin cannot be pulled taut by the aesthetician and is more likely tear. Practice a slow inhale and exhale.
EXPECT:
A thorough and delicate wax BV should take at least 30 minutes.
You may be asked to take a weird position like hold your knees to your chest or to lie in a froglike position.
ASK YOUR WAXER:
To use different a new depressor each time she applies wax. Double dipping into the wax is unsanitary.
To wax in small sections, especially if your skin is sensitive. And if you skin is extremely sensitive, ask her to do a small patch test on your inner thigh.
AFTER:
DAY OF: If red use an anti-inflammatory cream, gel, liquid made with hydrocortisone or al natural aloe.
DAY OF: Exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin and minimize the chance of ingrowns.
DAY AFTER then TWICE A DAY: Use a salicylic-infused in-grown hair eliminator liquid or pads.
DAILY: Just add moisture.
Needless to say, I loved Lorraine. And when I can’t get to Bella, I’ll head to her. Hellllooo, sunshine! Hello, shoreline! Hello, Brazil!
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