There’s a few things you should know before you get waxed. Image by Adobe Stock.
If you’re reading this article I will assume that you’ve made the decision to or are thinking about getting a Brazilian wax. If you’re anything like me, the prospect of getting a full wax down there is both intriguing and petrifying, but for the sake of beauty and being able to ditch the razor, the pros outweigh the cons. Now, I’m not going to sugar coat this for you because you need to know that it hurts, a lot. But only if this is going to be your first time. The first is always the worst and every time after that seems to get a bit easier to manage. However, there are some things you need to know before jumping straight in, preparation is key here. Not all waxes are going to be the same, I’ve had good and very, very bad waxes and everytime I’ve gained a new bit of insight so that the next wax is just that little bit easier. So to prevent you from having a horrific experience I’ve compiled a list of things you need to know before your first wax.
Good luck ladies.
Do your research
This is my number one piece of advice for you… Do. Your. Research! I made the terrible mistake of choosing the wrong place to go and get my first ever Brazilian wax and I’ve got one word to explain that experience to you -barbaric. This lady had no idea what she was doing, without getting into too much detail, her technique was wrong and she hurt me a lot, like way more than necessary and there was blood. Now, I’ve got a reasonably high pain threshold, I mean, I delivered my son without any pain relief, but this experience was just horrendous. She pulled off the first strip and I got such a fright that I screamed and then I started laughing, like hysterically, which was obviously some weird coping mechanism because I was not having fun, I was in a lot of pain. She kept going and I kept screaming out each time she ripped a strip off and then laughing. The therapist just looked at me and said: “I don’t think you’re going to be able to finish this.” Thanks for the vote of confidence, lady.
That thought had crossed my mind at this point, to just get up and leave but there was no way I was going to go home half waxed, looking like a half plucked chicken, so I stuck it out. Luckily for me, the therapist realised she was doing a terrible job or she was just scared of me because she left and in came another therapist to finish the job off. Thank goodness, this therapist had a much better technique and the rest of the wax was reasonably manageable. After that scarring experience, I almost gave up my quest for a smooth, hair-free vagina but I thought that I owed it to myself to give it at least one more go. The thing is, when you start waxing you can’t really stop and start shaving again or you’re going to go back to square one on the waxing scale and I was not prepared to go through my first wax a second time.
So I decided to give it another go and I jumped online to do some research on the best waxing place to go to. It didn’t take me long to find the same name popping up over and over so I knew it much be good. They were self-proclaimed waxing control freaks and had a military precision technique. Let’s just say my second waxing experience was a severe contrast to my first. My first wax was definitely a 10 on the pain scale, but this time I’d say it was around a four. They had their own specialised wax which made the actual waxing part far less painful and her technique was a lot more manageable, not to mention more dignifying. She gave me a paper g string to wear and didn’t make me get up on all fours like a dog. After the wax, she gave me a full rundown of the aftercare and a little pamphlet to take home with some after waxing tips on it. I cannot stress this point to you enough if you’re going to entrust someone to wax you down there, do your research!
Hair should be about ¼ inch long
For the wax to be able to stick to the hair properly your hair needs to be about ¼ of an inch long or about the length of a grain of rice. For first-time waxers its best to let your hair grow out for about three weeks to a month, the longer the better really. As I said above, your first wax will hurt the most, especially if you’ve been shaving due to the hair being course and growing in different directions, the hair is also deep-rooted into the follicle. Once you start waxing more regularly, it hurts way less as your hair starts to change its growth cycle so is easier to pull out.
Time of the month matters
If you’re scheduling a wax in, try to book away from your period due date. Your skin is a lot more sensitive around your time of the month so the wax could hurt more than necessary. I have also made this mistake, getting a wax before my period was due and trust me, it does hurt more. I also felt like punching the therapist in the face every time she ripped a strip off, I blame that on the hormones.
The hairs left behind may be tweezed
Once the wax is over you can breathe a sigh of relief, but just an FYI, you’ll probably have to endure some tweezing afterwards. The therapist will usually try to pluck out the stray hairs that wouldn’t budge with the wax, this is to make sure all of the hairs are going to be on the same re-growth cycle for your next wax. This can sometimes take up to 3 – 4 waxing sessions to have this happen.
Wear loose-fitting clothes
Wear some loose-fitting, comfortable pants to your appointment so the material won’t be rubbing on the area afterwards. You’re going to be quite sensitive for the rest of the day so don’t plan any vigorous activities afterward either. Take it easy for the rest of the day, your lady region will thank you for it.
Pop ibuprofen before you go in
This was a great tip I learned after my second wax, I took two ibuprofen about an hour before my appointment and it made a big difference. It hurt much less, in fact there were some places I barely felt anything at all. Ibuprofen is your best friend, trust me.
Exfoliate afterward
My last little nugget of advice is to exfoliate the area every 2 – 3 days about 24 hours after your wax or when the area has settled back down. This is to get rid of any dead skin cell build-up which can cause ingrown hairs. Doing this will ensure you’ve got a smooth area down there free of any bumps right up until your next wax.