Did I hear a sharp intake of breath when you saw the title of this post? :)
Not to worry, every time I see the words “Brazilian Wax” I make a face, close my eyes and give a little shudder. Why they call it a “Brazilian” makes no sense to me, considering a large part of Brazil is covered by the Amazon forest :P Still, it was the women (and men) there who popularized the art of waxing the hair off the pubic area. Partly for vanity (those string bikinis leave nothing to imagination!) and partly for hygiene.
Now I, like many of you are a Brazilian Wax virgin but its been one of those things I have on my bucket list. “Get a Brazilian Wax before you’re 30” it says there at Item No. 50 so I bit the bullet :P
Before we go further, this post is about my experience having a Brazilian wax. I’m not going to review the salon(s) I went to in this post, but I’ll leave it for another post. Instead this is to tell you how I felt and to give some pointers if you too will like to let ‘er rip… as it were.
My Brazilian Wax Experience
When people asked me how it was, my answer was “Like that lah!” It was actually a LOT less painful than you imagine. I fell down recently in public, skinned my knee and have a giant bruise that is taking weeks to go away. And that is more painful than a Brazilian wax. In fact, get a paper cut and drop lemon juice on it. THAT is worse than a Brazilian wax :P
What I felt was not so much pain, as it was smarting. If you imagine ripping out your hair by its roots, yes that’s painful. But if it is done in 2 seconds your body has no time to react, before a soothing lotion is placed on the sore spot. So, after the first two rips where I was a little tense in anticipation, I relaxed. And that is really the key thing – relax. The therapist usually will do a little countdown before they rip off the wax so I find it helps to take a deep breath when she goes “One, two” and at “three” breathe out. It helps me :)
I had the full Brazilian i.e. everything off from the front and back. I call it the “slash and burn” leaving nothing in its wake :P Other than a gynaecologist, the lady doing the waxing is probably the only other female allowed to get that close to my nether region, and that intimate :P
I did find that immediately after having my waxing done, the skin at the pubic area was red and smarted a little. It didn’t hurt or anything, just felt a wee bit uncomfortable. It was alright the next day though. Now for the tips I’d share :)
Where to go for a Brazilian Wax?
Go to a reputable salon. If you want to try it out, go somewhere that has got trained staff and good reviews from people who have been. If you don’t like it, at least you know its been a good experience. If you plan to do it regularly, you might then want to shop around for prices and packages. But for the first time, go somewhere reputable. Three places I know of are Strip, Apronbay and Glitters. I might have a review or two coming up once I get my thoughts sorted out :P
What to wear for a Brazilian Wax?
Not a strange question because you will have to get naked waist down. My suggestion is to go with a loose dress. You then only have to remove your panties and leave everything else on. Also, after the session, if you are sensitive, wearing pants might chafe and you might feel uncomfortable. So wear a dress or a loose skirt.
What should I do during the Brazilian Wax?
Err… nothing. You can chat to your therapist if it makes you feel better. Or you could be like me and stare at the wall or at some points, feel sleepy. But that’s me. I think I have a high pain threshold :P
Does it hurt?
Told you it didn’t “hurt” in a sense, for me. It didn’t bring tears to my eyes at all although it smarts and the moment they rip off your hair can be “painful”. However, they immediately slap on some cooling lotion so it stopped smarting almost immediately. I read somewhere that if you want to dull the pain, take 2 Panadol or painkillers before you go for your wax, which will make it more bearable. I thought of doing so, but didn’t so I’d get the full experience. I’m glad it was less painful than I thought.
Is it embarrassing?
Well if you are easily embarrassed, yes it can be. For my first time, the therapist laid to with a pair of scissors to trim the hair to an acceptable length. That bit was really weird. But when the waxing starts, I didn’t feel too weird because my mind was otherwise preoccupied in dealing with the pain and smarting and activity going on “down under”. Oh having to move your legs around and bend your knees to allow better “access” to your hair is also quite weird :P
Does the hair regrowth itch and do you get ingrown hair?
Valid question! I actually did thereafter have some bumps on my skin which looked like ingrown hair and there was a little bit of itching. But here are some tips I was taught to prevent this potential problem:-
- Apply baby oil around the waxed region regularly to soften skin
- Use a scrub off and on around the area. You can use your facial scrub or body scrub to remove the dead skin cells and avoid ingrown hair (I tried it and it works – the bumps went away)
- I found aloe vera gel helps if your bare skin feels sensitive initially
Is there anything I can’t do after a Brazilian wax?
Well for the first 24 hours you aren’t advised to swim, suntan, go for a sauna or steam or rub, pick, scrub etc at the area. This probably includes having sex. Your skin is still sensitive from all that trauma of getting the hairs ripped of after all :P
Why would I want to go for a Brazilian wax?
Good question. Why not? :P Here are some reasons:-
- Curiosity – come on, don’t say you aren’t curious about how it feels during or after the procedure! This is my primary reason
- More Sensual – some people feel more sensual with everything taken off and some people’s partners prefer it that way.
- Hygiene – Without the hair getting in the way, it would be cleaner especially during menstruation
- Easier to wear bikinis/swimsuits – If you wear mini bikini bottoms or high cut swimsuits, having hair peep out from your bikini line is not pleasant.
- Perfect for G-string or thong wearers – You don’t have accidental hair sticking out where it shouldnt but I personally find these garments uncomfortable anyway.
What if I don’t want to go all the way?
Sure thing! There are various designs or shapes you can go for. I’m told that the term “Brazilian Wax” actually means everything off. And they mean every single bit, front and back. If they can’t get at it with the wax, they’d tweeze it out :P Its not painful though. After a wax, you can handle anything :P
Would you recommend having a Brazilian wax done?
Having now done it (and crossing off an item from my to-do list which includes bungee jumping) I can speak with authority :P I say, do it if you are:-
- curious
- want to try something new
- particular about hygiene in that area
But don’t do it because you are being pressured by others to. You should be comfortable in your own skin, no matter how hairy or not you might be.
Do you have tips to prepare for a Brazilian wax?
Yes I do :D
- Go a week before/after your period is due. It is apparently less painful then as your skin isn’t so sensitive during this period.
- Ask questions of the salon and your waxer if you are uncomfortable.
- Take 2 Panadol or painkillers before the wax and relax.
- If you feel uncomfortable, tell the person doing your wax to slow down between waxes.
Would you do it again?
I might. But I probably will not. I get the hygiene bit, and I’ve satisfied my curiousity. But this isn’t something I’m ready to commit to on a regular basis, because I see no other benefit for myself. Also I feel a little odd rocking the prepubescent look because I believe the hair is probably there for a purpose :P Speaking personally of course.
Now have YOU had a Brazilian wax or any wax in the nether regions done? Do you have a tip to share?
Or perhaps you are thinking of trying this, and have a question? If I can’t help you, there’ll be others who can! :) Fire away!
Paris B
Woohoo! You did it! I have to try it out one of these days, just to satisfy my curiosity :P
Yup did it and lived to tell the tale! ;)
Paris,
My question is, would it be better to go with less hair, so the procesz is less painfull? Maybe pre shaved a week before?
Thanks
I don’t think so – the pain doesn’t come from the hair but from it being yanked out by the roots :P
You need six weeks growth or 1/2″ hair length to be waxed.
I shave. Don’t dare to kena strip, yet.
Its the next step up! ;)
While I’m one of those weird people who cannot stand the sight of bodily hair on my own person I am too darned scared to get a Brazilian wax… T.T (Instead I shave, with separate razors for separate body parts…)
Kudos to you for having the courage!
teehee… some day the curiousity will overwhelm you and then you’d give it a go. Its worth trying just to satisfy the curiousity, even if you never do it again
Thanks for writing such a helpful post. This should be a FAQ for newbies to Brazilian waxing.
I regularly go for Brazilian waxing and signed up with Strip for a package that lasts for a full year. Previously went to Glitters. Preference none really, they are both very professional.
Thank you! And thanks too for sharing your salon experience – at least newbies will know that either salon will be a good choice.
Very informative! I cringe every time my bestfriend tells me about it. Reading your tips and experience convinced me into doing it :D you’re right, I am curious!
Goody! Go try it! ;) If you don’t try, you’ll never know!
uhhhhhhhhh i did leg waxing and it was quite painful for me already :( cant imagine the pain if i try this…
Hehe… but if you have a low pain threshold, it WILL be torture :P
WOW! Congratulations PB! I can’t..I haven’t…and so far, I’m not that curious yet! LOL :) I have high tolerance to pain though so I think I’ll be ok when I give this a try! before I hit..hmmm..60? :P
HAHA!! Try it! Try it! :D Anytime before you hit 60 ;)
haha PB u did sound exactly like a friend of mine who’s encouraging me to do the exact same thing, everytime i call her she’d be like, ‘u want me to accompany u to strip izit?’ hilarious!
haha!! oops! I want everyone to share in the pain! :P
oh..this is useful for us to consider.thanks a lot! :)
Glad the info helps!
Great post, Paris! Plenty of useful tips for first-timers! I’ve been a regular for so many months that I can’t imagine going back to me, err .. original state. But you’re right about the pain, it’s more smarting than anything. :)
Thanks Yani! I know of a few who feel the same way you do. Once you strip you can’t go back!
Doesn’t sound that bad after all… and since I felt practically nothing for my arm waxing I guess doing a Brazilian should be a walk in the park… save for the modesty bit la. :P
Oh well, I still have a few more years to go before I hit 30, so yeah, that’s going on the bucket list too! :P
Er… close your eyes. hehe…. If you survived underarm waxing, a brazilian wax shouldn’t be an issue at all :D
Wow~ Paris, you are unbelievable :P
I have extreme low pain treshold and I believe the hair is meant to be there for a purpose :D Still can’t take the Ouch! despite the curiosity :P
hehe… anything for an experience you know ;) I still won’t go the tattoo route though. But then never say never :P
I agree, it is important to find a reputable salon with a good reputation to get ‘stripped’. It does help to know you’re in good hands. I guess when people think of Brazilian waxing, they usually think Strip, Honeypot, etc.
I have to say though, my most recent visits to Strip slowly deteriorated with every visit. I kept having to request and wait for the days when the better therapist(s) were working, or I’d find myself stuck with someone who seemed like they just wanted to get the job done.
After getting sick of the ingrown hairs and increasingly crappy wax jobs, I started looking elsewhere, and found a place called A-Listers. I found it to be much more comfy and personally accommodating. I was lucky enough to have myself waxed by Lynn, who owns the place, and tries to remember all her clients’ names. Professional, but a bit less structured than the larger companies, and she can be tardy at times, but for me, it’s worth it not to have lots of ingrown hairs round my privates, and the hair grows back significantly slower. She’s also super friendly and fussy about who she hires. For those of you who prefer purchasing several sessions in packages, this isn’t the place for you as it operates on a much smaller scale. But for me, the quality is there, and they use hard wax for the entire brazilian (!!) without requesting an extra fee.
I really don’t mean to slam anyone and I’m sure places like Strip have earned their rep, but I’m really liking my new-found place, and since we’re sharing…… ;)
Thank you Zee :D I’m very interested in your comments actually because its my first time and I don’t know what to expect but knowing that it is possible to NOT have a lot of ingrown hair is intriguing! Perhaps you could provide the address of the salon, for anyone else who might be interested :)
Now my curiousity is piqued – how much is a Brazilian wax there at A-Listers? After a quick Google search, they’ve outlets in Centrepoint and Sunway Giza, but nothing about the prices…
went to their giza outlet, they have a waxer from china. She’s better than the boss.
First of all, good on you for going for it!
I thought my pain threshold was pretty low until I went for it last year – my waxer tells me I’m quiet compared to some of her clients (I’ll flinch, but scream and curse? no). It gets better with time.
I’ve been to Strip and Apronbay – wouldn’t mind trying out Glitters one of these days, but see how. I’ve also been to some other places just because I’m cheap like that. Honeypot Wax Boutique in BSC is also okay, but a tad too pink for me personally.
I get that some people are uncomfortable about being naked down there for waxing, but waxers see a lot of hoo-has as part of their job. If people are okay with their gynaes, why not the waxer? If you ask for the same waxer everytime you go, you’ll be fine.
Leap of faith for me! haha… Yeah I got the impression that the waxer was already numb to seeing private parts, because she was just so clinical about it. Thanks for all the tips about asking for a regular waxer.
one good question. how long does it last before everything grows back? a week? and how often do one need to wax off again?
I’m told between 4-6 weeks to wax again and regrowth can take place starting in a few days to 1 week. Perhaps the “regulars” might be able to shed more light on this :)
No it doesn’t grow back that quick! It must vary from person to person, I myself have coarse dense hair thats painful to wax but except for a few which break off at the surface, the others don’t grow back atleast for a couple of weeks. And because hair grows in cycles, the next growth will not be all back together, like it was for a virgin wax. Which means, 4-6 weeks later you’ll probably have a lighter and sparser growth, and much much more tolerable wax! :)
Hope that helped!
This is good. Should recommend to all mothers those are going to deliver soon. Sometimes, I pity with my staffnurses that they have to shave my patient first before I proceed with episiotomy repair. No offence, just my thought.
Hmm… prepare Mothers-to-be for delivery eh? Hehe… Good idea Ivo!
This is really informative! I have search a lot of blog to get some information about it but limited info. Think of try it once out of curiousity + for hygiene reason.
Can’t wait to read your full review on the salon.
Thank you Tracy. I’m glad it helped. If you have any questions though, I’m sure some of the other more “experienced” ladies here will be able to help you with salon choices as well :)
Congrats on the maiden journey! I’ve done mine before in Strip Singapore when I was in my first year of uni. Quite a good experience, wouldn’t mind doing it again :)
Its most certainly an interesting experience :) I might do it again… or I might not. Haven’t quite decided ;)
Hi, I also did my first Brazilian wax last month. I did it at Strip The Curve.. so far my therapist, Joyce has been very nice and helpful. She did assure me many times that it will not be painful except at certain parts only. And boy I was really glad she warned me beforehand so I can get ready for that certain spots..!!. Most women will feel a bit pain at the top part.. (where it has less fat). Other parts should be ok..
I felt like an eternity that time, sweating while the aircond was full blast !! (but luckily no screaming). After it was all over, honestly it was not that painful. I think my mind tricked me into thinking that it was but honestly, it wasn’t !!
I did take 2 Panadols before the session and ensure that I did it right after my period ends. I guess that helps. And for first timer, do request for hard wax as it will only grab on the hair, rather than on skin so definitely less pain. Joyce told me that some customers still request for hard wax after 2nd, third and so on sessions.
It has been 4 weeks ++ and so far the the hair down there grow finer than before. I guess I will only do it again after it has reached sufficient length (maybe in another 4 weeks??). Luckily no itchiness for me !!
Thanks for sharing Leely! :D
Yes look for Joyce at Strip @ Curve. She’s super talkative, will make you relaxed and comfortable instantly.
Me and my friend can vouch for that… man, is Joyce popular there, or what? :D
I’m also FB friends with her… which I’m sure I won’t be the only one, LOL.
the thing i hav so many hair to wax off ~ eyebrow – lips – legs
its gonna cost me if i do it periodically *sniff *sniff
i hav done brazilian for my holidays and it hurts like HELL!!
sore RED angry skin – and i kept applying baby oil for comfort!! sniff sniff
my next adventure i’ll just do french – or bikini wax keep it neat & tiday lol
for more swimming days next year
I guess I should count myself lucky that I’m not naturally hairy :D Sounds like your brazilian experience was a really painful one! eeks!
Seriously? You’re such a champion–you make it sound like a breeze! I think I woulda screamed out loud! Haha! I used to shave, but I hate the regrowth!
Excuse me woman. You went through child birth – a Brazilian wax is NOTHING pffbttt :P