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 😛 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 😛
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 😛
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 😛 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 😛
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 😛
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 😛
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 😛
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 😛
Why would I want to go for a Brazilian wax?
Good question. Why not? 😛 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 😛 Its not painful though. After a wax, you can handle anything 😛
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 😛 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 😀
- 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 😛 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
Thanks so much for sharing Paris!! This is soo useful!! 😀
I’ve been thinking of getting one for ages (yup, my curiosity will definitely get the better of me someday), but I’m afraid of the pain! And also shy la! 😛
Teehee… the curiousity will kill the cat some day eh? 😉 The pain won’t kill you but the embarrassment might 😉
Thank you for your interesting take on this!
I especially like and appreciate your honest and that you don’t walk around telling people they have to get it all off because if now, “ew, so gross!11!” simply because Sex and the City or whatever show tells us so.
I also feel a bit prepubescent without it, so…
Oh Thank you! I’m glad someone agrees with me that an all-off wax isn’t a must have 😀 Its nice to try – if we don’t try we’ll never know if we like it – but I’m not about to encourage people to undergo it just because other people tell you to 🙂 Speaking of which do they encourage it in Sex and the City? I’ve never watched it you know 🙂
I’ve never really watched it either, but some girl who I was friends with (which I stopped) watched it, and in the show, they make fun of one woman with hair “down there” and call it disgusting.
Oh that’s so wrong 🙁 I don’t think anything natural should
be made fun of that way
Hohoho! This was lingering on my the longest time and I had few chats with Ashley of Apronbay so I will be getting one, just to satisfy curiousity and of coz, to cross it from my to-do lists 🙂
YES! Must start achieving our personal goals… one wax at a time 😉 I haven’t been down to Apronbay yet, but will try it out some day since I like the private room concept 🙂
Very well-written comprehensive post, PB!
Should’ve read it before I went for my first time today. It is as what you said; not unbearably painful and the shyness went away soon enough too. I think the weirdest part for me was when the therapist showed me my hair…. >.<
HAHA!! At least my waxer didn’t try that! I saw it all go into the bin LOL!!
Ohooo! I am Brazilian and I’ve never done it! And I don’t think I will, since I hardly ever go swimming – and I just like the beach from afar so I usually do not wear a bikini.
Yes, some here like to wear string bikinis – but that’s very rare. Maybe on popular beaches like Ipanema where people are there to be seen and hook up. But try to wear those in other places and you’ll be in for trouble. People here can be very intolerant… and verbally/physically aggressive. Most just wear regular-sized bikinis. Interestingly enough, we find other countries’ bikinis too large: much like panties, really!^^
I was hoping you’d give your take since I know you’re from Brazil! 😀 Thank you Mari. Its good to know that we don’t see people walking around Rio de Janeiro in string bikinis like what they’d have us believe on tv 😛 I think I’d feel quite insecure in Brazil with all the gorgeous ladies around!
Ahaha, the gorgeous ladies are also a TV thing! Yea, there is a handful of them, but not as many as in Baywatch! 😀 Too bad man here aren’t as handsome or I’d be a regular at the beaches! 😀
HAHA! So its all TV spoiling all of us right? Sigh… But I’m sure there must be a grain of truth in it all 😀
Yay you! I myself have done the Brazilian All Off several times, and like you, I think the pain is bearable…well, at least for me, after handling the pain of childbirth, this is definitely OKAY 🙂 I now only go for the wax when there is a promotion at the place I go to..in Penang, there is only one *specialist* so far that I know of. I do ask for their Numbing Spray though. It helps ease the pain like an anesthetic or something…
Oh cool! I’m sure after childbirth, a Brazilian wax is NOTHING! 😛 The concept of a Numbing Spray is interesting. I think it would be very helpful for those who fear the pain/smarting. I’m not sure the salon I went to offered it though. It wasn’t offered to me anyway.
But a week before your period is due, EVERYTHING FREAKING HURTS! Everything’s extra sensitive! OMG. You crazy woman but this is a great read 😀
LOL!! Ya you’re right. Hence I went AFTER 😛 Been there, done that, not sure if I’ll do it again! 😛
PB! You so brave! This is a very good article for those who are considering it as it gives them an idea of what to expect. I think I’ll stick to childbirth. 😉
HAHA!! Maybe give it a go anyway? Compare it to childbirth?
What a great, detailed article!
I think the ‘landing strip’ waxing is more popular than Brazilian here. My beauty therapist once told me that her client went to this salon for a Brazilian waxing and a male staff performed the waxing himself :$
I’d read about the landing strip too! I was quite intrigued by the “arrow” you know that points down there haha… but I decided since it was a “maybe one time” thing to just go all the way. But I’m perturbed at a male staff doing the waxing! Did you mean he waxed the woman or he waxed himself? o_O
😀 He waxed the woman!! He was not (and still isn’t) gay either! Urgh
Gosh! O_O
wow this is really a good piece of info from you on waxing! its been on my to-do list for the longest time but i just didnt managed to pluck up the courage to! pain is one thing, awkwardness is another.. and apart from gynae, i just didnt dare to open my legs wide for someone else whom i didnt know.. but your experience made it a trivial affair to begin with! i guess i will have you to thank for my coming virgin wax session.. 😉
HAHA When you put it that way… “open my legs wide” hmm… I wouldn’t do it for just anyone either 😛 So long as you get over the embarrassment, you’d be alright 😉
I’ve never thought too well of Brazilian Waxes ever since there was a commercial in the US comparing unwaxed women to gorillas who should be ashamed of their hair. So this is not for me.
Golly me they did? I guess they do take things a little to the extreme don’t they?
I have a question. Do they do ALL the bit underneath you know?…Like…the flaps?
Yes, if you are going for an all off wax 🙂 EVERYTHING is taken off.
I finally did bikini wax at Stripped in Bangsar (they did not recommend bikini coz its a day after I finished my P). It was not as painful as I expected, which is so surprising since 1) Its right after my P 2) I did not take painkillers prior to the session. Will be doing the whole deforestation next month a week after P 😛 (yeah I signed up for the package)
Hi,
First off, thanks a lot for the useful review.
Secondly, I would like to ask, do the waxer wax every bit of the hair, including those grown in between the “VJJ” lips? Some sort of grown internally in between the lips and clit… Sorry for the weird question but I’m not sure is it just me or do other women face the same grown hair at that area 🙁
Thanks…
It will depend on the skill of your waxer. Some are more skillful and you could probably ask or tell them what you want done. A good waxer will know what to do!
I used to always shave and I’ve had a Brazilian twice now and I can honestly say I won’t go back to shaving. For me it’s not all that painful, getting my legs waxed hurted more so I’m never doing that again.
I get really bad chafing though whether wax or shave and it drives me nuts. I was powder, chafing creams but I sweat so much it makes it worse. Any tips on that?