Brazilian wax 101

Once you get one you’ll never go back to shaving, but actually summoning the nerve is another story. Below, the brave Sasha-Gaye Taylor details her first trip to the salon to get waxed ahead of her wedding day, and hopes you’ll take the plunge too.

I’VE always wanted to do it, but my pain tolerance is low, and having had the experience with an inexperienced wax lady dropping hot wax near my eye once when she tried to do my eyebrows, I wasn’t too keen on getting my ladybits burned. Worse, I was timid about having anyone but my doctor and husband-to-be get so close down there, but the prompting of my girlfriends had me making an appointment and sitting in the waiting area of the salon one Tuesday morning for my first Brazilian.

After all, my wedding day was days away, with my honeymoon soon after, and the promise of up to four weeks of smoothness, plus a nice little gift for hubby, was enough to convince me.

I had taken my friends’ advice and popped an Ibuprofen about 20 minutes before the appointment, and had also waited until mid-cycle, because I was told that I’d be extra sensitive just before and after my menses. So I felt very prepared, and having gone through appendix surgery, I was pretty much ready for the pain.

I went in, was told to strip from the waist down, and cover up with a towel. The aesthetician was pretty nice, and chatty, so that took my mind off what was about to happen. She told me what sections would probably hurt a bit more than others, and so we proceeded.

You know how they say the first cut is the deepest? Well the first strip is the worst, as your body is anticipating the pain. I writhed, almost hopped off the table, but had promised myself that I wouldn’t scream or embarrass myself because there were other people in the waiting room who would probably hear me. She was quick, so by the time I felt pain, and registered the pain enough to bawl out, she was on to another section.

I asked for a break about 10 minutes in, just to regroup my thoughts, and we proceeded afterwards. As she had warned before, some sections were more painful, some sections mildly pleasurable (but that’s for another publication), and in some sections I didn’t feel a thing. Would I do it again? Of course!

Here are some tips for making your session useful.

1. Pop a pill

Pain relief is crucial — I can just imagine how much more painful it would have been if I hadn’t taken the Ibuprofen.

2. Prepare to contort

There’s no way to get a Brazilian and be decent — you’ll be in the same position you are when getting a Pap smear, your ladybits are exposed to a total stranger, and you’ll have to get into weird positions for the aesthetician to get to your butt area. It’s not for anyone who’s shy about showing it all and cocking up, as Jamaicans say.

3. Ask about pain relief

I found out afterwards that my wax lady had numbing spray that would have helped (rolls eyes) — but she reserves it for her regular customers (and I will be one now).

4. Don’t be shy

If you have stretch marks, scars, dark spots or belly flubber, don’t be shy or spend your time wondering if the aesthetician is thinking about, or judging you for how your body looks. Convince yourself (like I did) that all they care about is removing the hair, and not how jiggly your belly and thighs are.

5. It gets weird

Imagine discussing rising food prices while the wax lady removes ingrown hairs and squeezes bumps while you’re lying down with your legs spread. But it will only seem weird if you make it weird.

6. Have a good shower before

Shower before — very well — because getting a Brazilian means that your aesthetician will see everything down there. You don’t want to miss any bits of faecal matter or discharge, because you really don’t want your aesthetician to ask if you need some wet wipes to clean yourself up.

7. The benefits outweigh everything else

I had about three weeks of smoothness before I even had regrowth, and man, was it liberating! Hubby loves it, and waxing is my new go-to hair removal method.

Taylor, a happily married project manager, was last seen booking her second waxing appointment.

Have you managed to transform your body through weight gain or weight loss? Want to share your story with us? E-mail allwoman@ jamaicaobserver. com