Getting a Brazilian Wax
- Janhtria Darline
- Dec 22, 2022
- 7 min read
Prepping for vacation time in the tropics means more bikinis, less clothes, and less bush. Bush? I know, "Whoa, you're so forward. That's so unladylike." Who said that women don't have hair and the rest of the body parts as the rest of the population? Hell, we have pink tax for of the necessity and hygienic items to groom and take care ourselves such as razors, tampons, and even soap! But let's not get into that for now; now we're diving deep into getting a Brazilian wax-- not to be confused with the bikini wax. A Brazilian wax is the whole area, from top to bottom-- inside/around and out! Bikini wax is the outer part of wear the bikini would sit, like the edges.
As someone who only got it once, and is getting is the second time for my trip to Hawaii, here are some tips and previous experience that I learned from wax technicians and a bunch of doom scrolling on TikTok to prep myself!
In this blog post, I'll be going over how to prep before your appointment, the aftercare, as well as the do's and dont's of getting a Brazilian wax.
Table of Contents:
Hair Growth
Initially, you may be thinking of trimming it here and there, you know-- to be considerate to your waxer. Not exactly. Remember, you're there for time to remove the hair. There can't be any hair for the wax to stick on and pull off so it's recommended to have at least 1/4th of an inch long. If you've freshly shaven, waiting approximately 2-6 weeks (depending on fast your growth is) leaves enough time for it to get to the length for the wax to stick on. Another great reference is having the length the size of a grain of rice.
Prepping
For sanitary reasons for yourself and the waxer, go there as clean as possible. Shower or bathe the night before your appointment, and be sure to exfoliate. Exfoliating is a key component before getting waxed because it preps your skin by scrubbing off all the dead skin particles while making your skin smoother which allows the wax to stick on the hair easier. Exfoliating in general allows there to be less ingrown hair, which is caused from dead skill cells that clogs the hair follicles from rising up. This leads to having tiny swollen bumps that are very itchy and irritating, and nothing is worse than having a nice smooth wax, but having a couple bumps along the side. If you didn't exfoliate the night before your appointment, just use a gentle wash cloth and scrub it again that area where you plan on getting waxed. My favorite exfoliating glove that I've been using forever are the Eco Tools bath and showering gloves! They're soft and gentle enough that it doesn't feel rough on my skin (especially with having eczema).
When I got to the waxing salon, they gave me some feminine hygienic wipes to prep myself before I got on the table. Although I was clean, I used the entirety of the three wipes packets I was handed. They were similar to Summer's Eve Cleansing Cloths. If you had a workout session planned before your waxing session, I recommend doing a quick rinse before, just to clean out any excess sweat and oils. Also, I want to remind you that it is very normal for your body to regulate cleaning itself such as having discharge. These are professionals who have been studying and working in these industries for years, so you should never feel ashamed or embarrassed of your body doing its natural work of cleaning itself!
Get ready, get set, WAX!
Wax on, now wax off! It's time to get yourself on that table and take a deep breath. If it is your first time getting waxed, it is normal for it to be painful. Even "vet" Brazilian-getters say it's not the most enjoyable seconds of their time, but with a couple of minutes and a couple of strips, it is worth the smoothness that lasts 2-4 months!
After removing your pants/clothing and undergarments, you will lay the cold table covered with a disposable medical cover. Your waxing technician will explain you the process of getting waxed, unless you've built up to the "vet status" (I want to say that's having 4-5 Brazilian waxes in a lifetime, IMO!). They explain how the pain level may be, but of course that varies for everyone since everyone has a different pain tolerance. They'll explain that the wax will be warm-hot on the skin, but it should not be burning.
When I was getting my wax done the first time, I laid in a butterfly position, where your soles of your feet are practically touching and your knees are pointing outwards, therefore resembling something like a butterfly. The wax is applied with a wooden spatula stick, similar to a popsicle stick. I remember the wax felt hot. It wasn't an uncomfortable heat, but a noticeable temperature and texture to realize "oh my gosh, this is really happening!". I remember a lot was going through my mind of feeling awkward and embarrassed, yet anticipating the pain. My waxer was really nice and ensured me that she's done this and seen many "meow-meows" before, so that eased my nerves a little bit. She talked to me and we carried a regular conversation, pausing every now and then, entailing that she was about to pull the strip. Initially she gave me a count down a couple times which allowed me to mentally prep myself for the quick seconds of light stinging, but I realized I felt better when she pulled the wax off before the countdown of "3...2...pull".
The top part is a breeze out of the rest. Once she got to labia, that's when you can feel more resistance from the hair pulling out of the skin but it wasn't too bad. Now getting on the inner folds of the labia, that's when you really feel it heating up. The temperature of the wax is more apparent, as that area of the vagina is already sensitive. She told me many women say that it felt the most painful, and she wasn't wrong. It definitely caught me by surprise, both when the wax was applied to when it was pulled off. I held my breath and told her to count down entirely, as I gripped my fists and did everything it was in me to not scream. It wasn't a horrible pain, but it wasn't the best I've ever felt either. I cussed those couple times she waxed that area, and as she stated "it's the most sensitive part of the entirety that is waxed, so it's normal that it feels more most painful".
Now we're getting to the finish line. After waxing the whole front and side of the kitty cat, now is time for the backside-- the easy side. It went the quickest and the least painful part of the Brazilian wax experience, which is the best way to end the session. Once the waxing was complete, she plucked any stranglers out, and applies some baby powder all over the area in case there's some wax remnants sticking on your body and clothes. Overall, I would say the pain level I had was somewhere tethering between 5-7/10. 5s would be for the initial top area, and back side, and 6-7s were on the inner and outer labia.
After I finished paying for the service, they offer scheduling you after 3 months for another session if you'd like. I waited mine out because I wasn't sure if Brazilian wax was something for me to do it routinely, so I didn't schedule ahead. Depending if you sign up for their emailing list, they'll send you reminders for when is a good time to get your next wax, and sometimes it comes with a discount for the next visit.
Aftercare!
By now, I know how exciting and... liberating it feels being all smooth down there. I was...surprised to say the least. From my dad's genetics, and being asian-- I have very strong, healthy, and thick asian hair. Shaving and waxing my peach fuzz and eyebrows has been a norm for me since I was in elementary school. When I got my first Brazilian wax, it was for my first Hawaii trip. With some research, I knew that I had to do it a couple days before I got to Hawaii because I knew the first thing I wanted to do once we landed there, was swim!
Some things to keep in mind after a Brazilian wax is:
1) Don't touch it! There's so many germs and bacteria on your hands, and having hair pulled out means that there are still open pores. Germs that gets on the area irritates the skin and possibly cause infections. As smooth as it is, don't touch it.
2) Don't submerge yourself in water, like going for a swim, or even bathing. For similar reasons with touching, but there's germs in water. Treat the fresh wax as an open wound, because to some factor, it is.
3) Save sex for later. Don't get me wrong, I've very pro-sex as I think it is a healthy relationship for you and your partner(s). Sexual activities often leads to sweat irritates the skin, and other fluids can pass on bacteria to the open pores. It's noted to wait 1-2 days after the wax, then you can get it on. As for now, just stick to the innocent foreplay (*wink wink* -- but really though!)
4) Be cozy and comfortable! Break out those flow pants you've been wanting to wear! Ventilation feels so good on the "new" skin, and allows it to heal faster without any constrictions of fabric rubbing around that area. This can also avoid getting any bumps from the friction/discomfort.
5) Remember to moisturize and exfoliate. Now we are healing the skin. You don't want to keep it dry, because it now need to rebuild the protective layer. Apply a thin layer of Vaseline or use the oils/ointment that the wax technician may have recommended you. Avoid any lotions or oils with a fragrance during this stage as well.
Now enjoy luxury of being hair-free for the next couple of months! I've noticed the new growth are thinner and smoother, but if you decide that waxing isn't for you or don't have the time/expense for another appointment, shaving is fine too. Shaving will make the new growth of hairs more thick and coarse compared to the new growth after the wax.
Overall, I had a great experience especially with having a good technician by your side. Being comfortable in a safe and positive environment is a place you want to start (and possibly continue) when getting a wax. Make sure to do your research to have a great experience as I did!
Until next time,
Janhtria Darline
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