You’ve probably heard the saying, “beauty is pain,” and until you’ve had your first Brazilian wax, you won’t understand it. You must be thinking, “why should I go through all that unnecessary pain when I can just shave?” Multiple reasons (also why we have a love/hate relationship), and while it may be interesting to list, we know all you want to know is how to have the best first Brazilian waxing experience.
Simple reminder ladies, whether you decide pubic hair is for you or isn’t is entirely up to you and you alone. No one should tell you how or why you should wear it! Be whom you want to be and be unapologetically confident in your choice!
Let’s start with the basics. One pattern we seem to see is that many people don’t know the difference between a bikini wax and a Brazilian wax. So, let’s break it down quickly.
A bikini wax is when the esthetician (or you) removes the hair that is visible around the bikini area – dull and to the point.
A Brazilian wax is a lot more complicated than that. First off, men and women are both able to get a Brazilian wax. Don’t let gender conformities to allow you to settle into stereotypical gender roles. Second, a Brazilian wax is where the esthetician (and again you) focuses everything – the vaginal/penile area, the perineum (the space between the anus and genital area), and the anus. It’ll leave you completely bared.
Just a small warning about your first appointment: no matter what you do to prep for your wax, you will feel something even if it is mild discomfort. There is no way around that, sorry!
Now, here is what you need to do to make sure you have as little pain as possible to your body for your first Brazilian wax experience.
Okay, unlike shaving, for your first (and all) Brazilian wax, there needs to be enough hair to pull out. It can’t be short or too little. Also, don’t trim it. Sometimes you can cut too much and will have to reschedule another time. The reason why we say you need enough long hair is that it makes it easier for the wax to pull out from the roots. If your hair is too short, then there is a higher chance for the hair to break rather than pull out of its root.
Michelle Marcou, a manager of a European Wax Center location in New York, recommends growing your hair at least a quarter of an inch before waxing. She says, “This is equivalent to a grain of rice because it makes it easier to get an even wax and pick up all the hair.”
Exfoliation is incredibly important! When you have dry, dead skin, it’ll make it harder for the wax to stick to your hair—this will aide in having less pain. Try to exfoliate regularly, but the day before and the day of the appointment, skip.
Now, you might be thinking if I’m trying to remove dead skin by exfoliating, then why moisturize? Easy, just like when we said to exfoliate, dry skin makes waxing a lot more painful! However, while we told you not to exfoliate every day, we do recommend moisturizing every day. Do not moisturize the day before or the day of your appointment. It’ll be hard for the wax to stick onto your skin, especially since you won’t exfoliate.
Marcou also recommends drinking lots of water, so your hairs are softer and your skin isn’t dry. “Dryness causes your hairs to break and involves more strips to be used by your waxer,” she explains.
Breathe, breathe, breathe. This is important. If you hold your breath, the anticipation will make it just as bad as the actual waxing, which is why it is incredibly important.
“Waxing is not like the scene from the 40-year-old virgin. Wax specialists will walk you through the entirety of your session. I love when my Waxer tells me when to take a deep breath before she pulls a strip,” says manager, Michelle Marcou.
Ways to Lessen The Pain
There are multiple ways actually to lessen the pain. It won’t take it away completely, but at least help you. All of these suggestions came from Samantha Garlow, a waxing expert at Daphne Studio who spoke to a journalist from Marie Claire.
She recommends taking any pain relievers about 2 hours before your appointment since it would reduce inflammation and help with the pain. Also, you can take Advil or Ibuprofen after the appointment since it will help calm your skin.
Garlow also recommends using some sort of numbing cream as well – anything with lidocaine in its ingredients.
These are pretty much the essential tips you should remember for your first Brazilian wax experience.
As important as your first experience for a Brazilian wax with your waxer is, keeping everything clean and moisture-free is just as crucial for your first time. You don’t want to ruin your first-time experience by getting a fungal infection or any ingrown hairs.
With that being said, Michelle Marcou recommends doing the following:
First, stay consistent! Waxing every three to four weeks allows your hair to grow much slower, and it will also grow in thin. She waxes every eight to ten weeks after so many years.
Second, do not shave in between waxes. It’ll not only slow down your progress but can reverse it as well.
Third, aftercare is super important. On the day of your wax, you should avoid having sex, going to the gym, pools, hot showers, etc.
After getting your wax done, your pores stay open for about 24 hours. Avoiding these will help you prevent breakouts, infections, and ingrown hairs.
She also recommends staying away from soaps that contain any film or fragrance in them, so you don’t get an irritation. Your best bet is using anti-bacterial soap.
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