This should NEVER happen to you
I love and rue the day I started waxing. As a dark haired woman of Mediterranean descent I must submit to the sticky stuff more than most, but I have come to appreciate its value, especially when faced with the dreaded razor stubble. I tried to do the GiGi home waxing kit for a while, which was fine until my husband chucked it, box and all, into the hall closet where the hot wax dripped all over the floor and the waxing unit, permanently sealing it shut. It was probably better anyway because I was way too chicken to do my own moustache wax and my eyebrows were looking like two very uneven toothpicks. From then on I decided to leave it to the professionals.
Sadly, the one thing I realized was that the professionals were not much better. They were either rude and intimidating (J Sisters), completely overpriced and not that good (Completely Bare), totally incompetent (insert well known central NJ spa here), unbelievably unsanitary (any number of NYC salons), or so unbelievably painful that I wished for a Motrin IV (pretty much anywhere that a bikini wax is administered, but I’m thinking of one midtown joint in particular). In my pain and fury I decided to compile a checklist of things to look for and do in order to make your waxing experience as pain free as possible.
- Make sure the salon/spa is clean!!! There should be NO double dipping the stick into that wax. Salon owners are cheap bastards but that does NOT justify double dipping the Popsicle stick and risking rash, infection and STDs. The wax is not hot enough to starve off infection, no matter what your Russian esthetician tries to tell you. A box of wax sticks costs about $5 so there’s absolutely no excuse for unsanitary conditions. Also, when you go into the room, the paper on the table should be changed and all plucking tools should be sanitized.
- Make sure your esthetician is wearing disposable gloves. This shouldn’t even be an issue but you’d be surprised.
- Take 2 Ibuprofen before waxing. This decreases pain and swelling.
- Lidocaine cream applied 20-30 minutes before your wax application really reduces the pain.
- Do not get waxed during your period. It hurts about 100 times more than usual.
- Do not exercise after a bikini wax. This could cause irritation to an already sensitive area.
- Do not use products like Retin-A, Renova or any other Retinoids within two weeks of getting waxed. If you are using these products, please inform your waxing specialist.
- Milk will reduce redness and swelling to lip and eyebrow area. Soak a cotton ball in cold milk and apply to area for five minutes. Heaven!
- When making an appointment for a Brazilian wax, do your homework. Get recommendations from friends or ask the front desk of the spa for someone who is experienced in Brazilian waxing. This is NOT an area in your life in which you want to save a couple of pennies.
- Don’t shave or Nair in between wax appointments. I know it’s annoying to have regrowth but shave stubble will completely backhand anything you’re trying to do with the wax.
- Don’t get waxed at nail salons. They are probably the dirtiest, most unsanitary venues out there for waxing. Trust me gals, a ‘stache wax at Nails Plus is $5 for a reason…and not a good one.
- The morning before you get waxed and in between waxings, exfoliate with a poof or gloves to prevent pesky ingrown hairs. Another great tool is Tendskin, available for purchase at your local drugstore.
- If a waxing place feels “off” it probably is. Get out of there immediately and don’t worry about offending someone.
Waxing sucks. But it shouldn’t have to. If you’re smart you will have many years of positive experiences ahead of you.
The pH recommends:
Shoba Salon: http://myshobha.com
Bliss: http://www.blissworld.com
Rapid Transit (Irina): Westfield, NJ 908-654-4417
Lookin Good Day Spa: http://www.lookingoodspa.net
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