Estheticians around the world will be rolling their eyes at me when I say that in lieu of having a professional wax my lady parts, I prefer to do it myself.
To make matters worse, my poison of choice is the ever so painful, Brazilian wax. You know, the one that leaves your nether regions as bare as the Mojave Desert.
It started out as a cost-saving measure. I really didn’t want to shell out $50 or $60 dollars a month for a professional bikini wax, so I started thinking of ways to reduce that aspect of my personal care routine.
My ill-advised plan was to start waxing my lady situation. Yes, I was going to use my bare hands to rip off tufts of hair from one of the body’s most sensitive areas. It seemed like a pretty good plan of action...except when I actually did it for the first time.
I bought a generic hot wax kit — the cheapest I could find — and started going at it. Eyes closed and teeth clenched, I made that first excruciatingly painful rip. When I looked down, barely six hairs had come off and my eyes were watering from the pain. I had absolutely nothing to show for it but six hairs and a burning sensation that seemed to envelop my vaginal area. The wax strip also got stuck to my bathroom counter and to this day, I haven’t been able to get it all off. I couldn’t bear to take a second swipe so I cleaned myself up with olive oil and chalked it up to a waste of time.
Oddly enough, that wasn’t the last time I gave myself a Brazilian wax. I did it again and again until I finally found the right tools, techniques and products for a successful at-home Brazilian.
Believe it or not, I now find it easier and less painful to do it myself. And at a fraction of the cost of getting it done at a salon, that first messy experience seemed almost worth it.
Here are some key lessons I learned on this very painful journey:
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12 Waxing Myths and Truths
1) ALWAYS purchase the correct wax
If you’re going to forego a $60 salon wax, don’t cheap out on the wax you’re about to buy to perform this painful procedure on yourself. You need a wax designed for coarse hair because…look down and you’ll know exactly why wax made for your upper lip won’t work.
Personally, I find cold wax strips work best for me because they leave less of a mess and are so incredibly easy to use. My favourite wax strip is and will remain Veet® Natural Inspirations™ Wax Strips for Sensitive Skin. GiGi Brazilian Body Hard Wax is also a good option if you prefer a hot wax.
2) Trim or let the hair grow
One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was trying to wax when the hair was too long. If you think scenes from the movie "Saw" look painful, try ripping bikini hair out that’s an inch too long.
Ideally, the hair should be about ¼ inch long so get that trimmer out ASAP or allow your stubble to grow out before attempting to wax.
3) Wax in the right direction
Looking back, I think part of the reason only six hairs came out was because I was pulling the wax strip in the wrong direction. Before you even lay the wax strip down, ensure it’s positioned correctly so you can rip in the opposite direction of your hair growth.
Let's be real here, nothing short of getting knocked out will numb the pain so be swift and remember to hold your skin taut while ripping.
4) Get used to contorting your body in weird acrobatic-like positions
It takes a little practice but getting your area totally free of hair will require some creative yoga-like bending and contorting. I like using the toilet seat or the edge of the tub to help prop up my leg so I can really see what’s going on down there.
5) Keep olive oil, Tend Skin and aloe vera on standby
Olive oil solves a multitude of beauty issues and lingering wax on your lady parts is one of them. I like smearing it all over but if you want to be ladylike about it, pour some on a towel and gently wipe until the wax dissolves.
Tend Skin is great for helping to prevent ingrown hairs but be warned, it stings after applying it directly after a wax.
Finally, I like to finish the procedure by giving my skin some TLC. Aloe vera is the perfect soothing agent to calm your skin after its traumatic experience, at least until next month when you subject yourself to it again.
Have you tried giving yourself an at-home Brazilian? Let us know in the comments below!