Waxing: An Inside Scoop

Hello, dear readers. I am here to avail you of another experience I underwent so you would not have to. There have been many questions about waxing- and I'm not talking about waxing a surfboard, heh heh. Okay. No more of those types of jokes. There have been many questions asked about waxing over time, and I've heard a lot of them from fellow females in the teen to twenties age. I've heard some opinions on waxing from some males and read a fair share of articles about the act, the different types and styles, and all the brouhaha associated. We as buyers are pummeled with adds for waxing or hair removal constantly and it seems our society is one that believes in less hair. Less hair, I think, almost being associated with a certain level of cleanliness and hygiene- even though this isn't necessarily the case. We see ads for Nads (which claims to be painless and natural...I'm doubtful), Nair(painless and less natural...the smell is otherworldly), and myriad of examples which escape me at the moment. Below the cut you will find...my story....



I have entertained the idea of getting my legs and bikini area (and such) waxed for quite some time. I just never had the money or the willpower to allow the hair to grow out. I like not having hairy legs so that was honestly one of my largest dilemmas. Plus, the pain factor. Now if you are like me you have seen movies and television shows which depict the pain of waxing. It seems to be absolutely excruciating. There are horror stories I've read of people who did at-home hot wax and burned themselves terribly. Waxing was a big, scary unknown. How painful was it going to be? Am I going to break out in a rash? Will it even work? These were all questions I had on a loop in my mind. On top of, how embarrassing is this going to be? And what different styles of bikini wax are there?



Here are the answers to some of these ever-important questions.
Was it painful?
Waxing was not that painful, and I got some fairly intimate areas waxed. I did take two tylenol with pain relievers in them prior to going- I anticipated the pain and wasn't going to stand for it. I've seen this recommended before. Go ahead and take preventative measures, just like you would if you were anticipating cramps.

Am I going to break out in a rash?
This is different for each person. Slight red bumps and skin irritation can occur but normally fades after a few hours or at the most a day after waxing occurs. Hair bumps can also happen when the hair is growing back in--similar to when you get an ingrown hair. I didn't break out at all and there was no redness.

Will it work? And for how long?
My waxing experience definitely worked. I had my upper legs and bikini area waxed on August 4th and the hair only just began growing back this past week. So, I got a good month of hair-free upper-legs and such. It was completely worth the money and I would repeat the experience in a heartbeat. The hair grows back softer, lighter, and more sparsely than it does when you shave.

How embarrassing is it to be pants-less in front of a stranger?
Now, this depends on the level of comfort you have with yourself. I went to a spa/salon. It was very nice, very calming. I spoke with Jennifer- the waxer- before she proceeded to wax. She left me in the room to disrobe- pants and undies off (depending on what you're getting waxed- if you're only getting your legs waxed, this isn't going to be procedure for you). I disrobed- kept on my top and got under a towel on a table. She came in and we discussed exactly what I wanted done- she explained the differences. She was more than willing to work with me, saying that if I felt the pain was too extreme we could stop. So, for me, this wasn't too embarrassing besides the whole being naked and at times in strange positions in front of another person who I'm not having sex with...I'm just saying. One of the positions was very down-dog-esque, again this won't be used for all wax sessions. Basically, Jennifer was a complete professional and nothing shocked her and there was no aghast reaction or comments like "wow, you are hairy!" So it felt very natural and normal. Plus, we kept conversation going the whole time- this really helped.

What are the different styles and types of waxings?
As you may know, there are many different styles of waxing (and different types of waxes used).
It seems that practically any body part can be waxed- arms, armpits, legs, eyebrows, unwanted facial hair, upper-lip, vagina, and chest...apparently some men even get their pleasure area waxed. So, the whole body is pretty much fair game. I believe most types are self-explanatory, most questions arise from the different styles of waxing used in the va-jay-jay area.

American or Classic Bikini Wax- This wax refers to the removal of the hair of the top of the thighs and the hair below the naval area. Classical V shape is the end result.

French Wax or Partial Brazillian- leaves a vertical strip of hair the width of two or three fingers on the vulva. Hair of the labia and peri-anal area can also be waxed in this style, but are not necessarily.

Brazillian Wax, Hollywood Wax, Sphinx- Almost all pubic hair is removed with the exception of a thin strip of hair on the pubis. The anus, perineum, and vulva are all waxed in this process.


For me, waxing wasn't a bad experience at all. I went to a salon, it was entirely professional. I found it funny that it was always portrayed as being entirely painful, but it just wasn't that excruciating. I've also really enjoyed the results and the fact that I haven't had to shave for almost a month. I would highly recommend waxing instead of shaving or creams anyday.

I give waxing a 10/10 for being an effective product and good experience.