Baring it All: My Positive Brazilian Wax Experience!

I asked you all for tips on preparing for my first Brazilian wax, and you did not disappoint!

Now having done it, I want to give you an update that I had a very positive experience. I get that not every woman wants to get this type of wax, but now having gone through it, I’m glad I did.

The aesthetician who did my wax, Mallory, was amazing and answered all my questions.

Clearly I had a lot of questions. Let’s dive in!

What ages of women get this type of wax?

All ages from high school girls to women in their 70s and 80s get Brazilian waxes. Mallory estimated she can do several waxes a day, with the average client age being in the 30s.

Why do people get a Brazilian wax?

Cleanliness.

The feeling of bareness.

Ability to wear a swimsuit or lingerie without any pubic hair showing.

Preparation for surgery in that area.

Preparation for childbirth.

Something that was completely surprising to me is she had never heard anyone give as a reason that a Brazilian wax makes sex more enjoyable. A few people had told me that it does make sex better (for both the man and woman). In a future post, I will share what Randy and I think about sex after the Brazilian wax!

Do men get Brazilian waxes?

Yes, but the training is different for a man, and not all aestheticians train to do both men and women. The process for a man is a little different than the process for a woman. Mallory said by far the majority of their clientele are women, but they do have some men who get waxed.

What are great tips leading up to a Brazilian wax?

Let me say the tips I had heard were indeed spot on when I confirmed them with Mallory. Here is what is important to keep in mind:

Hydrate! Drink plenty of water in the few days before and the day of the wax. Being well hydrated allows for easier removal of the hair.

Don’t drink alcohol or drink only in moderation the night before. Drinking too much alcohol the night before your appointment will contribute to dehydration. If you do drink, make sure you are consuming extra water to compensate.

Exfoliate with a sugar scrub. Sugar scrubs are readily available in the cosmetic areas of big chain stores and drugstores, online and in specialty stores (like Bath & Body Works). Gently using a sugar scrub in the vaginal and pelvic area removes dead skin cells, making hair removal easier.

Moisturize with baby oil or other moisturizer in the few days leading up to the wax. Keeping the skin moisturized is a good idea. The aesthetician told me, though, there’s no need to do it right before a wax, because you don’t want the area oily or the wax won’t work as well.

Allow your pubic hair to grow out a quarter inch or longer. Longer is better, as it gives the wax more to which to adhere.

Avoid coffee the morning of the wax, as it will dehydrate you quicker. Just drink water that morning.

I also had heard to take a few ibuprofen about an hour before the appointment, which I did.

Another suggestion I would include is be sure to go to a reputable business. Clearly this is a service where professionalism and cleanliness are vitally important. Ask for recommendations and/or read reviews online.

What kind of wax does the aesthetician use?

Hard wax or soft wax are the two types of waxes used.

Hard wax is spread on warmly as a thick liquid, and once the wax is hardens, that’s what is pulled off to remove the hair (no paper strip on top of the wax).

Soft wax is more gooey. After it is applied, a paper strip is put on top of it, and the paper is then pulled, taking off the wax and the hair. Soft wax can be more thorough in removing hair, but it is more painful.

The shop I went to uses only hard wax.

How does a typical appointment go?

I arrived, much like arriving at a salon or massage therapy business. The front desk area and lobby were incredibly clean and professional. The front desk receptionist greeted me, and my aesthetician Mallory came out to warmly greet me and take me back to a small room (again, much like going for a massage).

I told her it was my first time, and she was super kind and explained everything. The room had a padded exam table with an inclined back, similar to what you find in a doctor’s office. Everything was clean. There was a TV on the wall (Keeping Up With the Kardashians was on, and Mallory and I had a little chat about how we think they are quite the entrepreneurs. But that really is not relevant to the waxing experience!)

Before stepping out of the room, she told me to remove my clothing from the waist down, clean my vaginal area with some wet wipes, and then sit reclined on the table (similar to going for an annual pap smear, only there were no stirrups on the exam table).

She had me put the bottom of my feet together and then spread my knees to give her easy access. She applied the wax using what looked like wooden tongue depressors, being sure to use a new one every time she went into the container of wax. This was reassuring—to see the attention to good hygiene.

She started outward (near the crease of my leg) and worked her way inward, explaining that it is less painful to start this way. She would spread on the wax in one area, it would harden rather quickly and then she would rip it off. A few times she had me hold my skin taut to make it easier for her to remove the wax.

She would use tweezers to remove stray hairs, making sure the area was left completely smooth. After doing my vaginal area, she quickly removed the little bit of hair near my anus.

How painful is it?

I totally anticipated this to be on par with giving birth without an epidural (which I have done). I soon realized I was being a bit melodramatic in anticipating such horrendous pain. I just had heard that it was brutally painful to have hair ripped out in this manner.

I thought I would hear women writhing in pain as if in various torture contraptions! Like I said, I had clearly built it up in my mind that I was going to have to muster tremendous resolve to even go through with it. Oh my.

Fortunately, my worst fears about the pain were put to rest quickly. The waxing was not excruciating by a long shot. It just felt like a burn or sting. As soon as she would rip off a strip of wax, she would use her hand to apply pressure in the area and this brought immediate relief.

Mallory did say the coarseness of the hair can affect the level of pain. Coarser and thicker hair can be a little more painful to remove.

In my experience, the pain was for only a brief moment and there wasn’t any lingering pain! Yeah! I think having a professional and well trained aesthetician like Mallory makes a huge difference. She went to great lengths to reassure me and explain what she was doing step by step.

How long did the whole process take?

Probably about 15-20 minutes. That’s it! I was in and out before I knew it. All my questions and curiosity likely took longer. Mallory was a champ in answering anything I asked!

How often do women get a Brazilian wax?

Mallory said women who regularly get waxed do it every 4-6 weeks and that the waxes at this interval are not as painful. The hair grows in softer and is easier to remove.

Some women get waxed only for special occasions (trip to the Bahamas, anniversaries, etc.) If you go more than 8 weeks between waxes, it’s like starting over.

Is all the hair always removed?

Generally speaking, a Brazilian wax is all the hair removed. Sometimes women want a small strip of hair left down the center or a neat triangle on the front. (Think of a martini glass). I imagine some husbands would find this incredibly sexy, but it’s not the kind of question I can casually bring up to a bunch of men. If you are a husband reading this, feel free to chime in so we can hear your input!

What did the wax cost?

At the location where I went in Omaha, it was $45 for a first-time visit (any tip is on top of that, similar to how you would tip your hairstylist or massage therapist). Mallory said maintenance waxes (less than 8 weeks between visits) are $39 each.

I imagine the cost of a service like this varies depending on the shop or geographic area of the country. I’m guessing having a Brazilian wax in New York City or Seattle is more expensive than the Midwest, but I’m not sure.

What is recommended post-wax care?

Super simple! Keep the area clean and dry and wear loose fitting clothing the first day. Don’t exfoliate the area for 2-3 days. I asked Mallory about sex the first day and she recommended against it, simply because the area will be tender.

My husband and I did not have sex that first day, but I honestly think we would have been fine. I wanted to, but we were totally exhausted for completely unrelated reasons. No sex for us the day of my wax. But we did eventually have sex! To read that post, go to this link.

For more reading, you can cruise through my list of past posts. as well as my page with a bunch of posts on orgasm.

And I have a 5 video series available on building better sex in your marriage. Great way to invest in your marriage!  You can find out all about it at this link:  Better Sex in Your Christian Marriage.

Copyright 2020, Julie Sibert. Intimacy in Marriage Blog. Links may be monetized.

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