Understanding bikini and Brazilian wax treatments
Contrary to the horror stories you may have read in Cosmo or Men's Health, a professional Bikini Wax, regardless of the style, doesn't hurt as much as people think.
For instance, men often comment afterwards that their chest is more tender to have waxed than the pubic hair of their scrotum and perineum.
Meanwhile for women, tenderness can be greatly reduced if you wax a week after your period rather than leading up to it.
So, let's get into specifics.
If you've never been waxed before, you're probably confused by all the jargon. So, you may ask, what's the difference between a bikini wax, g-string wax, and Brazilian wax?
Basic Bikini Wax
A traditional Basic Bikini wax will remove hair from the sides, usually down the outside of the natural leg crease and your belly line, basically where your undies elastic sits.
Optionally, the top of your pubic hair might be waxed, shaped, or clippered, depending on how you want the area styled.
A female bikini wax is usually called a Basic Bikini Wax. The male version is typically referred to as a Speedo Bikini Wax after the swimwear briefs style.
G-string Bikini Wax
The G-string Bikini Wax is a common variation on the traditional bikini wax. It is designed for people who like to wear undies or swimwear that is more minimal than the norm, e.g. a g-string or thong, or garments made from a sheer fabric.
With a g-string bikini wax, your therapist will go in from the leg crease a few centimetres and shape the top of pubic crest. They will also remove any fluff from the bottom of the bum cheeks.
Brazilian Wax
Brazilian Waxing is a relatively new name for an old practice. Women and men have been waxing their junk for thousands of years, the Egyptians and Persians most notably.
It recent decades, it became a trend again,started by some Brazilian sisters in New York, USA
History lessons aside, a Brazilian Wax originally meant removing ALL hair from the genitals and bum crease. Nowadays, it basically means any treatment that removes hair from genitalia.
A female Brazilian Wax can include some or all of the following, depending on what look you're aiming for: bikini line, pubic crest, external labia, and perineum.
A male Brazilian Wax, or Manzilian can include bikini line, penis shaft, scrotum, perineum, and the pubic crest (tuft of hair above the penis).
In both cases, you might also elect to have the hair removed from between your bum cheeks as well.
So, why do most people opt for a Brazilian Wax?
A feeling of cleanliness is a common reason, but most notably, Brazilian Waxing enhances the erogenous sensitivity of the genital area.
Some people also book treatments because they wear skimpy clothing or because their partners prefer it.
Also, female clients often book a Brazilian wax before going into labour.
There are dozens of reasons, but whatever the case, clients agree that it looks better and feels much cleaner.
Choosing a good Brazilian Waxing therapist
There are two types of Brazilian Wax treatments - a good one, and a painful one. As someone who learned the hard way, trust me when I say that it's important that you know the difference before you book a treatment.
Whether you come to Man Thing or go somewhere else, here are the five best pieces of advice you will ever read on Brazilian Waxing.
1. Is the waxing therapist comfortable with their profession?
Does the person on the phone sound nervous? Are they uncomfortable discussing specific details of the Brazilian Wax treatment?
If so, chances are that they'll behave exactly the same way during the waxing session.
Brazilian Waxing is a very specialised field, and practitioners must feel confident with what they are doing, and completely at ease with the naked human body.
If not, they are likely to use awkward movements, and the session will be painful.
2. Is the waxing therapist qualified in Brazilian Waxing?
Waxing is an unregulated industry and anyone can hire a shop front, so don't mistake a Therapist as qualified just because they have a beauty salon.
You are about to let them loose on a very personal part of your body and it's your right to know that they are skilled, so don't hesitate to ask to see their credentials.
If they're qualified to perform Brazilian Waxing treatments, they won't be offended by your request. In fact, their credentials will most likely be proudly displayed on the wall. However, if they can't oblige your request, my suggestion is to run.
3. Does the clinic offer cut-price Brazilian Waxing a lot cheaper than elsewhere?
It's fine to run specials and promotions to attract new clients, but businesses need to turn a profit or they go broke.
That's a fact of life. If a business sells a service at a HUGELY discounted price, there's a reason.
There are only two ways that they can turn a profit - cut costs by using cheap wax, or pump through a lot of clients fast.
Quantity, not quality. Do you really want your special bits treated that way? Or is it worth spending another fifteen bucks down the road?
4. Does the waxing studio have specific cut-price waxing days?
Unfortunately, this is a common practice with some less reputable beauty businesses to lure in new clients on the cheap.
Nine times out of ten, you'll find that this is the day the 'trainee' - often an unpaid work-experience junior - is filling in.
Why does it happen? Because it's a way for a business to profit from cheap labour.
Meanwhile, the poor kid doing the treatment has probably received little or no training in Brazilian Waxing, and more often than not, is only there to make up required clinic hours as part of their broader beauty degree.
I'm all for in-house training - I've trained dozens of therapists this way - but it should be declared BEFORE the treatment rather than just letting the kid loose on the genitals of unsuspecting clients.
5. What type of wax do they use?
There are two types of wax used in professional salons: strip wax and hard wax. Both types are applied with a small spatula and are quite warm, between 40 and 60 degrees, but that's where the similarities end.
Strip wax requires a paper strip to remove it. Strip wax is perfect for large areas of the body but it's not designed for sensitive regions such as eyebrows, face, bum crease, and genitals.
Despite this fact, strip wax is still widely used for the wrong purpose. If you choose this option for your Brazilian Wax, you'll have the bruises and skin tears to prove it.
On the other hand, hard wax sets on its own and comes off like a pliable strip of plastic. It's specifically designed for sensitive areas, and if used with a high quality pre-wax oil, greatly reduces the chance of skin trauma.
Ask your Therapist what kind they use for Brazilian Waxing, especially if their price is cheap.