What To Expect For Your First Brazilian Wax
Be informed and do it right the first time!
It's going to hurt like hell, you're going to swear to yourself you're never going to go through with it again, and that you've betrayed your razor. Just like the pain, these feelings will subside.
Before The Appointment.
First things first girl, you must let your hair grow out very long. Ideally, it should be longer than a grain of rice. Absolutely do not shave two to three weeks before since the wax will have a harder time gripping onto short hair, likely leaving it behind. When I hear Brazilian, I think bare. Hairs left behind defies the whole point of a Brazilian, so please just wait.
Next, you should exfoliate the area a day or two before your appointment. Exfoliation will remove the dead skin around the follicle, making hair removal a tad easier.
Right Before.
Now, it's the day of your long-awaited Brazilian appointment. Shower, which is self-explanatory and a nice gesture for your dignity and much appreciated from your esthetician, though do not exfoliate. That will irritate the area before the waxing even begins. It will help to take an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen. Yes, it will still hurt, but it will help.
During The Wax.
During the session, relax. Your esthetician should guide you in deep breaths and knows techniques to minimize the pain.
Personally, I love going to the salon because it's like a free therapy session. You can vent and talk about anything and they'll likely listen and give you their opinion, or silently judge. They're already seeing every bit of you, so nothing seems off the table, but proceed with caution and just be yourself.
When the wax is over, they will apply a cooling crème, gel, oil, or other product to soothe the stressed skin.
After Care.
After the appointment, it's crucial to be aware that everyone's skin heals at different rates. It's also likely you will develop little white bumps from waxing. To inhibit ingrown hairs from forming, I've found that applying Thayer's witch hazel, or another witch-hazel toner without alcohol helps the healing process immensely. Then, top it with a hydrocortisone cream. It helps with redness and swelling. If you don't have witch hazel, that's perfectly fine. Just proceed with hydrocortisone cream and an ice pack if needed.
I'm aware that these after-care instructions make a Brazilian sound like a terrible self-inflicted experience, but I can assure you'll be going back for more. After the bumps subside, you will love the smooth skin, the ability to hit the pool without the worry of "Did I shave?" In a way, I'd compare the experience to giving birth, but way less painful. Yes, it hurts, but women are strong. They become pros at childbirth, and soon, you'll become a pro at Brazilians.
