Like nearly every other woman in the world, I have pondered on receiving a bikini wax for months. The thought usually came after discovering a new ingrown hair, or after wishing I didn’t have to shave every 5 seconds for silky smooth skin. No matter the reasoning, I made the decision to finally turn these wishes into reality because “why not?” There was going to be pain, yes, but the good outweighed the bad.
My journey began with extensive research. Not only did I want to know all the scientific reasoning behind waxing, but I needed to find a salon I would be comfortable with. You can’t just put the beauty of your vagina in anyone’s hands, am I right? The good news was that there are numerous waxing salons in Atlanta.
So, I was now on my quest for endless waxing knowledge. Thanks to the world wide web, I found some more pros that still outweighed the bad. I even witnessed countless painful expressions on YouTube. However, one YouTuber by the name of Kaice Alea posted a video of her getting sugaring and seemed to give me the extra push I needed. In the video, she’s seen relaxing and talking directly to the camera with the help of her specialist about the process. She is very detailed on how it feels and even the aftercare. Ultimately, the courage from this video is what started my love for waxing.
Nearly a week later, I made the commitment Sweet Peach Wax. This was a wax salon who specialized in hard wax (the traditional wax most of us are used to), and sugaring (a middle-eastern practice that uses natural products to remove the hair follicles.) On their website, it is also described that sugaring is less painful since the natural product cannot grip your skin. So, you can guess which service I selected when booking my appointment.
The process started off like any appointment. I was asked to check-in and introduced to my staff member. After what felt like an eternity, I entered the room where the magic would be happening. The staff member told me to strip my lower half as she went to prepare. All at once, my nerves came rushing into me. I could feel myself start to sweat and the walls began to laugh at me. I laid back bench with palms drenched thinking, “why would I ever let YouTube convince me to do this?”
Finally, the staff member came back. She used baby powder to reduce my nervous sweats and the process began. At first, we tried the sugaring, which wasn’t as painful as I anticipated. My research had definitely paid off about that detail, however, the natural mixer was having a hard time gripping all the hairs since it was my first time. We both made the decision to continue my appointment with the hard wax.
This was the start of my red-faced screaming. The pain described by ever article didn’t match the pain I felt as I laid their hopeless. In fact, I won’t even attempt to describe the pain myself. Yet, nearly two weeks later and I find myself urging to go back. Why is that?
In these short two weeks, very minimal hair has grown. It almost has the same feeling of growing peach fuzz. The new hairs also don’t appear as thick. On my list, the biggest pro is the change in skin discoloration. As black women, shaving often can cause darkening of the skin, especially on an area that receives minimal sunlight. Frequent friction made by the underwear also adds to the darkening process. By receiving a bikini wax, I’ve seen the skin start to even out in color and lighten to its original shade.
Whether you want a wax or not, take the time to experience it! I cannot guarantee you will end up like me, but the benefits obviously outweigh the fear. You should start off with a weeks’ worth of research before booking your appointment. Send a text in the group chat to see if your friends have any suggestions! Yes, the first experience is unbearable, but you’ll feel a new pride in your womanhood afterwards. Besides, beauty is pain, right?