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. For women, tenderness is greatly reduced if they're waxed after their period rather than before.
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 is one where the hair is removed from the sides of your pubic region, usually down the outside of the natural leg crease where your undies elastic sits. Optionally, the top of your pubic hair might be waxed, shaped, or clippered, depending on your needs.
A female bikini wax is usually called a Basic Bikini Wax. The male version is also referred to as a Speedo Bikini Wax due to the large variation in men's preferred underwear styles.
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 means different things to different people, because its original meaning has become a bit blurred over the years due to marketing.
However, back at the beginning, a Brazilian Wax 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 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. My repeat client rate is close to 90%, so that fact speaks for itself.
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 Reef Studios 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 clinic 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 45 and 65 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 genitalia.
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.
The Reef Studios Experience
Reef is a lifestyle studio, not a beauty salon. I do not like all the hype and faux attitude typical of beauty salons, and thankfully, nor do my regular clients.
As such, you will not enter some intimidating magical domain filled with clouds of incense, pretty girls wearing too much makeup, flashing lights and gismos, or posters of impossibly beautiful people on the walls.
Instead, my focus is on quality. The mood at Reef is professional yet relaxed.
I'll begin the treatment by gathering information about your general health and any past waxing experiences you may have had. This is to ensure that I employ the very best techniques and take all necessary precautions.
The process just takes a few minutes and you only have to do it on your first visit.
You'll then be shown to the air-conditioned waxing room. I'll give you a place to put your things, tell you how to prepare, then leave you in private to get undressed and on the table.
Once you're ready, we'll discuss what look you're aiming for, for example, whether you want everything waxed or a strip left behind, and then we'll begin the treatment. I will do my best to preserve your modesty throughout, and at no time will you be asked to get into strange positions, as some places may ask you to do.
If your pubic hair is long, I may trim it first. It is best not to attempt it yourself before the treatment, or you may cut the hair too short. I'll then apply a cooling antiseptic solution to cleanse your skin, followed by pre-wax oil to help the wax adhere to your hair and not to your skin.
I use a special Brazilian Wax blend, titanium dioxide enriched, and infused with vanilla and coconut. Throughout the treatment, I will take my time to ensure the best possible result, talking you through the process as we go.
At the end of the treatment, I'll apply our special tea-tree after-wax lotion, which soothes the area beautifully, and then finally, I'll give you some handy after-care tips and suggestions to make the most of your Brazilian Waxing treatment.
And that's it. Doesn't sound so scary now, does it?
Our goal is to keep you happy and hopefully see you again.
On the Articles index page, you can find more quick reads about the subject plus many other topics that delve into the human condition.
Call me on 07 4926 7778 or 0422 276 202 if you have any questions or to make a booking. You can also book online.
Have a brilliant day,
Andrew Thompson.
