I had my first-ever bikini wax, and lived to tell the tale
When it comes to waxing, it’s safe to say I’m pretty green. Sure, I’ve gotten my eyebrows touched up here and there (and teared up like a baby in the process), but never have I ever ventured into the scary territory of bikini waxing, as I always thought the pain and awkward positions, not to mention the hot wax weren’t worth the money or the agony. However, bikini waxing was one of the many things on my beauty bucket list (aside from finding decent hair extensions and dyeing my hair millennial pink), so I figured this would be the perfect time to finally bite the bullet and get the whole thing over with. I mean, YOLO, right?
Thankfully, my first ever waxing adventure wouldn’t require me to go far, as there is a European Wax Center literally around the corner from where I live. However, actually finding the courage to do the deed was more than a challenge — I definitely rescheduled my appointment twice to see if I could put it off for a bit.
Once the morning of my wax rolled around, the calendar alert on my phone was anything but enthusiastic.
But I knew I couldn’t cancel again, especially with a trip to the beach right around the corner. So, making sure everything down there was trimmed, snipped and clean, I woke up bright and early, full of nerves and unwanted dread.
Before I actually left the house, I wanted to make sure I could do anything to water down the pain factor. So, I scrolled through hundreds of articles the day before, desperately searching for a way to make the whole process quick and painless. A great Cosmo article recommended taking some aspirin an hour before your appointment, so I was sure to take a couple of ibuprofen in hopes I wouldn’t be screaming bloody murder later that morning.
Once I arrived, the reality of my appointment began to sink in. Of course, my phone calendar had to remind me once again too, so I knew there was no turning back. As I checked in and waited for my waxing esthetician, Julie, to take me into the torture chamber, anxious thoughts started to pile up inside my head. But thankfully, Julie had a warm and humorous demeanor, reassuring me I was definitely in good hands.
Once inside the waxing room, it was time to get the wax process going. Julie instructed me that I would have to remove both my pants and underwear, which, of course, was very awkward for me, being that I was super new to the whole process. However, she assured me she had seen almost everything before, which definitely made feel a little less self-conscious. When all articles of my clothing were finally removed, Julie helped me onto the waxing table and instructed me to lie on my back with my knees spread apart on each side.
Lying on the table and watching her mix up the wax, of course, made me nervous AF. Julie even asked if this was stressing me out, as she could easily see it on my face. And when she finally applied the warm blue goo onto my lady parts, I knew it was time to grab onto the sides of the table and hold on for dear life.
To sum up the pain associated with bikini waxing, it’s definitely safe to say you’re going to feel a lot of discomfort down there if your hairs are on the long side.
While you might think it’s best to let everything grow out before the big day, that might make things worse. Try to trim down there before your appointment. Seriously, you will thank me.
Julie told me people have kicked her before in the past, but thankfully holding onto the bar below was enough to get me through the whole thing without flinching like I was being exorcized.
However, I was shocked to discover that bikini waxing was a little less painful than I thought. Shockingly, eyebrow waxing for me proved to be a lot more painful in comparison, as actual tears have forced me to beg my esthetician for a break. FYI, if you’re a waxing newbie like me, it’s totally normal to bleed a little bit after your first bikini wax.
Overall, I was glad I shaved and trimmed before my bikini wax, as it made the process go on easier than I initially imagined.
Julie even laughed and said I deserved a sticker or lollipop for not screaming at the top of my lungs.
If I couldn’t get that sticker or lollipop, I was definitely going to treat myself to a green tea latte, as bikini waxing was something I never thought I could do for myself.
Although I thought Brazilian or Hollywood waxes (yes, it’s a thing) were never in the cards for me, my surprisingly decent first bikini wax definitely left me eager to explore more waxing options in the near future.
