Ever wondered what all the hype is about when it comes to the much-raved Brazilian wax? We’ve got all the answers you need!
Alright ladies, we’ve probably all thought about getting one – a Brazilian wax. A couple of years ago, I was growing more than irritated with my normal, annoying shaving routine that was accompanied by a painful swarm of what felt like flesh-eating razor burn. I decided to go ahead and get a full Brazilian wax at my local salon in the hopes of alleviating my discomfort.
For those of you who have apparently been living under a rock since puberty, a full Brazilian wax is a form of hair removal that gets rid of the entirety of your pubic hair. All of it. You are left completely bare down under.
With summer in full swing, this method has probably crossed your mind. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be able to just toss on a bikini at the last minute and not have to worry about the prickling growth peeking through the sides of their pastel blue bottoms? I know I would!
Having had a full Brazilian wax done before, I’m no stranger to everything that comes with it: the good and the bad. You may think, “What could be bad about having a super smooth undercarriage for weeks on end?” Well, I’m here to tell you, along with all of the good things, there is some bad.
When it comes to the removal of your pubic hair, many of us have usually just used razors. But the tediousness that comes with frequent shaving and razor burn has got a lot of us turning to waxing as an alternative.
If you’re like so many women out there, just sick of razors and are debating trying something different, here is a list of the pros and cons of getting a full Brazilian wax that I have compiled from my own experiences to help you out. [Read: Trim, shave or natural? – The real score on what looks best!]
The cons of getting a Brazilian wax
Let’s start off with the reasons why some women won’t even consider getting a Brazilian wax.
#1 The pain. “What? Waxing is painful?!” Well, unless you’re from another planet completely or have had all pain receptors removed from your bikini area, yes, it is painful. The process of waxing includes removing each hair from their individual follicles. So basically they’re yanking out hundreds of hairs from deep in your skin. As you can probably imagine, it hurts a bit – especially since it is literally ALL of the hair you have down there.
However, the amount of pain is different for everybody, and I personally didn’t find it completely unbearable. It helps if you take a couple of painkillers prior to your visit and hit the ice pack when you get home.
#2 The cost. It’s no secret that waxing costs more money because you’re actually paying someone to get all up in your junk, apply hot *expensive* wax, and then tear out all the hairs. Luckily, after your first waxing, salons usually drop the cost for maintenance. Depending on where you live, you can expect to spend around $60 for a first-time Brazilian wax and about $40 upon each touch-up visit.
#3 Growing out the hair. This is the least fun part about waxing. Because you get to be all worry-and hair-free for so long, but then you have to grow your hair out before you’re able to get it waxed again. Since your pubic hair has to be about ¼ inch long before it can be waxed, it means there’s about a week to a week and a half time span that you won’t want to go out wearing anything less than shorts.
#4 Someone is all up in your goodies. This may only be a con for those of you who are very shy or find it very uncomfortable for a stranger to be seeing your most private parts. I mean, it usually goes something like, “Hi there. Take off all your clothes from the waist down, and I’ll be back in a moment to strip you bare.”
Okay, okay. So it’s not that awkward, but it’s still uncomfortable to say the least – especially when they have to move your lady parts around to get the hair out of the hard-to-reach places. Yikes!
To be fair though, all of these people are professionals and have probably seen hundreds of vaginas, so there’s no reason to be weirded out if they see yours! [Read: 20 hot tips to becoming more feminine]
The pros of getting a Brazilian wax
Don’t worry. It may seem like those are some pretty serious downsides, but I promise there are plenty of good things that come from a Brazilian wax, too. For me personally, the pros outweigh the cons listed above.
#1 Extended hairlessness. This really is the #1 reason to get a Brazilian wax. When the hair is ripped from the follicle, it takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks for the hair to grow back. That means for more than a month, you can proudly parade around with a pubic region as smooth as a baby’s bum!
Added bonus: if you randomly want to get it on with the hottie from the bar, you won’t have to worry about any prior “clean-up.” You can just get right to it! [Read: How to get a guy to go down on you without a push]
#2 No razor burn. And here is the selling point, folks! At least, it was for me. I can live with all the cons purely because it means I don’t have to deal with razor burn. This is the best part because even if you shave regularly and remain free of hair that way, razor burn is almost as unattractive on the bikini line as having little hairs sticking out. Not to mention way more uncomfortable. But with waxing, there is no fear of tiny red pain monsters masking the beauty that is your bare vagina region.
#3 Hair growth thins over time. An almost-permanent bonus! If you’re regularly waxing for a long time, some hair just stops growing back. When the hair is continuously plucked from its natural abode – your hair follicle – the follicle becomes stretched out and loose, resulting in new hair either not forming or just falling out without any extra help. I can definitely attest to this point!
#4 Confidence. Last, but certainly not least. The confidence you gain from a full Brazilian wax comes from the freedom of it. When you don’t have to worry about unwanted and unattractive hair clouding the way to your ray of sunshine, you will feel way more comfortable slipping into that tiny bikini or sexy lingerie you’ve been saving for a special day! [Read: 15 super simple ways to keep yourself sexy at any age]
I know I have a stock pile of panties and swim attire labeled as “wax appropriate,” specifically because I know I don’t have to be concerned about anything when I get a full Brazilian wax.
[Read: At home bikini waxing – A complete guide for beginners]
Whatever your reason is for getting a full Brazilian wax, just know that everything comes with some good and some bad, and everybody’s bodies are different. And who knows, a con for someone else may be a pro to you. You never know unless you get out there and try it!
