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Want laser hair removal? Learn about electrolysis and alternatives, such as waxing, or Brazilian waxing. Find a specialist or learn about the tools used. |
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Review The bare facts about Brazilian waxing By Romina Cleary October 17, 2005 San Diego--This past spring, just before the start of bikini season, I went in to get my legs and bikini line waxed at the Pacific Athletic Club’s Sanctuary Spa. I overheard a Brazilian woman in her late thirties say to the spa concierge, "I need a bikini wax….What is this ‘Brazilian’ wax? I’m from Brazil, but I don’t know what this is." The attendant coughed and in a hushed voice stated, "The Brazilian removes everything." "What do you mean it removes everything?" I couldn’t resist interjecting and said, "The Brazilian removes all the hair down there for the sake of wearing the Brazilian thong bikini."
What I do know is that in recent years I've seen beauty salons in and around San Diego with signs declaring "We now do Brazilian!" Having grown up in New England, where beach season only lasts about two months and the bikinis have twice the coverage, I never thought to wax my genital area for the sake of bikini season. But now I live in Southern California. Hirsute isn’t hip around here. Here’s the lowdown on Brazilian waxing and my experience with it…. What is a Brazilian Wax? Though Brazilian waxing is commonly known as the bare all waxing job, where all hair in one's private area is removed, this isn't necessarily the case. In fact, Brazilian wax jobs vary. According to Rada at Smile, a specialty waxing salon in West Hollywood, there are a half dozen styles, including the “Natural,” the “Playboy,” (also known as a “landing strip”) the pure “Bare-All Brazilian,” and the “Made-to-Order.” In general, when going in for a Brazilian, a woman—or a man—aims to remove all hair that might otherwise be exposed when wearing a Brazilian thong bikini. The “Natural” takes it all off on the back side, between the legs and along the bikini border. This style leaves unaffected, natural looking pubic hair. The “Playboy” does the same thing as the “Natural” but leaves the frontal pubic region bare, save for a narrow strip of hair running up the middle. The Playboy is a decent option for the woman who really doesn't like to have hair down there, but who cannot stand to bare all for fear of feeling like less of a woman. The “Bare-All” removes absolutely everything. Nothing more to say about that, really. The “Made-to-Order” is designed for the contrarian who has their own ideas of how their pubic region should look. An unconventional sort might request a zigzag, a heart shape, a Christmas tree for the holidays, and maybe even a jack-o-lantern for Halloween. Not all salons offer the “Made-to-Order.” A Brazilian Wax Job in San Diego — Bare Necessities A few years ago, health spas in San Diego rarely listed Brazilians waxes on their menus. You had to know where to go. Now, Brazilian wax jobs can be gotten at high-end health spas, nail salons, home waxing studios, and, of course, salons specializing in hair removal. Last week, I visited La Jolla’s Bare Necessities, a skin care salon in La Jolla. According to the owner, Bare Necessities has been in business for 15 years and is one of the earlier purveyors of the Brazilian wax in San Diego. Bare Necessities removes any and all kinds of body hair, including the hair on men's backs, women's facial hair, hair on male genitalia, and more. It isn't your typical La Jolla high-priced, high-minded, all show and no go salon either. You don't get the new age wooden flutes playing the background and an over-relaxed esthetician cooing in your ear. At Bare Necessities, the staff is friendly and amicable with a clever sense of humor. And Lynn Dimacali, the owner, took care of me. She introduced me to the salon's products and procedures. Unlike most salons, they use sugar wax instead of honey wax. The sugar wax sticks to the hair rather than the skin. Instead of pulling a layer of skin along with the hair, the sugar wax removes just the hair. Also, sugar wax is water-soluble. It's removed from skin and clothing more easily than regular wax. Bare Necessities keeps the sugar wax in separate containers to avoid double-dipping. It's just one stick (or more) and one tub of wax per client. I went in for a full leg wax and a possible Brazilian bikini wax. I donned the disposable underwear and set myself on the operating table. Lynn, a vivacious and talkative woman, worked quickly and kept me engaged in conversation. Before I knew it, she had waxed all that I wanted her to wax. I did not go for the Bare All, but I did have a thorough waxing. Here are a couple of tips: Don't apply lotions or swim in a chlorinated pool before or after your waxing. Also, exfoliate on a regular basis to avoid ingrown hairs. (continued) 1 | 2 |
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