10 Things You Want to Know Before Your First Body Wax

UPDATE 5/3/21: It has come to our attention that Covid 19 Vaccinations MAY (it will not happen to all) make your skin more sensitive to waxing. It has been noticed 3-4 months post-injection. Could be longer, no way to know. And this has been seen in people who have been waxing for years with no other changes in their medications or routines. Sensitives vary.

First, it is always waxing season. And the best time to have your first waxing is in the Fall or Winter time. Because you need to let the hair g-r-o-w. The longer, the better. Especially of you have been shaving. Shaved hair is tough! And short little stubbly hair will not come out with wax. So let it grow a little. 4 weeks is the what we recommend. If you choose to come in for waxing before 4 weeks, you may not be happy with the result.

For those who have never waxed before, the very idea of having hair ripped from its roots, may leave you screaming in terror. However, if you are ready to take the body waxing plunge, here are a few tips to get you on your way and hopefully make your experience a little more pleasant.

#1 As stated above, your hair needs to be long enough for the wax to grab: This does not mean to let it grow wild, just stop shaving for at least 4 weeks. If you come in with less then 4 weeks growth, we will do the best we can for you. But nobody likes being tweezed!

#2 Don’t get talked into anything: When you call up a spa and make your bikini wax appointment, you may be asked if you want a ‘Brazilian’. For some women, the thought of a Brazilian is extremely appealing, for others, it’s completely terrifying. If the idea of going all Telly Savalas scares you, then simply say no. It’s not a big deal. Just say you want to clean up your bikini line.

#3 Go high end: For your first waxing experience you should absolutely treat yourself to a high-end salon. Yes, $65 (or more) seems like a lot to drop for a smooth bikini line, but remember, you are paying someone to pour hot wax on your lady bits; this is not the time to nickel and dime. If at all possible, try to stick to a spa that someone you know has tried and loves. Exploring the great unknown when it comes to waxing, could just leave you in a great deal of pain. $65-75 is for a Brazilian, regular bikini waxes will run $50-60.

#4 It’s not going to be that bad: Don’t listen to your friends with the horror stories! Every one has a horror story or two to tell about a bad wax, but it’s usually not that bad. As mentioned above, just make sure to treat yourself to a high-end spa with waxers who know their way around the area… and perhaps pop a few Tylenol beforehand just in case. Or make a purchase ahead of time: No Scream Cream. This is a good investment to reduce the pain factor. This must be applied 30-45 minutes before your service. We sell it here at Serenity Spa. And when you buy it from us, we will give you an instruction card (very important)! But we do not employ a receptionist, so unfortunately you cannot just "stop by" to pick up a tube. Please contact us and schedule a time to purchase the product. This system has worked well for us for years. Small price to pay for a quiet, calm, private spa setting, we think. 

#5 Or it’s going to be worse: If you walk in thinking this is going to be on par with an eyebrow wax, you’re in for a rude awakening. The area being waxed is far more sensitive and there is also much more area to cover. While you’re unlikely to feel like a victim in a horror film, be prepared to be a little sore after your wax. Some redness and tenderness is common. At the time of booking, we send you a list of recommendations for Do's and Don'ts for after your service. And the No Trauma Momma is very helpful, post waxing! 

#6 You’re going to be there a while: Whenever Carrie or the girls would get a wax, we’d see a quick couple pulls, and done. In real life, your appointment is going to be between 15 to 45 minutes. It all depends. So try and get comfy.  A regular bikini wax will take 15-25 minutes. Back waxes 20-45 minutes. 

#7 Go home: Try not to do anything after your wax. You don’t know how your body is going to react, so running around, sweating and chaffing could wreak havoc on your newly bare (and abused) bikini line. Go home, take off your pants, grab an ice pack and chill.

#8 Do not, I repeat, NOT plan on going into a hot tub for at least 3 days after your bikini or brazilian wax: Trust me. It's not worth the risk.

#9 Bruising is possible, lifted skin is possible, ingrown hairs are possible. But there are remedies for aftercare. This information is also in the information we send you at the time of booking.

#10 Even if you have grown your hair out for months and months, you may still have "stubble" for your first few waxing appointments. Let me explain: There are 3 stages of hair growth. Anagen, Catagen and Telogen. In the Anagen stage, the hair is beginning to grow. In the Catagen stage, is the intermediate stage of growth and the Telogen stage is the shedding stage. What this means is, all three of these stages are always going on....unless you are a regular, seasoned waxing client. So you always have hairs that are shedding, hairs that are growing (and are too short for the wax to grab) and the intermediate hairs. The Catagen and Telogen hairs are removed with your first wax, for sure. The Anagen hairs, most likely not. But over time, the waxing process disrupts this for most people and smooth skin is achieved. And by disruption I mean, all of the hairs get on the same page and grow in together. For some (like me) this never happens and we can assume that every waxer we ever see is incompetent. Or, we can understand the science behind what is happening and accept the limitations of our human-ness. The choice is ours. :) Is it broken? Is it Anagen? Who knows. Just communicate with your waxologist. She will appreciate it. And you will too. 

So if you’re ready to ‘bare’ a beautiful hairless you this summer, make your appointment today. No matter where you go, always let them know if you’re a first timer. Once you’ve gotten the initial shock (and pain) out of the way, we just know you’re going to love it!

And if something goes wrong, sometimes it does, please let your waxer know how you feel first - before you tell the world - so she can have a chance to make it right. We waxers can be really hard on ourselves and think a waxing session has gone terribly wrong, but you (the client) might be fine with the end result. That happens too. So please just don't assume - communicate. The best time to do this at Serenity Spa, is during the service or call us the next day. We are here to help.

We look forward to this journey with you.  

Thank you!