Bikini waxing - what actually happens?

[Losingmyreligion]

Am fed up shaving and getting instant stubble but feel shy of getting a wax. Surely it's a very intimate procedure with one's fandangle on show? I would be wanting to be left with a 'landing strip'. What actually happens when you get a bikini wax? And how long before you are stubbly again?

You need to check out archives for more info on this, and there are videos on youtube. But basically you need someone who uses hot wax (not strips), you will either keep your own knickers on or much more likely the paper knickers provided, and you'll be asked to pull the edge of the knickers to where you want waxed. So vag remains covered. Stubble (in my experience) appears after about a fortnight but is soft and non-scratchy. Pain is subjective, I find it very manageable and the ouch of having it done is much less than the agony of scratchy shaving regrowth.

Depending on how much you want left unwaxed, knickers (yours or paper ones provided) are left on and pulled to one side at a time.

If you want anything from underneath waxed off (a Brazilian or Hollywood etc.), IME that will require no knickers of any sort. And knees opened (like for a smear) to enable full access Depending on length, the beautician may want to give you a little trim before the wax (longer hair is more painful to pull off apparently).

The regrowth is soft and not stubbly and takes at least a couple of weeks to appear for me. If you're afraid of the pain, take a painkiller 20 mins before the appt to let it kick in. Make sure they use some sort of anti septic cream on the area afterwards and keep an eye on yourself in the weeks of regrowth to guard against ingrowing hairs! (Unless you want to star in your own Sporner thread.)

Check when you book the appt exactly what kind of waxing they offer as some places still only just do the basic bikini waxing (vs Brazilians etc.)

Forgot to add: no need to be shy, like doctors and nurses etc. they've seen it all before!

I get a Hollywood done and I've had the beautician (always have the same one) down there looking carefully for stray hairs with a tweezer lol

You get used to it! I actually get regrowty within a couple of days, on legs too but it's softer than with a razor. Tendskin keeps ingrown hairs under control

Thanks for the replies. Hadn't thought of Youtube. What are the signs of ingrowing hairs? What's Tendskin?

I always just get bikini line done - you don't have to take your knickers off but maybe wear some you don't care about as you might get a bit of wax on them.

They just put some tissue under the seams and you hold them back. Ingrowing hairs look like spots under your skin.

I get a "Californian" done (whatever that means) basically more than a bikini wax, less off than a Brazilian.
The place I go does it with your own knickers/disposables. You hold it out of the way one side at a time while the beautician does her work. If they do round the back of the thigh, along your undercarriage you usually hold your leg up and out while they do it.

If possible, look for somewhere that does hot chocolate/lavender wax, as it's far less painful than hot strip waxing. They put an oil on your skin, then apply the wax, this hardens quickly after they pat it and then they pull that off. It means it's clinging to the hair rather than your skin. The hair also doesn't need to be as long for this as it does for strip waxing.

I get 1-2 weeks of being smooth with an odd stray hair (sometimes pluck it) then 2 weeks of softer regrowth.

Ingrown hairs- look out for hairs that are visibly trapped and just pull them out, or red bumps or pimples. Especially along your knicker line as the seam of your pants is digging in there all day.
Exfoliate regularly, I use facial exfoliater, and my beautician recommends exfoliating gloves as they tend to lift the hairs up rather than just scratch the skin.

Trim any long hair ( a beard trimmer is useful, and if you go for a landing strip you can use it to keep that in shape between waxing.

Make sure the beautician is experienced at doing it. Ask and ask what type of wax - there is a lavender black wax which is very good and not using strips.

If you are in London, try bliss. You could have a paracetamol before hand, but it's not painful if done by someone who knows what they are doing. It's very important to ask and ask how many they do a week and how long for.

don't go just before your period as it might be more painful. Get your legs etc done at the same time, might as well.

You might find yourself chatting more than usual too. I like to keep up a steady stream of inane chitchat about the Apprentice/the weather/my favourite nail varnish as I can then kid myself the therapist hasn't got time to be formulating thoughts about my wobbly thighs, even though clearly she's thinking nothing of the sort as she's seen it all before and isn't even registering my cellulite, just where the hair is and how quickly she can yank it out.

So I suppose it's really more for me, so I can't formulate thoughts about what she might be thinking. There's a reason there isn't a wax called 'an English'. Or if there is, it's the one where the hair's halfway down your leg like Mr Tumnus.