MY FIRST BRAZILIAN WAX
I've thought about getting a Brazilian wax since college but always found ways to talk myself out of it. There were always so many questions running through my head - Will it hurt? Of course it will...but how much? Will it look good? Will it make me look like a little girl? Will I be comfortable letting a stranger see my lower lady parts? Will it be awkward? Would I have to grow my hair out first? How long does it last? How long will it take? What will it look like when the hair starts to grow back? And so on... Does this sound familiar? If so, I'm writing this post for you.
When Shobha invited me to visit their brand new location in Rockville, Maryland, I knew this was my opportunity to give a Brazillian wax a try. I've been to Shobha in DC many times for brow threading and have always been happy with the treatment, service, and cleanliness of the salon. The brand new Rockville location is especially beautiful because it is the first location to have a whole new modern look with rose gold accents and white leather threading chairs. It's the most sophisticated place I've ever had hair removed from my body.
Before I was taken back to the waxing area. I was treated to some liquid courage, aka sparkling rose, and got my brows cleaned up. I joke that I have "old man brows" because I have brow hairs that grow upwards and downwards. It's a mess, but the women at Shohba always know what to do with them. For the Brazilian I opted to get sugaring instead of waxing because it's 100% natural, is less painful than wax, and is better for sensitive skin.
If you're wondering why I'm wearing a flower crown in the picture on the right, that's the picture I took of myself right before getting my brows threaded with a snapchat filter on. Are you following me yet? @aloyallove
Next, my sugaring specialist greeted me and took me to this very clean room. She asked me to remove all clothing on the lower half of my body and lay down on the bed. At this point, I quickly came to terms with the fact that (1) we just met, and she's going to see my va-jay-jay and (2) I was wearing the last thing you want to wear if you're shy like me (you'll see why later on). Honestly, it wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. I'd say it was similar to visiting a gynecologist for the first time. It's a little weird, but they're a professional who's there to help you.
Once I was laying down, she asked to put my legs in a butterfly or diamond position - for you yogis out there I was in supta-baddha-konasana. As she freshened me up with some powder and a cleansing cloth, I nervously told her that this was my first time getting a Brazilian, and that I was feeling anxious about it. She smiled at me and asked me if I wanted all the hair gone (my answer was "sure?"), and how I normally groom down there (a combo of razor, small electric razor, and scissors, but I'd let it grow once I knew I was coming in). She then took out a small electric razor and let me know she was going to trim a little first. Guess I let it grow a little too much. Oops!
The sugaring itself was just like any waxing session. She put the warm, sugar wax on, applied a strip, and then ripped it off. Nothing seemed different in that technique. There were times when she asked me (and this may be TMI and NSFW) to pull my skin tight. So be prepared to help. After ripping each piece off I'd feel a burning sensation (on a pain scale of 1-10, I'd say the first strip was a 7). After each rip, she applied pressure (wearing gloves) to the exact area where it was burning the most which was extremely helpful in soothing the pain. There were a few strips where she would pause and tell me to "take a deep breath". These strips were the doozies! After each one of those, I found myself saying "Wooo!" because holy $hit they hurt! There were 3 strips that were this painful. At one point she asked me to lift one leg up, and then the other, and then both legs to allow her to sugar everything because if you say you want all the hair gone, then EVERY-THING will be gone. At the end she asked if I wanted a rose water cloth to help sooth my skin. The correct answer to this is "yes". It feels and smells great. Overall, the whole service took about 15 minutes to complete.
Are you ready for the before and after images?
HA! JK!! How weird would that be if I included those pictures? You guys would never look at me the same. Let's just say that I'm very happy with the results, and I definitely want to get it done again! My sugaring specialist recommended that I come back in 4-6 weeks and assured me that the first time is always the most painful. However, if I wait longer than 6 weeks, then the sugaring will feel as painful as the first time again. She also recommended that I not apply anything to the area for 2 days and then afterwards exfoliate every 2-3 days to prevent ingrown hairs. A week after the waxing, I started to see a few hairs grow back and by now, two weeks later, I have a bit of a 5 o'clock shadow and have had to do some touching up myself. This will obviously vary from person to person. My hair tends to grow quickly.
I also got to briefly chat with Shobha Tummala (pictured above), the founder of Shobha. She is a Harvard Business School graduate who now lives in Potomac, Maryland. When I joked with her that she should have been on the Real Housewives of Potomac, she shared that she's actually neighbors with Charrisse Jordan. Fun fact for you Real Housewives fans!
Earlier I mentioned that I was wearing the wrong thing, and it's because I was wearing a romper! This means I had nothing on but a bra for my service. My sugaring specialist was so sweet and immediately sensed that I was uncomfortable. She gave me a paper apron to drape over myself. I could not have asked for a better first experience and highly recommend Shobha for brow threading and Brazilian sugarings.
If you're still curious about my outfit, I wore a yellow, tie-front romper from the Zara sale and Dolce Vita Paris sandals. I've linked to some similar rompers and the exact same sandals.
