Ever since reading last year the Bergdorf Blondes, I’ve been obsessed with getting a Brazilian Wax and am glad I was finally able to find time last night. The Brazilian was something that mystified me and this time being a summer, it is absolutely a must! However, the procedure is not really cheap and it’s not something that is offered by every spa in Manila. I had to choose between the Oasis in Hyatt and Sanctuario, which are both found in Malate. I finally had to settle for the latter because it’s nearer my workplace and ’twas about 200 pesos cheaper (…as my son says, “cheapskate!”)
Sanctuario is a Filipino-style spa specializing in traditional Pinoy healing (hilot) and other exotic pampering treatments like the kape barako body scrub (P2,250), bentosa cupping (P800), Dagdagay tribal foot massage P660) and carabao milk whitening bath (P660) . They sure look fancy and I still have to try ’em. Sanctuario is located in an ancestral house in the middle of Malate’s riproarin’ bohemian district. The toilet in the girls’ locker room was hardly spacious but I do like the place’s liberal use of antique Filipino furnitures and indigenous decor.
I opted to have a dip in the jacuzzi first which was a common (unisex) area and was made to wear a sarong and this top. Since humidity in Manila is at its peak now, the hot jacuzzi didn’t prove to be a wise option but I did enjoy the view in the back garden that night. My friendly therapist Christy took this photo of moi. Little did I know of the agony which would welcome me in the ensuing minutes 😛
I got queasy once we went into the treatment area with the sight of the rounded flourescent spotlight beside my bed which reminded me of a hospital operating room. You had to be naked from the waist down and I must say that it’s important to have somebody who you can really be comfortable with, especially if it involves something as delicate as she tweezing your stray hair down there, lol.
Christy begins by putting azulene (calming) oil, talcum powder and some other lotion in my nether part. Then she proceeds to put wax on it which had been burning in a machine labelled “clean+easy.” The hot wax stings at first and without a warning, Christy proceeds to rip the wax with my hair on the opposite direction. I let out a loud “aaaaah!” At this point, I would have appreciated it if erstwhile gentle-looking Christy gave me a warning huh! Or engaged me in a conversation, the way my doctor does when she inserts an instrument during those routine pap smears. But clearly, I had no option!!
Christy wasn’t even halfway yet and I feel traumatized already. She even asked me to choose whether I’ll settle for “a shape” or would opt to have all my hair removed, with a warning that the latter could get quite bloody. Duh?? It’s obvious now what my preference would be.
To cut a long story short, I couldn’t wait to have the procedure over and done with. I thought I had high tolerance for pain but this one was p-a-i-n-f-u-l with a capital P. The only thing that made it all lighter was the bonding I developed with Christy who shared me all the juicy bits about her clients, namely the bunch of Australians, the Indians and the blacks (with their thick body hair!), this male client who would get an erection or lose it, depending on the level of the pain he felt. Hmmm, should I even be flattered when Christy said I was her first Filipina client ever since the spa offered the service last year?? 😛
I was thinking that it could get really painful for a Filipina because our hair has a fuller and richer texture. But having said so, I have to admit that the pain felt less as we wound down the whole exercise. Christy even said that the pain is even less during the second visit because the hair grows thinner now (as long you just trim it, and not shave!) I feel better, cleaner and couldn’t help but be amazed at my new view, hehe. This is something that I could get used to. As Gwyneth Paltrow was quoted as saying once: “(The Brazilian) changed my life!”
Benefits of the Brazilian for the Pinay:
– You don’t feel as cumbersome as when you had all that hair. Better for your personal hygiene. The hair takes long to grow.
– Great surprise for your husband/boyfriend/lover. I could recommend this to my friends going on their honeymoon (dusa muna bago ang sarap, hahaha)
– You feel more confident wearing your bikini on the beach
Verdict:
Sooo painfully good I can almost lick myself!! 🙂
Hey Ajay! Wouldn’t it have been better if the pix you posted showed the “results” of the procedure? That way, us guys could decide whether to encourage or dissuade our wives/girlfriends from going ahead with it. Hehehe!
LOL. You’re a brave woman. Not only for going through it but for posting it here..hehehe.
What a coincidence… Oprah was talking about the brazilian wax this morning. This woman said it was painful with a score of 8.5 where 10 is getting a caesarian section. Anyway, I admire you for going through it. 🙂 They say it’s very freeing once it’s done.
Hahaha. You know that am fond of posting pics Al, but this one I couldn’t possibly show the “before and after”:lol: However, you can google brazilian wax pictures on the net..hindi ako yun!!:grin:
LOL. Hopefully, am not being obscene Dexie, am just being scientific about the whole thing. I would label it as “one of those things am proud to have done before I die.”
Toe, I never got a tattoo so I can’t compare which is more painful. As far as I am concerned, the caesarian was peanuts:cool: Giving birth normally was more painful. Call me a masochist but now that I conquered my first Brazilian, am less apprehensive with the second one….
Just reading about it sounds painful enough. Hehe, how long was the process and how long will it be before the hair grows back?
I think it was one hour of torture Cyberpunk. It should take about a month before the hair grows back again:wink:
I guess its like childbirth then? You take one look at the result and forget about all the pain? Hahah!
I just have to laugh at Filipinos sometimes. Woody and I indulged ourselves in a couples massage/foot spa in the Phils and when they were scrubbing our feet, the lady (scrubbing Woody) said: “Uy, mas maganda ang paa ni Sir.” My guy replied: “Cute naman ang paa ni M’am!” Bwahaha! And then the lady also mentioned how hairy Woody’s legs were. Yes, he IS very hairy. At least he doesn’t have hair on the chest (shudder).
Yes, like childbirth..that’s an apt description of the BW, Tintin. But at least with the BW, it’s easier to look forward to the second one unlike with childbirth..ang hiraaaap:lol:
Tsismoso at intrigero talaga ang Pinoy, that much is a fact…
I’ve heard about this a long time ago and never knew they already had services here. I can feel your pain. You described it so well. I don’t think I will ever get one. I don’t know if I have as much courage as you had.
ouch!!! di ko maimagine ang pain but im sure it’s up there. buti na lang di ako straight, parang di ko yata kakayanin ang image ni ajay spread-eagled waiting to be plucked. LOL.
I’ve been into it ages ago, and believe me guys when I say it’s definitely worth it. The next few sessions will be less painful, and yes, less and less hair will grow back. Siguro it’s one of the few things we have in common Ajay, ~ sobrang tolerant sa pain basta pampa ganda! LOL.
hmmm, if loving the feel and sensation of pouring alcohol or merthiolate on open wounds or scratches qualifies for masochism, then i will consider this. hehe.
as usual, i enjoyed reading your post again. this one though is very engaging, and so real life that i imagined myself seating just outside the procedure room and giggling after hearing your first and loudest “aaaaaahhhhhhh”.
have a nice weekend Ajay!
fab blog! came across it via toni and pinayhekmi and i can’t believe i haven’t linked you already! this is a great and entertaining account of the brazilian! kudos to you for going into detail!! the whole waxing this is such a great topic for my girlfriends and i! (by the way, i got my 1st brazilian during law school, that was about 5 years ago), but i only get it every so often.
pwede bang brazilian sa lalaki?
Thanks for dropping by peeps… nice to know your perceptions/experiences of this whole Brazilian thing:)
Yes, me mga lalaki at bading na nagpapa-brazilian Batjay. Kaya nga nagkuwento ang therapist ko, me times na tinatayuan pa daw ang customer nya:lol: Di ko rin ma-imagine how my female therapist can be so casual with her male clients. As you can very well imagine, it’s such an intimate proceeding. Sige na, mag pa Brazilian ka na Bro because I really would love to see you blog about it, hahaha
Read the comment about showing the “results” of the waxing. What a perv!!!!! But having been through a similar experience with an ex, who didn’t like too much hair in that region, you have my complete sympathy as I know how much it hurts 😥
been planning to have one professionally. i tried doing it on my own but i gave up because of the pain. so i’m back with the traditional t&s thing.
i have to find somebody that i’m really comfortable with. jusko mahirap ito, parang trial and error ang mangyayari. but i’d love to have one. kung kinaya mo, kakayanin ko din siguro hahaha
Hi Lawrence. I really do wonder how men feel about the whole thing. But then again, knowing how unpredictable my s.l. is, I might never know:lol:
Go Mari!!! Doing the wax on your own is an even worse punishment. But don’t tell me I didn’t warn ya:wink:
oooouch!!!!
kung at least man lang sana mga isang buwan yung effect, medyo sulit na yung pain, hehe…
er, paano yung thereafter? di ba itchy?
welcome to the club! I have mine done in a david’s salon somewhere south of manila. I assure you the next ones really gets less painful. I love it cause I feel ‘light’ and clean but my hubby does not really care if it’s bald of not. 😉
haha! annalyn, late reply ako!
it’s best to put EMLA cream 1 hour before the waxing. this helps numb the pain. 😉 oh and take a pain killer too, and BREATHE…
Hi Ruthie. I’ll update you with the aftermath as am still in the process of observing:grin:
Camille, I didn’t know David’s offers it. Thanks for the reassurance:wink:
Zee!! I should have asked you! Or you should have volunteered the info, haha
hahah! was out of town kasi eh 😀
they offer it in California Days spa in Greenhills (Club Filipino Road near Ortigas). i think they have branches in Makati and Alabang also. P550.
they also offer it in Piandre (www.piandre.com) 😀
this is way better! it’s about P750 though. but the salon has a nicer ambience. (i went to the Greenbelt1 branch) they use a different wax (as compared to California Day spa, where they still use paper strips) and as a result the waxing hurts a tad less 🙂 the extra bucks are well worth it 😀
Hi Zee. So expensive pala ang binayad ko…P950.:roll: The wax was applied and ripped while hot. Paper strips?? Double ouch!! Ye have to tell me if it itches growing out…:grin:
actually sis, debatable pa din talaga ang benefits ng waxing, and do watch out for ingrown hairs… and it can be quite irritating to be so BALD 🙂 what more try having sex siguro when you’re so smooth… lalo na if the guy has just trimmed… you’d go crazy with his stubble…
anyway, i still believe that it’s ok for a woman to try it on for size, at least once… am sure how liberating it can prove to be…
still, i have absolutely low pain tolerance… and i’m scared that i just might be allergic to it 😀
so yeah, good for you!!!
(on another note, guys love it because it’s like they’re sleeping with a pre-teen… well, whatever floats their boat… but i think women should take offense when guys start demanding it of a woman… esply if they don’t even shave their peckers and balls, hello!)
oh and did Christy actually say she waxed men’s peckers and balls? or yung butt nila? *ouch* 😀
“Liberating.” That’s the word Mec. Am finding out that this waxing is good for hygiene purposes. I still have to try it on somebody’s stubble though:lol: Maybe my hair will all be grown when the time comes. Tough luck!:grin:
I wasn’t able to ask Christy all the questions about the specific things she did or does. All I can imagine is that what a tough job she must have:wink:
I love women who are KALBO below the belt…..haba, haba, haba….ops!!!!
Ajay,
Thanks for bringing up the subject of brazilian waxing. Nice photo (even if we cannot see the sarong)!
As a guy, it’s so hard to find places that provide brazilian waxing. For girls, it’s easy, lots of choices in salons and hotels. But for a guy, it’s almost impossible.
Would anyone help by giving names of places where brazilian waxing is available for a guy?
Hi Richard. B waxing should be available in the spas of the major hotels. It was offered in Sanctuario too.No harm in asking. Goody luck!:wink:
I called several hotels, they said Brazilian Waxing is available for women only. Not for men.
I’ve made reservations with Christy for a Brazilian Wax. Thanks for this blog, thanks for the story about your experience too! Hope you write again about your next waxing (no matter where you go the next time).
I love kalbonita…..hehehe…..
Brazilian wax… hmmm…
Thanks for the very detailed info (except for telling us how much the procedure cost you). Will probably consider this as a surprise to my partner who’s used to my very hairy chest which trails waaay down there (u know what I mean… hehe).
Great blog on brazilian ajay.
I also had a brazilian wax and I’ve done it for the 3rd time. The 1st time was really painful but the subsequent sessions became less and less painful. I did it because my gf wanted me to have one and experience the pain that she had while having one. I must say that she really loved it. She said it’s really clean, smooth and hassle-free (no ‘hair floss’ for her when doing the deed). It’s a new experience for me as it adds up to our sex life.
Yes I get erections when the female attendant is prepping me (who doesn’t when a girl is touching you down there) but it quickly wilts away once the stripping starts (OUCH!).
The only thing I hate is the in-growth (i.e. the hair grows within the skin and does not come out and may get inflammed and infected sometimes) once the hair starts growing back.
brazilians dont have to be painful. you probably havent tried a good one yet. heard one is coming to Manila soon…
Hirap maging girl, lagi na lang dusa bago sarap!
Tried Brazilian waxing too! I had it Lay Bare. It was less painful since they used cold wax jelly. I havent tried hot wax, though but I think I’ll stick to cold waxing.
Those who are curious about Brazilian waxing should try it at least once in their lifetime! It definitely makes you feel cleaner and more confident!