Spoiler alert: parts of this post may be TMI. Bear with me. On a recent trip to The Ten Spot in Westboro I got to chatting with co-owners Kim and Carolyne, who are two of the most amazing business gals you could hope to meet. In addition to getting my gel mani (I dare you to find a better one in town), that day I'd also tried out their waxing services since I was due to get my legs done. And afterward I simply had to tell Caro and Kim how impressed I was with:
1) the spotless treatment room
2) the esthetician's professionalisim
3) the fact that I got to watch Netflix the entire time
No joke: I watched a Melissa McCarthy movie while the esthetician did her work. It was great. Caro explained that waxing is one of The Ten Spot's signature services, and they spend a ton of time on training and consistency because it's so important to them that they get it right every time, with every client. And they put TVs in each room because hey, it's never going to be anybody's favourite service no matter how skilled the esthetician.
Having been to probably 15+ different waxers all over town (if not more), I can say the attention to training was evident: job done efficiently, no burst blood vessels, no torn skin, no sticky bits left behind on my skin, my clothes, or the floor. So Caro asked me if I wanted to up the ante and try their trademark Brazilly... and at that point I pretty much ran screaming in the other direction. Like right out the door.
But obviously things didn't end there or this wouldn't be much of a blog post, would it?
Carolyne talked me down from the ledge. I'm a big wuss and tiptoed into bikini waxing about 6 years ago. I was hella intimidated at the time but found that for me it's a much better option than shaving since there's less regrowth, far fewer ingrowns, and it lasts much longer. In the end I was glad I tried bikini waxing so maybe this would be more of the same? Hmm.
I considered it but a full Brazilly just wasn't for me. If that's your jam, more power to you. Go for it. But I wasn't ready. So I looked up their various other uh, downtown waxing options, and found they offered several that seemed less scary. I settled on the Bumkini and told myself to be brave and think of all the wine I'd drink after. ALL THE WINE.
The Ten Spot describes the Bumkini as a "full bush Brazilly," and it includes waxing the sides as per usual plus - you guessed it - a bum wax. Oh boy. Was I sure about this? Before I could change my mind I dashed over to The Ten Spot and made sure I booked a mani right after so I could forget the whole thing ever happened.
Vanessa was my esthetician and she was a total boss: confident, professional, and efficient. She welcomed me into the spotless treatment room where re-runs of Friends were already playing on my personal TV. Oh my gosh you guys, Rachel's hair! And her outfits?! WTF?
Before I disrobed Vanessa explained the entire service, set out a personal wipe for me to use (a thoughtful detail since they're gonna be ALL up in there), and left the room so I could de-pants. And I mean everything off. There'll be no undies (not even disposable spa undies) for this service, you're laying it all bare. Just FYI.
Vanessa came back in and we got started. The bikini portion was as expected, except better because The Ten Spot only uses hard wax on your nether regions: it's super gentle because it only sticks to hair, not skin, and didn't cause the crazy redness I usually get. Next up: the bum portion. This involved me bringing my knees into my chest for a few moments so Vanessa could get to where she needed to be, then me laying on my side and -- sorry if this is TMI -- spreading my cheeks so she could finish the job.
Now, I'd been most terrified of the bum portion because 1) fear of the unknown, and 2) I was pretty sure it would hurt like a b*tch. But it didn't. Turns out that area is actually far less sensitive than the bikini line: I'd compare it to regular leg waxing or perhaps even less discomfort than that.
You'll mostly be dealing with your own feelings of awkwardness since someone else is working on your nether regions:
But you know what? We all have butts (I know, shocker), and when estheticians sign up for this career they know they're pretty much guaranteed to see a lot of body parts. Vanessa was so professional and so efficient that it was over in a jiffy with minimal awkwardness (100% on my part).
When we were done she gave me helpful tips on after-care:
-no hot baths or showers for 24 hours (can irritate the skin since the pores are still very open)
-avoid strenuous activity because (sweating post-wax can cause ingrowns)
-avoid exfoliating for the time being, then after about 3 days use a dry brush/body brush
Not familiar with body brushing/dry brushing? Essentially you use a rough(ish) loofah and gently but thoroughly brush against the direction of hair growth when your skin is dry (right before a shower is great). If you're prone to ingrowns, this is an absolute must and you'll see a big difference. I have a large, coarse dry brush that I use on my legs, and a smaller, gentler one I use in my bikini area. Both are available at The Ten Spot (I think they were in the ballpark of $15-$25 depending on the size) and they look like this:
So, the verdict. Would I do it again? Much to my surprise, yes, I would. I'm still not sure I'll ever get to the full Brazilly, but I love that The Ten Spot offers so many options and explains them in a no-nonsense fashion. Whether you want a Brazilly, a Thongkini, a Bumkini, or a classic Bikini, you'll be in great hands at The Ten Spot. Vanessa made this nervous first-timer feel right at home.
And afterward I indulged in a lovely new gel mani, then went home and drank all. the. wine.
25% off for TEN SPOT first timers
Never been to The Ten Spot? Let's change that! Book an appointment and say you heard about them here on Amy in 613 (or show my blog on your phone when you arrive), and you'll receive 25% off your first service. Pretty sweet eh?
So fire up Netflix on your personal TV, try their waxing, and treat yourself to a killer mani afterward. You've earned it.
And when you're done:
