I fancy myself a slutty version of Buzzfeed’s Try-Guys, though I don’t have the funds to do the exorbitant things they do. However, for the last six months I did cough up the fifty dollars it costs to have a stranger cover your vagina with hot wax and rip the wax off so that you are nice and hairless. I started this experiment to myth-bust the rumor that waxing makes your hair grow back less densely than shaving, but I ended up learning a lot more.

Waxing = Less hair growth – Myth or Fact?

Fact, if you ask me. Now, I think when people say this they are talking about years of continuous waxing in the same area before they can see a large difference. After six months of Brazillian my hair’s lack of regrowth was definitely noticeable, but not noticeable enough that I felt like I didn’t need next month’s wax. I would say that my hair growth was less dense by maybe 20%.

Does the pain get better?

I wish I could tell you yes, but it still fucking hurts. While the nerves went away, even if I was going to a new salon or waxer, my body didn’t get used to the sting of my freshly naked skin in the air after a strip was pulled off. I would venture to say that my skin began to be less irritated after each session as my experiment went on, save for the lady who didn’t use hard wax and basically pulled an entire layer of my dermis off.

Waxing Techniques

I’ve learned a couple things about what kind of waxes hurt the least and what styles I prefer. For one, say no to a Brazillian if the salon doesn’t use hard wax. This is 2016 and you deserve better than regular old hot wax. Hard wax doesn’t adhere to your skin as much as regular wax, only to the hair follicles, which makes the waxing experience at least 2x better.

Two, when it comes to waxing chains, I prefer Waxing the City over European Wax Center. Waxing the City has their wax specially made for them in France and it absolutely hurts less than any other wax I’ve ever had. Though they definitely take at least twice as long as waxes at European Wax Center, I like to feel relaxed and like that I’m having me time while I’m getting a wax, which is hard at EWC because they do it all in about 10 minutes. But hey, to each their own.

Other Notes

• I dislike going to the same waxer each time. We run out of small talk and it gets quieter than I’d like, plus once she remembers what I told her last time, it just feels too intimate emotionally combined with her being up and personal with my intimates. (Editor’s Note: Others prefer the comfort and familiarity of the same person, so try it different ways to see what’s best for you!)
• The less hair you have, the more you sweat. I generally have a lot of butt sweat. I have since I was a kid – but the other day after my wax while walking around in a dress and a thong, I felt like there could have been alligators chilling in my underwear because my crack/vagina was so swampy.
• I always feel sexier and like my body more when I am fully waxed.
• I also learned a really good tip from one of my waxers. You don’t need any fancy exfoliants for post wax care. When you get out of the shower, use your towel as an exfoliant for your recently waxed areas – this way you won’t forget to exfoliate and get yucky ingrown hairs.

I’ve spent an estimated $250 dollars on my vagina in the last two month and I don’t regret it. This experience was definitely intense (especially when I had dry months and it didn’t feel worth it) but I learned a good amount about what I do and don’t like, the benefits of long term waxing, and some worthwhile tips along the way. I send way more Snapchats of my vagina now because being hairless makes me feel sexier and I like having my anatomy appreciated. I’m going to Jamaica in November, so I’ll most likely get a wax then, but I might stick to every other month or just months where I’m especially sexually active moving forward. As for October, my labia and I are going to lay low and grow free.