If you’re a dark-haired woman, you probably have your own traumatizing hair removal story you could tell. For me, a dark-haired and dark-skinned Italian, I can’t go longer than a month without having to wax my thick, bushy eyebrows or peach-fuzzed upper lip. Luckily, with the advancing idea of acceptance, I haven’t felt as obligated to remove my natural dark facial hair.
To the lady who recently took advantage of my monthly hair removal, thank you for reminding me that I never have to do this again! I always get my eyebrows waxed at Ulta Beauty’s brow bar because the women who perform the waxing are certified and trained in the beauty community. Two weeks ago, I went to Ulta Beauty after a cross country meet to get my eyebrows done and nobody was at the brow bar. I waited a couple minutes until someone asked me if I needed help. I told her why I was there and she offered to wax my eyebrows for me until the next lady’s shift started (red flag #1 missed). I agreed to it and sat down while the lady began to warm up the wax. Then, I noticed that the lady was much older than the typical women who work at the beauty bar (red flag #2 missed). Slowly, but surely, the older woman applied the wax to my eyebrows. Instead of doing one area at a time, she applied wax around my entire eyebrow at once. Usually, the lady would immediately apply the piece of paper and rip the wax off while it was still soft. This lady, however, turned around and waddle away to grab a piece of paper with the wax still sitting on my face. By the time she returned with the paper, the wax had hardened and my skin, plus the majority of my eyebrow, came with the paper as she ripped it off. As you can probably guess, this went on for 20 minutes until the waxing was finally over. The older woman handed me a mirror and asked me how I felt. Obviously, being the sensitive introvert that I am I said, “I love them!” In that same moment my skin was bleeding profusely.
Gif by How Should I Sass you via Tumblr
Following the wax, the women usually apply concealer and make you look as if you didn’t just get the wax. The older woman, however, says. “Because you just finished running, you shouldn’t apply anything to your open pores.” In my head I’m thinking, “Okay. I agree with that. BUT, DO YOU SEE WHAT I AM SEEING?” All I wanted at that moment was to leave and hide myself in my room where no one could see me. But, before I left, the older woman said, “Let me clean up the oil around your eyes so you don’t break out.” Again, agreeing to everything she says, I allow her to clean around my eyebrows with rubbing alcohol! On an open wound! Let’s just say I was crying both from the appearance of my eyebrows and the pain.
So, to the lady who ripped my eyebrows off, thank you for reminding me that natural facial hair is okay. I will no longer be getting my eyebrows waxed in hopes of allowing the scars to heal—special shout out to Neosporin and Scar Gel! And, to all my dark-haired women out there, embrace your natural beauty or ask someone if they are certified before they begin waxing your face!