If I am anything, it’s impulsive and cheap (and also hairy, duh!). My hair is thick, dark, and stubborn, a trait I’ve inherited from my mixed Hispanic heritage. Being stuck in one of the oldest dorm buildings on campus with subpar communal bathrooms, shaving has morphed into a monumental chore. So, after years of enduring this struggle, I finally caved and decided to give waxing a shot.
Now, without thinking, I pulled out the wax kit that had been in my closet since Thanksgiving break and decided this random February night would be the perfect time to start. Why shell out the big bucks when I could simply do it myself? That is, unfortunately, my approach to everything. So, out come the wax beads, warmer, plastic gloves, popsicle sticks, and instructions that I chose not to read. I owned what I thought at the time was the best-reviewed kit with the most wax beads and the best price on Amazon: The Bestidy Waxing kit and wax warmer.
The Sticky Situation.
My first encounter with this kit wasn’t exactly splendid. I was a ball of anxiety and excitement, armed with nothing but what I learned from random Instagram Reels and from skimming the six-step instructions on a tiny piece of paper in the box. I laid out a pillow on the ground with my roommate watching over me from her bed and my friend by my side applying the melted wax.
And there I was. A Squishmellow in my right hand to squeeze and my left hand behind my head, as my hairy left armpit was exposed to the world. This was not only my armpit’s grand debut, but was also my roommate and I’s first real bonding moment. Strangely enough, when the warm wax was being applied, a strange sense of comfort enveloped me.
But reality hit hard and fast. The wax was drying, and we had to act quickly…but I physically couldn’t give my friend the cue to pull. It sounds dramatic but I may have blacked out because the next thing I knew, my friend was sitting there with the blue wax in her hand and my armpit was now hairless.
The rip was sharp and stung like crazy, but the realization that it wasn’t over yet was even more painful. The wax had cooled too much during my fear-induced indecisiveness and stalling. After this there were three more tugs, three more vicious cycles of hair ripped out, just to get the remaining wax off.
At that moment, I decided I was done with waxing and refused to even attempt my right armpit. I promptly packed it back into its box, chucking it into the depths of my closet.
However, as the hair slowly grew back, I was able to see a visible difference between the armpit I waxed and the one I shaved. After a failed first attempt, I was determined to try again and at least wax both armpits. Two underarm waxing sessions later, I can safely say this kit is fantastic and deserves its five-star reviews. I just needed to get the hang of it.
Fast forward to this past Friday, when I decided to tackle my legs for the first time. It was a hassle trying to get everything to go down quickly or smoothly. I wasn’t expecting it to hurt as much as it did, and it used up a lot more wax than I anticipated. Looking back, it sounds silly but I did not realize just how much wax it would take to do both of my legs. Contrary to popular belief (or at least my own beliefs), the pain was not as bad. I was feeling confident waxing my shins, but the backside of my knees and ankles? Ouch!
Was It Worth It?
By the end of this journey, I had smooth skin, no razor bumps, and less discoloration. I’m not going to lie, waxing is painful. But, if you do it correctly and keep practicing, it becomes less like a life-altering pain and more like a slight discomfort. The sensation of wax breaking apart knowing it’s going to hurt multiple times over just to strip one little armpit, is not exactly a joy ride.
For those of you considering moving to waxing, don’t do what I did. I recommend your first wax be done by a professional. It’ll go by so much faster and there won’t be room for mistakes (hopefully). Not to mention the peace of mind you’ll have knowing your waxer does this countless times a day to all kinds of people.
But sometimes we have to do what we have to do, and if that means DIY-ing everything to save money or satisfy your impulses, it worked out for me and it can work out for you. Just make sure you actually read all the reviews, directions, warnings, and literally everything else.