A Reader's Feedback

As a blogger with the purpose of empowering women to make informed choices, I find it very fulfilling everytime someone approaches me to discuss the issues--no matter how mundane--I write about in this blog.

Last week, during a break at the ladies' room, a colleague in my now former workplace told me that she was considering getting a Brazilian wax. This was after reading one of the most-read posts in World of Womanity, Meet the Brazilian (Waxing) v.2. We went on to discuss the pros and cons of getting a Brazilian, and even compared it to widely-used alternatives like trimming and shaving. That both of us came from the same viewpoint is worth mentioning: Contrary to usual notions of 'bald' women, our practice of waxing or trimming or shaving is really all about maintaining good hygiene.

I find moments like this so liberating and empowering as a young woman. Cheers to us who break stereotypes! :-)

Whitening and the Other Wonders of Glutathione

Sandy*, a working mom, has been taking glutathione oral food supplements on a daily basis. She swears by her brand's effectiveness, claiming that her skin has been fairer with only four to five months of use.

Sandy also has other reasons for taking glutathione. She knows that it plays a good role in keeping her liver and other organs healthy.

For most Filipino women, however, glutathione is a popular food supplement because of its whitening side effects. This is evident in all the TVCs, billboards and Internet ads placed by online sellers in eBay, Sulit.com and Multiply. Apparently, many have yet to know the other, more important benefits of using glutathione, as well as the precautionary measures that they have to make in taking the food supplement.

Womens' frequently asked questions on glutathione are answered on this blog in a concise and easy-to-read manner. Thanks to various sources online.

1. What is glutathione?

Glutathione is a protein that is produced in the human body. It is also found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables and meats. (Uretsky, Healthline)

2. What are the benefits of taking glutathione?

As an antioxidant, glutathione protects the cells of the body from getting damaged by free radicals. It also helps boost the immune system.

The possibility of using glutathione to treat cancer and heart diseases is still being studied. Meanwhile, Healthline cites the following reported uses of glutathione:

• treatment of poisoning, particularly heavy metal poisons
• treatment of idiopathic pulmonary firbosis
• increasing the effectiveness and reducing the toxicity of cis-platinum, a chemo drug used to treat breast cancer
• treating Parkinson's disease
• lowering blood pressure in patients with diabetes
• increasing male sperm counts in humans and animals
• treatment of liver cancer
• treatment of sickle cell anemia

3. How does glutathione whiten skin?

Skin whitening is a side effect of using glutathione. It is not the main use or function of the food supplement.

Dr. Eduardo Gonzales, in his article at the Manila Bulletin, says:

Glutathione whitens the skin because it inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase, which simply means it prevents the concerned cells in the skin from manufacturing melanin, the pigment that is responsible for the brown to black coloration of the skin.

4. What are the ways to take glutathione supplements? How much will they cost me?

Glutathione can be taken orally as a tablet or capsule. However, it is said that glutathione is is not well absorbed when taken by mouth. Sandy spends around Php1,400 monthly for the gluta capsules that she takes on a daily basis.

Glutathione soaps are also available in beauty and drug stores for a price range of Php100 to 300, depending on the brand. It is also said that it takes weeks to months to get the desired whitening results.

Injectables, which are said to act faster, are also available from dermatologists and online sellers at a minimum of Php3,000 per shot. Some of them come in combinations like glutathione + Vitamin C. Belo Medical Helpdesk gives the following info re: glutathione injectables:

Glutathione IV (intravenous) - Php 3,360.00 per vial (one session) done 2-3 times a week. To achieve maximum results, treatment should be done for 15 sessions. Effect will be seen on your 3rd session. Package: for 15 sessions- Php 44,800.00. A single treatment consists of 5cc of Vitamin C and 4cc of Glutathione. The product is made from Europe.

5. How often should I take glutathione to maintain the healthy effects?

Glutathione should be taken consistently to maintain both the aesthetic and healthy effects.

6. Are there any harmful side effects?

There are no established harmful side effects of glutathione. However, Dr. Gonzales doesn't advise people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, pregnant or lactating women, and children from taking the supplement.

7. What are the precautions that I have to make?

Both women and men should exercise care and caution in availing glutathione supplements. It's always best to consult with a doctor who knows your medical history.

At the same time, only avail glutathione from trusted sellers. Some buyers in the Glutathione Alert thread on eBay happened to have purchased fake supplements and reported prolonged side effects and vomiting for at least 3 days. (And for someone like me who had been hospitalized twice for a severe case of drug allergies, I suggest ultra care!) Make sure that the brand is BFAD approved.

The other wonders of glutathione shows how the food supplement is a real deal when we talk of beauty being skin deep. Call it fabulous, a miracle in a pill. We just have to be watch out for the fakes.

* Name changed upon request.

Sources:

Eduardo Gonzales, M.D. Glutathione: The Real Score -- Medical Notes. Manila Bulletin, 26 Oct 2009.

Samuel Uretsky, The Gale Group, Inc. Glutathione. Healthline, 2005.

Oh My Lash! A writing contest.

Good news to those who sought lash advice and found Mad About Lashes . . .

I learned about the ILASH's Oh My Lash! writing contest through a tweet. ILASH is an eye lash and brow conditioning gel which promises "longer and fuller" natural eye lashes in "as fast as 3 weeks." By enhancing natural lashes, ILASH is far different from most of the methods discussed in my former blogpost. And with this, ILASH must be something that's worth trying.

To join the contest, please click here. Two winners will receive a bottle each of ILASH, each worth Php5,900.

Beauty RX: Cold Milk Therapy

Have you just come from a major-major break up? Well, cry no more and get your high heels ready for sexyback! But wait, what do you do with those swollen eyes???

Here's a tried and tested beauty remedy to reduce eye swelling. The Cold Milk Therapy effectively deflates puffy eyes by soothing the tear ducts and softening the area around the eyes. This is how it goes:

1. Chill a small bowl of fresh milk for about an hour
2. Partly dip a cotton ball
3. Continuously rub them lightly around your eyes - especially on the puffy areas
4. Wait for 3 to 5 minutes before rinsing
5. If this doesn't work, saturate two cotton balls then let them rest on your eyes for 5 minutes.

Do you have any other Beauty RX that works? Email them to joyceinheels@yahoo.com.

Photo Credit: Adventures of Fine Non-Gringos

Lipstick Memories: A History

6. Sep. 2008

Pucker up. Not.

Many, many years ago, men would have never considered kissing temptresses with scarlet-painted lips. Women, meanwhile, would have been extra careful not to smear crisp white polos with their lipstick — for kiss marks, then, did not have the sexy, sublime symbolism that they have now. Back then, lipstick was more than just an aesthetic tool and its mark, left memories of no less than forlorn tragedies of maladies and injustices.

What many are not aware of are the events that accompanied the evolution of women’s best-selling cosmetic. It took centuries of queer ingenuities backed up by numerous controversies to give lipstick its current form and space in the purse.

Beauty that breeds self-esteem and attracts the opposite sex, may have been the gist behind the invention of lipstick some five thousand years ago in ancient Mesopotamia. However, more often than not, beholders in the succeeding eras have not warmly regarded women who paint their lips. What is now a tiny tube of wax and color has a long history of conflicts between women and men; of being wanted, needed and loved versus being loathed, condemned and banned.

So the question is: why?

Did lipstick play an underlying role in fatal attractions that threatened men so much to the point that authorities had to impose bans in ways that range from logical to downright foolish?

Practically speaking, lip paint in ancient Egypt contained ingredients that resulted into serious illnesses – a valid point for lipstick to be completely banned from use. Later on, however, human ingenuity has paved the way for safer and easier to apply versions.

So what remains a puzzle is that, if lipstick then was not safe for use, then how come it was the male-dominated societies and institutions which stereotyped, if not forbade its use and not the women who wore them and faced the risk of mixing lipstick with their food?

History shows that ancient Rome reserved the use of lip paint to prostitutes. Meanwhile, in medieval times, lipstick was given a more despicable position by its association to the devil. More recent periods show attempts to outlaw lipstick as in 1770 when the British Parliament passed a law to make lipstick illegal and in 1924 when the New York Board of Health considered banning lipstick out of fear that it might poison men who kissed women who wore them.

It can be noted that some of the most powerful women in history were behind the craze for sexy red lips. Cleopatra, the Queen of Nile and the mother of cosmetics, crushed carmine beetles and ants to give her lips a deep red pigment (Wikipedia). Elizabeth I, meanwhile, repealed the medieval condemnation of lipstick when she popularized the classic Golden Age look of stark white faces and “piercing red lips” (The World Book Encyclopedia). Pop history later depicts sex symbol Marilyn Monroe puckering up bright red lips to compliment her blonde locks and creamy complexion -- something which men found alluring yet society considered scandalous.

Nowadays, lipstick remains as an indicator of a woman’s position in the society. Dark shades are reserved for women with power while the brighter shades (puta red-type of colors... pardon the French) are associated to those who are “loose” and ostracized in the society. The writer’s experience is reminiscent of men who prefer that their girlfriends look au naturel – meaning, no lipstick as much as possible.

Given this brief, effortless research, it may not be impossible to assume that the lipstick ban transcends physical reasons. The earlier times may have not been too keen on granting women with their much-deserved self-esteem for fear that it may cause infidelities and allow women to covet the roles of men. However, these days, it may just be due to the fact that men just want to be pleased according to what they deem as pleasant.

It is unimaginable that what seems to be a tiny object kept in women’s purses has gone through such bizarre history. So the next time an urge to comment “it’s like putting lipstick on a pig” or “it’s possibly lipstick on the collar” is nagging, just think about all the men who gave women a hard time just because of painting their lips. Women, nowadays, must not wear lipstick for a man but rather out of a sheer desire to please themselves.

Sources:
1 Why Women Wear Lipstick: Preliminary Findings by Madeleine Ogilvie and Pauline Kristensen-Bach http://smib.vuw.ac.nz:8081/WWW/ANZMAC2001/anzmac/AUTHORS/pdfs/Ogilvie.pdf
2 Wikipedia
3 The World Book Encyclopedia (Whoever thought encyclopedias are passé)
4 Photo from decideforyourself.wordpress.com

Writer’s Note: The original version of this blog was written days earlier than the published version of Lipstick Memories. Now, this serves as a supplemental reading to those who enjoyed LM.

Good news to all who are just so mad about their lashes!

Forget about having to book yourself for an eyelash re-touch every month or so. You may as well stop gluing and peeling your lashes on night outs or better yet, ditch your mascara forever.

Brace yourselves girls--the wonders of science has made it possible for you to have real long, sweeping lashes!

Ladies and gentlemen: the all-new eyelash transplant surgery.

Yes, it's the same procedure being used by hair transplant surgeons. And what's even more amazing about it is that since they are made of human hair, the lashes will grow just like any human lashes.

According to Michele Cheplic, "The procedure is fairly simple in that surgeons are only required to make a small incision at the back of the scalp to remove 30 or 40 hair follicles, which are carefully sewn one by one onto the patient's eyelids. Doctors say the procedure requires just light sedation and local anesthetics. And the cost for the eyelash makeover? About $3,000 an eye."

Phew! That's mighty expensive!

But what I have heard from the local grapevine is that, cosmetic surgeons such as Belo are already doing it for P50,000. This is not yet confirmed. But anyhoo, foreigners just might keep on coming here!

So if you have enough moolah to afford the procedure, then you won't have to worry about getting racoon eyes from running mascara or falling lashes in the middle of making googoo eyes with your date.

Mad About Lashes 2: An Update

I found a very nice feature on lash enhancements over at Shopcrazy. Here's a salon and a product I'm just dying to try.

1. Grace Lagman Salon
...which has been doing lash extensions since the 70s. And for a ultra affordable price of P420(that's as of 2006)

2. Mikaela Growth Conditioner
... which is supposed to make the lashes fuller and longer.

Boo! I can't wait to know more about them. It's 8 AM pa lang in the office and so far nobody from Grace Lagman or Mikaela is answering the phone.

For the meantime,please click here to read the Shopcrazy article.

Lalalalala, time to prettify my lashes once again =p

UPDATE:

I just talked to someone at Philosophy (by Mikaela) and found out more about the wonder product: Mikaela Growth Conditioner.

It's actually a lash treatment formula which can be applied to the lashes through it's mascara-like applicator.

I also found out that women have been swearing on these that's why they are now all out of stock :( New stocks will most likely arrive late this month. Price is something around 1,400 pesos per piece.

Suffer for beauty, oh bitchy one

Across borders and throughout centuries, women's relationship with beauty is that of an S&M.

Back in our school days, we have read about tribal women who chisel their teeth, pierce their nipples, drill big holes on their ears and put huge tattoos all over their bodies. In the Victorian era, women endured breathlessness and pain in the middle section in order to attain the hourglass figure that corsettes gave. A thousand years ago and until the early 1900s, in China, women suffered the excruciatingly difficult process of breaking and binding the foot; a lifelong tremendous effort for beauty.

These days, women still suffer, though in less absurd ways. We spend hours in the gym motivated by the "no pain, no gain" mantra just so we can achieve the look or the feeling that we want. We lie on the derma's beds, which are actually beds of roses and thorns, as we stifle the screams of pain from the pricking and inserting of needles used in procedures to eliminate flaws or even change the way we look. In more simple events, many of us go for toners with the astringent effect or tend to sacrifice comfort for style like enduring the pain from dancing all night in sexy stilettos. And in some ways, we also have to repress the pain that our affinity for beauty causes to our pockets.

Speaking in terms of sex and bitchhood, I say that the quest for beauty is similar to losing one's virginity. Along the lines of pricking, waxing and threading; it always really hurts on the first time. But since it made you look and feel good, the saying that "once you pop, you can't stop" applies. It goes on to the point that you finally find yourself addicted to pain--living through and loving it; knowing that glory awaits the brave ones.

For hundreds and thousands of years, women have suffered in the name of beauty. While we maintain that to look good is our primary motivation, we leave in the shadows the reasons behind our sadomasochistic approach to beauty. Okay, we want to feel good about ourselves. But why? Can we not feel good even without having to go through such process?

I believe that the raison d'etre lies on the lines of acceptance. In an article on the Lotus Foot, I found this

:"The driving force behind this desire was complex: it had to do with marriage;
it had to do with sex; it had to do with status; it had to do with beauty; it
had to do with duty." (Footwear Fetish - An Erotic Tradition, http://www.shoeworld.com/)

These days, it is not just fair for women to blame men for their sufferings. The quest for beauty has something to do with acceptance from the opposite sex or from persons within the ranks found in the social circles where we find ourselves in. It may be to appease the wants of a domineering mother; the conditions of a meticulous lover; the observant eyes of a discriminating social butterfly; or the requirements of a tyrannical boss. Beauty just seems to be a social requirement--where the requirement varies from one social circle to another.Vicky Belo, a world-renowned cosmetic doctor, has been capitalizing on these social requirements to encourage more women to be valiant about addressing their aesthetic insufficiencies. I do not intend to give her any negative associations for this because what she says is basically true!

I remember learning in my Theology class on Marriage and Sexuality that even the late Pope John Paul II says that love starts with attraction. And how in the world can a man single out a female in a room full of them without his own requirement?

In jobs, priority is usually given to the applicant who looks more charming--assuming that all applicants have the same credentials. The same goes with women in sales-oriented careers. The initial requirement is always a good and pleasing personality (which I think is really a good and pleasing appearance). Only after she meets this, will she get the honchos to listen to what she has to present.

Feminists have been successful with attacking the footbinding tradition in China and so are those who fought against other seemingly obscure practices like the stretching of mouths and sculpturing of teeth. But still, there are new traditions to contest and since most of them have become ironically acceptable, we leave them the media and the catwalks for their battlefields.

The "enemy" in the first place is not the men in general but rather, the social constructions made by men and women alike.

Note: The title was fed by a man who does not wish to be named. Published online on 22 Nov 2007.

Photo Credit: http://www.healthy-temple.com/

Mad About Lashes (A Review on Lash-Enhancing Methods)

Cliché says that eyes are the windows of the soul. I say that long, beautiful lashes make these windows worth looking into.

Long lashes, even in Jane Eyre’s time, were regarded as beautiful; an asset that only the fair ones possess. So it’s sad to say that if you are not gifted with such, it’s either you make the most out of your other features or remain sorry for the rest of your life.

Thank God that in the past two centuries, human ingenuity has paved the way for the creation of the mascara and the eyelash curler. This tandem enlivens dull eyes as the mascara makes the lashes thicker and the curler, aside from curling the lashes, opens up the eyes to make them look bigger and brighter.

Personally, I am settled on Clinique’s double lash effect mascara. It’s a yearly present from my aunt that I look forward to. Maybelline products are also tried and tested though I do not necessarily patronize them. (FYI, Maybelline manufactured the first commercially-viable mascara). L’Oreal’s 2-Step Volume Shocking Mascara was only good for some time. It takes a lot of skilled practice for one to actually enjoy it. Disaster usually strikes when the second coat is applied.

While we owe the creation of high quality mascaras to chemistry, we must thank technology for coming up with eyelash curlers that superbly and safely curl the lashes. For a longer effect, we now have battery-operated lash curlers that heat when we use them. Shu Uemura is undeniably the world’s favorite curler (another proof that Japan’s place in technology extends to cosmetology). At PhP 1,500, it takes just one careful press to give one’s lashes a pretty look. What sets it apart from the 100-bucks curlers on Watson’s shelves is that they are designed with ultimate precision for a perfect and safer finish. FYI, even the hinge is patented; to ensure that Shu is the only curler which has the right amount of pressure applied to lashes.

Hence, as any self-confessed kikay-slash-shoppaholic would say, the item—even if it’s expensive, is actually an investment.

However, one can never be satisfied with one’s beauty tools especially when beauty counters become wider and even more diverse and salons having longer menu of services—offering us girls with more and more options for looking good. That’s why when eyelash perm was introduced a couple of years ago, women flocked Piandre, Let’s Face It and every other salon which offers the service. For 300 to 600 pesos, depending on the salon, one can have semi-permanently permed lashes (usually lasts for a month to 3 months). That’s less hassle in primping up. A good mascara is just needed to compliment the work of the salon.

I loved the effect of perming on my lashes. However, the love affair was just short-lived. It subsided when one day, as I looked at myself in the mirror, I realized that my lashes have become thinner. When the perm wore off, it was almost impossible to curl my lashes. Sad to say, the same thing happened to my two friends.

That’s why I do not really recommend eyelash perming to anyone.

Another lash technology which has become so popular here in Manila is the eyelash extension. Say goodbye to false lashes that are hard to glue and scary to use (coz you do not want it to end up as a garnishing to your meal while you’re out on a date). Lash extensions last longer (for like 2 months) and as they are individually glued to your lashes, you won’t have to worry about your losing your lashes while bathing or while working out in the gym.

I haven’t tried this one but I’ve heard a lot of raves about it. The only problem about getting those extensions is that they have the tendency to stray from the natural direction of your lashes. So it requires frequent salon visits for re-touch.

The cost of getting extensions ranges from P1,500 to P2,500 depending on the salon and the length of the effect. Here are some tips that you should not dare to ignore:

1. Check the credibility of the salon where you are going to get it. I suggest that you rely on word-of-mouth; the feedbacks coming from persons you directly know, who got the same service that you are planning to avail of.
2. Make sure that the glue that they are going to use is safe. In Mikaela at The Fort, the glue that they use is US FDA approved.

Since all the lash-enhancing systems above have flaws, it can be expected that none of them can satisfy the desires of the beauty-hungry. What’s close to perfection is the eyelash weaving extensions.

This is actually the most expensive lash-enhancing method but you know reader, when beauty calls, one must actually heed it (as long as it can be afforded). I got my first weave at Jackie’s in Paco, Manila. I LOOOOVED MY EYES INSTANTLY. All I needed was a bit of concealer, pressed powder and gloss for me to say that I am already made-up. The effect of the weave was that my eyes seemed to have a natural liner. The picture beside explains all these.

The process took around 2 hours and the glue kind of hurt my eyes for a day. Jackie makes the lashes of some celebrities and diplomats. She charges P2,500 for weaving but I was lucky that because of my girl friend, I got a pretty big discount. Yes, I really loved it.

Sad to say that it needs much effort to maintain these uber nice lashes because aside from the per visit cost of 500-bucks, I also have to travel all the way to Paco for a re-touch. So I decided to have them removed at Mikaela for P500.

I gave my lashes a rest for one month. Then, because I thought that my eyes looked bald without the weaved extensions, I decided to go back to Mikaela for the same procedure. It took them around an hour or less for the weave. My eyes didn’t hurt a bit since my eyes were pretty much behaved (no blinking). My lashes looked more natural though it’s really, reaLLY, REALLY NICE because they used human hair and not synthetic lashes like that of Jackie’s.

Copying from Mikaela’s brochure,

[Lash weaving extensions are] more durable and long wearing eyelash extensions. These extensions are attached using the “hair weaving” technique that is safer… and is more natural looking. Extensions are individually weaved to the eyelashes making it more durable and long-wearing. Now, you don’t have to worry about retouches done every so often and NO bald spots in your lashes or misaligned lashes…

The cost at Mikaela’s is more expensive at P3,500 and P50 per strand of hair for the re-touch. (They give a special price when you’re a regular). For maintenance, I have to be extra careful in washing my face—I totally avoid the eye area and clean my lashes every night.

My eyes enjoyed its new look for 2 months but I choose to stay away from any more lash-enhancing procedures. Though the lash weave is supposedly safer, still, it made me lose some lashes. I maintain that I am happy with the service and everything else, but unless you’re a movie star, maintaining such lashes is not practical. I am giving my lashes a good rest and when they’re back to their original state, I’ll be off to beauty bars!


UPDATE:

Please also read this post: Mad About Lashes 2.
My post on eyelash transplant surgery: Good news to all who are just so mad about their lashes!

Shopcrazy also has a very nice feature on last extensions and weaving. Click here to check it out. Please read the article down to the very last comments. You might be dying to try the Mikaela Growth Conditioner. (Posted: April 10, 2008)

MEET THE BRAZILIAN--My Brave Encounters with Waxing Down There

As a woman, I am quite ordinary but unconventional. I have used tampons when everyone else thought it was a sin to use them. I am a single mother and I do not keep it a secret. And well, just recently, I got acquainted with the Brazilian.

Brazilian waxing may have gained popularity from bikini-clad models and beach demi-goddesses, however, there are still those who are not open to it. Women who have themselves waxed down there are labeled as wild, sexually-active and even perverted. While these labels may be true to some extent, still, I beg to disagree.

I had my first encounter with the Brazilian before I went to Boracay this summer. It was not because I was looking forward to one night stands and make out partners in the island paradise, but it was purely because I did not want any of my pubes to peep through my white bikini. Though I considered shaving and trimming, I still went for the excruciatingly painful process of Brazilian waxing. And the reason? I tried shaving before but I got bumps and cuts and it became so itchy when the hair grew once again.

I was supposed to have it done with a friend. However, since I just left my job then, I hardly had time to leave home. And so, I went to the nearest mall and had my first Brazilian waxing alone at Let’s Face It. I was asked to wash myself first. Then I went back to the private room and laid down with my eyes wide shut! The process at Let’s Face It was very hygienic. Everything was sanitized and they used disposables. The lady trimmed my hair first then okay, the waxing began. Starting at the uppermost part of me, she spread hot wax and then peeled them by hand as soon as the wax cooled. Since it was extremely painful, she told me that I can still opt for the classic bikini waxing. However, I did not go for it since it forfeits my purpose. There will still be pubes that may peep through my bikini. Since I made that decision, well, there’s no turning back. The whole waxing came with so many “ahhs,” “ouches,” and whatnots but the good thing was I survived them after about an hour. I felt so brave and happy after shelling out 600 something bucks for the waxing.

By the way, a tip for first timers, never ever delay the peeling once the wax has been spread. Otherwise, it’s going to cause you more pain that may be quite unbearable.

My next encounter was at Neo Spa in the Fort. It was more expensive at around a thousand bucks. But I was so happy with the ambiance and the service that I did not mind it all. Since it was a spa, I was able to shower first. I was given a disposable panty so I felt even more hygienic. I got a back massage and afterwards, the waxing began. It was more bearable this time. But still, I let out around 15 variations of screams—some of them sounded so weird. The lady who worked on me was really good. She used the clean and easy wax procedure—one where she had to use a cloth to peel the wax off with the hair. It could’ve been less painful and less stressful if I did not make the hair grow so much. Well, that’s another lesson learned.

Learning well from previous experience, I decided to have myself waxed at Lay Bare at the 5th level of Rustan’s Tower in Makati. It was just a small salon and I was surprised that they did not have a washroom. I had to make a wild dash to the nearby washroom and good thing was I bring a bottle of feminine wash with me all the time. They were less hygienic. They did not even spray or wipe sanitizer on me before they started. But everything else was disposable and I was quite happy because the process took only around 30 minutes without any “ahhs” nor “ouches.” And I must say that the waxing covered more parts that the other two so I am pretty much more hairless. I paid P755 but I am not so sure about coming back because of the fact that they did not have any wash area.

Based from my Brazilian experience, I have learned that the first time really do hurt. If you wish to maintain it, less hair means less pain. So trim or book yourself another appointment while there is not much hair yet.

I am quite obsessed about being hairless since I find it more hygienic. It’s easy to wipe myself clean after peeing at a public washroom and I am less susceptible to feminine itching. It’s quite a thrill too. You know, like having a secret which nobody else knows. While some may do it because their boyfriends or husbands like it, I do it for hygiene.

To each her own. Or as my good friend Rachelle says, your body, your rules.