I got waxed and felt like I had the million dollar p*@!% Future sings about.

I went to have a Brazilian wax and afterward in a conversation with my mother, she exclaimed, “Isn’t that for white girls?” It was shocking to me at first. What does color have to do with having a clean shaven vag? It felt like I had stumbled upon this great thing, but I was being told it wasn’t for me. Didn’t she realize I was walking around with the greatest secret never told? Clearly she’s not a fan of rap.

First of all, I don’t know what I have been thinking all this time. It’s not like I never knew waxing existed. It just seemed like something reserved for the Kim K’s or strippers of the world. But I was at a friend’s barbeque and a young lady was raving about getting waxed. There was something about another black woman in my circle of friends talking about being waxed that spoke to me in a way I never heard. To put the icing on the cake, it was affordable!
I couldn’t make my appointment fast enough! I was looking forward to getting my baldy on. So I put on my big girl panties and headed to the wax place. Sidebar: Sitting in a waiting room having no idea what you’re really in store for is hilarious in hindsight. The receptionist called my name and a young lady walked me into the room. It is way less formal than the gynecologist, let me tell you. No cover sheet or gown, you just take off your bottoms and hop on the table. “Put your feet together and drop your knees.”

Funniest thing about the experience was the fact that this place doesn’t even use strips. The wax turns into the strip, so you never have a chance to brace yourself. Meanwhile the esthetician is acting like getting the hair ripped from your vagina is just a regular everyday occurrence, because it is for her.

Though at first glance, I thought, “this may have been better clothed,” it grew on me quickly and the hair didn’t! Winning. How could I be so unacquainted with a part of my own body? But I wasn’t alone! Friends first asked with a distant interest, but one by one appointments were made and I slowly accumulated $5 off referral fees. It seemed like we all needed someone to tell us that it was okay for us too.

I can promise you it gets easier the more you go, but I can’t promise that you’ll be able to keep your beau or whoever away from it. Although most men will say that they aren’t too picky, I would definitely warn you that after the initial shock, the curiosity sets in. It’s one of those things that isn’t a deal breaker for most men but will certainly encourage them to spend a little more quality time in the area.

For me it has definitely bolstered confidence. I throw on my best undies with a greater appreciation. It’s cleaner, easier and I don’t have to spend hours making sure I have gotten every hair before stepping foot on a beach. How does the old saying go? “There is great pain in being beautiful,” and I guess I am willing to pay the price!

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Ashley Coleman is a blogger and author from the Philadelphia area. She curates her own blog and launched a campaign entitled Bold, Brown & Beautiful which promotes positive images of minority women. She has contributed to For Harriet, JUMP Magazine and Philly360. This year she released her first book entitled Dear Love: A Love Letter to You. From thought and opinion to music, she covers a gambit of topics in her writing.