Wax off? Wax on! In Beijing.

I am in pain, sweating and in disbelief that this is even possible. One hour of applying cold wax and nothing, the beautician is beginning to sweat, more customers are coming and she can’t deal with my western hair. —When is this going to be over? — I want to scream. One side of my bikini is kind of done; one more hour for the other side? This is not even a full Brazilian.

Walking around Beijing, looking for a beauty salon becomes a guessing game as most of them advertise with Chinese characters. But I had my female beauty guard on and I knew one when I saw one. I was feeling in a need of some attention. While traveling is hard to trust someone with you delicate and girlie stuff, back home, you have your favorite place, you have your favorite girl and it becomes a very personal relationship. Unfortunately while traveling you have to take a wild guess, be open for the adventure and smile when you really want to cry.

— Ni hao (hello) do you speak English? — I asked, knowing that the chances were slim. —No? Do you do waxing? I take my hand put it under my arm and remove it quickly while making the phhhsss pain sound, the three girls looked at each other shook their heads in yes, yes we do waxing. Good, now do you do bikini waxing? I once again took my hand put it on my bikini area and did the same motion. The three looked at each other talked a bit laughed and agree to do the bikini wax. Laughing was probably a good sign for me to run.

Like with all adventures I walked into a room ready to get bold. She inspected my private area, called the boss, after two of them looking and talking the boss ran for her calculator and presented a different digit. It’s now going to be CNY120 instead of the initial CNY 80, apparently I had more hair then they though, or there was language miscommunication. —Whatever, just do it.

I was impressed with the interior decorations, it was clean, nice and it smelled good. — This is just like my beauticians salon back home. I felt as ease until, the young girl came in and started reading the wax’s box directions in the back. —Wait! Are you going to tell me that she has never done this before? But hair grows in many different directions is she going to know that it has to go a specific way? I really do hope it says that in the back.— Oh Shit! I don’t know if I am ready for this.

Twenty minutes pass, and she continues to apply the cold wax on the same spot, trying to rip the same hair out repeatedly. Either my hair gotten stronger from all the pollution I have been breathing or this is once again one of those “Made in China” things. As time passed I can almost bet on the fact that this is her first time doing it. — Is this experience as adventurous and awkward for her as it is for me?— I wonder. Poor girl she has to get all-personal with my delicates. I hand signaled and asked her if she waxes too? She smiled and signaled no, no, no.  I must be crazy in her eyes, but this is what western girl do.   

Hey ladies! Do you not wax in China? Are the 80’s bush back in style in Beijing?

No way, Asian woman are the most beautified females on this planet. Umbrellas to protect them from the deadly sun rays. Facemasks might as well be sold in McDonalds as part of the after meal treat. Their style and skin concerns are at it’s highest. Don’t eat this, do this and all sorts of things our friend Jenny told us that the Asians do to keep young, pretty and modern.

The pain was over so I though, until I saw her wipe-out a tweezer and began to individually rip the singles. OMG, did I say I was in pain before? You have to try this, it’s the only way you will understand what I felt. Take your tweezers, bend over and try to rip one hair out from your bikini area, just one. Then feel the sharp pain that will make you jump. Just do it, and then come back and read the rest. I want you to know how I was feeling. She ripped perhaps 30 single hairs out. At one point I just told her to stop, but she understood as keep on going its ok keep on!

My skin was red, inflamed and deep inside I was crying. But I smile, I smile to make her first experience be a good one and perhaps she will spread the word and I will be famous. Two hours later and I was ready, I was ready to pass out. But I managed to walk out to the reception area, smiled, gave her a nice tip, and scheduled a facial for the next day.

Do you ever have any crazy experiences?