The Truth About Big Girls & Bikini Waxes

Walking into my first Brazilian wax appointment, I was a ball of nerves. I’d wanted to try waxing for so long, but convinced myself that my size would prohibit me from having a good experience. Do big girls even get Brazilian waxes? Will the table accommodate me? Will the therapist doing my wax judge my body? Am I really prepared to let a stranger get acquainted with my nooks and crannies? Clearly, I had all the questions.

Before I could think about it any further, a woman named Justine ushered me into a small room. I took off my jeans, which hung on the back of the door. Within seconds, I was lying on the table, & it held me up just fine. A few sprinkles of baby powder later, we were underway.

Justine was kind, explaining everything she was doing as she did it. “Do me a favor and hold tight here,” she said, placing my hands on my lower stomach. I pulled the skin taunt and she swiped the first strip of wax away from my body.

At first I was embarrassed, but with every application of hot wax, Justine and I became a team. She had me in lots of crazy positions (making a diamond with your legs to give a stranger a full view feels anything but normal) and I used my hands to help her whenever she asked. At one point, under Justine's sunny, this-is-totally-normal direction, I lifted my legs toward my head. She promised she'd make me look "perfect" as she started heading toward the back (surprise!).

“Are you comfortable?” she asked. And suddenly, I realized that I actually was comfortable. Sure, it was a bit painful, but all of my nerves had dissipated after just a few short minutes. As it turns out, I was more concerned with my body than Justine was. Brazilians are for women (and men!) of all sizes. I created a detailed video with all of the things no one will tell you about Brazilians that you can watch here.

In the meantime, let's go over some quick tips for plus-size girls who are considering getting waxed. First, find someone who makes you feel comfortable. Having good chemistry with my wax therapist made my entire experience more pleasant and put some of my body insecurities to rest. Second, if a salon tries to charge you a “fat fee,” leave right away. Prices should always be based on the service provided, not the size of the person receiving the service. And, get prepared to be hands on. Big girls have more body, so sometimes, we’re going to need to help out by pulling our thighs and tummy tight while we’re waxed. Sure, you could get offended, but they're just trying to do the best possible job.

Also, be ready for a mini yoga session! Depending on your size and shape, you may need to lie on your back, sides, or even while lying on your stomach. Don’t worry, it just means they’re being thorough! Keep in mind that you'll have to take your clothes off from the waist down. I often wear a dress so that I still feel somewhat covered. Lastly, while most salons should have baby wipes, if you’re going after work, you may want to clean up with a travel pack of your own. For a more detail list of plus-size waxing tips, you can head here.