Genuine Frequently Asked Personal Grooming and Services Questions

We at Yoggiebear offer a safe and comfortable environment for everyone. We have clients who identify in many places on the gender spectrum. Basically, we offer hair removal, tinting, massage and beauty services to anyone, but especially those not catered for by mainstream providers.

In the area where you intend to wax, your hair needs to be at least 5mm. That’s about the length of a grain of rice. Generally, it takes about 2 weeks of not shaving for hair to grow to this length. Shorter hair is not long enough to get “stuck” in the wax and be pulled out. If there’s any question, we can always try a test strip as some people can be waxed at less than 5mm.

Yes. During a Brazilian wax, the pain is immediate and somewhat intense but subsides pretty quickly. You should not leave the appointment walking weird, being sore or needing to ice down the area or anything crazy like that. Almost every single new client I have ever had has said that their Brazilian didn’t hurt nearly as much as they expected! Everyone’s pain tolerance is different so there’s no solid way to describe or rate the level of pain.

Brazilian, upper lip, chest (not areolas), the sides of your abdomen, hairline. That being said, your first time trying waxing as your hair removal method in almost any area is not going to be pleasant. Some people think underarm waxing hurts, some people have very little discomfort. All of this varies from person to person.

Underarm, nose, brow, areolas/nipples, glutes. This depends on your usual hair removal method. If you’ve been waxing for a while, legs, arms, even Brazilian waxes are a breeze! If you’ve shaved since your last wax or it’s your first time, it can sting and be more uncomfortable. When you begin to ONLY wax an area, as opposed to jumping back and forth from waxing to shaving, each time you wax becomes less and less painful. Your hair becomes weaker and usually begins to grow less. A fine, weak hair is going to hurt a lot less when you pull it out than a thick, coarse hair with a blunt tip that has been shaved or never disturbed before.

Some clients find that taking an ibuprofen before their treatment helps a little. Also, allowing the hair to grow a little longer than the required 5mm can help a little by reducing the amount of times we need to go over the area. Once you’ve begun waxing, the one thing you can do to reduce the pain is to STAY ON SCHEDULE with your appointments.

No. Our technique and type of wax actually perform better with longer hair. If a trim is required, this is included in the service cost.

This is a tricky question to answer as everyone is a little different. In the beginning, you may experience more growth and random hairs popping up in the 1-2 weeks after your appointment than you would after waxing for a few months. Once you have been waxing for 3-6 months, you experience around 2 weeks free of hair with 1-2 weeks of some random hairs beginning to pop up and then proceeding to reach 5mm. Most people are ready to wax again at about 4 weeks for bikini, 5 for backs, around 3 for legs and underarms, 2-5 for facial hair, upper legs 4-6 weeks. These are estimates. It depends how long you have been waxing, how many active hair follicles you have, your after care, whether or not you’re shaving in between, the texture of your hair and how fast it grows, etc.

Besides making sure the hair is at least 5mm, wear a loose garment. You don’t want to leave in anything tight or synthetic. For Brazilian clients, if you know you are sensitive, you can even bring a pair of clean, cotton underwear to put on afterwards. Also try to exfoliate and moisturize the area you intend to wax as soon as you decide to have the service performed. Exfoliation should be performed 2-3 times a week and you should try to moisturise at least every day or two. This will ensure there are no hairs just under the skin (common with shavers) that we won’t be able to remove. Do not use numbing creams! They are hard to wax over and they don’t work. Please review our Pre and Post treatment recommendations and make sure you do not have any inappropriate activities scheduled for the next 24-48 hours such as gym, tanning, saunas etc.

Generally, your first time requires a little more wax and more time than a maintenance appointment. Same goes for your first time back after shaving. Shaved hairs are harder to get out which means we need to go over them more times with more wax. We may need to use thinner strips, which takes longer since the service will hurt more than it would have if you hadn’t shaved or had been on schedule. Also keep in mind that I schedule your first time a little longer so I can spend some time explaining your service and aftercare.

Totally different!! Shaving is essentially just cutting your hair at skin level. Razors cause ingrown hairs, razor burn, discoloration, itchy regrowth, etc. Waxing greatly reduces or eliminates those issues. Waxing also lasts longer! You get a solid 2 weeks of clean, hair-free skin when you get a Brazilian whereas with shaving, you get stubble and need to shave again within the next couple days. There is no stubble, even as the hair grows back, it is finer, softer hair that is not itchy and uncomfortable. Waxing also causes way less hair to grow back.  As you wax, you are damaging and sometimes destroying the follicle’s ability to produce hair. Over time, you have less and less hair. That will NEVER happen with shaving. Also consider how much time you’re spending shaving every day or every couple days VS the time every few weeks you’ll be waxing.

It depends which hair removal technique you compare waxing to. The biggest hassle is probably that you do have to grow the hair long enough to be able to wax it. Some negative results of waxing can be any of the following: bumps, pustules, ingrown hairs, lifted skin, histamine reactions, allergic reactions, torn skin, burns, bruising, irritation and discomfort. Many of these are prevented by proper technique, quality products and proper aftercare. Things such as histamine or allergic reactions cannot always be prevented or predicted though they are usually treatable.

There are many culprits! Improper technique, tight clothing, sweat/oils/bacteria getting into the follicle, synthetic materials (such as lace, spandex, nylon), friction, dead skin, dry skin, not following proper aftercare protocol. Unfortunately, some people are just prone to these also.

Dry skin and/or hair breakage. SO much of this can be prevented or reduced with exfoliating and moisturizing. When you wax an area of your body that has dry skin, when the hair gets pulled out, the dry, dead skin around that follicle gets disrupted and feels like a bump. Also, when your skin is dry and not in optimal condition to be waxed, some hair breakage usually occurs, especially in larger areas where bigger strips are used. This results in skin that may not feel as silky-smooth as you were hoping it would. Please refer to my aftercare instructions to be sure you are doing all you can to ensure your skin is moisturised and exfoliated properly. It is a great idea to use exfoliating gloves or a dry brush. We don’t realise how much we neglect our skin generally when it comes to skincare. Be mindful! Legs in particular are notorious for being bumpy after a wax. Remember that it also takes a couple months of waxing to get your best results. So, if you’re getting married or going on a cruise or have some other special event coming up, it’s best to begin waxing a couple months before and start getting your skin in shape ASAP to get a good result. If you come in a few days before the event for your first leg wax without having exfoliated and moisturised, chances are you won’t be thrilled with the result.

Different regions/countries have different ideas about what a Brazilian is. Our Brazilian includes your pubic hair in the front, the bikini line and the hair around your anus. You don’t have to do “the back” if you don’t want to either but, it’s not as painful as the front. This is obviously a very intimate, personal service and we do not expect you to do anything you don’t want to. It’s your body!! Whatever hair you do or don’t want is up to you and we’re not going to make you do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.

No. It’s very, very uncommon that anyone screams during their wax. Most people nervously laugh or focus on their breathing.

We schedule your Brozilian wax for 45 minutes. The actual hair removal portion of the service is usually around 25 minutes or less. I allow time for dressing and undressing, possible tardiness on your part or mine, checking out, rescheduling etc. Even though I factor in extra time, it is important that you be on time!! Being late causes us to run late for our next client and possibly forces us to rush your service. No one does their best work being rushed and no one likes their time being disrespected. Please extend the same respect to us and our other clients as we extend to you. Almost all of our services take 30 minutes or less. That time is YOURS. If for some reason we are running late, we will try to notify you ASAP.  Please do the same and please understand that being over 10 minutes late may mean that we need to reschedule.

You will need to follow your aftercare instructions and start an exfoliation routine at home. We do our best to give you exceptional service when you are in our treatment room, but you also need to do your part at home. Besides exfoliating and moisturising as directed, please refrain from picking or digging at an ingrown. You may get the hair out, but you may also cause discoloration, infection, scarring, etc. The best way to treat ingrowns is to stick to your routine and spot treat with Bump eRaiser as needed. If you are highly prone to a lot of ingrowns, even after following proper home care instructions, waxing may not be for you. It’s very rare that someone is not a good waxing candidate due to this, but it is possible.

We have been in this industry since 2019, specialising in Brozilians.

Yes. We have no problem with a friend or support person in the room. But, having a friend in the room can be more embarrassing than you bargained for and may cause you to be uncomfortable. Your service is not for entertainment; this isn’t a spectator sport so please be respectful of our work environment.

We have years of education, training and EXPERIENCE that contributed to the level of skill, professionalism and efficiency we have achieved. We buy quality wax and products to ensure the best possible results. Our wax, products, linens and implements are all clean and/or sanitised properly. We offer expert service and advice. We actually care about our clients. Please be aware that when you patronise a corporate waxing center, your waxer may be on week 3 of waxing after just graduating school. Also, be aware that those business models focus on profit, not on customer service or providing the best service possible. That’s why they are willing to hire staff with no experience, they know they can pay them less. It’s about keeping costs low. Those centers offer a factory-like environment typically where speed is valued over efficiency/quality. That isn’t to say there are no competent waxers who work in those environments, but there certainly isn’t a huge percentage of them. You will not experience the high-pressure sales tactics typically forced upon you at those places with us either.

Hard wax is a stripless wax. That means the wax is applied to your skin, “cures” to a certain point and is removed without strips/papers. Hard wax is generally much more gentle than soft/strip wax. It’s usually faster and cleaner than strip wax as well since larger strips can be used and no residue is left behind. Hard wax tends to have less instances of bruising, lifting, redness, sensitivity etc. It is important to know that not all hard waxes are created equally. The hard wax used at one establishment does not necessarily indicate what ours is like. Hard wax is manufactured by countless companies, comes in many colors, textures and levels of quality.

You will be required to fill out a health history form. Afterward, the therapist will begin by asking you general questions to establish what areas you would like worked on, if there are any conditions needing to be addressed, and to determine if massage is appropriate for you. Your massage therapist may perform certain assessments and testing to evaluate your condition and to see if you have any presenting complaints.

​It is important to list all health concerns and medications so the therapist can adapt the session to your specific needs without doing any harm. It is also important to list any allergies, so the therapist is aware if they need to use a different oil during the session.

During therapeutic body massage, you will be required to remove your clothing and wear underwear or boxer shorts, so what you wear to and from the treatment does not matter. For male clients it is slightly preferable to wear pants or short boxer shorts rather than ‘longer style’ boxers, as this prevents oil getting onto clothing when the upper leg is being massaged. Please remove all jewellery prior to your treatment.

Make yourself comfortable. If your therapist wants you to adjust your position, they will either move you or will ask you to move what is needed. Otherwise, change your position anytime to make yourself more comfortable.

Many people close their eyes and relax completely during a session; others prefer to talk.

You do not need to stay awake and it is common to drift in and out of sleep during a treatment. It is a good sign that you are deeply relaxed. Your body and muscles will still be gaining benefit from the massage even if you are asleep. The therapist will wake you gently at the end of the treatment, so you don’t need to worry if you nod off.

The massage therapist is a professional who has worked with all body shapes and sizes. They are non-judgmental about your body weight, amount of hair, skin conditions, scars, disabilities, medical conditions, or personal history. Your dignity and modesty will be protected at all times using towels and blankets to comfortably drape your body and preserve your humility. The therapist will leave the room before and after the massage, to allow you to undress and dress with privacy.

Everybody is different when it comes to pressure, some prefer deep tissue massage, whilst others find a soothing gentle massage much more relaxing. What feels right to one client might feel painful for another or too light and ineffective for someone else. The therapist will use a variety of techniques, some working deeper into the muscle tissue than others. Massage should never be painful, but you may feel some discomfort if deep tissue techniques are used on tight or overworked and stressed muscles. Therefore, it is important that you communicate with the therapist regarding your objectives and pressure preferences and feedback any pain or discomfort during your treatment.

Your treatment is your valuable time and opportunity to relax. If chatting helps you to relax that is fine, but most clients find they can get most benefit from a treatment by remaining quiet and enjoying the relaxing music and touch. In many instances, people may feel more relaxed starting off talking, and as the massage progresses, enter quiet states of relaxation.

There are times when you should feel free to speak up. If the therapist is doing anything to make you uncomfortable, you should let them know immediately. Also, let them know if you get too warm or too cold, or if the pressure needs to be changed (lighter or deeper). If something is not working for you and you are not able to relax during the session, alert the therapist as to how they can make it a better experience for you.

It is common for your muscles to feel temporarily tired or heavy, like how they feel after a workout. A small number of clients receiving a massage feel achy, flu like, or complain of headache. This is due to all the toxins that have been released from your muscles. These symptoms are completely normal and should pass within 24 hours.

​Some people feel cold after a massage as the treatment has encouraged blood to flow near the surface of the skin causing heat loss. During the treatment blankets and towels will prevent you feeling cold, but please bring warm comfortable clothes to wear home.

After your session, you may also start to feel thirsty. This is because the techniques used in the treatment releases fluids from your muscle tissues and into your vascular system. That means that you must restock all the water lost during your massage. A glass or two more than normal will help keep your body’s tissues hydrated and healthy.

There are very few instances where massage is not recommended, and these are called total contraindications. This includes being under the influence of alcohol, suffering from a cold/flu/fever, diarrhoea or vomiting or have a contagious skin infection. There are also ‘local contraindications’ which are conditions affecting specific areas of the body such as cuts, bruises or areas of injury; these areas will be avoided. Severe medical conditions such as heart problems, respiratory issues, cancer, or epilepsy will require medical approval from your GP stating that you are safe to receive a massage.

The conditions mentioned above are for indication only, so if you are concerned that any of the medical conditions apply to you, please contact us first to check that the treatment is suitable for you. You should not attend for a massage if you believe that you are suffering from or have been exposed to Covid-19.