Waxing Poetic

This is an ode to any woman who has ever suffered through a Brazilian wax. An homage to those of us who, with a stiff (albeit smooth) upper lip, regularly pluck, pull and otherwise eliminate unwanted hair from just about everywhere.

I’m here to tell you: there’s a better way.

I recently had the non-hyperbolic pleasure of getting waxed at one of Fairfield County’s newest waxing spots. The European Wax Center—with locations in Westport and Norwalk—has turned getting waxed into a gentle, spa-like exhale of an experience.  

It isn’t a stretch to call the whole thing enjoyable.

This week, I dropped by the brand new Norwalk location to see what it is all about. The studio space is serene, the staff utterly professional, and the actual act of getting a bikini wax almost entirely painless.

European Wax Center has managed to elevate waxing to a professional, clinically aesthetic endeavor. Each squeaky clean, comfortable waxing room even has its own thermostat and a heated waxing bed. And the center’s proprietary “comfort wax” is specially designed to adhere to your hair only, not your skin, which makes it immeasurably less painful and less irritating to your skin. The staff is comprised of certified aestheticians who undergo many additional hours of training specific to the European Wax Center.

Perhaps best of all, waxing is all the staff does, all day long. No people waiting outside your waxing room for a pedicure, no massages to sell you. Just waxing. Which makes them experts at their art.

The center’s four-step process cleanses your skin, protects your skin, removes the unwanted hair and then ensures against ingrown hairs with a preventative serum (a blend of antioxidants, tea tree oil, lavender and vitamin E. And the staff is absolutely dedicated to giving their clients an unimpeachably hygienic experience. Every dip into the warm “comfort wax” is done with a brand new wooden popsicle stick.

“I really don’t care how many sticks we go through,” says owner Joseph Maya of the salon’s one swipe per stick policy. “What’s important is that we provide the kind of experience I’d want my wife to have. The women who work here understand skin and hygiene because they’re certified aestheticians. We want this to be a luxury experience.”

Maya and his wife and business partner, Susan, opened both locations this year. And they are so confident you will become a European Wax Center devotee, that they are offering new customers a free bikini line, eyebrow or underarm wax for free, from now until Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Which gives you just enough time to smooth things out for Valentine’s Day.

European Wax Center’s Fairfield County locations are in Norwalk, Westport and Stamford. Mention this article at your pre-Valentine's Day appointment and receive unlimited free waxing on your first visit. Appointments are recommended.

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