Insider Guide.(tips to avoid waxing pain)(reducing diets)

Insider's Guide beauty secrets

HOW TO GET A PAIN-LESS BIKINI WAX

By Lidia Tivichi Tivichi waxes at Manhattan's Kimara Ahnert salon. Her clients include a number of beauty editors. To most women, the agony of a bikini wax is second only to that of childbirth. But you can minimize the pain. * Gird your loins. Don't schedule a wax the week before or during your period -- when some women are most sensitive. You can take an ibuprofen or aspirin about 30 minutes before your appointment, but I don't think it eases the physical pain so much as it calms you down. Or take a cue from one of my clients -- she has a margarita. * Get comfortably numb. If you are sensitive, apply lidocaine or benzocaine, which numb the skin. Or ask your doctor to prescribe Emla, which is stronger. Be sure to rub it in thoroughly, avoiding delicate areas. * Let your mind wander. If people come in really freaking out, I tell them to think about something happy. I recently told one client to visualize herself in her La Perla lingerie. Sure enough, I ended up giving her a Brazilian. *Block the pain. After each strip, the waxer should press her hand on the skin to stop the pain. If she doesn't, ask her to, or hold your skin yourself. * Soothe your skin. Most waxers use alcohol to remove the leftover wax, but I find that hydrogen peroxide is gentler. Bring a bottle with you. Afterward, ask the waxer to apply an aloe-rich lotion or Desitin (yes, the diaper-rash cream). * Do the upkeep. To prevent ingrown hairs, use a mild AHA cream or lotion daily for two weeks. And try a lotion that softens hair and ...