I Tried Waxing for the First Time This Winter and I’ve Never Felt Better About Myself

It’s the holiday season, so naturally the first things that come to mind are A) What the heck am I going to get everyone on my gifting list? And B) How am I going to fit all that shopping and traveling into an already busy schedule? (C would be ‘how much is this all going to cost?’ But that’s neither here nor there.) Add in multiple birthday celebrations, parties and miscellaneous get-togethers (my favorite kind) and the next six weeks start looking pretty hectic. Fun, yes, but hectic.

This time of year is also when I inevitably start slacking on my self-care routine: My daily yoga becomes an afterthought, I go through my skincare steps on autopilot, and don’t even get me started on the last time I got my split-ends trimmed. But this year, I decided that if I was going to actually enjoy the season and all the merriment that comes along with it, I needed to take care of myself first. So I set my sights on one thing that I knew would make me feel more confident—and that I could fit into my jam-packed days: waxes. Waxing is one of those things I’ve always wanted to try, but the buildup to it just felt like such a hassle (and somewhat scary). Once I decided waxes would be my self-care treat this year, I needed to figure out how to make it as seamless as possible. That’s where European Wax Center comes in.

Two things initially led me to try EWC: The fact that you can book everything online and that most services take 15 minutes or less. Oh, and finding out the first wax is free was the kicker. Scheduling my wax couldn’t have been easier: I grabbed my laptop and found the EWC closest to me—it was around the corner from my apartment, but with over 800 centers across the U.S., there’s bound to be one right near you. I picked my date and time (you can also choose a wax specialist if you know who you want to see) and voilà: Reservation made. 

On the day of the wax, I’ll admit I was nervous leading up to it. But everyone made me feel comfortable, from the kind woman at the check-in desk to my super-professional wax specialist. And while hair removal has never been my favorite thing, the specialist explained that EWC uses special Comfort Wax, a natural beeswax sourced from Europe that’s gentle and helps lessen the ouch-factor. The room itself was clean, discreet and adhered to strict COVID-19 hygiene standards. (Both myself and my wax specialist also wore masks the entire time.) I basically breezed in and out and yes, it took less than 15 minutes, so it was convenient enough to sneak in during a busy weeknight.

I pretty much immediately felt like a million bucks; my skin was smooth and hydrated with none of the bumps or ingrown hairs you usually get with shaving. In fact, waxing removes hair by the root, so when it grows back, it’s finer and softer. (So essentially, the more you keep to your routine, the less frequent waxes you’ll eventually need.) Which is why EWC’s special Wax Pass Promo for November and December is a great idea: Purchase nine waxes and get three free, or you can buy an Unlimited 12-month Wax Pass and get an extra month free. Both will help you earn EWC Rewards you can use toward products (they have a whole line of expert-developed products for pre- and post-wax care), additional services and more. You’ll save money by bundling waxing services rather than paying for them individually and will never have to worry about booking last minute. Win-win.

So to recap: My experience at EWC was quick, (relatively) painless and pretty cost-effective during a very expensive time of year, which means I’ll be sticking to my newfound wax self-care routine for the foreseeable future. Smooth holiday season, I’m ready for ya.