Tag: atlanta
10 Tips To Make Your Bikini Wax Less Painful
Remember the tears in my eyes during my first bikini wax? (If not, click HERE.) It absolutely has gotten better over time, but let’s be real–you’re ripping hair out of your skin in a sensitive area, so (some sort of) pain is a given, ESPECIALLY if you’re going Brazilian. I consulted two of Atlanta’s top hair removal experts, Myka Barbato of WAX and Raquel Souza of Sweet Peach Wax & Sugaring Studio, to share their expert tips for less ouch factor.
1. Meds. Both pros recommend taking your normal dosage of ibuprofen/aspirin 30 minutes to an hour before. It can reduce pain but also help with potential inflammation.
2. Alcohol. You can have one or two drinks to take the edge off, but Myka says, “Not too many! Alcohol thins the blood and you don’t want to be more prone to bruising, etc. just from too many cocktails!”
3. Your period. Good Lawwwd, don’t go getting waxed right before your cycle is supposed to start as you’re more sensitive down there up to three days before. You can also be sensitive up to three days after, but once you’re past that point, it’s a perfect time for a hoo-ha haircut because as Myka says, “The grow-out period isn’t so hard to bear because the last week you are most likely on your cycle and probably not getting any action anyways.” #TRUTH.
4. Pregnancy. Myka says, “During the first two trimesters, it’s business as usual, but the last one can be more sensitive.” That’s not to say it can’t be done (hello, you’re going to want to be groomed right before you have a crowd of people down there cheering on your vagina), but just be sure to go to a top-notch salon (like WAX or Sweet Peach) as they know how to handle a delicate mom-to-be.
5. Exfoliation. Raquel recommends exfoliating the area within the 24 hours before your appointment for a smoother ride. As I’ve mentioned before, I die for the sugar peach scrub exclusively sold at Sweet Peach ($20). Also, if you can take a warm shower or bath prior to your treatment, it will help open up the pores for easier and less painful hair removal.
6. Distract yourself. Chat with your waxer, make a mental to-do list, or even text/email/Facebook on your phone (no X-rated Instagrams, please). I recommend asking politely if your aesthetician minds you using your phone during the treatment, but she won’t. She gets it. (Just don’t sext with your man; being turned on during a wax could get awkward quick.) At Sweet Peach, Sex and the City plays in the treatment rooms, so I actually get excited to go and see which episode is on. Nothing like seeing Miranda’s full bush while you’re getting yours removed.
7. Numbing cream + panties. If you’re really scared of pain, Raquel recommends Dr. Edna’s BareEASE prep kit ($18-$22, available online and at Sweet Peach). Forty-five minutes prior to the treatment, you put the topical analgesic cream on the area, then slide on the latex panty to isolate the application. It’s safe and doctor-developed, and many of Raquel’s clients swear by it. I tried it and did notice less pain, but nothing takes away ALL of the discomfort (except like, an epidural).
8. Post-treatment activity. Your “baby” skin is so sensitive right after hair removal that wearing tight clothing/working out or getting your freak on within the following 24-48 hours can irritate the area leading to bumps, pimples, and ingrown hairs (OUCHIE), so keep that in mind when making an appointment. With sugaring, there’s generally less or no irritation (I can work out within 24 hours with no issues), but still keep tabs on how your body reacts. And for the love of God, don’t go getting a spray tan right after a wax/sugaring unless you are wearing thick-ass panties that cover the entire treated area. Trust me on this one.
9. Wait time. Don’t go TOO long between treatments or it can make for a more uncomfortable experience the next time (in more ways than one). Everyone is different, but three weeks to a month is ideal. I think we’ve all pushed it past the limit during those winter droughts, but when you wait two months or more, you’re getting into scary territory.
10. Shaving. Ladies, I know the scenario. Some hot guy asks you on an impromptu date/your long-distance booty call flies in town unexpected/the ex shows up on your doorstep with flowers and a much hotter physique since the breakup…….and you’re rocking full ’70s bush. You could take a razor down there, but know that if you’re a regular waxer/sugarer, this could lead to ingrowns and make your treatment more painful next time. So what’s a girl to do? I say embrace the bush. He’ll understand; or better yet, he might really dig it and you’ll be getting down like Joanie and Chachi in no time. If he’s turned off by it, send that loser packing. Then put on Sex and the City and call it a (pain-free) night.
Good luck out down there, sisters!
LYLAS,
Ashley
**I’m giving away one Brazilian wax from WAX and one Brazilian sugaring from Sweet Peach. Head on over to the Witty + Pretty Facebook page to find out how to win!**
GIVEAWAY: Flywheel Sports 5-Packs
Get ready, friends. I’m about to profess my undying love.
For a workout, not a guy. (C’mon, you know me better than that.)
If you read this blog, you know how obsessed I am with Flywheel Sports. The Atlanta location opened a little over a year ago and I’ve been going regularly ever since (and mind you, it’s clear across town from my apartment). I truly found the fitness routine that makes me WANT to work out, that I get excited to go to (seriously…even in the morning), and the best part: That has sculpted my bod like I didn’t think possible. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not Gisele (yet) but I’m pleased with the way I look and swimsuit shopping this year didn’t make me want to hang myself in the fitting room with a bikini strap.
You can read ALL about Flywheel in my blog post HERE, but the quick and dirty sweaty is that the indoor cycling is an intense, competitive (only if you want it to be), major calorie-burning workout with amazing instructors, music, AND a brief but challenging arm weight routine for total body training.
We’re all smiles below (I’m in the middle with Atlanta instructors Cara, left, and Kelsey, right) but when you’re in class sprinting at a high resistance, there’s certainly more gritting than grinning.
Disclaimer: Don’t try this with your weights during class…
(This was also after back-to-back wheel + barre for Cara and me. #Sweatfest)
The other component of Flywheel is Flybarre, which is a core-meets-weight-training-meets-cardio-dance class that will totally transform your arms, abs, butt, and legs. When you combine the two workouts, you can truly achieve the physique of your dreams (told y’all I was going to get all lovestruck and cheesy up in here).
Here we are again working on our fitness (yes, Cara and Kelsey teach BOTH cycle and barre because they’re badass b*tches).
Burning off your booty is serious business…
But don’t just take it from me: Take it from the 23482034 friends (ok, maybe a few less than that) who I’ve turned on to Flywheel and are now addicted PLUS all the celebs who frequent the place. I took class with Jake Gyllenhaal (so hot) a few times when he was in Atlanta filming recently and once, he was on the bike directly behind me. Yes, I worked harder and thought about how my ass looked since it was in his face for 45 minutes. No, I didn’t look over my shoulder and wink. (But only because I can’t wink without looking like I’m having a face spasm.)
Now about those giveaways! I have TWO five-packs of classes (value: $160 in NYC/$125 in all other cities) to give away and they can be used for either Flywheel or Flybarre in ANY market (New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Seattle, Philly, Miami/Boca, Dallas, and Plano). To enter, go to the Witty + Pretty Facebook page and SHARE the post about this Flywheel giveaway and tag the Flywheel location you would attend (make sure to tag/link it, not just write the name of the location). Maybe you just want to share it and tag “Flywheel Philadelphia.” Maybe you want to type a little message in your share like, “Can’t wait to see you, Flywheel Los Angeles!” Or maybe you want to write a full-on love confession about Flywheel Atlanta like I have just done and put it on their page for all to see. The contest ends at 5 p.m. on Friday and two winners will be picked at random. Dudes (if any of you are reading), feel free to enter, too!
You’ll want to Fly away.
LYLAS,
Ashley
Note: Your first Flywheel and Flybarre classes are FREE, so if you haven’t tried it yet, there’s your perfect excuse! Create an account in your city and you’ll see one credit for Flywheel you can use to book a class. You won’t see a Flybarre credit, but call or visit the location and tell them it’s your first time and they’ll hook you up.
The Friday Final 4: A Girls Guide to the Games
The NCAA Final Four is in my home city of ATLANTA this weekend, so even though my alma mater Clemson isn’t in the tourney (ha, like that would happen), it’s still really exciting. Oh, and I went to a Conan taping yesterday and it was a basketball-themed show so it got me even more pumped. And yes, I just wanted to brag about going to Conan. YOU GOT ME.
But anyway, I’m not going to dish out technical sports talk on this blog (that would be a disaster), but I wanted to share my observations on the four teams and why I think they are all fab. That’s right. I’m not routing for one team. I’m routing for THEM ALL because I’m just such a sports fanatic, I can’t choose. (But if I had to pick one, it would be #TeamCoco.) Also, I know some of you girls out there don’t even know all the teams in the Final Four (ADMIT IT!), so you’re welcome. Now you can drop some knowledge on a hottie this weekend.
1. Wichita State
I mean. Enough said.
2. Michigan
Yep, my dog Dewey is a fan. I have no idea why, but given that he’s a stray, maybe he grew up in Ann Arbor before making the trek to Atlanta to ruin my life show up on my doorstep.
And geez Dew, close your legs, you little man-slut. You’d think he was an athlete…
3. Louisville
Duh. I mean, that injury was horrific and heartbreaking and I’m just so glad Kevin Ware is recovering well and here in the A to cheer his team on! But one minor thing: His shirt says “Win It For Kevin” (which is slightly awkward since he is Kevin) and I just don’t understand why that’s the slogan when “Win It For Ware” flows so much better. I don’t care. I’m hashtagging #WinItForWare and no one can stop me.
4. Syracuse
My good friend Ellen is player Michael Carter Williams’ baby mama.
KIDDING KIDDING! CALM DOWN, ORANGE NATION! Don’t go running to the blogs with that one. She’s just a Syracuse alum/die-hard-fan who happens to look really cute by his side. (But since he’ll probably be drafted this year, you might want to get on it, girl). And speaking of blogs, check out Ellen guest blogging on this ultra-popular Syracuse site about what ‘Cuse fans should do in Atlanta this weekend.
Let the games begin!
LYLAS,
Ashley
For Everyone in ARCTIC SPRING TEMPS…
This weather is f*cking bullshit. 36 degrees in Atlanta in late March?! I die. No, like, I actually might die from hypothermia. (And I’m not dramatic at all.) For everyone else in ARCTIC TEMPS right now, take a moment and warm yourself up.
Warm your skin with thoughts of sunbathing:
Warm your heart with this salty dog*:
Warm up…everywhere else with Ryan Gosling:
Stay strong. We’ll get through this.
LYLAS,
Ashley
*That’s my friend Sheri’s real dog when he was a puppy. I can’t even take it.
How Gorgeous Jewelry is Made From Dirty, Old Rocks
Some things…you should never question where they came from: A free drink from the bartender, a five-pound weight loss when you haven’t been exercising or dieting, a 70% sale on designer shoes, random orgasm during spinning.
(Psst, does that last one really happen because sadly, I’ve never experienced it?)
But anyway. I recently had a ring made for me by Mickey Lynn (remember those badass bracelets?), and I decided to put my ”investigative journalism” skillz to work and bust up in the Atlanta showroom to get a behind-the-scenes look at how Mickey, her main squeeze Seth, and her awesome team crank out majestic gems like these:
Much of Mickey’s latest collection is made from druzy stones, which makes them especially eye-catching (Dummy definition: A druzy is sets of tiny crystals of minerals that form on the surface of another stone. There are many types of druzy, because there are many types of minerals, but quartz and agate are some of the most common types.).
And this…is where those sparklers come from:
That’s right. A straight…up…ROCK.
But inside that rock is magic like this:
And sometimes this:
And even….this:
I mean…what??
So basically, Mickey and Seth trek to South America, put on their miner hats (which knowing them, are very stylish), and help the local pros dig up these stones and eventually turn them into workable pieces like this:
Which, coupled with this…
…turns into jewelry like this:
For my ring, I chose a purple-y druzy stone and a bezel setting:
After some intense handiwork from Mickey’s talented team, like this flame-blowing…
…and 24-carat gold plating (because the setting was silver, but I wanted gold)…
A stunner was born!
BAM!
But while I was in the showroom, something else besides the baubles caught my eye…
Yes, that’s a crystallized stone shaped like, well, something else that’s rock-hard.
And that is why I love me some Mickey Lynn: A jewelry line with a story AND a sense of humor.
Thanks to the druzy dream team for letting me snoop around!
And if you want to know more about how ugly rocks are turned into pretty pieces of jewelry, check out Mickey and Seth’s trip to South America to source the goods and bring ‘em back for your accessorizing addiction:
Now when you wear Mickey Lynn pieces, you’ll know exactly where they came from (and hey, if your bartender likes bling, you may get that free cocktail…).
Rock on,
Ashley
Let’s party together (on the Internet)!