Mystery Shopping Expose #8 What did our Superhero find?

Photo: Ash_bandicoot

Article written by BR Superhero Ash_bandicoot

Oh BR the things I do for you… I cannot believe I am about to do this, this being write an article where the protagonist is my vagina (well technically my vulva), but here goes.

Instructions arrived in the form of an assuming little red notification box in my BR inbox. I was instructed to don my floppy hat and big sunglasses and take a trip to The Silk Spa in New Plymouth for A BRAZILIAN WAX.

I should have known, BR have been hinting that this round of mystery shops they’d be breaking out their inner Mr Burns, tapping their bony evil fingers together, and cackling “Excellent”. Still I was, frankly, terrified. I’ve never so much as applied a single strip of wax to a leg, and now I was facing the whole shebang. I showed my partner who promptly did a yes fist-pump and looked like a giddy school boy. The excitement was infectious and seeing as a good number of women willingly pay to have this done regularly I decided to take one for the team and boldly go where I have never gone before.

A quick scope of The Silk Spa’s website showed that they offered online booking and before my burst of courage could leave me I did just that. The process is incredibly simple, it’s run through a third party system so requires an initial set up but after a quick game of verification email tag I was ready to book. The online booking process is genius for women like me. It allowed me to view dates and times and find a suitable appointment without the usual rigmarole of sorting my partner to watch the kids (and in this case my mother-in-law to watch my baby son while my toddler daughter was at swimming lessons), usually exhaustingly accomplished with multiple phone calls during business hours. It also allows for specific staff requests if you had a favourite therapist and has a comments box.

I was really impressed that the system recognised me from 2.5 years ago when I had a spray tan at The Silk Spa, a lifetime ago when I did things like take holidays and get spray tans pre-kids. They obviously have really good records. I stated in the comments box that it was my first time and asked if there was anything I needed to know. With my spray tan booking I had received an email with hints and prep and I had hoped there would be something similar for waxing but I didn’t get any additional info sent to me.

An email arrived the next morning to change the time by 15 mins which was no trouble at all and I received a reminder text the day before. I did my own research to see if I needed to do any pre-grooming because, as my partner put it *blushes* I was certainly getting my money’s worth.

The Silk Spa is easily found and located in a suburban group of shops with plenty of parking outside or across the road. The exterior is a plum purple – my favourite colour, the signage discreet but easily identifiable. Upon entering I was greeted with a heady but not overpowering aromatherapy-type product smell. The front of the salon is full of products, fake flowers, and brochures. I found it invitingly busy but not cluttered. I arrived early and was greeted by another staff member and invited to take a seat while I waited for Rachel my therapist.

Rachel immediately made me feel at ease and when I told her it was my first time she talked through what would happen and gave me plenty of time to get comfortable in the waxing room. She explained I could either use that height of fashion – the disposable g-sting, or in her words go “as nature intended”, and said I could use the wipes provided to again “make myself feel comfortable”.

The impression she gave me was thoroughly professional and that the service was all about my level of comfort and things would go at my pace. It was very reassuring. This is probably a little silly seeing that I’ve given birth twice in less than two years , but it’s still nerve racking getting your vagina out.

The full Brazilian appointments allows for a whole hour and is very leisurely and, while not exactly relaxing, it wasn’t an entirely unpleasant way to spend a rare Saturday morning away from my kids.

Comforting quiet background music played in the background, the lights were dimmed, and Rachel’s soothing South African accent was a delight to the ear. The paper g-string and a towel draped over the side not being waxed made me feel not as exposed as I do at the gyno. The slow pace of the wax gave my skin plenty of time to recover between yanks and (this sounds so wrong) I was even relaxed enough that the warm wax kinda felt nice. At times Rachel directed my own hands to provide tension on my skin, which made the waxing less invasive than it would have been had she been entirely hands on. During the service in the course of our relaxed conversation I was told about aftercare.

I was offered my choice of the full Brazilian or landing strip, who knew there was so much to consider when it comes to pubic hair fashion?! Towards the end of the wax Rachel very discreetly told me that as women get older the hair can creep onto the butt which was included in the full Brazilian. Thank goodness I thought, as I confirmed that yes, there was some southwards bound hair which was promptly sent to join it’s fallen Northern comrades. And just like that I was done. Rachel  applied a little product that I didn’t catch the name of, and advised I let things air out by wearing loose clothing or going commando and stay out of hot baths, pools and the ocean for a day in case of skin sensitivity, and I was left to dress at my leisure.

The results. For the most part they are as the proverbial baby’s bottom. Rachel tweezed out quite a few stragglers but I can still see the odd hair here or there and a small patch in a delicate area that was probably hidden by my choice to wear the styly paper g-string. I think 5 mins with my own tweezers tonight will see to them.

Overall I was super impressed with the service and very pleasantly surprised by the experience. It was nowhere near the terrifying medieval torture method I’d envisioned. Rachel had warned me it wouldn’t be not painful and I think the double negative describes it well. It’s not not painful but the pain is definitely doable and not at all lingering which surprised me given the delicateness of the area. I think a lot of this is due to the skill and attentiveness shown. I would definitely do this again, although the price is perhaps a little out of my range to get it done regularly and (although I seem to be the only woman in the world to have pubic hair at times) I actually don’t mind a healthy lady garden. I’ll be booking in again in the future for special occasions or next summer when I’ll be swimming though. For now though, winter is coming, and I will be rejoicing in my opaque leggings, long sleeves and unkempt garden.

Thanks to Rachel at The Silk Spa for a wonderful initiation to the world of wax and a big thank you to Beauty Review for the opportunity to step waaaaay out of my comfort zone hehe.

Thank you Ash for a fabulous review and for risking life and va-jay-jay to go undercover for us! 

Has this mystery shop given you the confidence to head to Brazil?  Get chatting below!