Ashlene Explains the History of the Brazilian
If you heard the term Brazilian 30 years ago you it was most likely used to describe a person native to Brazil—not a term to describe a bikini wax. Although being hair free down there has been recording in history as late as the ancient Egyptians, it was only in 1982 when the waxing style hit the spas of North America. Ashlene of Ashlene’s Laser and Wax Studio has perfected the Brazilian earning her studio the title of Vancouver’s best Brazilian.
Although it may seem like a modern grooming practice, removing pubic hair is not exactly a new concept. The earliest traceable origins of hair removal stem from the ancient Egyptians. Who would use homemade tweezers, pumice stones and beeswax to remove all the hair from their body (including down there). Skipping forward 3,000 years to the Roman Empire. It was once considered uncivilized to have any public hair. Successful men and women would create their own razors out of flints, use tweezers, creams and stones to remove unwanted hair. If you notice, many paintings during this time depicted women as fairly hairless. It wasn’t until the late 1800s when American entrepreneur King C. Gillette patented the first safe, disposable razor for men, that hair removal started to become more customary.
Over the modern decades, new forms of hair removal came to the market. However, hair removal from a woman’s nether region was rarely a part of the conversation. That is until the late 1980s. When the phenomenon known as the Brazilian wax came to North America. In 1982 seven sisters from Brazil immigrated to America leaving successful salons in their hometown of Vitoria, Brazil. Despite the language barrier, the sisters gained experience in other salons. Then slowly built a clientele of celebrities and magazine editors. In 1987, all seven sisters with names starting with a J opened the now infamous J. Sisters Salon in downtown Manhattan. The business did quite well in its early years! It really started to gain attention once they introduced the “extreme bikini wax”.
They had been creating a bare canvas out of women’s nether regions for years in Brazil, as there it is custom to wear tiny bikinis, but nothing like it had yet been introduced to mainstream America. Due to their clientele of well connected celebrities and magazine editors, it didn’t take long for this fad to spread across the country and infiltrating into almost every local salon and spa. As the pioneers of this new era of self grooming, the wax is named the Brazilian to commemorate them.
The Brazilian has become more popular over the years and is now considered the norm of hair removal. A 2016 survey conducted by JAMA Dermatology, found 62 percent of American women remove all of their pubic hair consistently. Ashlene’s Laser and Wax Studio specializes in Brazilian waxes, earning Ashlene and her studio the title of the best Brazilian in Vancouver. Ashlene offers a variety of different waxing styles with high-grade wax infused with essential oils, which helps reduce pain in more sensitive areas. We understand having a Brazilian wax can be a nerve wracking, vulnerable experience. With over 20 years of experience, Ashlene strives to ensure every client is comfortable and relaxed throughout the entire process.
Want to experience the best Brazilian wax in Vancouver? Book your wax Ashlene’s Laser and Wax Studio now.
