Dare to be Bare, Naturally. Uni.K.Wax Salon.

Hair removal, whether it be achieved by epilating, waxing, electrolysis, or shaving can be very tricky business indeed. We all look for ways to keep ourselves looking sleek and smooth, but don't always get the results we want.

Since adolescence, my hair removal method of choice was shaving. Having tried epilating, depilatories, and at home waxing to no avail, I found myself stuck with a razor blade thinking it was the only painless and (somewhat) effective hair removal tool. With hair that is both coarse and dark, I became a slave to my razor blade. Skipping even a day would leave me with a dreaded 5 o'clock shadow, making me feel like I was doomed to roam the Earth hairy and miserable. Not pretty folks, not pretty at all.

I have never ventured into the realm of salon waxing beyond brow shapings, only because I was afraid of the pain and the possibility of irritation. We all saw the infamous scene in 40 yr old Virgin, where poor Steve Carell had both his man fur and his pride ripped right out of him. I definitely did not want to experience the female equivalent.

Cue Uni.K.Wax, an up-and-coming waxing studio right in the heart of NYC's midtown. Uni.K.Wax was founded in 1993, in South Beach, by Argentinean Noemi Grupenmager. The Uni.K.Wax Center philosophy is that they are devoted to the art of practically painless and safe hair removal in a clean and comfortable environment. They use an innovative natural, herbal wax that completely removes hair without the use of paper strips.

I arrived at Uni.K.Wax, and was immediately impressed by the space's cleanliness and simple aesthetic. I was given the tour by the manager, who showed me the lab where the wax is made-to-order for each customer at the beginning of his/her appointment. Each customer gets their own warming tub filled with just the right amount of wax for their purposes. After use, the excess is dumped and the warming tub is sterilized. The whole process ensures sterility and eliminates wastefulness. Thoroughly impressed with their procedures, I felt that my appointment was off to a great start.

I then sat down with my technician Tabitha (Tabi for short), in a small private room. We discussed what I wanted done, and how we were going to go about achieving my desired results. I expressed my concerns over it being my first time, and she reassured me that she would make it as quick and painless as possible. She also explained that the special wax that is used minimizes irritation and is not only all-natural with ingredients like pine sap, beeswax, and aloe vera, but is also skin friendly and possesses a natural elasticity that ensures it won't pull the skin.

Tabitha expertly painted on the dark green wax, fanning it for a minute before it dried to a semi hardened state. With one quick yank, the hair was gone. Despite the fact that my hair rather likes to stay in the follicle, I was pleased to find that it came out rather easily and relatively painlessly. Of course there was slight pain on the pull, but it was fleeting. The whole thing was over in less than 15 minutes, and I found myself pleasantly surprised with not only the results, but the lack of pain and irritation at the end of the process.

I am so thrilled with my first salon waxing experience, and with Uni.K.Wax Center in particular, that I just might never touch my dreaded razor again. I highly recommend it! Uni.K offers a full range of services for both men and women, at super affordable prices. They have several locations and rumor has it that Beyonce and Cameron Diaz are both fans.

Give Uni.K.Wax a try, I know I am glad that I did. You can find your closest location by visiting the site here.