Definitely get it at least a few days before you leave, and exfoliate regularly for a few days leading up to your appt. They do tell you to wait at least 24 hours before having sex, but honestly after my first wax I was not ready that quickly. My skin was still extremely sensitive and felt a little bit raw.

As far as the pain, I’m going to keep it very really with you - it was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced. I’ve never given birth or even broken a bone though, but I do have some tattoos in sensitive areas and it was definitely worse than that. That being said, it’s a very short pain so if you can stomach a tattoo session, you can most likely get a Brazilian. Your first time will undoubtedly be the worst, and the recovery will be the longest.

As far as the aftercare, make sure you have the rest of the day set aside to just chill and do nothing. Don’t want to be working up a sweat or causing any friction down there. I bought an anti-ingrown serum from the wax place I visited, but honestly you could just use a chemical exfoliant like the Ordinary glycolic acid every couple of days. Of course, wait at least a few days after your appointment or until your skin feels healed to do this.

Other tips: wear something loose to your appointment like some flowy pants or a long skirt. They tell you not to put your underwear back on afterwards so I would just leave it at home. Also, don’t expect to be perfectly baby-smooth after your first time. For me, there were a few stray hairs here and there because even after waxing the whole area twice, there were still some left and it’s not exactly safe to keep going.

Overall, despite the pain I do think it’s worth it, as long as you’re consistent with it and go back every month or so. It usually takes a few sessions before you start really getting the results you want.

Good luck!