They say that once you ‘go to Brazil’ you never go back. And The Ministry of Waxing definitely makes said trip a bit easier to bear.

I’ve always been a slave to Veet cream and a bit scared of salon waxing, but after getting one done for a review through work, I became a convert. I originally visited Ministry of Waxing on a cheap Keynoir deal, but have been back twice since and will no doubt continue to. The salon itself is more like a cool bar than a beauty salon, with lots of chrome, red leather, mirrors and quirky touches. You can get a variety of waxes, choosing from a takeaway style ‘menu’ at reception, but what they specialise in is the classic Brazilian wax. There are now Ministry of Waxing salons worldwide, but the brand started out in 2001 as the first salon to bring the Brazilian to Singapore.

What I like about this place is the theme suits the treatment. This place doesn’t take itself too seriously, which I think is important when you’re about to strip off and flash your bits to a complete stranger. Everything is a bit more relaxed and dare I say it, a bit sillier. It suits the embarassing experience of a Brazilian so much better than a salon that plays panpipe music and is full of sweet, softly-spoken therapists who insist on refering to you as ‘we’ throughout the treatment. “So, what are we doing today? Are we having everything off?”

At Ministry of Waxing it’s a bit more relaxed, there’s clubby music playing and the therapists are friendly without being too OTT, getting you through the wax quickly without any messing about, ensuring the treatment is as pain-free as possible.

But don’t let the laid-back atmosphere make you think you’ll be getting sub-standard service. The salon observes strict hygeine rules. All your stuff goes in a locker, there’s absolutely no double-dipping (a new wooden spatula / stick is used for every swipe of wax so no germs get into the wax pot), you get a hygiene wipe before the treatment begins and the chocolate-scented wax is removed without strips so it’s really fast and there’s very little mess.

As a cute touch, you also get given a monkey shaped stress ball to squeeze! I have to say, I’ve never really needed mine. The waxes I’ve had have been about as painless as you can get. Yes, it does hurt, especially on the very sensitive bits, but it’s a short, sharp pain that’s over really quickly, the soothing ‘Ice Cream’ they use at the end stops it hurting much afterwards, and the super-smooth results are worth it. The therapists will even go over with tweezers to make sure there are no missed bits.

I’d definitely recommend The Ministry of Waxing to anyone in London who wants a wax without all the fuss. It’s a must if you have a particularly teeny bikini to wear on holiday! They even do a ‘virgin Brazilian’ for newbies so don’t worry if you’ve only ever used cream or shaved before, they’ll be gentle with you and I’m pretty sure there’s nothing they haven’t seen before!

ps. Pop a couple of Nurofen half an hour before your wax for a pain-free treatment. I then use men’s sensitive aftershave balm for the first few days afterwards to sooth the skin, then Boots ingrown hair treatment if I get any bumpy regrowth. Exfoliating is a must too, I go for one without any oil in, and apply very gently!

Ministry of Waxing, Floral Street, Covent Garden