A year after the birth of her first baby, Ananya Sethanandha went for a check-up with her ob-gyn, who gave her some interesting advice.
"The doctor joked that I should try Brazilian waxing, referring to how his Singaporean patients have adopted it into their grooming routine," said Ananya, who lived in the Lion City for five years.
She took his advice, but in Singapore, it wasn't easy to get an appointment at the busy and popular Strip: Ministry of Waxing.
When she finally got in she was so pleased with her resulting smooth and hair-free bikini line that it spurred her to open a Strip salon here in Bangkok, firstly at Siam Discovery and last year at Central Embassy.
"The wax and techniques make a difference. There's a lot of R&D involved in creating them, of which Strip's founder, Cynthia Chua, modified the dynamics of the Brazilian to suit Asians," said Ananya, who also runs Brow House (Strip's sister brand) at Siam Center.
The entrepreneur recalls how five years ago, there wasn't a proper salon dedicated to waxing in Thailand. Bushy body hair wasn't a topic of discussion among Thais, who would find it embarrassing to expose their private parts to others.
A treatment room with an IPL machine to deliver a semi-permanent solution for hair removal.
"Back in 2010, our customers were mostly expats, but today 50% of our customers are Thais, who have become more open to professional waxing treatments including a Brazilian," she said. "The other 50% are expats and tourists. Some tourists book an appointment and come to us after landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport before catching a flight at Don Mueang Airport to Krabi or Phuket, so that they can confidently wear a bikini while holidaying."
Founded in 2002, the Singaporean company has globally expanded with salons in London, New York, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila and Bangkok.
The Central Embassy branch has six treatment rooms for therapists to perform expert pruning, whether that's unwanted hair, such as on the ear, back, buttocks or toes.
The salon has a reputation for a strict code of hygiene, with each treatment using a sealed hygiene pack of disposable waxing equipment including face masks, gloves, wet wipes and spatulas.
A Singaporean trainer ensures that the Thai therapists deliver the treatments effectively. They are also trained in using IPL (Intense Pulse Light), which requires six sessions for hair removal.
Waxing, however, remains a popular approach, as it typically lasts for two to three weeks before a revisit to the salon is needed.
"Many of our clients come once a month for a treatment, in the same way that they would go to a hair salon for a cut," said Ananya. "More men are also concerned about excessive hair and accompanying sweat and body odour. They seek hair removal treatments too, even a Boyzilian."
Strip is also known for speed, with the waxperts trained to do the Brazilian in 15 minutes. It takes longer for first-timers and those in fear of painful hair-pulling though.
"It isn't pain-free but clients experience a tolerable pain," Ananya said. "Meditation techniques are used to relax the customer and help them overcome the fear. We also emphasise post-waxing care for the optimal outcome of a treatment, which makes you feel completely clean."
Strip: Ministry of Waxing is located on the fourth floor of Central Embassy. For information, call 021605671.
First-timers for a Brazilian or a Boyzilian have a guide book and a squeezable hairless ape to get ready for the treatment.
