Going bald below

>> Hygiene of prime importance
to Brazilian wax specialist

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Tracy Townson

Age: 34

Occupation: Esthetician

Bio: This spunky Pointe-aux-Trembles gal has been providing esthetic services for 13 years now, specializing in medical esthetics and the finest Brazilian wax jobs this side of South Beach. A veteran esthetician, Tracy only works out of her home now because of the dangerously unsanitary conditions she claims to have repeatedly witnessed while employed at several of our cities local health spas. Further concerned that “80 per cent or more of the estheticians in Montreal don’t know the proper, safe way do a Brazilian wax,” she’s begun offering lessons to other certified estheticians on how to correctly perform the procedure. To take her course or schedule a Brazilian wax ($30 for women, $50 for men) for yourself, contact canadianangel@videotron.ca or call (514) 498-2555.

What a Brazilian wax is: A genital waxing, essentially.

Are people generally well-bathed when they come in for a Brazilian or does she sometimes feel like she’s waxing up a rancid old salmon? “Well, most people are clean but there’s the odd one where you want to gag. I just give them a face cloth and say, ‘Wash.’ I’m not shy. There’s no excuse to show up like that.”

When everyone decided they wanted a bald beaver: “About six years ago. Everyone wants to look like a porn star, no? It’s all because of the media now, but men set it off. Many women come in not particularly wanting to do it but saying, ‘Ah, my boyfriend’s been hinting.’ Nine times out of 10 they first come for their men, but later come back for themselves when they see the result.”

Does she ever get male clients? “Yes, a few.”

Are any of them heterosexual? “Rarely, but I do get the odd metrosexual.”

Does she find that men, when coming to her for the somewhat painful experience a Brazilian wax tends to be, often suffer from shrinkage? “Oh, absolutely—except for those that are into pain.”

Her advice for those looking for esthetician services: “It’s usually better to go to a local mom and pop salon, but take a good look around. If things seem dirty, back out. Look to see if they’re double-dipping. If you’re going for a Brazilian and you see the girl put her stick back in the wax after applying it on you, then run. Because they’re just putting germs right back into the same wax they use on the next person. People tend to have some bleeding with Brazilians, so they’re smearing blood and putting it back in to their wax can, and I’m sorry, wax isn’t hot enough to boil away the bacteria. You see this all the time. These big spas, it’s all about money, how many clients they can get in an hour. At some places they even recycle the wax, after they’re ripped it off you they put it back in the pot with a mesh that filters the hair out so that same wax can later be used on someone else. And people get infections like you wouldn’t believe.”

Last book read: Supportive Cancer Care, by Ernest & Isadora Rosenbaum.

Musical preferences: AC/DC, Bob Marley, ’80s house.

Words of wisdom: “Instead of trying to act like a professional, strive to be one.”

Comments: dimwit@hdot.net