After chatting with Barshop and finishing a glass of wine in lobby, which felt like a girlfriend’s cozy apartment, I followed a licensed esthetician into the treatment room. She started with a gold-infused witch hazel – a natural astringent – to pretreat and cleanse the skin.
What I also found intriguing is that V SPOT uses hard and soft wax, both of which contain gold. Apparently, hard wax is suited for more intricate areas like the labia, whereas soft wax is great for more accessible areas with finer hair, such as the inner leg.
While a completely pain-free wax for the nether regions has not yet been invented, a luxurious one has: The 24K Gold Wax offered at V SPOT Medispa in New York City is the creme de la creme of hair removal. That’s because, as the name implies, every product used during the waxing treatment contains pure gold. Getting waxed with gold inevitably makes one feel pampered, but what exactly does it do differently for the skin?
According to Cindy Barshop
According to Cindy Barshop, founder of V SPOT (and, incidentally, a former Real Housewives cast member), gold has natural anti-inflammatory properties. Although gold-infused wax is a newer concept, its goal is not unlike the gilded face creams and facials that have become popular over the past few years. The metal was incorporated into skin care because inflammation is the root cause of conditions like hyperpigmentation, acne, and wrinkles. When used in a wax, gold can ease redness, reduce the risk of ingrown hairs and bumps, and brighten the skin.
Barshop explains that this tailored treatment reduces tension on the skin to give softer results and lessen the pain. To be perfectly honest, I would describe the pain more as discomfort than anything – maybe it was a combo of the glass of wine and the fact that I popped an Advil beforehand – but I was shocked at how little I squirmed. It is also worth noting that the esthetician was an expert in the art of distraction. Regardless, the dreaded rip wasn’t nearly as unpleasant as other experiences I’ve had.
After the wax, I was slathered with V SPOT’s proprietary V Magic cream, which is formulated to provide immediate relief. It did. The last part of the treatment was a 10 minute “Vajacial,” which is much more practical than it sounds. The “Vajacial” uses Blue LED light therapy to kill any bacteria, because after you wax, your pores are open and your skin is more susceptible to bacteria-induced bumps and ingrown hairs.
The results are impressive:
A week later, at which point I’m usually feeling itchy from scratchy regrowth, my skin still feels as smooth as silk. Also, as promised, I have experienced far fewer ingrowns. With fewer bumps,there’s less temptation to pick and scar my skin in the long run.
The 24K Gold Wax and LED Vajacialwill cost you $150. While it’s a bit pricier than your traditional Brazilian wax, nobody ever said gold-infused anything was cheap. Plus, the additional insurance against pesky ingrown hairs is so worth it.
