makin' it real
02-25-2012, 02:26 AM
I had a wonderful experience last night that I want to share with you all. I've been epilating for the last couple years. Because I've grown tired of how long it takes, how much it still hurts, and because my epilator has started having problems, I've been looking for other options.
I tried shaving regularly, but that left sharp edges on the hairs when they started growing back in. Ouch! Then I tried waxing myself. I had only finished the bottom of one leg before I had wax all over the surfaces in two rooms - sinks, counters, desk, floor. I had to stop before the whole house was covered in wax!
So anyway, last Saturday I decided to have a professional wax done. Everything from the neck down. The first place I called said she didn't work on men but she knew someone who did. She gave me Char's name and number; I said thanks and rang off.
Now, I was nervous enough about being a man calling for a full-body waxing, which is uncommon enough, but I am also a gender-blender, in that I've used herbs to modestly feminize my body. Add in the bikini tan lines top and bottom and I figured I'd better let Char know ahead of time so she could make an informed choice about whether she's comfortable working with me.
So after we went through the initial issues of pricing and scheduling, I mentioned that I am a gender blender with small breasts and... And that's as far as I got before she said, "That's wonderful!" in a voice that made it clear she meant it. That was so not the response I expected that I was shocked into momentary silence while my brain readjusted. She went on to say she is a lesbian, single mom, who just opened her shop specifically to serve the LGBT community. The person who recommended her to me didn't know this about her, nor did I tell that first person anything of who I am. It was simply meant to be that Char and I would get to meet. She is amazing!
So after talking a bit about her and about me, we made an appointment for Thursday evening. This whole week between making the appointment and actually showing up was spent in delicious anticipation, basking in the glow of her full acceptance and celebration of who I am.
The session last night was a delight. She got right down to work, and we joked and laughed and swapped stories about ourselves for the whole of the three hours we were there together. What a treat. My body was a complete non-issue. We were just two people who enjoyed meeting each other. As I was getting dressed afterwards I said I wish I had more of a waist, and she countered saying my waist wasn't bad, and that my breasts and hips were coming in nicely. :) and this from a woman who has worked with lots of T-girls. It made my night!
Anyway, I just wanted to share how lucky I feel to have found her. She is an amazing woman who views her work with our community as a service of love. She has walked with CDers during their first time out shopping, styled hair and makeup for TSs who then cried at seeing their true selves in the mirror for the first time, and helped remind me, a somewhat closed-off gender blender, of how to have an open heart.
If you are in the SF Bay Area, I strongly encourage you to look up a new cosmetologist/aesthetician on the block. She just had her grand opening last month, which she did as a fundraiser for a local LGBT community center. Char is a wonder! She is committed to helping us achieve the looks and changes we want. charshairdesign.com
I only screamed a few times as she was yanking out rafts of hair. And today? My skin is super-smooth, with none of the angry red welts I always got after epilating. I think I like this new approach to hair removal! :battingeyelashes:
~Rachel
I tried shaving regularly, but that left sharp edges on the hairs when they started growing back in. Ouch! Then I tried waxing myself. I had only finished the bottom of one leg before I had wax all over the surfaces in two rooms - sinks, counters, desk, floor. I had to stop before the whole house was covered in wax!
So anyway, last Saturday I decided to have a professional wax done. Everything from the neck down. The first place I called said she didn't work on men but she knew someone who did. She gave me Char's name and number; I said thanks and rang off.
Now, I was nervous enough about being a man calling for a full-body waxing, which is uncommon enough, but I am also a gender-blender, in that I've used herbs to modestly feminize my body. Add in the bikini tan lines top and bottom and I figured I'd better let Char know ahead of time so she could make an informed choice about whether she's comfortable working with me.
So after we went through the initial issues of pricing and scheduling, I mentioned that I am a gender blender with small breasts and... And that's as far as I got before she said, "That's wonderful!" in a voice that made it clear she meant it. That was so not the response I expected that I was shocked into momentary silence while my brain readjusted. She went on to say she is a lesbian, single mom, who just opened her shop specifically to serve the LGBT community. The person who recommended her to me didn't know this about her, nor did I tell that first person anything of who I am. It was simply meant to be that Char and I would get to meet. She is amazing!
So after talking a bit about her and about me, we made an appointment for Thursday evening. This whole week between making the appointment and actually showing up was spent in delicious anticipation, basking in the glow of her full acceptance and celebration of who I am.
The session last night was a delight. She got right down to work, and we joked and laughed and swapped stories about ourselves for the whole of the three hours we were there together. What a treat. My body was a complete non-issue. We were just two people who enjoyed meeting each other. As I was getting dressed afterwards I said I wish I had more of a waist, and she countered saying my waist wasn't bad, and that my breasts and hips were coming in nicely. :) and this from a woman who has worked with lots of T-girls. It made my night!
Anyway, I just wanted to share how lucky I feel to have found her. She is an amazing woman who views her work with our community as a service of love. She has walked with CDers during their first time out shopping, styled hair and makeup for TSs who then cried at seeing their true selves in the mirror for the first time, and helped remind me, a somewhat closed-off gender blender, of how to have an open heart.
If you are in the SF Bay Area, I strongly encourage you to look up a new cosmetologist/aesthetician on the block. She just had her grand opening last month, which she did as a fundraiser for a local LGBT community center. Char is a wonder! She is committed to helping us achieve the looks and changes we want. charshairdesign.com
I only screamed a few times as she was yanking out rafts of hair. And today? My skin is super-smooth, with none of the angry red welts I always got after epilating. I think I like this new approach to hair removal! :battingeyelashes:
~Rachel