Completely Bare
103 5th Avenue 4th Floor
(b/w 17th St. & 18th St.)
New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 366.6060
Fax: (212) 366.0526

As swimsuit season rapidly approaches, many of us embrace the medieval-seeming ritual of applying hot wax to our bare skin in observance of a hair removal tradition that has “grown” to be highly luxurious and modernized. While salons offering waxing, threading and laser methods of hair removal appear readily available throughout the city, few possess the highly esteemed reputation of Completely Bare hair removal specialists.

Completely Bare hosts guests at a variety locations, and on a recent Tuesday evening, this reviewer was fortunate to enjoy the offerings of the 5th avenue location. Steps away from the bustling Chelsea/flatiron shopping chaos exists this blissful sanctuary equipped with specialists who are only too pleased to offer a wide array of hair removal services in addition to facials, tanning, microdermabrasion, teeth-whitening and skin-tightening treatments. With no visible signs from street level shopping, this Completely Bare location suffers not from low demand. In fact, one esthetician boasted of the loyalty of a vast celebrity clientèle.

Guests are welcomed in an appropriately creamy, minimalist waiting area prior to being escorted to private service rooms. Because hair removal by way of wax is undoubtedly painful, the esthetician was kind enough to attempt distracting this client by way of conversation. Another attempt at distraction came in the form of Beatles tunes pumped through speakers located throughout the facility. And although pain under these circumstances is alas unavoidable, ultimately any potential agony was successfully minimized by the esthetician’s pleasant demeanor sprinkled with useful advice (exfoliate!) that she requested to have that particular bit of wisdom broadcast specifically to shortandsweetnyc readers.

In addition, what may be of potential interest to some readers may be the “CB with Flare” service, whereby the “just-waxed bikini” is “embellished with a Swarovski crystal design of your choice.” Apparently popular among younger clientèle, hints of ageism arise as this particular reviewer could not find any appeal to spending $115 to adorn one’s nether regions with jewels.

In all, Completely Bare offers an experience that makes painful hair removal as pleasant as possible. Beware, prices are steep (the Brazilian bikini wax is $74; basic bikini is $42; both are up there compared to your local nail salon’s offerings), so if costliness is no issue and a star-quality experience is most desired, step in to enjoy this most unique and rather modernized form of luxury.

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