Hairstyles define an era - the bee-hives of the 60’s, the free flowing long hair and moustaches of the 70’s, the eye-catching mullet of the 80’s - as fashion changes, so does our hair. Your hair is a personal statement about you, and there’s one hairstyle in particular that has the men of the world fascinated and has brought many women to tears … ‘The Brazilian’. Its popularity has skyrocketed in the last few years and has women sharing their secrets and showing off their latest style. 

The Brazilian originated in the late 1980’s when bikinis became smaller and smaller on famous Brazilian beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema. Rather than have pubic hair poking out of their micro bikinis, it just seemed more practical and sexy to remove it.  In 1987, seven Brazilian sisters - Jocely, Jonice, Joyce, Janea, Jussara, Juracy and Judseia Padilha - brought the concept to New York. The momentum of this trend spread like wildfire when they opened J. Sisters International Salon in midtown Manhattan, and bikini lines were changed forever.

So what exactly is a Brazilian?

Yes, a soccer fan from Latin America … but also a hair removal treatment that leaves a woman’s bikini line and butt bare apart from a small section which has been affectionately named ‘the landing strip’, ‘racing stripe’ or ‘the Hitler’ to name a few.

The whole process of getting a Brazilian can be a little confronting and painful at first but once you’ve had it, there’s no going back. It makes a women feel sexy, allows them to feel more comfortable wearing swimwear and lingerie without worrying about unsightly strays, it’s more hygienic - and a smooth, hair free region has been rumoured to increase the level of sexual pleasure for both partners, which is reason enough to go through what some describe as a mild form of torture … the things women do for beauty and gratification of the senses!

A process once only associated with sex workers has now become so popular that you’re a rarity if you haven’t tried it. Want to put a smile on your partner’s face?  You’re guaranteed to get a reaction when you reveal your newly dyed red love heart to your lover, or put some sizzle in your panties with a blue and orange flame.

If you’re really adventurous go nude - ask for ‘The Barbie’, ‘Bald Eagle’ or ‘The Sphinx’ (whose name originates from the ancient Egyptians and the completely hairless Egyptian cat in the desert). The options of colours and shapes are endless, so throw away your razor and let your imagination run wild.

As much as your new haircut can bring with it pleasure and sometimes giggles, be warned - you have to find an experienced, trained professional to smear hot wax on the most delicate part of your body while you’re lying half naked with your legs in the air. One of Sydney’s top waxers has divulged that a woman recently had her inner labia cut in half from a waxer who still had training wheels. Ouch! After being a bit gun shy for quite some time she is now regularly visiting her newly acquired and trust worthier waxer.

Yes there are dangers involved, but what is the real purpose of pubic hair anyway? Apart from flossing teeth during oral pleasure, the theory is that it helps trap pheromones, which are the odours that make you sexually attractive. Make up your own mind, if you had to decide between pheromones and mind-blowing sex, what would you choose?

Getting a Brazilian is definitely not glamourous and you’ll feel more self conscious than the first time you got down and dirty with a new partner. Have no fear novice waxee’s, the first time is the most painful and if you’re a bit squeamish about the whole process, have a pain killer before you go and wash it down with a big shot of vodka. It will help make the whole process seem a lot smoother and you’ll forget about the experience when you take your fun new style for a test drive.