Regular enthusiasts of bikini waxing know that the timing of the whole process is a serious form of art. Your hair must reach a sufficient length to be able to be pulled, and it is highly advisable not to undergo waxing too close to your menstrual period (ouch). Additionally, it is recommended to avoid going to the salon right before engaging in sexual activity in order to prevent irritation. However, it turns out that timing your workout appropriately might be the key to avoiding the most unpleasant part of getting a wax, which is the pain.

Since my personal preference is to have a hair-free grooming routine, and getting a Brazilian wax once a month is much easier than dealing with the rapid transition from freshly shaved to stubble-ridden, I have devoted a great deal of mental energy to determine the optimal timing for a painless wax session. It may seem simple enough, but my schedule tends to be unpredictable, and my skin is ridiculously sensitive, which often extends the post-irritation period to nearly 24 hours. Moreover, I have an embarrassingly low tolerance for pain, which often leads me to use the complexity of scheduling as an excuse to simply give up and resort to shaving.

In my quest to find ways to make a Brazilian wax less painful, I have switched to chocolate waxes, which are less painful and more soothing for sensitive skin. And once you try the chocolate wax, you’ll never want to go back to the regular one.

However, by sheer luck, I recently stumbled upon the perfect timing solution that resolves almost all of my grooming frustrations. I decided to get a chocolate wax immediately after my workout session, and to my surprise, having someone remove the hair from my most sensitive area was, dare I say, painless for the first time.

As it turns out, I truly discovered a brilliant solution, according to Dr. Zakia Rahman, a clinical professor of dermatology at Stanford University (and this applies even if you opt for a standard wax, without the chocolate). You are probably familiar with endorphins, the feel-good hormones that are released by your body during exercise. Well, it turns out that not only do they alleviate emotional distress, but they also reduce physical pain. “Endorphins act as potent painkillers,” explains Dr. Rahman. “They bind to the same receptors as morphine, so they can definitely alleviate the pain of waxing.”

Dr. Rahman also suggests that taking a shower between your workout and waxing session can be beneficial. And this is not only advantageous for the ease of waxing for your aesthetician, but it also helps to open up the pores from which the hairs are being removed, making the waxing process smoother.

So, if getting a wax immediately after exercising is the way to go, there is only one question left: Is it impolite to consume a post-workout shake while lying on the waxing table?

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