I Got A Vajacial And Here's How It All Went Down

*booking next appointment*

What's good, fam?! It's Essence, beauty editor here at BuzzFeed, and I got a vajacial, which is basically a facial for your vagina.

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I love my job.

I've been fascinated with the idea ever since the episode of Insecure where Molly gets one in a desperate attempt to fix her "broken pussy."

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I went to Haven Spa in Soho, where the service is called a "Peach Smoothie." It lasts for about 15 minutes and costs $55.

The Peach Smoothie claims to "Finally, clear your bikini area of ingrowns!" with an "exfoliating Alpha Hydroxy Acid scrub, followed by an expert application of an acid peel to help free those trapped hairs and blocked pores."

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A lot of people who go in for this treatment have ingrown hairs that need to be extracted, and quite possibly some skin irritation from hair removal. Obviously, though, it's always good to be proactive and prevent problems before they start. People with coarse body hair are more prone to ingrowns, so going in for a vajacial a day or two after you shave or wax could potentially keep away any irritation. You can also get the treatment just to pamper yourself, whether you suffer from ingrowns or not!

Once I entered the private spa room, the esthetician Monique left and gave me time to strip from the waist down and lie on the spa table. She gave me a little white skirt thing to put on so my vag wasn't all exposed when she walked back in.

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When she came back, she started things off by placing a warm, wet towel on my vagina. She said it was to help soften the skin and that it was a good "first touch" for clients before the realness began. She followed up with a basic skin cleanser.

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Then she did an exfoliating AHA scrub to help open the pores for extracting any ingrowns. Fortunately, I didn't have any ingrowns, but when clients do have them, Monique says that they manually extract them using a lancet and sometimes a pair of tweezers.

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Next, she sprayed on a green tea acid peel and gently massaged it into my skin. According to the spa, the peel exfoliates on a deeper level, penetrating the hair follicle. It kills any bacteria that may be infecting the follicle, and it treats scarring and hyperpigmentation by brightening and evening the skin tone.

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This part stung a little, but that's totally my fault. When booking the appointment, the spa suggested I wax 48 hours or shave 24 hours prior to my visit. I didn't listen and shaved that same morning, so my skin was still very tender and fresh. As soon as she sprayed the peel, there was a stinging sensation. It wasn't anything too serious, though. The burn went away within a few seconds.

After the peel, Monique massaged in a calming cream that was very soothing. Then she applied a mask, which also helps to calm the skin and reduce any irritation, and she ended the treatment with a moisturizing cream.

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When she walked out of the room for me to dress, I examined my new, spa-pampered vagina. The skin looked brighter, the exact same way your face does after a good facial, and it felt softer too! I also just felt sexier. There's something about treating yourself, whether it's a hair appointment or a vajacial, that boosts your confidence and makes you feel brand new. All in all, I'm a fan and will DEF be getting it again!

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The vajacial for me was painless and simple. I can see how the experience may be less enjoyable for someone with a lot of ingrowns or highly irritated skin, though. If your skin is infected or sore from irritation or deep, untreated ingrowns, the experience may be painful during the extraction and the acidic chemical peel, but I'd like to think the end result would make it worth it. For someone who has a lot of ingrowns, it may be best to treat them in stages so there's not too much pain in one visit.

Just so you know, Haven provided the service free of charge. BuzzFeed did not, however, get paid for covering the spa.