The best bikini wax in New York City

Whether you have a romantic weekend ahead or are planning a beach getaway, removing unwanted hair leaves skin feeling smooth (and you feeling sexy). One of my favorite places to go in the city is Shobha on Madison Avenue right next door to the Four Seasons.


The salon is easy to miss since it’s not located on street level—you have to walk through the building’s lobby and take an elevator to the 14th floor. Once you’ve arrived, the space is bright and inviting with large windows and a waiting area stocked with magazines and tea. Hair removal isn’t exactly enjoyable, but Shobha’s specialists make the experience feel almost pampering.


In addition to waxing, Shobha offers threading, a method originating in India that uses a thread to act like a lasso to pull hair from the roots. Unlike other threading salons in the city that rush you in and out in five minutes, Shobha technicians offer numbing cream to ease pain and a cold compress to relieve redness. Threading is especially good for people with sensitive skin who might otherwise get irritated from hot wax. Shobha also offers a natural alternative to waxing called sugaring. Their all-natural formula uses sugar and lemon juice to pull hair from its roots, while glycerin and water help moisturize.


To get rid of unwanted hair even when you can’t make it to the salon, you can order Shobha’s Sugaring and First Brazilian Kits online, as well as their signature Ingrown Relief Lotion. My favorite is the Exfoliating Cloth, a machine-washable, all-natural washcloth that sloughs off dead skin cells to prevent ingrown hairs.


This is also a great choice for guests staying at Hotel 57 and the Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel.


- Holly Corbett of The Lost Girls


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