Strip Gingerbread Cookie Wax and V-Blush Treatment (for lightening underarms)
Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 10:22AM Since we were already on the topic of hair removal, I thought I would smoothly follow through with a treatment I tried recently. Last December, I vamoosed to Strip Serendra to try out their sinful Warm English Gingerbread Cookie Wax and V-Blush treatment on my underarms. I love the end results! It's been five weeks and my 'pits are still super soft and fairly hairless.
Did I say five weeks? Yeah that's how good it is. The Gingerbread Cookie Wax is only offered for a limited time so I'm not sure if it's still available, but I would still highly recommend the waxing services of Strip. They are so quick to pull out the hair - one try, actually - and it didn't hurt at all. The wax itself smells fabulous. The scent is sweet like cookies, and heavy with spices like cinnamon and ginger.
Since I was already at the salon, I decided to pay for leg waxing. It was P870 for half legs, by the way, which I found quite expensive. But it's definitely quicker and much less uncomfortable than my normal haunt (Lay Bare, if you must know). At Lay Bare they have two attendants rubbing and pulling on one part of the leg for like, several times until it starts to sting and redden. At Strip there's only one attendant and a huge cloth strip to wax one part only once, hence less pain.
Now the V-Blush is the real hooker. Basically, it's an IPL (Intense Pulse Laser) treatment that breaks down melanin, the skin’s darkening pigment, and inhibits its production. At the same time, the heat coming from V-Blush stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, which make the skin both fuller and tighter. Strip promises that it would take a minimum of three treatments to see a difference, but my underarms were lighter, smoother, and tighter with only one session!
How it went: the attendant applied gel on my underarms then proceeded to stick a machine that releases pulses of light. I was given a pair of shades for this. It's a little warm and tingly, but not uncomfortable. The very cold gel is probably the most discomfort I got from the less than 15-minute treatment.
I forget the exact price of V-Blush but it's not cheap. I'm considering of availing at least three more sessions to lighten my underarms more! I'm convinced. :D
So there you go! Try Strip if you don't mind paying extra for treatments that deliver, are efficient and slightly less uncomfortable.
Reader Comments (25)
How much per session of the V brush Liz? This is the day and age of IPL and Ive had mine (8ish sessions) from a Derma in our hospital. Thinner and fewer hair and quite smooth and whiter underarms now. But II wanna try others such as this. Thanks for sharing!
I haven't tried leg or UA waxing eversince. I have a Stip it Waxing Cream that I won from a giveaway, but I'm afraid to use it :/ This may not be recommended for those people who have tight budget, but the results, as you described, is really convincing. I was hooked at the V-Blush, especially that my problems are my batwings and I really hate them. Creams just won't do the trick. I hope I can try this one too soon. Thanks for sharing, Ms. Liz, God bless! ;)
Funny, at first i thought that the V-blush was for the V region. I wish to also have a Strip branch here in Davao so I can avail of their services.
I got my legs waxed for the first time at Lay Bare and it was excruciating. I kept on making those funny pained expressions while the wax technician was busy tugging at my leg hair. At one point I started crying yata. LOL. Buti na lang I had a magazine to cover my face. Grabe I can't stop laughing at myself when I remember it.
I never tried waxing for both legs and underarms. I really don't show my legs so I think I don't need to have the hairs pull out. But if I need to, I might try Strip instead of Lay Bay. Your experience is too scary for me to risk it. Hehe.
It's a different story for my underarms. I think I will have to save up for that V-Blush treatment. Five weeks of being "fairly hairless" is very inviting. But because of the cost, might save the treatment for an important event where I need to wear something sleeveless.
Thanks for sharing Liz!
Ay hm un ipl? Im thinkig of availing un s contours na 5200 8 sezsionz- mura n b yan? Also nice review oj the epillTor kc since mahal masyado pag ipl s legs epilator nalng mun
For underarm waxing, I've always gone to Lay Bare as well. It's nearer our place and I thought Strip was out of the way and inconvenient pa going to Serendra. I only found out that they also had Strip in Greenbelt when I had my brows threaded in Browhaus!
Lay Bare's okay naman. My experiences are not horrible but they're nothing to rave about din naman. So-so lang (and they could use some improvement with privacy of the rooms). So I'm happy to hear about your V-Blush experience! I've yet to try Strip but I can't help but be impressed as they apparently don't limit themselves to "stripping" and offer pala services such as this that are a nice alternative, and basing on your post, really blog-worthy. You've had one session pa lang but you said their claim's 100% true! Nakaka-intriga, to say the least!:-) Please keep us posted if and when you avail of the other sessions!
And when you say it's not cheap, how not cheap is it? Maybe a range? Hehe.:-)
Thanks as always, Liz!:-)
Kaya pala you prefer this over lay bare ate! :) Now I understand. Maybe I have less sensitive skin than you, kaya mas carry ko ang pag lay bare lang. :) Even if I have unkept underarm hairs for a month(I know, mej gross, pero thesis girl needs all the time she has to write), Lay Bare still is bearable to me. Hindi na kasi ako nag-sshave, and mga ~1 year na akong naka-lay bare, so less masakit talaga siya kasi manipis na yung hair ko sa aking armpits.
Anyways, I have a cute tip also for mas maputing kili-kili! I have very dark underarm skin dati kasi I shave. I don't know how to make it lighter(lalo na pag may production/dance number kami na kailangan makita ang kili-kili), kaya I put make up on it. Pero when I started using dove dry stick na whitening for my underarms, talagang namuti sila!! No joke! hahaha! Ngayon pwede na ako mag-production number without putting too much make up on my kili-kili. Loose powder lang, keber na! hehehe. I'm a dove girl and I love it! :)
Also ate, pwede ka ba mag post ng picture ng kili-kili mo now na mas namuti na sila?? Thanks!
how much is the V blush treatment per session Liz, I'm intrigued. Thanks for the review of the strip gingerbread cookie wax and telling its less painful than getting strip in Lay bare. I might consider this for starters if I ever decide to take the plunge and try waxing. I 'm such a whuzz and i'm afraid that I might embarassed myself by crying and i fear also getting only one leg done and stopping the waxing session since I cant handle it. those are my dreaded outcomes keeping me from trying waxing.
YEESH. I want that V-Blush treatment! I used to have IPL sessions done regularly quite a long time ago. I think it's time for a new treatment. Thanks for sharing, I had no idea! :)
Ms. Liz do what's the difference between IPL and Laserlight? A derma I visited before recommended Laserlight to me cos it has faster results daw and sometimes other people get immune to IPL so after a few sessions it stops working. But I never got to try any of it cos it's expensive! :( Thanks for the review and please let us know how your future sessions go! :)
@Beth try using Apricot Scrub on your underarms also. I started last month and it works wonders! :)
my friends told me to try waxing for my underarm area. I still can't imagine how painful/painless it can be. Maybe I should try waxing? I saw a couple of waxing salons here in cebu that only costs 150 pesos for the underarm area. I'm wondering if that price is just about right, if compared to the prices there in Manila?
hmm, the Gingerbread cookie wax sounds yummy, hahaha, I also have problems with my underarms, some parts are darker compared to the other parts. It's really weird, I tried to use scrubs buts I don't see any end results, If all else fails, can't wait to try the v-blush.
@Yana Tan: IPLs are not the same as lasers. They're cheaper that's why many clinics use them. Sadly, they advertise them as laser and promise permanent hair removal. But, yeah, most people I know get immune to the treatments and don't see permanent hair removal results (most of my friends got them as vouchers from discount sites). I'm not sure if the Laserlight you're referring to uses the same technology as the Diode. Based on my research, diode is the "true" hair removal laser. It's more expensive but results in permanent epilation. It depends on the machine daw talaga that the clinic or derma uses.
@Hollie: Underarm waxing at Lay Bare costs 150 pesos too. It's not really that painful. I found it relaxing even. The first time I did it, I was so scared of the pain, but it was over before I knew it! For the price, I think you should give it a go, even for experience's sake. At least you have a point of comparison should you decide to try other hair-ridding methods. If you know that your pain tolerance is kind of low, you can take ibuprofen beforehand just as Liz pointed out. Go try!:-)
@yani do you know of salons in Metro Manila that offer DiodeLaser services? Thanks! :)
@Yana Tan: I've inquired before from Skin House and Beauty Laser Clinic. But I backed out because it was super expensive! Siguro better if you can ask your derma na lang din. I know they offer this in hospitals as well like Asian Hospital and St. Luke's.
Thanks for the review! I'm one of the girls who can get self-conscious over the state of my underarms. After reading this post, I have another item to save for this year.
In the meantime I use the Dove whitening deodorant stick which was also mentioned above by Beth. I also exfoliate once a week using a pumice stone. My boyfriend also gifted me with DeoNat, the natural potassium alum crystal. I use this when I stay at home and has no plans of going out.
I'm thinking of making the big switch from shaving to waxing. I know it'd be too much of a hassle and an expense in the long run so I'd prolly have it professionally done for the first two months and then try to do it at home with a waxing kit from Watsons. :) The Gluta-C that I got from Sample Room is really effective in underarm whitening albeit it works slowly.
@kim I super agree with you I exactly did that several months ago! I intentionally went to a professional waxing salon for a few months then I decided to switch to do it at home it's cheaper and more comfortable pa. I'm using Strip It! Hair Removal Sugaring wax that i won on a blog contest last year; I liked it very much since its making my hairs grow finer after several months of continuous use so I decided to buy myself another jar since then nakaka-3 jars na ako by the way Strip It! is not related with Strip baka ma-confuse ka. However if you like to buy at watsons try Epillin, my friend said it's okay daw but I haven't tried it yet.
Waxing kind of scares me :| and shaving is just major overkill, because the hairs grow out after a day. I prefer tweezing because it's fun. And it lasts up to maybe 2 to 3 weeks. :)
It's good! But how much will be the Vbrush? I wnated to try if ever. Thanks for the tip.:)
@yan Where do you buy your Strip it Hair removal wax?
@Kim how long have you been using the gluta C underarm cream before you noticed an improvement?
@Maybelle: Pumice stone as in exfoliate with it?! My derma doesnt advice putting anything harsh or putting much friction in the underarms as this would cause more damage aka darkening, bumps, pigmentation. She recommends waxing more than shaving and mild soap, whitening and growth inhib agents like Lumi-derm (P1200) from her clinic.
@ManilaJen Yes I use pumice stone :-) I've no problems with it. I use it very gently so as not to create enough friction to scratch or break the underarm skin. I do it a couple of days before tweezing so I rarely have ingrown hair. I can't even recall the last time I had underarm ingrown hair. Ok naman siya pero if you use it improperly, it might give you more troubles than solve the problem. Using pumice stone is like second nature in our family (core and extended) so it was never an oddity to me. But if your derma dissuades you from exfoliating in this manner, better heed her. Pero sa akin it works naman, fortunately. :-)
i've been looking for a good laser treatment facility to lighten my underarms and 5 weeks with not that much hair is awesome. wear your sleeveless clothes with pride! i've been going to lay bare for quite sometime and though they are kinda ok i'm looking for something new so thanks for this ms liz :)