I've been searching for a new waxing esthetician, someone who can make it easy for me to hit the beach without showing the world my lady garden. This is more difficult than it might seem, especially because bikini waxes are no, uh, trip to the beach. Every time I try a new place, I worry that I'll have inadvertently stumbled upon the Cruella DeVille Haus of Hair-Ripping, and that I will be tarred and de-feathered by someone with a serious sadistic streak.

Earlier this week, I braved a new waxing salon. (Found it on Yelp, which is a great resource for that sort of thing.) And what do you know, it was an almost relaxing waxing. I credit both the esthetician's skill and her recommendation of GiGi numbing spray ($10.49). It's a lidocaine spray that you spritz on your skin about five minutes before the waxing begins. I am overprotective of my dainty bits when it comes to chemicals, so I used it just on the parts not covered by a bikini. Worked like a charm, made the process much more bearable, and so this stuff comes highly recommended.