Is this going to hurt?
Yes, that was one of the first things I asked the aesthetic consultant attending to me. As someone who has never undergone professional hair removal services before, I was clueless about what to expect.
I must admit I had my reservations when the opportunity for Wellaholic’s WellaSmooth treatments popped up. Pain was one factor. Another major concern for me was whether the treatments were permanent.
When I was assured that their hair removal services were not painful and only semi-permanent, I decided to give it a shot.
It was a quiet Thursday evening when I dropped by their Lavender outlet.
Conveniently located within walking distance from Lavender MRT station, I was greeted by their chirpy receptionist upon arrival. I was then assigned an aesthetic consultant, who proceeded to explain to me what WellaSmooth by Wellaholic entails.
This new package by Wellaholic launched on 1 October 2019 comprises three primary services: namely unlimited shaving, SHR (Super Hair Removal) treatments (including Boyzilian) as well as post-hair removal services where you can choose from between a whitening service or hydrating therapy, both of which were followed by an AfterGlow rejuvenating treatment.
WellaSmooth Part 1: Unlimited Shaving Service
I was first led into one of their treatment rooms in preparation for their unlimited shaving service.
The purpose of their unlimited shaving service is to prepare you for the SHR treatments, which can only be performed on a shaven surface. So while it’s recommended that you shave before your SHR session, you’re more than welcome to use their unlimited shaving service for the body parts that you want to use SHR for.
As I opted to only have the SHR treatment done on my underarms, only that body part was shaved.
WellaSmooth Part 2: SHR (Super Hair Removal) On Unlimited Body Parts
Once my underarms were clean-shaven, I was handed a pair of safety goggles in preparation for their SHR (Super Hair Removal) service.
Wellaholic’s SHR technology works by firing energy pulses in a gliding motion on the targeted body part. The probe used for the treatment felt cold to the touch initially. But it does gradually heat up as the SHR technology works its magic.
Reportedly more effective than IPL treatments, I’m glad to report that the SHR treatment was relatively painless. Although there was very slight discomfort, I don’t think anyone would classify the sensation as being painful. In fact, I could feel myself dozing off at times!
SHR technology also works pretty quick, and the best part is that it is suitable for all hair types and skin tones.
WellaSmooth Part 3: PTT with AfterGlow
After SHR is done, you can opt for either their Whitening treatment or their Hydration Therapy. I was given their Hydration Therapy, which helps the treated skin become more supple and smooth.
After the Hydration Therapy was done, I was treated to their AfterGlow technology, which repairs and rejuvenates the treated skin.
Similar to the SHR treatment, the AfterGlow red light treatment makes use of energy pulses fired through a probe. Although it felt hotter than the SHR treatment, discomfort was still minimal.
Overall Verdict: Effective, Painless And Excellent Customer Service
Winner of the “Best Hair Removal Services” at the Beauty Insider Spa & Salon Award 2019, it should come as no surprise that I had a pleasant experience with their WellaSmooth treatments.
Not my first experience with Wellaholic, they can always be depended on to deliver scientifically backed and industry-approved services. Coupled with their excellent customer service, I would highly recommend their WellaSmooth package for those of you looking to go smooth.
WellaSmooth: Hair Removal With Unlimited Body Parts Including Boyzilian From Just $299/Month
Officially launched on 1 October 2019, WellaSmooth is a new discounted package from Wellaholic comprising 3 main services:
-
- Unlimited shaving service for all body parts to be treated
- SHR treatments on unlimited body parts (includes Boyzilian): One treatment per body part per month
- PTT with AfterGlow – customers can choose between a whitening or hydrating treatment followed by our AfterGlow red light treatment for skin repair and rejuvenation
Available at all 5 Wellaholic outlets, the cost of WellaSmooth is as follows:
- $349/Month for 1-Month package
- $339/Month for 3-Month package (total: $1017)
- $329/Month for 6-Month package (total: $1974)
- $299/Month for 12-Month package (total: $3588)
All price plans are inclusive of GST and interest-free installments are available. Once you’ve purchased your package, you can make your booking via their real-time booking app (Fresha, available on iOS or Android).
Opening Hours:
- Mondays to Fridays: 1100hrs to 2200hrs
- Saturdays to Sundays: 1100hrs to 2000hrs
Contact:
- Tai Seng Outlet: +65 68168088
- Tanjong Pagar Outlet: +65 8499 8984
- Lavender Outlet: +65 6816 8038
- Clarke Quay Outlet: +65 9058 5640
- Orchard Outlet: +65 8869 5640
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WELLASMOOTH HERE
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This post was brought to you by Wellaholic
I’m not going to cry!
It was a few days before the big day. Seated across me was Tom Tan, a gay Singaporean just days away from marrying Oui, his Thai partner of 20 years.
Tom was trying his best to convince me that he was not going to bawl his eyes out on his wedding day. I however, remained unconvinced.
What I didn’t expect though, was for both Tom and Oui to cry like babies on their big day!
Dear Straight People,
Meet Tom Tan and Oui Sumet Srimuang, a gay couple who decided to get married in Thailand on their 20th year together.
When I first received the invitation to their wedding earlier in the year, I RSVP-ed immediately. After all, it was my very first gay wedding invitation. The opportunity to bear witness to a same-sex wedding in Asia was an opportunity that I couldn’t possibly pass up.
Unlike the Singaporean-Chinese weddings that I was accustomed to where everything is held on the same day, it was common practice for Thai couples to hold the traditional solemnisation ceremony and the wedding banquet on different days. In Tom and Oui’s case, the traditional Thai solemnisation ceremony was held on 2 September while the wedding banquet was scheduled 20 days later.
After getting myself a Chut Thai (traditional Thai formal wear), I was all set to attend my very first gay traditional Thai wedding ceremony.
The Khan Maak Ritual
I must confess, the day didn’t quite start out on the best note.
Required to be in attendance by 6.40am, I was an exhausted mess when I first arrived at the hotel. But when I was unexpectedly whisked off into a boat to be ferried to the actual location of the ceremony, the neat surprise woke me up.
The ceremony kicked off with the Khan Maak ritual, where Oui had to pass through 9 ‘doors’ guarded by Tom’s bridesmen. At each ‘door’, Oui and his groomsmen had to answer tricky questions or perform challenging tasks, much to the amusement of the guests!
The Engagement Ceremony
After Oui had successfully ‘unlocked’ the 9 ‘doors’, he fetches Tom and the couple make their way to the main wedding hall where the rest of the guests are already seated.
After the parents inspect the dowry and offer their blessings, the couple exchange their rings.
The Praying Ceremony
As per Thai wedding customs, the next ritual that followed was the Praying ceremony.
The couple welcome monks by offering food and prayers to them. The Praying ceremony is then concluded when the couple board the boat to release fishes into the Chao Phraya river.
Pouring of Holy Water Ceremony
The final ceremony of the day, the Pouring of Holy Water Ceremony, is a ritual whereby all the wedding guests offer their blessings to the couple by pouring Holy Water over their hands. As per Thai culture, the monks are the first to pour the holy water followed by the couple’s elders and eventually, everyone else.
This is also the part of the solemnisation that broke the couple down emotionally, in a good way of course.
All Same-Sex Couples Want Is Acceptance
It has been almost a month since I attended Tom and Oui’s wedding. But the experience remains fresh in my mind.
I might not have understood a lot as the ceremony was conducted mostly in Thai. But words weren’t needed when I bore witness to sights that I never thought I would see so soon.
I saw an Asian family truly happy and proud that their sons were marrying one another.
I saw gay guests proudly attending an Asian wedding with their partners in tow, not pretending that their plus one was their ‘best friend’.
But most significantly, I saw a couple who have been together for two decades, finally get the dream wedding that they so thoroughly deserve.
The union of Tom and Oui may not be recognised legally in Thailand. But seeing a couple together for 20 years cry so much tears of happiness during their wedding speaks volumes about just how much same-sex couples crave acceptance from their loved ones.
For many LGBTQ+ folks in Asia, receiving familial support continues to be a widespread struggle. When something as simple as acceptance is so hard to come by, a wedding is all but a distant fantasy for many.
So while many of you (me included) reading this article are nowhere near a Tom and Oui like happily ever after, I hope reading this article inspires you as much as attending their wedding inspired me.
I hope this article inspires you to believe that perhaps one day, marrying your partner with the support of your loved ones won’t seem like such a distant fantasy anymore.
As Tom himself puts it:
I hope our story and our wedding have touched, inspired or made you believe in love again.
All photo credits: @vinbuddy
Once again, I would like to thank Tom and Oui for allowing me to cover their wedding.
If you would like to keep up to date with how the newlyweds are doing, you can connect with Tom (tom_888) and Oui (oui_9999) on Instagram.
Dear Straight People will be publishing a vlog on Tom and Oui’s wedding soon so follow us on Facebook, Instagram via @DearStraightPeopleIG and YouTube!
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