May is finally here, which means the promise of warmer weather (and subsequently, barer limbs) is just around the corner. To aid in the never-ending quest to stubble-free skin, we spoke with esthetician Lydia Jovel from Stark Waxing Studio and asked her to give us a crash course on waxing basics—including exactly what we can do to make the experience as pain-free as possible. Lucky for us, she was more than happy to oblige. Because when it comes to swimsuit season, there’s no such thing as being too prepared.