[LIVELY UPBEAT MUSIC]
00:00
I'm surrounded by strong,
fearless, powerful women.
00:03
I'm even married to one.
00:11
And yet, I'm scared
of most things.
00:13
A lot of people say,
climb on, Lauren.
00:17
So I decided--
because they told me
00:22
to-- that it was time
to face my fears,
00:24
get out of my comfort
zone, try new things,
00:26
see if I can't cry for a day.
00:29
Because I have a little bit
of a stomach lining left
00:31
and I thought, I
should get rid of that.
00:34
Each week, I'm going
to have two choices.
00:36
Whatever I don't pick
goes to the next week.
00:38
Whenever I do pick,
I do immediately.
00:40
This week, my choices are--
00:43
extreme beauty
treatments or singing
00:45
at a stranger's wedding.
00:49
I'm going to pick
beauty treatments.
00:53
OK, that's going to
be a Russian platza
00:56
treatment, vaginal
steam, and leech therapy.
00:59
How's that all sound?
01:02
Do you digitally
take the chins out?
01:08
How are you doing today?
01:19
Ready for your traditional
platza treatment?
01:21
So I'm going to take
you into the banya.
01:25
You're going to lay
on your stomach.
01:27
I'm going to beat
you with some oak
01:29
leafs for about four minutes.
01:31
And then, right
after, we're going
01:32
to douse you in some ice water.
01:33
That sounds really fun.
01:36
What's with the hat?
01:37
That's going to protect you
from the heat inside the banya.
01:38
And why would a person do that?
01:44
Well, it's going to help you
relieve any muscle tensions.
01:46
You're going to relax.
01:48
The leaves will take
away any oily skin.
01:49
So what's your name?
01:51
I've never had anyone beat me
without telling me their name
01:54
You can step right in.
01:58
I'll see you in there.
02:01
Are you ready for me to
beat you with some leaves?
02:17
What's, like, the average-sized
person who does this?
02:36
Are these big dudes--
02:40
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
02:41
They're usually
big, Russian men--
02:41
--that drink lots
of vodka and beer.
02:44
Well, we have some
things in common.
02:45
How was this discovered?
02:49
Who was, like, beating someone
with an oak branch and they
02:51
were like, you look amazing?
02:54
So are these used
on other people
02:57
or do you use new
ones each time?
02:59
We-- am I supposed to
tell you the truth?
03:02
These have been used on
someone else already.
03:07
This has taken a turn.
03:14
So since we just were
in the 220 degrees,
03:17
we're going to douse you
with the three buckets of ice
03:19
and that's going to help
with your circulation.
03:21
[? Oh my god. ?]
[? Oh my god. ?] Oh, my god.
03:31
How are you feeling?
03:44
I'm not sure I want to
be speaking to you right
03:46
So we are coming to the
end of your treatment.
03:49
The tables have turned, Anthony.
03:56
Are you ready for
your treatment?
03:59
This is a traditional
Russian massage.
04:09
And these have been used
by seven different people.
04:13
And let me just put this
where it's supposed to go--
04:17
Think about what you've done.
04:26
Well, I don't know
how else to say this,
04:31
but I'm going to get
my vagina steamed.
04:33
I'm a certified vaginal
steam facilitator.
04:42
Is that what CVS stands for?
04:45
I never thought about that.
04:48
Yeah, well, here I am.
04:50
To give you a background of
what vaginal steaming is--
04:51
it's also known
as yoni steaming.
04:57
Yoni is the Sanskrit word
for, "The sacred gateway."
04:59
It's an ancient
women's medicine.
05:03
It's super relaxing.
05:06
It's like taking a hot bath.
05:08
So I'm going to go ahead
and have you fill this out.
05:10
And that way, it
gives me better idea
05:14
of what herbs to use for you.
05:16
Client name-- Lauren.
05:21
That is an easy one.
05:24
Are you currently
on your period?
05:25
Do you currently
have fresh spotting?
05:28
Do you have an
infection characterized
05:32
with a burning itch?
05:34
No, and nor would
I say so on camera.
05:37
So the reason why I ask these
is if any of this was true,
05:41
then we would not
steam you today.
05:44
I think it's
because you're nosy.
05:47
Do you have a birth
control arm implant?
05:49
Do you have herpes?
05:54
Do you have green,
yellow, white, thick,
05:59
unpleasant-smelling?
06:03
Get ready to be
transformed into a new one.
06:16
Right there is the steam stool.
06:24
So it's just like a regular pot.
06:35
I have very similar
pots at home.
06:38
So if it's ever too hot, feel
free to lift up the skirt
06:41
and just wave it out.
06:45
So basically, what
you're going to do--
06:50
You're going to
straddle over it.
06:53
It should feel good.
06:56
How is the temperature so far?
07:00
Is awkward a way to
describe a temperature?
07:03
You're going to have to seat.
07:07
How do I know that I'm
sitting in the right position?
07:08
Are you comfortable?
07:10
So go ahead and
position yourself
07:12
so that you're comfortable.
07:14
Is there ever, like, a
little butt action too,
07:26
by accident, or no?
07:28
Not that that's
happening right now.
07:31
I'm going to go
ahead and step out
07:33
so you can go ahead and
continue with this meditative
07:35
Everything all right?
08:02
I'm just going to say
words that mean vagina--
08:09
make the time go faster.
08:14
Yoni-- I learned that one today.
08:17
Hooha, vajayjay,
coochie-coochie, lady liberty.
08:20
Can't talk right now.
08:34
Getting my vagina
Stanley Steamer-ed.
08:37
Lady bits, lady parts, lady
flower, steam receptor.
08:44
I've got good news.
09:00
I think it's clean.
09:09
How are you feeling?
09:11
So I'm going to go
ahead and turn this off.
09:14
Steamed out, cleaned out--
09:19
Do we, like, hug
now or how does it--
09:27
Can I show you my
little healers?
09:46
I don't think I've
ever seen a leech--
09:51
If I can do it, you can do it.
09:53
So what do you think
for the beauty, huh?
09:56
How about a little here?
09:59
I'm being told, yes.
10:02
So before I place leeches,
with your permission,
10:07
I would like to check
your abdominal area, yeah?
10:10
My life is not my own.
10:13
You want to check if
there is any tension, OK?
10:15
Oh, you're going to
find a lot of tension.
10:18
Looks good, looks good.
10:20
Like, one of the better
ones you've seen?
10:23
So we're going to start
placing leeches first
10:26
in your belly button.
10:28
And actually, it's
very beneficial
10:29
before we place leeches to place
some cupping on your tummy.
10:31
That, I've always wanted to try.
10:34
So I'm going to be
in your belly button.
10:39
Ooh That's not nothing!
10:47
So we bring lymphatic
fluid and blood
10:49
closer to the surface
of the skin, which
10:51
is good for the body.
10:53
It's good for the
leeches, it sounds like.
10:54
I am about to feed some leeches.
10:57
You feel a little
tingling, right?
11:05
Yes, I feel that, yes.
11:06
They love this place.
11:08
This is one of the biologically
active spots on the body.
11:09
Do they ever get lost
in the belly button--
11:12
--come out another hole
or anything like that?
11:16
OK, so now, we're
going to work--
11:20
Do they stay there?
11:22
So what I'm going to
ask you to do yourself,
11:25
kind of rub a little
bit your skin.
11:28
If they come across any
of those pesky chin hairs,
11:31
can they rip those out
while they're up there too?
11:34
You don't have to see.
11:41
The more relaxed you are,
the easier they will attach.
11:43
Look good luck to me!
11:45
There's just a leech
attaching to your face.
11:50
[MUSIC - LIONEL RICHIE, "STUCK
ON YOU"]
11:52
(SINGING) Stuck on you.
11:54
So this is a live pharmacy.
11:58
It's antibacterial,
anti-inflammatory.
12:01
It's also very good for the
beautiful collagen build-up.
12:03
And you do it yourself?
12:06
(SINGING) Needed a friend.
12:14
And the way I feel now, I guess
I'll be with you till the end.
12:16
Let me know if you feel it.
12:21
Why did-- what is happening?
12:27
If I don't look 14
when this is done--
12:34
So what it does-- it helps to
improve circulation to the skin
12:41
so you have good skin
color, but you already
12:45
have beautiful skin color.
12:48
Oh, too late for
that compliment.
12:49
She released her tail, so
she's ready to leave your body.
12:52
I'm ready to leave my body.
12:55
I'm going to put the mask and
so it would hold the cotton.
13:01
And am I keeping this on
for the rest of the day?
13:04
Going out to Trader Joe's--
13:08
They'd be like, oh, you got
your leeches done today?
13:13
So what are recommendations
after the treatment, OK--
13:16
we don't recommend next day
to do rigorous exercises.
13:20
Guess the marathon's out then.
13:23
I'll just stay at
home and watch TV.
13:26
Do you feel anything?
13:29
I just feel confused about
a lot of my life choices.
13:30
So what I do, in order
not to pull the leech--
13:33
this is alcohol and leeches
don't like alcohol, so.
13:36
I do not have that in
common with leeches.
13:40
Very normal day
at the workplace.
13:44
Well, I think I learned a lot.
13:48
I've experienced a great deal.
13:52
And I think I'm happy I did it.
13:54
We'll see what
tomorrow may bring.
13:57
That's a win, you know.
14:02