Ours is not to reason why women flock in droves to throw their legs over their shoulders and have hot wax ripped off their sun-don't-shine regions. Ours, at "S&B," is just to make sure that such tortures -- endured in the name of (prepubescent) beauty -- won't blow your entire allowance. And so we've compiled a list of salons that won't rip you off: From now through July 16, New York readers who bring in this page will pay the bare minimum to be waxed to their close-to-bare minimum.

Note: The S&B page must be taken from the print magazine; printouts of the Website will not be accepted.

Take it all off at the elegant Helena Rubenstein Beauty Gallery, where the $75 service is now just $40. Advanced Skincare Day Spa will mark its $55 hard azulene wax (no ingrowns) down to $30. For a kinder, gentler, organic wax, Dorit Baxter's is $20 (down from $45) for the entire month of July. At Ling Skin Care, the minimal-pain $55 honey wax will be just $30. Still too much to pay to be barest of them all? A few of our favorite cheapies also agreed to knock a few bucks off: At Janna Beauty Spa, $22-to-$27 waxes (pay the higher rate for the extra-sensitive wax) are temporarily $18 to $23. Elite Day Spa in midtown gets the job done quickly and well -- stop in for a lunchtime quickie if you haven't much time for the pain. Normally $22, now just $18.

Helena Rubenstein Beauty Gallery, 135 Spring St. (212-343-9963); Advanced Skincare, 532 Madison Ave., at 54th St. (212-758-8867); Dorit Baxter, 47 W. 57th St., third fl. (212-371-4542); Ling Skin Care, 12 E. 16th St. (call 212-989-8833 for other locations); Janna Beauty Spa, 28 Greenwich Ave. (212-352-8480); Elite Day Spa, 24 W. 39th St. (212-730-2100).

Click here for "Picks of the Week."

Related:

• Archive: “Sales & Bargains”
• Articles by Bridie Clark
• Table of Contents: Jul 9, 2001 issue of New York | Subscribe!