No matter what season, it’s always a good idea to maintain your manscaping regimen. After all, keeping your nether regions well-groomed will fend off swamp crotch, and make you feel more confident in the buff.
A full body cleanup can be tricky, so we spoke to Grooming Lounge founder Michael Gilman to get some tips on pruning back your body hair.
Start With a Shower
Just like shaping your hair or beard, every manscaping session should begin with a shower. Use an exfoliating bar of soap or body wash to scrub away any dead skin cells that could cling to hair follicles. “Exfoliating will keep ingrown hairs at bay while lifting the hair follicles,” Gilman says. It also softens your hair, making it easier to cut, which also means fewer nicks.
Use a Trimmer or Razor
After you’ve hopped out of the shower, you need to decide whether you want your body hair trimmed or clean-shaven. In both cases, you should start with a great electric trimmer, which reduces the risk of irritation, ingrown hair, and cuts compared to a razor. Look for a gadget that can easily mow through the curves and crevices of your body.
If you want completely smooth skin, break out a razor with two blades to reduce irritation. Also, please don’t use the same razor that you use for your face on your body, which can spread bacteria between the two areas and can lead to infections.
Before you begin your shave, apply shave cream or shave oil. “Be sure to shave with the grain,” Gilman says. “Once finished, towel off and apply an aftershave … this helps to prevent ingrown hair and razor burn.”
Practice Caution With Your Family Jewels
When it comes to manscaping your groin area, make sure to proceed with caution. “This is a sensitive area — literally and figuratively!” Gilman says.
Under no circumstances do you want dry or just barely wet skin, so it’s probably best to shave your nether regions right after you hop out of the shower. After showering and applying shaving cream, use small strokes with your razor to begin removing the hair, always washing the blade every two to three strokes.
“You will develop your own technique that works best for you,” Gilman says. “Once you get out of the shower, dry your skin and apply a soothing, milky aftershave.”
Leave Your Backside To the Professionals
If you’re looking to remove hair from the back of your neck, Gilman advises seeking professional help, as using a razor or trimmer on an area that’s hard to see could lead to accidents.
“Find an aesthetician that does a lot of waxing work on men,” Gilman says. “Do your homework! You want lots of experience — a reputation for speed, accuracy, and technique. On the first couple of visits, a great aesthetician will ensure that you understand every step of the process.”
The Best Manscaping Products Available Now
Meridian Grooming The Trimmer
We can’t get enough of Meridian Grooming, the manscaping upstart that’s putting its competitors to shame, thanks to its effective yet affordable grooming products. Case in point: Their signature trimmer, which features an agile, waterproof design, impressive battery life, and a tightly packed ceramic blade that can cut virtually any hair type with ease and precision.
Baxter of California Men’s Exfoliating Body Bar Soap
Notes of oakmoss and cedarwood from Baxter of California’s premium soap add a dash of luxury to your pre-trimming routine. Manscaping is all about treating yourself, too.
Panasonic Men’s Cordless Electric Body Groomer for Men
This multifunctional groomer works on every part of your body, as its gentle wide edge blade can easily navigate the curves and crevices of your body without any nicks. Some more perks: It has a long battery life (eight hours on a full charge), and it’s also waterproof, which means you can use it while showering.
Cremo Original Shave Cream
Since you’ll be using more cream for your body than a typical face shave, we recommend staying away from expensive shaving soaps and opt for this more affordable cream from Cremo. While it goes on thin, a little bit goes a long way, and it easily lubricates skin for a super close shave.
Gillette Sensor2 Plus
One way to avoid using the same razor for your face and body is by sticking to a disposable razor. This two-blade razor (remember, more blades means more irritation) from Gillette gets the job done.
Dove Men+Care Face Care Post Shave Balm
Unlike most drugstore aftershaves, this one from Dove Men+ is alcohol-free for less irritation, which makes sense, as this was formulated for guys with sensitive skin.
Article originally published June 2, 2017.
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