How to clip, shave, and tweeze every inch of your body, from the chest to (yup) way, way down under
For most men, body grooming involves walking a delicate line between looking like a caveman on the beach, or a member of One Direction. Then there are the more...nitty-gritty aspects of grooming, involving places where the sun don't shine, and even some you've probably never considered before. To help strike that balance, we consulted top grooming experts on how to prepare your body for the summer. That said, body hair is a matter of preference—both yours and your partner's. In other words, don't buzz without asking her how she likes it first.
Phillip Picardi is the beauty and grooming editor at LifestyleMirror.
The Chest
"I rarely have completely shaven clients these days," says Barbara Guillaume , groomer to stars like James Franco and Colin Farrell. "For the past couple of years, it's easily 70% of the time that you'll see actors with facial and body hair."
In other words, what we're going for isn't the Abercrombie catalogue. "You need a good pair of clippers," Guillaume says. "Trim your chest, going in the direction of the grain, then make sure to go all the way down. No happy trail necessary. "Do it dry," insists Guillaume. "And hydrate afterwards with a body lotion to prevent redness."
You also want to consider how much winter weight you're carrying before taking it all off: "The less hair, the more you see the whole body. It's okay to leave a little bit of hair just in case."
While the aforementioned rules are all great, don't forget: Balance is key. If you're rocking a bit of scruff this summer, you don't want to have a completely buzzed chest. "If it's just a little bit of growth on the face, it's okay to have barely anything on the chest. If you have a beard, maybe go a bit longer."
The Back
All the experts (and lady friends) we consulted agree: Back hair is never sexy. "We never negotiate on that," says Thea Istenes, who grooms everyone from Robert Downey Jr. to 50 Cent. "But unless you have a really good roommate, I wouldn't try buzzing it."
That's right, guys: It's time to book an appointment. "The back is the easiest and least painful area to wax, and by far the most common service for men," says Kenny Milstead, who oversees mens' waxing at Bliss Spa in New York City. "Guys want it off the back, but also off the shoulders." But bad news for the hairiest of them all: "89% of guys are eligible for back waxing, but some I can't do. They just need to trim."
A couple of tips for your first time: Take an Advil or a couple of Aspirin before your appointment. The longer you go in between waxes, the more it'll hurt every time (remember The 40 Year Old Virgin?). Ask your esthetician when you should book your next appointment (generally four to six weeks). Finally, don't put any product on the area for 24 hours to reduce the risk of irritation.
Arms, Legs, and Pits
For only the very meticulous—and, more importantly, the very hairy—among us, a little bit of TLC is needed elsewhere.
Armpits
We'd rather you didn't mess with your armpits, but if your hair is poking out of short-sleeve shirts, or creating a bush when you're wearing a tank top, it's time to take action. "Take the volume out by using your clipper with a longer attachment," says Guillaume. "If length is your concern, try trimming with a good pair of scissors."
Arms
“Guys always come in asking to take the hair off the upper arm," says Milstead. "The bicep and shoulders need to be bare." If you're showing off the guns—or if your hair grows in different patterns on the shoulders—it's okay to take a little off with the Peanut. Just make sure there are no hard lines—go in with no guard down the shoulder, and add a short guard as you get closer to the elbow.
Legs
"I like natural legs on dudes," says Istenes. "But if you're particularly hairy, a little buzz wouldn't hurt to take out some volume."
The Danger Zone
Yup, we're going there. Warning: This section is not for the faint of heart.
In general, when grooming this area, you should really put your smallest swimsuit on, so you know where it hits you and how far you need to be buzzed. What's visible to beachgoers should be buzzed the same length as your chest.
The Bush
"It's good to be groomed in this area," says Guillaume. "You want to get the volume down, but keep some hair." The surrounding area, around the legs and pelvis, is a matter of preference. But a quick pass with clippers isn't necessarily a bad idea.
The Balls
Keep it smooth. "Lots of shaving cream," Istenes says. "And a good sharp razor. Use tiny, little strokes... and have patience. Try to avoid pulling the skin taut. Do one stroke and clean the razor. Then, go back for the next one. Consider taking it section by section (nut by nut, if you will) so you can get the most lubrication out of your shaving cream.
The Shaft
The same goes for hair growth up the shaft. Getting rid of hairs in that region, especially when it's concentrated closer to the base, will do wonders for you aesthetically. Optical illusions, anyone? Hold everything upright (try not to tug too much at the skin, or hair removal will be more difficult) and go with the grain in gentle strokes. This area is extra-sensitive (duh), so do not pass over the same area twice.
The Perineum (a.k.a. "The Grundle")
"This is a matter of preference," says Guillaume. "Trimmed or no hair at all is acceptable." You can pass through this area very cautiously with the Peanut. Since this is a zone of much friction on your body, shaving might irritate the skin and be cause for some very scary post-traumatic-shave-disorders. Tread wisely.
Yes, They Can Wax Your Junk
Milstead cautions that shaving this region might come with damaging side effects: "When it grows back, it will be prickly between your legs," he says. "But when you wax it, the hair grows back silky soft." Plus, he kindly adds: "The hair on the testicles takes the longest to grow back."
And while it sounds like the most painful idea ever, consider how awkward razor burn or ingrown hairs are on your nuts. With the right waxing professional, you won't have to worry about it ever again.
Post-shave or post-wax, you'll need to make sure there are no nasty ingrown hairs. Bliss' Ingrown Eliminating Pads ($38) are a godsend.
The Butt
"The backside should be completely groomed. Do it with clippers and no guard at all. There is nothing attractive about a man that's got hair on his butt," says Guillaume.
And, sorry dudes. It's not just the cheeks that are the problem. "Get one leg up on a chair and a good mirror to see what you're doing in that area," says Istenes. You're going to have to go between the cheeks as well with no guard. For underneath, where the glute meets the thighs, pass over the area to avoid any demarcation.
But of course, there's an easier alternative: "Most guys just get the butt done when they get their backs done," Milstead says in regards to waxing. "It takes no time at all." They charge an additional $40 for going in-between-the-cheeks.
Phillip Picardi is the beauty and grooming editor at LifestyleMirror.
The Chest
"I rarely have completely shaven clients these days," says Barbara Guillaume , groomer to stars like James Franco and Colin Farrell. "For the past couple of years, it's easily 70% of the time that you'll see actors with facial and body hair."
In other words, what we're going for isn't the Abercrombie catalogue. "You need a good pair of clippers," Guillaume says. "Trim your chest, going in the direction of the grain, then make sure to go all the way down. No happy trail necessary. "Do it dry," insists Guillaume. "And hydrate afterwards with a body lotion to prevent redness."
You also want to consider how much winter weight you're carrying before taking it all off: "The less hair, the more you see the whole body. It's okay to leave a little bit of hair just in case."
While the aforementioned rules are all great, don't forget: Balance is key. If you're rocking a bit of scruff this summer, you don't want to have a completely buzzed chest. "If it's just a little bit of growth on the face, it's okay to have barely anything on the chest. If you have a beard, maybe go a bit longer."
The Back
All the experts (and lady friends) we consulted agree: Back hair is never sexy. "We never negotiate on that," says Thea Istenes, who grooms everyone from Robert Downey Jr. to 50 Cent. "But unless you have a really good roommate, I wouldn't try buzzing it."
That's right, guys: It's time to book an appointment. "The back is the easiest and least painful area to wax, and by far the most common service for men," says Kenny Milstead, who oversees mens' waxing at Bliss Spa in New York City. "Guys want it off the back, but also off the shoulders." But bad news for the hairiest of them all: "89% of guys are eligible for back waxing, but some I can't do. They just need to trim."
A couple of tips for your first time: Take an Advil or a couple of Aspirin before your appointment. The longer you go in between waxes, the more it'll hurt every time (remember The 40 Year Old Virgin?). Ask your esthetician when you should book your next appointment (generally four to six weeks). Finally, don't put any product on the area for 24 hours to reduce the risk of irritation.
Arms, Legs, and Pits
For only the very meticulous—and, more importantly, the very hairy—among us, a little bit of TLC is needed elsewhere.
Armpits
We'd rather you didn't mess with your armpits, but if your hair is poking out of short-sleeve shirts, or creating a bush when you're wearing a tank top, it's time to take action. "Take the volume out by using your clipper with a longer attachment," says Guillaume. "If length is your concern, try trimming with a good pair of scissors."
Arms
“Guys always come in asking to take the hair off the upper arm," says Milstead. "The bicep and shoulders need to be bare." If you're showing off the guns—or if your hair grows in different patterns on the shoulders—it's okay to take a little off with the Peanut. Just make sure there are no hard lines—go in with no guard down the shoulder, and add a short guard as you get closer to the elbow.
Legs
"I like natural legs on dudes," says Istenes. "But if you're particularly hairy, a little buzz wouldn't hurt to take out some volume."
The Danger Zone
Yup, we're going there. Warning: This section is not for the faint of heart.
In general, when grooming this area, you should really put your smallest swimsuit on, so you know where it hits you and how far you need to be buzzed. What's visible to beachgoers should be buzzed the same length as your chest.
The Bush
"It's good to be groomed in this area," says Guillaume. "You want to get the volume down, but keep some hair." The surrounding area, around the legs and pelvis, is a matter of preference. But a quick pass with clippers isn't necessarily a bad idea.
The Balls
Keep it smooth. "Lots of shaving cream," Istenes says. "And a good sharp razor. Use tiny, little strokes... and have patience. Try to avoid pulling the skin taut. Do one stroke and clean the razor. Then, go back for the next one. Consider taking it section by section (nut by nut, if you will) so you can get the most lubrication out of your shaving cream.
The Shaft
The same goes for hair growth up the shaft. Getting rid of hairs in that region, especially when it's concentrated closer to the base, will do wonders for you aesthetically. Optical illusions, anyone? Hold everything upright (try not to tug too much at the skin, or hair removal will be more difficult) and go with the grain in gentle strokes. This area is extra-sensitive (duh), so do not pass over the same area twice.
The Perineum (a.k.a. "The Grundle")
"This is a matter of preference," says Guillaume. "Trimmed or no hair at all is acceptable." You can pass through this area very cautiously with the Peanut. Since this is a zone of much friction on your body, shaving might irritate the skin and be cause for some very scary post-traumatic-shave-disorders. Tread wisely.
Yes, They Can Wax Your Junk
Milstead cautions that shaving this region might come with damaging side effects: "When it grows back, it will be prickly between your legs," he says. "But when you wax it, the hair grows back silky soft." Plus, he kindly adds: "The hair on the testicles takes the longest to grow back."
And while it sounds like the most painful idea ever, consider how awkward razor burn or ingrown hairs are on your nuts. With the right waxing professional, you won't have to worry about it ever again.
Post-shave or post-wax, you'll need to make sure there are no nasty ingrown hairs. Bliss' Ingrown Eliminating Pads ($38) are a godsend.
The Butt
"The backside should be completely groomed. Do it with clippers and no guard at all. There is nothing attractive about a man that's got hair on his butt," says Guillaume.
And, sorry dudes. It's not just the cheeks that are the problem. "Get one leg up on a chair and a good mirror to see what you're doing in that area," says Istenes. You're going to have to go between the cheeks as well with no guard. For underneath, where the glute meets the thighs, pass over the area to avoid any demarcation.
But of course, there's an easier alternative: "Most guys just get the butt done when they get their backs done," Milstead says in regards to waxing. "It takes no time at all." They charge an additional $40 for going in-between-the-cheeks.
Body hair has been a problem for both men and women. These days, women and men alike use a vast variety of methods and do a zillion things to get rid of their unwanted body hair.
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