The Best Way To Trim Your Body Hair
By The Editors
PlannedMan

First, ask her if she wants you to do it. Then, after she says yes, read this to make sure you get it done right (and don't hurt yourself in the process).

Highlights


Shearing the bear is only a good idea sometimes. Believe it or not, some ladies love a pelt.

So before you shave it all off and cover yourself with oil, make sure your woman isn't going to scream, "You look like Gumby!" Especially if you do.

Shaving off body hair.  It’s not just for women anymore.

Some of us are more hirsute than others, but most of us have at least a little body hair that could use some maintenance. We’re not living in the 1970s, when you could be hairier than an ape and women would still go wild for it. Pose naked on a bearskin rug like Burt Reynolds did in the 70s, and it’s no longer considered “sexy” if you’re shaggier than the bear.

So when it comes to shaving — aka manscaping — where do you even begin? Is there a right way and wrong way to do it?

Is there a right way to manscape? You bet!

It’s not like you can go to your barber and say, “If I whip off my shirt, would you give my chest and stomach a quick back and sides?”

You have to do it yourself, in your own bathroom, and that can be daunting.

Well, relax. We did the homework for you.

We scoured the internet for the absolute best manscaping advice from men’s magazines and websites and here’s everything you need to know to keep your body hair situation looking sharp and handsome:

Don’t Use a Razor

It may be tempting to just shave it all off with the same razor you use on your face, but at GQ Magazine, they implore you to avoid that option. “Your partner will thank you, even if he or she is attracted to dolphin smoothness,” writes GQ contributor Adam Hurly. “It’ll also spare you from having to shave half of your body every single day.” If you simply must go the hairless route, seek out a professional and get it waxed. It’ll be painful, sure. You may scream Kelly Clarkson’s name for no apparent reason. But the pain will be worth it.

Get the Right Tools

New York Magazine polled six grooming experts and found the one electric trimmer that every barber or stylist considers essential: The Wahl Peanut Classic Clipper/Trimmer, available at Amazon for around $50. It’s recommended as both a chest and groin-hair trimmer, as its small size lets you “get to hard-to-reach places with greater control.” It’s especially useful for, as one barber put it, “really crazy” chest hair because it’s “easy to maneuver and get right up against the shoulder blade and around the neck.”

Start Slow

The biggest mistake most guys make is running a buzzer down the middle of their chest like they’re mowing a lawn. Not so fast! Men’s Health suggests that you should test on the margins first, ideally around your collarbone where “you might want the hair to fade out anyway.” They also advise to take a long, hard look at your own pectorals. The more muscular you are, the more hair you can afford to lose. “If you have a flabby chest,” MH writes, “shearing is going to make it more obvious, not less.”

Tailor For Each Body Part

As Men’s Health reminds us, not every hair on your body is the exact same length or texture. So just because you find the perfect setting on your clippers for chest hair doesn’t mean you should use it for every other body part. “Your armpit hair should be longer than your chest hair,” writes MH contributor Patrick Huguenin. “Your belly hair should be shorter. Keep it in proportion by going up or down a buzzer guard for each area.”

Balls and Armpits: Proceed with Caution

Your beard trimmer shouldn’t go anywhere near your balls or armpits. GQ advises that you get a second trimmer specifically for your body. Why? “There’s a difference between the two: Most beard trimmers come with small detailing attachments that help shape facial hair and snip away at long mustaches. Body groomers, like the device above and the one below, come with attachments that glide more cleanly over your chest hair, with various guard lengths to suit your preferences,” writes GQ. And when you’re down near your family jewels, never make contact with the skin. If there’s one area where you don’t want any nicks or cuts, it’s there. GQ suggests trimming each hair individually “or in small, manageable tufts, pulling the skin taut with each pass.”

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