A lot of women are not comfortable with waxing their intimate area.
This makes sense given that small mistakes can be very painful. Still, you probably want to do something with your intimate area. Whether you’re preparing for a stroll down the beach or you want to spice things up in the bed, maintaining your hygiene and appearance is always important.
The best alternative to waxing is shaving. Nevertheless, even though it is a much simpler and less intrusive process, irritations and cuts can still occur. This is why you need to take the necessary precautions as a way of avoiding all these issues.
Here is a step-by-step guide that will help you shave your bikini area!
- Shave the front
Before anything else, you have to decide how should your pubic hair look like. This is the area under the belly and it is very important for your appearance when naked or when wearing skimpy bikinis. Make sure to go with a look that feels right for you. Here are some of the options:
- Complete shave – When completely shaving your pubic hair, you have to use a new razor, alcohol or some strong antiseptic, and to avoid cuts. It is the easiest shave even if you’re a newbie
- Go for a landing strip – As the name implies, you’re making a shape of a landing strip with this technique. It can be wide or narrow; it all depends on your personal preference. This allows you to avoid a complete shave, it reduces the chance of cuts, and it gives you an interesting look
- Using a stencil – Basically, you need to put the stencil over your pubes. It will have a particular shape so you will have to remove all the hair surrounding it. This will leave you with a fun form. This is amazing for women who want to change things up and surprise their partners
The most important thing about shaving is that you simply cannot “attack a bush”. Instead, you need to cut the hair before shaving it. This allows your razor to work with optimal efficiency. Make sure that your pubic hair is around a quarter of an inch long (6 mm) before you start shaving it. In order to do it properly, it is best if you pull hair towards you and cut smaller strains. Keep in mind that you can do this with either scissors (if you’re careful enough) or with a trimmer.
Water can work to your advantage. Most women shave in the shower as it is so it wouldn’t be bad if you would soak the area beforehand. You can also use water to clean up before you start shaving as this will reduce the chance of irritation.
Exfoliation is another important part of the process. You can start with lathering, shaving and finally finish off with exfoliation. But, for optimal results, it is best if you exfoliate before and after shaving. By doing so you’re able to push all the hair in the same direction allowing you to shave much easier. Another great thing about exfoliation is the fact it removes dead skin cells which allows razor blades to come even closer to the roof of the hair.
Next, you will have to moisturize the area. Start by using a bit of water and putting gel over the area. Keep in mind there shouldn’t be too much water or gel; it just needs to be soaked. Avoid any product that isn’t for shaving specifically. Some women use lubricants and other items in the form of a gel; however, this can easily cause irritations.
- Plain, bikini area cream is the best especially if you have sensitive skin. Hydrating products can also be great as they reduce drying of the skin
- Try to avoid anything that may cause an allergic reaction. You will probably have issues as it is so there is no need to make it worse
- Transparent creams and gels are ideal for shaving as they allow you to see the movement of the razor and whether or not you caused some cuts
Like with any other type of shaving, it is best if you use a brand new razor. Used razors or razors with not enough blades can be really troublesome. They will force you to go over an area for a couple of times increasing the chance of cuts and irritation. Furthermore, numerous shaving will just increase the strength of follicles making it harder to shave them the next time over. Of course, if you don’t like throwing barely used razors, you can always keep the blades. Just make sure they’re dry as water will corrode them making them harder to use the next time over.
It is very important to use proper strokes when shaving. Long and even strokes are crucial; you will also have to shave along hair’s growth direction. In order to do it the right way, you will have to place your hand on the belly, just above pubic hair and try to strengthen up the skin. The flat surface allows you to shave much more precisely while bumps can be problematic for the razor.
Here are some additional tips:
- Avoid using any kind of force when shaving. If you did everything properly, your hair should be weak enough and you should cut it properly. If you press razor blades, it will start peeling off your skin and causing additional irritation
- Strong follicles can be very troublesome for shaving. Instead of shaving it straight off, you should do your best to cut it down as much as possible. Trimmer is another good option
- Constantly rinsing your razor (even if there isn’t much hair on it) will allow every next stroke to be more impactful
- Shave the area between your thighs
Besides your pubic area, it is also very important to shave thighs if you want to look good in a bikini. Start by bending at the waist and lifting a leg. It is much better to start with your dominant hand so, if you’re right-handed, make sure to lift your left leg first. By bending, you will get a better view of the area allowing you to shave much more easily. Use surroundings to your advantage and don’t be shy to put your leg on a tub wall.
It is much easier to shave this area. Not only do you have more freedom during the process but irritations are less likely to appear. As for the steps, you should follow all the same steps as described in the previous section.
Applying gel is probably one of the trickiest things when shaving thighs. Gel can easily start running down or even end up in your labia. Make sure to avoid this especially if you’re very sensitive to cosmetic products.
When it comes to movement, the ideal strokes are horizontal one’s going from lower areas of thighs upwards. Again, make sure to use a light touch as you don’t want to irritate your skin. Avoid quick strokes and going all the way to labium; you can easily cut yourself. Lastly, make sure to rinse properly when done.
Some additional tips:
- If you spread your legs as much as possible, this will make your skin straight making it easier to shave
- You can also shave the other side of labia and inner thigh crease by following the same methods
- Additional tips for preventing irritation
Irritations are probably the biggest issue when it comes to shaving. In the end, the point of everything is to make your skin look nice. If a problem occurs, it makes all your work for naught. One of the best ways of preventing it is through exfoliation. If you do it after shaving, you’re making sure all dead skin is removed from your body. Furthermore, it will help you avoid ingrown hair.
Sugar scrub is perhaps the best exfoliating substance. But, you can use also some other scrubs.
Besides exfoliation, you will have to be careful as to how you’re treating skin post-shave. Make sure to dry it by using a towel. Similar to a razor, forceful bowel movements should be avoided as a way of preventing irritations. No matter how hard you try, there will always be a few hairs here and there. Use a tweezer to pull them out ensuring your skin is silky-smooth.
We don’t have to tell you that your body needs to be moisturized at all times. This is especially true after shaving. Using a straight product would be ideal. This means no aromatized, scented or similar items. Most of these substances can easily cause irritation. Instead, you can go for something like baby oil.
Make sure to use baby powder as well after shaving. It will reduce the chance of irritation but will also dry out your skin a bit. Baby powder can also be problematic if you put too much of it as it will clog your pores and create pimples.
The last thing that needs to be mentioned is that shaving is a temporary solution. The more you do it, the more your hair will grow. So, it is something you need to be aware of prior to your first shave. If that is too much for you, perhaps it’s better to consider waxing instead as it provides more long-term results.
A lot of women are not comfortable with waxing their intimate area. This makes sense given that small mistakes can be very painful. Still, you probably want to do something with your intimate area. Whether you’re preparing for a stroll down the beach or you want to spice things up in the bed, maintaining your hygiene and appearance is always important.
