The rules of gentlemen’s body hair
From the chest to below-the-belt, we’ve got you covered
Let’s get one thing straight: body hair is great. And no one should ever demand that you have it constantly waxed, shaved or trimmed – least of all us. However, if you’re the type of gent who likes to keep his hirsute situation neat and orderly, but still hasn’t mastered this tricky art, then let us give you an easy-to-follow guide.
From the hard-to-handle chest to the below-the-belt area, here are the fundamental rules of manscaping you should know about right now.
Chest hair
Some people love a hairless chest, but unless you’re a national swimmer, a competitive bodybuilder or a character from Geordie Shore, then leave your pec fuzz intact.
However, if you’re extremely covered, then equip yourself with a decent electronic body trimmer that’ll leave a little hair, but won’t remove it completely – after all, the wax strips are best left to the sadists of the world. Moreover, don’t use your beard trimmer as makeshift body groomer; doing so isn’t just unhygienic, but it’s also impractical. Whereas the latter comes with small detailing attachments that help shape facial hair, the former is a little less precise and tends to be wider at the head, thus more efficient at tidying up big patches.
Next, the exact amount of hair you want to keep is purely personal – we’d recommend using the highest guard on first go, then moving your way down the scale until you find your optimal length. Just remember, akin to the way you buzz your beard, you should keep a constant eye on where you handle the trimmer and adjust the guards depending on the contour of your body, the pattern of your hair growth and the finish you wish to achieve.
The ears
The older your get, the longer your ear hair grows. And if you’ve become victim to this cruel act of nature, don’t worry, for the solutions are rather straightforward.
Hairs on the outer area tend to be longer and unsightly – a high-quality, easy-to-handle pair of blunt-end tweezers should tackle the issue. Rather than cutting the hair short like a trimmer would, a tweezer will take hairs out from the root, meaning they’ll take a lot longer to grow back.
For hairs on the inside, go for a pair of scissors that are designed for facial hair only. Not only are they blunt (meaning they’ll allow for nick-free cutting), but they’re also often of a curved design, making them perfect to work with the curvature of your ear. So, all you have to do is angle your head downwards and to the side when looking in a mirror, and cut any visible strands.
For a more efficient method, take a trip to a nearby Turkish barber (such as Ted’s Grooming Room) where they’ll gently torch the issue.
The armpits
The source of many odours and fatal smells, the armpit can certainly go for some serious grooming. We’re not suggesting a complete scaping, but a small trim – as with your chest – every now and again will go a long way. However, don’t go down to a stubble as this will cause itching, so taking an inch off with scissors should be enough.
Although this may seem superfluous in your eyes, your partner, flatmates and fellow commuters will thank you for it.
The nose
Some nose hair is crucial as it’ll filter out certain particles and prevent bacteria from entering the nasal cavity – yet, there’s no harm in primping away at the odd renegade. After all, a visible strand can halt any conversation or dinner talk.
So what’s a man to do? First, like above, reach for the blunt-ended scissors, tilt your head backwards when looking into the mirror and gently cut at any huge patches or overgrown roots – this should suffice as plucking will only draw blood and possibly lead to an infection.
Another popular tool is the electrical trimmer as it has an ergonomic fit and provides a painless job.
Below the belt
It might not be de rigueur to speak of such matters in public, but that’s why we’re here to help. When a partner, often a woman, goes through the pain and suffering of all that waxing, plucking and general body hair removal, the least a man could do is have a little tidy up down there.
To start, the bush: here you should hold your member in your less dominant hand and in the other, wield either a body groomer (this will rid of any strands in a pain-free manner) or a blunt-end scissor, and then snip away the hair to your desired length and look. And, as a gentle request for your dignity, just don’t go for the full bald look.
Next, the gonads. Taking any electronic gadget to this sensitive area will simply end in a painful disaster. So, instead, use a sharp wet razor with plenty of shaving cream and take your time, making sure to rinse the hair from the cartridge in order to prevent any block-ups. Also, keep in mind that you should pull the skin taught to avoid any bumps.
Arms and legs
Leave them as they are.
Now for the beard. These are the best styles that’ll suit your face
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