The SLMan Guide To… Manscaping

First and foremost, Bradley, how are you defining manscaping?
Manscaping is the removal, trimming or styling of hair on a man's body. It includes any type of hair, but the term is most commonly associated with intimate areas such as the chest, back, armpits and nether regions.

What’s the best way to manscape at home?
It all depends on how much hair you have to remove and what effect you’re going for. As a general rule, I would recommend using a razor or an electric body trimmer to manscape at home because it’s the easiest way to keep things tidy and stay on top of your grooming routine. For longer-lasting results, waxing is great for the back, while epilating is best for arms and legs – go to a professional first to see how it’s done, then replicate this yourself at home.

Do you need to prep the skin beforehand?
Just like shaving your face, the art of manscaping is in the preparation. If you’re manscaping any areas with particularly long hairs, trim things down first with an electric razor to help avoid discomfort, inaccuracy and razor clogging. Next, quickly clean yourself up – a basin of warm water or a shower will do the job nicely. The steam from the water will help soften hairs, open the skin’s pores, and reduce the amount of friction created between your skin and razor, so there’s less chance of razor burn or irritation.

Are there any trends worth knowing about?
The main trend right now is to keep hair short and well maintained, rather than removing it all together, particularly on the chest. To achieve this, grab a set of clippers and aim to keep your chest hair ever so slightly longer than the spiky stage.

Tell us about the aftercare stage…
It’s all about cleansing and rehydrating the skin, so stick to post-shave balms and moisturising creams. If you’ve got sensitive skin, avoid products that are high in alcohol to keep irritation to a minimum. If you’re new to manscaping your nether regions, wear loose-fitting underwear for a few days afterwards to let everything breathe. And remember: go slowly. There’s nothing worse than snags, cuts or razor burns in your private parts.

Finally, how regularly should you be manscaping?
Little and often is the way forward. Keep your trimmers and razor close at hand to keep things neat and tidy every few days. It’s much easier to maintain hair, especially pubic hair, than tackling it when it’s overgrown.

Step 1

Start with the armpits. Trimming here will help reduce excessive sweating and the risk of any pesky hairs poking out from your t-shirt – not a good look. Pop a short grade attachment onto a set of clippers and shave with the grain in short strokes.

Step 2

Shaving your back evenly is virtually impossible without assistance. If you have a partner that’s willing to help, ask them to take care of you. If not, don’t mess around – get booked in with a professional waxer and save yourself a whole load of hassle.
 

Step 3

If you want to trim your leg and arm hair, use a medium attachment on your electric razor to cut a few centimetres off. Most men prefer to keep some hair on these areas, but it’s totally down to personal preference.
 

Step 4

Lastly, move on to the delicate sack, crack and buttocks. Remember, this area is extra sensitive, so don’t rush. Start by attaching a protective guard onto an electric body trimmer and trim your pubes down to a manageable length. Then, prepare the skin and soften hairs further with a pre-shave oil to ensure the razor can glide easily. Create a rich lather with a shaving cream and shaving brush (using a brush will help exfoliate the area and raise hairs up and away from the skin, resulting in a cleaner shave). Once you’re all lathered up and ready to go, reach for a brand-new blade – blunt blades are prone to dragging across the skin and tugging at hair, rather than slicing through them, so don’t be tempted to use an old razor. Gently pull the skin taut to create a flatter, smoother surface to shave, then very gently shave your balls, following the natural grain of your hair’s growth. You can then carefully move onto the crack and buttocks, with the help of a mirror to guide you along the way.
 

Step 5

Once you’ve finished, apply a post-shave balm or moisturiser to protect and rehydrate the skin.

For more of Bradley’s tips, check out Bluebeards-Revenge.co.uk