Manscaping is another term for a man’s way to groom. Grooming ensures that you smell good, keep you tidy, and improves your looks. Sometime in the past, I was lucky to go on a blind date, but I would not have been comfortable had the date ended in some intimacy since I was all hairy down there. Luckily, I was all set by the time we let it all bare. At the end of the guide, you will discover how to be properly manscaped Here’s how it is done.
What Is Manscaping?
This name is derived from two words. These words are Man and landscaping. In essence, you are landscaping a man by removing unwanted hair growth. The official definition is the removal or cutting short of hair on a man’s body for cosmetic purposes. Cosmetics cover everything from the look of the skin and the smell of the body. With these two definitions, you will find that an essential part of the entire process is to control or cut short the body hair.
Grooming is not limited to having a clean shave. If you are a man who does not fancy the smooth, vibrant physique, you could groom by keeping the hairs that you love short and tidy. Other men love to wax the hair off so that they do not need to keep shaving. However, trimming is the most common method of hair control. Some men do trim some areas and leave others. Others go for a clean shave. It all depends on your personality.
The Benefits
Various benefits come with being properly manscaped and by controlling your body hair. Here are some of the benefits.
You Look Vibrant
A groomed gentleman looks younger, cleaner and better toned than a hairy one. Nobody hates to look good. On the other hand, when you clean the area around your member, it looks bigger and more impressive than when drowned in hair.
It is Hygienic
Hair retains all kinds of stuff, including dead skin cells, urine, sweat, and dirt. On a hot day or if you do not shower regularly, these substances will fester. Over time, the hair creates a conducive environment for the breeding of yeast and bacteria. Down there, hair increases your chances of developing an STD from yeast and bacterial infections.
It is a Confidence Builder
Appearance is everything when you are meeting other people. Men who take pride in their appearance tend to more successful in their personal and professional lives that those who do not. When you feel and look good, the positive energy will flow to the people you meet.
There is Less Sweat
Our bodies sweat to cool off. On the other hand, hair retains as much heat as possible. That is why mammals in very cold areas have thick hair. With little hair, your body will not have to sweat a lot to regulate your body temperature. This means minimal body odor and high effectiveness for your antiperspirant.
Better Sex Life
While there are partners who love the natural hairy look, many intimate partners like seeing well-groomed nether parts. Studies show well-groomed men receive more oral sex and better penetrative sex as groomed organs are more sensitive than hairy ones.
How to Manscape
Nearly every part of a male body grows hair. Your grooming plan should attend to all areas of your body where there is hair growth. Here is how to go about it.
1. Trim
Start by getting the right comb for your trim. You may need to determine what length of the comb attachment that is comfortable for your skin. This may change as per the part of the body. Then, trim all your hair before wetting it. This prevents the blades of your comb from getting clogged. While doing so, take your time to avoid pulling hair.
2. Shower
Water softens your hair, especially if you have thick or wiry hair. Soft hair makes it easy for the shaving machine to glide smoothly over your skin. Most razors are waterproof. Therefore, you can use them in the shower. However, you can as well dry yourself and continue with the rest of the steps below.
3. Lather Up with Shave Gel
Lathering with shave gel helps in hydrating your hair and enhancing the glide of your razor. In sensitive areas such as the groin, lathering helps prevent those razor burns and cuts. If you have not been shaving for quite some time, your skin can also be sensitive. Lathering offers a layer of protection form irritation in such cases.
4. Check for Dull Blades
Over time, lubrication strips can start to look faded and blades feel dull. Dull blades may pull your hair and cause razor burns as you tend to exert more force against your skin to cut the hair. Therefore, if you are not using a new blade, it is always good to check if the blade is sharp enough before your next shave. You can change the blade attachment for most razor brands.
5. Shave with Light, Gentle Strokes
Be gentle on your skin by shaving with a light stroke. Do not be in a hurry, especially where there folds of skin such as the armpits and groin. You should also pull your skin taut to prevent any razor bumps and accidental cuts. The combination of a wet shave and shaving gel will make the entire task quite smooth.
6. Rinse Your Blades Often
After every while, rinse the razor under your faucet. Ensure that you rinse it back and front. This helps remove dead skin, hair and shaving gel so that you are able to shave smoothly. Then, gently shake off the water. Avoid tapping the razor against the sink or drying it with a towel as both of these actions reduce the life of your razor
7. Reapply Shave Gel As Needed
If you need to run your blade more than once, you may need to reapply the shave gel. Avoid running the blade over bare skin as it may cause razor burns. You can always add some more as needed or until you achieve the shave that you need.
8. Rinse, Dry, and Moisturize
Once you are done shaving, rinse the skin through so that you remove traces of hair and shaving gel. After drying, you need to soothe the skin from the beating it has sustained from the blades. Apply some generous amount of moisturizing lotion on the area you have just shaved. Remember that your skin below the belt may be more sensitive than other spots around the body. I recommend some of the best razors for sensitive skin that will make your shaving experience so much better.
Man Detailing
Every part of the body requires some attention when you are man detailing. Expect some challenges based on the sensitivity of the area and the location on the body. Here is a quick guide for shaving different parts of the body.
Eyebrows
The eyebrows are the hairy defining features of your face. They need to look good and, therefore, demand regular grooming. When grooming them, aim at removing stray hairs and excess weight. If you do that right, the result is a tidier, youthful appearance.
Start by trimming long hairs with a pair of scissors. Then, tidy up your brows by removing any hair that is growing out of the natural shape of your brows using tweezers. Avoid tweezing several hair strands at once as it can be painful.
Ears
As you get old, your ear hair increases. Therefore, old gentlemen may need to groom their ears often. Luckily, you can get rid of the ear hair with a few steps. If you have some cash, you can buy the electric trimmer and deal with the hair in one go. Otherwise, you may use a pair of tweezers to get rid of hair that is growing in the outer ear. For hair growth inside your ear, make use of the face grooming scissors.
Nose
Hair in our noses is important for filtering particulate matter as you breathe. However, if it is visible at the bottom of the nose, it requires trimming. Do not attempt to pluck the hair as it causes some tiny wounds in your nose. These wounds may cause an infection. Instead, just trim the hair with a pair of grooming scissors or an electric trimmer.
Chest
You may decide to go for a clean shave on your chest or choose one of the many styles out there. If you would like to go with styling your chest hair, consider going for an electric trimmer. You can style the hair with ease while standing in front of a mirror. Some of the popular styles include the rug, woolly jumper, and the snail. However, if you are looking for a clean look, use a manual razor instead. Apply a generous amount of shaving cream on your chest as the skin can be quite sensitive.
The Back
Most men choose to remove their back hair permanently. If you go for this option, consider waxing as it is fast and efficient. However, be sure to have it done professionally. On the other hand, if you would like to shave back hair at home, you need to buy an extended handle for your razor so that you can reach hard-to-reach places. Alternatively, you can use a hair removal cream to deal with the hair.
When using a trimmer, use the lowest setting. Then, go over your back in the same motion so that you do not leave patches. As for hair removal cream, apply it to the back and leave it for about ten minutes before rinsing your back.
Armpits
Hairy armpits are unsightly, especially if you like removing your shirt. You also tend to sweat a lot. You can shave your armpits with ease using an electric manscape trimmer. Just ensure that the groomer has a length 2 guard to prevent cutting the soft armpit skin. Lift your hand under which you are shaving to taunt your skin.
Arms and Legs
A good number of men choose to leave their legs and arms with natural hair. However, if you have lots of hair or thick hair, you may consider shaving it or just waxing it. If you want to retain the natural look after shaving, pick a body trimmer that has a number length 1 or length, 2 guards. However, if you want a smooth, silky feel, pick a manual razor instead.
Below the Belt
When grooming below the belt, be sure of what you are doing
The Bush
Many men ask the question of how to shave pubes and you can actually achieve some creative looks by doing so. You can go for a clean shave around your groin. However, you can try various styles. Some of the popular ones include briefs that look like a bikini, lion mane that involves leaving everything above the penis but cleaning up all other areas and trimmed that involves keeping the hair short all around your nether areas. Pull your skin taut when grooming this area and use an electric groomer.
Balls
Use a wet razor when grooming your balls. The vibrations that come with the trimmer are quite uncomfortable in this area. However, remember to apply a generous amount of shaving gel before you get started then you will discover the great benefits of having shaved balls. Have a look at my reviews of the best shavers for balls if you’d like to know where to start.
Shaft
When shaving the base of your shaft, use a wet razor just as the case for the balls. Apply lots of shaving cream and take several slow and careful strokes. You can always add some shaving cream and rinse the blade in the process.
Extra Tips
How to deal with nicks and cuts
Nicks and cuts are a problem with men who shave regularly and fail to observe one or two precautions. To prevent these unsightly bumps, consider going for high-quality shaving products and avoid cartridge razors. In addition, clean your skin thoroughly to get rid of grease and dead skin before a shave. This is vital if you have oily skin. You should also lather generously. If none of these solutions work, consider having the skin checked by a dermatologist for underlying problems or use a styptic balm to heal the cuts.
How to Deal with Ingrown Hair
Ingrown hair is the hair that grows back into the skin instead of growing out of it. Most of the time, this is caused by dead skin and oil that clogs the follicles. You can have an ingrown hair on the face neck, chest armpits, pubic area, and the back. It may be in the form of bumps or boils.
You can prevent ingrown hair by shaving with sharp blades, shaving in the direction of the growth of your hair and avoiding shaving too close to the skin. You can have it removed by a sterile needle or use retinoids to remove the dead skin cells in hair follicles.
Use pre-shave oil
Pre-shave oil is the oil applied on your face before you apply any shaving gel or cream. It contains natural oils, which are low in grease factor and vitamins A and E. The oil forms the foundation upon which lathering is done and offers protection from the razor. It also lubricates and moisturizes the face, thereby preventing razor burns. Your facial hair is also softened, leading to a smooth shave.
Go Slow on Your Skin and Use the Right Razor for Grooming
You should always go slow when shaving, especially the sensitive areas and where there are skin folds. If the blade is not doing a good job, rinse or replace it. Besides, avoid going too hard on your skin, you better take several strokes than a few hard ones. You should also use the right razor, depending on the skin and your skill. Do not use straight blades if you are not a skilled shaver. Besides, avoid using a razor with more than two blades if you are prone to nicks and cuts.
Summary
Hair control is not an option. It is a must if you don’t want to look like the cavemen of the yesteryears. There are no rules cast in stone. You can shave in any way, depending on your preferences. However, be sure to protect your skin from razor cuts by lathering well and using an appropriate razor.
I recommend grooming regularly and not waiting for hair to grow too long. However, do not overdo it by shaving every other day as you might irritate the skin. Use the above tips to get every part of your body clean and smooth and you will reap the rewards of being properly manscaped.
Good grooming!
