The Art of Shaving Your Pubes
The way you shave your pubic area can greatly affect the overall outcome. Even issues like ingrown hairs, razor burn, and razor bumps wholly depend on your shaving technique — and of course, the tools and products you use.
Whether you’re a seasoned shaver or usually bushy and looking for a change, here’s a fool-proof guide on how to shave down there.
Ready to master the art of shaving pubes? Read on.
Trim Your Pubes
A little secret every shaver should know: trimmed pubic hair is far easier to shave than un-trimmed pubic hair — especially if you have thick, coarse, or curly hair. That’s because hairs are shorter, making it easier for the razor to glide across. Fortunately, cutting pubic hair is pretty straightforward. Just use a small pair of scissors or a hair trimmer, and trim the hair so that it’s half an inch or so long.
Besides making the process a whole lot easier, trimming your pubes first can prevent all sorts of painful shaving aftermath like ingrowns, razor burns, and nicks. Since your razor won’t repeatedly glide across, you reduce the risk of razor-related irritation.
Exfoliate
Whenever you shave, hair follicles on your skin open up, leaving skin exposed to bacteria and consequently infection. For that reason, it’s important to ensure the area is clean before putting razor to skin. An exfoliant will help sweep away dead skin cells, prevent your razor blades from getting clogged up with skin, and ultimately stop ingrowns.
To exfoliate, you can either use a washcloth, exfoliating body wash, or a body scrub.
We recommend Truly’s Smooth Legend Pre-Shave Scrub to prep your skin for shaving.
Apply a Pre-Shave Serum
A little bikini line shaving hack you should know about: rub the area with a soothing serum before you shave to soften the hair and skin. You can use this hack when removing any body hair, including leg hair, underarm hair, and even facial hair. It helps — A LOT!
We recommend Truly’s Super Fierce Pre-Shave Serum to help hydrate, soften hair follicles, and secure a super smooth razor glide.
Lather Up With Shaving Cream
A clean, close shave always begins with shaving gel, cream, or butter. Unlike soap or body wash, shaving creams give razors a gentle glide to avoid things like razor burn and ingrowns.
You don’t need to apply much. Starting with wet skin, lather up your shaving cream and apply a thin layer to the genital area so that it covers all the hair, but you can still see the hairs. If you can’t see them, that means you’ve applied it too thick.
We recommend using Truly’s Coco Cloud Shave Butter, which creates the perfect base for your razor to skate over.
Shave!
Now it’s time to shave! Since pubic hair is thick and coarse, it’s best to always start with a fresh razor — with sharp blades. Opt for a razor with at least three blades to secure a smooth and irritation-free shave like Truly Blue Razor — a five bladed razor with cushy gel bars infused with aloe vera and shea butter.
Holding skin taut, shave downward with the hair, i.e. in the direction of hair growth. Shaving against the grain might provide a closer shave, but it also puts you at risk of razor bumps, burns, and ingrowns. When shaving pubic hair, always use small strokes and take it slow to avoid cutting yourself. Rinse your blades after every swipe.
You can decide how much you want to shave off. Keep in mind, however, that some areas are more prone to irritation like the area around the vaginal opening. Dermatologists recommend leaving that area alone to avoid causing sensitivity. You can use an electric trimmer to groom the area, but avoid shaving it.
Rinse Well
Rinse off the remaining shaving cream and any hairs using warm water, and pat dry with a clean towel.
Soothe with Post-Shave Oil
Shaving your pubes can leave you vulnerable to razor bumps and ingrown hairs. You can prevent these side effects by using the proper shaving technique and following up with a cooling aftershave oil.
We recommend Truly’s Glazed Donut Shave Oil, an aftershave treatment that replenishes lost moisture while combating ingrowns and healing active inflammation.
Moisturize
This final step can make all the difference. Always moisturize with a lightweight lotion postshave to prevent your skin from drying out and becoming irritated. Since it’s such a sensitive area, it’s important to nourish it with soothing, hydrating skincare products after shaving. Besides relieving dryness and irritation, it will also make your pubic area incredibly soft and smooth.
We recommend Truly’s Coco Cloud After Shave Moisturizer for deeply conditioning skin and quelling shave-induced irritation.
PUBIC HAIR REMOVAL DO’S AND DONT’S:
- DO: Use an electric razor or small scissors to trim your hair before shaving.
- DON’T: Directly shave long, thick hair using a razor.
- DO: Cleanse + exfoliate before shaving to buff away dead skin, un-clog pores, and cleanse the open hair follicles.
- DON’T: Use tweezers to remove ingrown hairs. Leave it to a professional to prevent further irritation or an infection.
- DO: Use shaving cream, gel, or butter to provide seamless slip for your razor.
- DON’T: Dry shave or rely on soap or body wash to lubricate the skin.
- DO: Use a clean, sharp razor with multiple blades.
- DON’T: Shave with a dull, dirty razor, which can not only cause ingrowns, razor bumps, and nicks, but possibly even infections.
- DO: Shave in the direction of hair growth.
- DON’T: Shave against the direction of hair growth.
- DO: Treat + moisturize skin after shaving to alleviate ingrowns and replenish lost moisture.
Hair removal is a personal preference, and you should never feel pressured into shaving. If you favor silky smooth skin down there, and you’re wondering how to shave pubes the right way, this guide should tell you everything you need to know.
Now you’ve officially mastered the art of pubic hair removal! Congrats!
