The Dos and Don’ts of Manscaping Every Guy Needs to Know
Manscaping. The term itself can be a bit off-putting — it’s vague, mysterious and downright intimidating if you don’t know what it implies or how to do it correctly. But it’s actually a false alarm; manscaping is just the guy way of saying body grooming. It means smelling good, keeping your parts in order and making a good impression on others in addition to feeling good about yourself. (Yes, manscaping can have a positive effect on your confidence levels.)
Are you going to feel better about yourself going on a blind date knowing that you’re ready for an intimate evening just in case? It’s simple logic: Manscaping isn’t something to be afraid of, but rather embraced. Especially if you expect your partner(s) to maintain a certain appearance or beauty standard, you owe it to them to return the favor. And trust us, you’ll feel more relaxed heading into any close encounter knowing that you’re in your best form.
Manscaping isn’t about excessive grooming either — it’s not a given that women appreciate a guy who’s obviously spent hours in front of the bathroom mirror any more than a man who neglects the area completely. You don’t need to buy a bunch of useless products and you don’t need to be someone you’re not. It’s simply about polishing up your natural assets and showing pride in the person you want to present to others.
What Is Manscaping?
First, let’s start with an official definition. Google states that manscaping is “the removal or trimming of hair on a man’s body for cosmetic effect.”
Although simplified, hair control is the essential component of manscaping, although the definition could be expanded to include other grooming tasks. In any case, however, the real question you should be asking is: How to manscape? Well, to understand the male grooming practice is to examine its full range, which could involve outlining one specific region of the body, or its entirety.
Best Manscaping Trimmers, Tips, and Tools
Wax. Razor. Trimmer. Scissors. Choose your weapon. Each one complements another and works best on specific body parts. Trimmers mow down hair most efficiently, while razors come into play once hair is cut short or to stubble length, giving the blades enough room for a sleek shave. Keep these grooming instruments on your radar.
Equinox Professional Razor Edge Series Hair Cutting Scissors
The most basic of trimming tools, these grooming scissors aren’t only for the hair on your head. Take these professional level scissors to your pubes with confidence thanks to high quality Japanese stainless steel and a comfortable, ergonomic design. Start by trimming your pubes and get comfortable with those before you go below to your balls.
Philips Norelco Body Groomer
A 3D pivoting shaving head combined with a built-in trimmer hosting five length settings, the Body Groomer practically accommodates every major body part. Abs. Chest. Shoulders. You name it. Even operate it as an electric shaver to earn a velvety mug. The self-sharpening blades will cut through shrubbery without any lubrication.
Braun Grooming Kit
Mowing the entire lawn requires a one-stop manscaping shop. Braun blesses you with a full-on electric razor grooming kit designed for precision control across the body. The bundle comes equipped with four combs covering 13 precision setting lengths, plus a few other attachments and a Gillette Fusion ProGlide manual razor for final touches.
Mangroomer Ultimate Pro Back Shaver
Not a beard trimmer in design, Mangroomer’s extended trimmer is a godsend for grizzlies struggling to manage their back and rear, propelled by two shock absorber flex heads and a Power Burst mode that shaves over super-thick hair with finesse. The ultra-sensitive blades are hypoallergenic to warrant long-term use, and the ergonomic rubberized grip of the handle supports maximum control for stabilized trims.
Meridian The Maintenance Package
The Meridian body groomer has made quite a name for itself in the sensitive skin shaving game. This waterproof trimmer isn’t like those other trimmers your private parts have seen before. Specifically designed to trim the hair down there, and not your facial hair, this electric trimmer uses sensitive skin shaver technology to keep shaving rash at a minimum. We suggest you opt for the full … package … with these two backup blades and the citrus-scented ball spray that helps with odor neutralization and skin irritation.
Andis Personal Trimmer
Eyebrow hair, ear hair, and nose hair — arguably three of the most misunderstood spots on a man’s body. The Andis portable trimmer has the grooming prowess to clean up your mug in all areas with recessed cutting blades for closer, safer trims. Pack the device in any dopp kit when traveling or store it in the cabinet with a protective cap to preserve blade sharpness.
Gillette Fusion5 ProGlide Razor
Sure, you could use a disposable razor, but flexibility is everything in a razor, especially when aiming below the belt. The Fusion5 ProGlide Gillette razors support patented FlexBall Technology to let the razor head contour every angle and shape of the body. The streamlined comfort guard and enhanced lubrication strip adds relief and security to the chore.
Best Manscaping Tools for Waxing
Nightmares of Steve Carrell having his chest transformed into a checkers board run rampant as we speak. The scary truth is that the more hair you have, the more painful the waxing experience is going to be. Follow protocol and trim first, or better yet, have a professional do it. Once in the waxing phase, results can last as long as four to eight weeks, with hair growing back softer (and thinner) than before.
Parissa Men’s Wax Strips
These cold wax strips come 20 per box and are sized perfectly for the back, chest and shoulders. Each strip can also be cut to manage smaller spots. Perfect for last-minute touch ups or when heading on vacation, they make for great quick fixes and help eliminate the messiness that usually comes with at-home wax application.
VidaSleek Waxing Kit
Listen, if you’ve never waxed yourself before, this might not be the best place to start. However, if you’re one familiar with the wax, it’s hard to go wrong with this VidaSleek kit. This is one of the most effective amongst men thanks to its all-natural contents (lemon, salt and sugar derived from honey). Equipped with two wooden spatulas, a 10 oz jar of all natural wax and eight non-woven wax strips, it pulls hair at the root-level to meet your Brazilian needs.
GiGi Starter Hair Removal Waxing Kit
If you’re really looking to learn how to wax at home, this Amazon best seller is a complete waxing set which most customers claim is easy to use with the wax heating at perfect temperatures to dab across the body. Inside are professional-grade products including a wax warmer, Brazilian hard wax, wood sticks, pre-epilation oil and post-wax cooling gel.
Best Manscaping Creams and Sprays
Creams and lotions get no love these days. Shame seeing as this category of products has helped lay down the foundation for many manscaping routines. Interestingly, the results are said to last just as long, if not a little longer than a complete shave. It’s not laser hair removal, but it’s a lot easier to keep up with than shaving hair, with shaving cream, shaving foam, or whatever else it takes to create a smooth pubes free surface. Furthermore, using these liniments will naturally exfoliate your skin — certainly a bonus.
Nair Hair Remover Spray
Nair’s affordability and simplicity has made it a consumer favorite depilatory cream for over 20 years. Now packaged in an easy spray, it works best on limbs and the back and chest areas. However, its ability to activate while in the shower is what differentiates it from the crowd, producing a cleaner wipe-down removal. Spray it on, wait 10 minutes, then let the shower rinse it off.
Nad’s Hair Removal Depilatory Cream
All manscaping groin jokes aside, Nad’s four minute lotion is suitable for every body part, including your balls. Aloe Vera is one of its signature ingredients to protect and soothe skin after eradicating it of rough hair right from the hair follicle. If you can tolerate the less-than-lovely scent, then consider your testes as smooth as Dominic Toretto’s dome.
Moom Organic Hair Remover
Moom maintains its all-natural integrity with a phenomenal hair removal topical suited for your underarms, legs, underwear line — even your face. It takes the pros of both waxing and sugaring, blending it into one complex minus the drawbacks of its counterparts. Tea tree oil is the signature ingredient used here to repair and sterilize skin, plus the inclusion of chamomile helps to fade out spots and treat acne scars.
Pre-Manscaping Essentials
A whole world of hurt awaits if you attempt manscaping on poorly skin. Same shaving dos and don’ts you practice on the face apply when manscaping your junk. Now meet the go-to products you should adopt before moving ahead.
Baxter Of California Exfoliating Soap
Shower gels are cool but there’s more bang for the buck in Baxter’s 3-in-1 exfoliating bar soap. Not only will you scrub off grime from the skin’s upper layer, but the product features rich ingredients to nourish skin without stripping moisture. Leave your coat feeling cleansed and refreshed right out of the tub before taking a blade to your bits.
eShave Pre Shave Oil
Mainly used for facial purposes, shave oils soften hair and protect the skin from irritation. eShave offers a great selection — cucumber, orange sandalwood and verbena lime — each well mixed to keep skin moisturized and protected from colder, dryer temps. Cover the body part being groomed with a few drops and massage it in to give the razor smoother glide action.
Harry’s Shave Gel
Natural ingredients. Rich lather. Soothing texture. Harry’s aloe-enriched formula relaxes hair and skin, not to mention the gel forms a cushiony layer for superior razor glide to execute close shaves and protect your sheath against razor burn, irritation, nicks and cuts. Then there’s the manly scent that sticks to your skin, doubling nicely as a fragrance for at least a short period … Something to keep in mind before sex.
Dr. Carver Shave Butter
A shaver cream, gel, and oil blended into one beautiful product, DSC’s top-selling shaving aide borrows elements from every popular facial salve and comes in translucent form for seamless blade guidance. Its consistency is so silky — blades won’t clog and you’ll reduce the risk of cuts and the formula is loaded with gentle ingredients to fight off ingrown hairs and razor bumps.
Post-Manscaping Routine
Hair removal takes its toll on the skin. Apply these skincare solutions to keep your skin feeling great before and after manscaping.
Fur Oil
The company’s hero product is formulated with active ingredients to simultaneously soften hair in between manscaping as well as tackle razor bumps, irritation and ingrown hairs post-shave. Gently rub it into problem areas and allow absorption. Its potent yet soothing ingredients include grape seed oil to hydrate, clary sage to soothe redness and tea tree oil — a powerful antimicrobial — to prevent ingrowns.
Anthony Ingrown Hair Treatment
Several ingrown hair treatments are available to rid the body of coarse and curly threads. One of our favorites is Anthony’s specialty hair serum, which uses glycolic acid to rid skin of dead cells. This in turn releases ingrown hairs by freeing bacteria under the skin and calming inflammation.
Grooming Lounge Super Body Powder
This is the talcum powder you’ll fancy to help keep your privates comfortable and dry at all times. Use it anywhere (except the face) to avoid odorous funk, in addition to reducing itchiness. A light, fresh scent is an added touch since it’s suitable for all skin types.
Manscaped Crop Preserver Ball Deodorant
Additives used in common spray deodorants and antiperspirants can lead to some gnarly jock itch. Manscaped sells a much milder solution — an all-in-one deodorant that also acts as a moisturizer for the boy downstairs. The cleverly-named Crop Preserver uses a fast-absorbing gel talcum formulation with antibacterial and anti-chafing protection to give your balls some relief during long shifts.
How to Manscape Body Hair
Some get a rush flexing hairless chests at the beach. Others love the reaction they get in the bedroom unveiling their crown jewels. But what exactly falls under the manscaping pyramid remains a mystery to most guys. The reality is your whole body is fair game — tip-to-tail — and we all have our own sweet spots. So, to guide you in the right direction, we’ve provided a full breakdown of all the major sections to consider deforesting, alongside expert manscaping tips, illustrations, and yes manscaping treatments.
Remember, you can do as much or as little manscaping to your body hair as you feel comfortable with. While some will naturally prefer less body hair, others will enjoy maintaining a bit of their wild side. All are valid options and don’t be afraid to see a professional the first time around to learn the ropes.
How to Manscape Your Groin
Some get a rush flexing hairless chests at the beach. Others love the reaction they get in the bedroom unveiling their crown jewels. But what exactly falls under the body hair manscaping pyramid remains a mystery to most guys. Reality is your whole body is fair game; we all have our different sweet spots. So, to guide you in the right direction, we’ve provided a full breakdown of all the major sections to consider deforesting, alongside expert manscaping tips, illustrations, and yes, manscaping treatments.
Note: Remember, you can do as much or as little manscaping as you feel comfortable with. While some will naturally prefer less pubic hair, others will enjoy maintaining a bit of their wild side. All are valid options.
Step 1: Trim and Apply Shave Gel
Depending on the situation down there, a pair of hair-cutting shears might suffice, though make no mistake, electric clippers perform better. The different guard lengths and shave settings will remove the bulk of pubic hair. Head below the waist at a 45-degree angle and transition your way down to the perineum — the area between the anus and scrotum commonly referred to as the taint.
Let’s be clear: Vision is key here so we must insist on using shaving gels. They work best for lifting whiskers off the body, require less application and provide skin protection plus nourishment. Most importantly, its translucent presence lets you see where your grooming tools should work, while averting slip-ups in areas where the skin is most delicate.
Step 2: Taut and Razor-Ready
Tug the skin back with your non-shaving hand because you don’t want it getting caught under the blade. Start at the balls and perform one stroke, followed by a quick rinse of the blade. Go at it again. Head towards the shaft and hold everything upright as to not go against the grain with the blade and rinse often. Be gentle. Feel free to pass through the perineum if necessary, just be careful since this area is friction-sensitive.
Step 3: Use a Post-Shaving Agent
Shaving any body part, let alone your balls and pubic hair, can lead to some inflammation. Aftershave splashes and lotions can be risky as most utilize alcohol or fragrances that sting like hell. Opt for an aftershave balm to cool down and hydrate skin. Any containing aloe or camphor help reduce irritability.
For more deets on how to shave yourself like a pro, take the plunge and read our full pubic hair guide on shaving your balls.
How to Manscape Your Armpit Hair
Step 1: Trim. It. Down.
Same as the pubic area, it’s all about cutting back the forest. Match your hair length to the proper comb attachment and buzz away. If volume is light, use the trimmer head as is.
Step 2: Exfoliate the Skin
This necessarily applies everywhere, but arms and pits benefit hugely from a nice scrubbing. Learn how to exfoliate the body and value a good exfoliant to purge clogged pores and rid yourself of dead skin. You’ll produce a smoother landscape for grooming tools to work better. (Razor. Trimmer. Whatever.)
Step 3: Lather Up
Stick with a shaving gel for the same reasons we’ve previously preached. It’ll be much easier to navigate through the contours of your arms and pits. Application is much easier as well, since only a little is needed.
Step 4: Shave It Off
Take a cartridge razor, one with a pivoting head and with no less than three blades. Start at the inside of the wrist and transition up to the forearm. Stop at the elbow and move across the forearm with soft strokes. Do the same when tackling the upper part of your arms. When working the pits, shave any way you please since underarm hair naturally grows in all directions.
Step 5: Rinse and Cool Down
Manscaping in the shower lets you rinse off debris instantly. Let the water from the shower head manage all the dirty work. Once finished, pat down arms and pits gently. Then top it off with a skin-soothing lotion featuring aloe vera or other cooling ingredients.
How to Manscape Your Leg Hair
Step 1: Shorten Hair Length
Ads and commercials might lead you to believe it all begins with a razor and some shaving cream. Hell no. You will need to pre-shave your legs with a beard or body trimmer.
Step 2: Scrub-a-Dub
Jump in the tub and apply some form of scrubbing agent on your legs (exfoliating body wash, shower gel, etc.). You can spread it across a shower grooming tool, like a loofah or exfoliating gloves, and rub it over the skin in slight circles to get rid of dead skin.
Step 3: Apply Gel
Foam up those calves, kneecaps, thighs, and ankles. A translucent gel will ensure you don’t miss any lingering hairs.
Step 4: Put in Blade Work
The way you approached the arms is no different from what you’ll need to do here. Take on the thinnest patches first to determine the razor’s maximum hair volume. Keep strokes short and be sure to rinse the blades. Shave with the grain (in the direction hair grows) – going against it in sensitive areas like the inner thigh could irritate the skin.
Step 5: Heal Your Legs
A man’s skin produces more natural oils than a woman’s. Use a good moisturizer or post-shave conditioner to enjoy healthy, smooth legs. These solutions will destroy any existing bacteria as well. Moisturize every day to prevent friction burns.
How to Manscape Your Chest Hair
Step 1: Comb Through the Frizz
Hairy chests are obviously common, and some might love chest hair. But if you want to clear it up, here’s what you need to do. The last thing you want are the trimmer blades getting caught in tangled patches. End result: Pain. Keep a premium hair comb on hand to run through the chest and shoulders (if necessary), which will help untangle any hair knots.
Step 2: Trust the Trimmer
Your chest is prone to accumulate a good amount of fur over time. The abdominal area, not so much. And that’s a good thing. Grab a trimmer and go as short as possible within a 45-degree angle in the direction of the natural grain of your hair. Doing so will give your razor some breathing room.
Step 3: Use a Shaving Agent
Get a good amount of gel out of the jar or tube, lather it up, and spread across the chest and shoulders.
Step 4: Shave It Off
Play it safe with short strokes and shave following the direction of hair growth. Expect to pass the razor through the same spots a few times, primarily around the sternum and (rock-solid) pecs. Flare-ups might occur. Still, it’s nothing you can’t treat.
Step 5: Cool It Down
A quick rinse with lukewarm water and a pat down might be enough depending on how flared up your chest becomes. Then again, an aftershave balm is always welcome.
How to Manscape Your Back Hair
Step 1: Flex and Trim
We’re looking at two of the most difficult spaces to trim – your back and shoulders. Using a trimmer with flexibility and a long reach is a no-brainer. If it supports adjustable comb lengths, even better. Start with a low guard, power that sucker up, and put your contortionist skills to the test snatching up back and shoulder hair.
Step 2: Start Gelling
You’re probably capable of managing shoulder duty on this one. But a second pair of hands are required for the back. Get a girlfriend or part-time lover to smear some shaving gel right down to your crack – or lower, if that’s your thing.
Step 3: Choose a Hair Removal Solution
Razors on your shoulder are no sweat. Same can’t be said for the back. Waxes or a topical cream remain the better option. Either way, you’re going to need another person to get it on. If you’re insistent on using a razor, have the operator shave with the grain.
Step 4: Wipe It Down
Treat these areas the same way you would your arms and pits. Rinse, pat down dry, and prepare an aftershave balm.
Step 5: Clean Up and Exfoliate … Later
The occasional ingrown hair is inevitable. Prevention is the next course of action. Look into getting a back scrubber or have someone gently rub on a good body scrub. This should avoid any bumps, buildups, or redness. Don’t forget to rinse off when you’re through.
How to Manscape the Rest
Step 1: The Moisture Effect
Lotion works for a quick fix, but a shower is even better. Again, steam opens up pores and moistens hair follicles for leveled trims. If too time-consuming, apply a warm compression pad to the area you’re working on.
Step 2: Use a Portable Multi-Trimmer
Most body trimmers host extra accessories to trim facial spots. The problem is that these machines are heavy and provide little to no versatility to reach difficult areas. Invest in a nose hair trimmer, one with multiple heads to clear off the checklist.
Step 3: Clean Up
Most of those trimmed stray hairs stick to your body. Use a wet washcloth to wipe off any lingering whiskers. Maybe take a shaving brush or borrow a girlfriend’s makeup brush if need be. Our personal suggestion is body wipes for the cleansing and hydrating elements. Stock up on some and never forget to rinse the head of the trimmer.
Now that you have all the manscaping tips and tricks you could ever want, get out there and groom that body of yours to your heart’s content.
