Go Bare Chested

The 1970’s trend for excessive body hair is long gone… male body hair removal is now mainstream and it’s here to stay. Luckily, with all the modern tools, gadgets and products now at our disposal it's never been easier to get rid of your rug for a hair free body that is easier to keep clean and cool. Read on for our essential guide to body hair removal.

Skin Prep Just like when you shave your face, properly preparing the skin is the first step toward a close, comfortable body shave, avoiding ingrown hairs and skin irritation and ultimately achieving better results. The last thing you want is the razor dragging over sensitive areas so don’t skimp on the prep.

Make sure you’re squeaky clean before you trim - it’s a no brainer when you think about it - oils and dirt from your skin can clog your blades and prevent the shaver or trimmer from gliding smoothly across your skin. Have a warm shower and use a non drying body wash. The Australian Body Care Body Wash is rehydrating and contains tea tree oil which is antiseptic and antibacterial, making it the perfect choice for pre-shave.

It may seem a bit extravagant but exfoliating is the best way to prime your skin for a body shave. Not only does it gently remove dead layers of skin which allows the shaver or groomer to cut closer to the base of your hair but it also smoothes the surface of your skin helping prevent ingrown hairs which are just plain nasty... win win. If it all seems a bit like hard work check out the Braun SE901 Spa Body Exfoliator. Designed for use in the bath or shower it makes body exfoliation a walk in the park.

If you have especially thick, dense hair or longer patches use some sharp barber scissors to trim it down before you reach for your shaver to reduce time, avoid clogging your blades and achieve a closer, smoother shave.

The Shave

Back
For whatever reason, the back is the least favoured place for body hair. By removing your back rug not only will you look better undressed but you will feel better too - clothes won’t cling and it is far more comfortable and hygienic in the summer or when hitting the gym. Unfortunately the back is one of the most difficult areas to deal with (single handedly) as it covers a large area and is just plain hard to get at. Due to the obvious logistical issues some men opt to get the professionals in, but there are cheaper tools that can get the job done at home.

As the aim with back hair is 100% removal, epilation is a great option. Like with waxing, epilation removes the hair from the root which means that the hair takes longer to grow back then removal with surface methods. The Braun BGK7050 Body Grooming Kit is a great introductory product for epilating. The unique combination of all three features provides all-round body grooming. Code-Grip tweezer technology removes hairs as short as 0.5mm from the root, whilst the shaver head provides an effortlessly smooth shave.

If you don’t fancy epilating, a wet shave using a good quality shaving foam or cream and a specialist body shaver is the next best solution. The Philips BodyGroom Series 7000 Body Trimmer is a great all-in-one body grooming solution. Designed for both wet and dry use and for shaving as well as trimming it is a great choice for achieving a comfortable and close back shave.

Chest
Unlike back hair, you don’t need to shave your chest completely clean (unless you want to). A bit of well groomed chest hair looks natural and is seen as manly - bonus!

To create a well groomed chest, opt for an electric body trimmer and ensure your skin is 100% dry before you reach for your shaver - dry, stiff hair is much easier to cut. The Wahl Groomsman Essentials Cordless Battery Grooming Kit is an affordable grooming tool that is perfect for going bare chested. The close trim and six-precision attachment combs provide you with multiple cutting lengths, letting you create a style to suit you.  It is also compact and cordless making it the ideal summer holiday trimmer.

Below the Belt
It’s become pretty standard that you tame hair below the belt. How short you go is up to you but whether you shave it smooth or just trim it down, you should make tidying up down there a regular part of your grooming routine. The Braun BG5030 Body Groomer offers worry-free trimming of your nether regions. The fine trimming element features smaller teeth than regular trimmers, which aims to minimise nicks or cuts as you shave and three different trimming combs; Sensitive, Medium and Long (0.6mm, 3mm & 8mm) to let you tailor the settings to achieve your desired length.

It’s not the easiest area to shave and it’s extremely sensitive so go slow, pull the skin taut to avoid nicks and press lightly as applying too much pressure may cause irritation.

Post Shave After shaving ensure that you rinse the area with cool water to remove all leftover cut hair and shaving foam / cream residue and pat (don’t rub) your skin dry.

Finish with a moisturiser or balm to rehydrate your skin leaving it feeling smooth and supple, not tight and dry. Choose an unscented lotion such as the Razor MD RX Natural Unscented Post Shave Lotion. Containing specially prescribed anti-oxidants and herbal extracts it will soothe, calm, protect and refresh your skin and help protect against razor burn, ingrown hairs and skin irritation.

Lastly clean your trimmer or shaver frequently to prevent bacteria building up on the blades and to optimise the lifespan of your product.

If you’re new to body shaving allow a few weeks for your skin and hair to adjust to your new shaving routine. It can take time for you to get the hang of it but don’t give up, the end result is worth it.