Life
Being a badass babe is great but it can also be a total pain in the butt, literally. As in, sometimes you literally have to pull little hairs out of your butt. Bikini grooming is a personal choice for every gal. Do you want to go au natural, wax everything off but leave the landing strip, or have a nice close shave just around the edges to keep things tidy? Whichever way you like it, it means you have to do a little maintenance, even if you're going for a full bush. And that's where bikini grooming hacks come in handy.
We can all use a little help in this regard. It's not exactly a hush hush topic, but it's not something your mom usually teaches you either. When it comes to wondering what to do for prep, during and aftercare, there can be a lot left unanswered.
To find out how to keep your lady parts looking good in between waxing appointments, or your latest shave I spoke to professional lady bit groomer and owner of The Body Politik, Carmen Perez. Her Vancouver-based waxing bar is an inclusive and body positive environment where all bodies are good bodies and every body is deserving of care, no BS, no body snark.
Here are seven of her bikini grooming hacks that will keep your bush looking great.
1
Exfoliate Away Ingrown Hairs
To avoid ingrown hairs, Perez says exfoliation and moisturizing is key. Though you can do this with a bath mitt or shower poof, she suggets using an all natural coconut oil and sugar scrub for the best results. "The sugar is a great exfoliant for your dry skin," she explains. "And the coconut oil will leave you silky smooth."
You can use this treatment, even if you let your hair grow down there. But if you are planning to get a wax, avoid doing this treatment the night before.
"These make it difficult for the wax to grip the hair properly, which can result in missed or broken hairs," Perez explains.
Try: Deep Steep Coconut Oil Sugar Scrub, $11.95, Amazon
2
Trim Your Hairs For A Wax
The length of your hairs can impact the quality of a bikini wax. If the hairs are too long they can tug when waxing which can make the experience a little more uncomfortable.
"Most estheticians will have scissors handy to trim beforehand if that is the case." Perez explains, so don't fear if you didn't get a chance to trim before your wax. If the hairs are too short, it makes it difficult for the wax to grab hold of the hair, she suggests keeping hairs ¼-inch long.
Try: Panasonic Bikini Trimmer, $19.99, Amazon
3
Treat Your Pubic Hair Like Your Locks
If you're going au natural, it's important to keep your hairs clean. And, since pubic hair is just like any other hair, Perez suggests treating it the same way. "Years ago I grew out my hair down there for a boyfriend who liked a bush," she shares. "I did find that using the same good quality shampoo and conditioner that I use on my head made it softer."
Try: Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo + Conditioner, $17, Amazon
4
Soften Hairs Before Shaving
If you like to keep things trim by shaving, Perez says to make sure, "the hair and skin is nice and soft by taking a long bath or shower first." You should use a shaving cream or soap with lots of moisturizer to keep the shave as smooth as possible. And don't even think about shaving a dry bikini area! The razor burn will hurt like hell. Never, ever shave your bikini area dry!
Try: EOS Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream, $4, Amazon
5
Shave Against The Grain & With It
When it comes to shaving, what works for some doesn't always work for others. Though Perez thinks you should do whatever's comfortable.
When it comes to shaving what has worked for me personally is I like to take two passes, the first is with the grain and the second pass I make sure to apply a fresh layer of shaving cream or some coconut oil to go against the grain for a smooth finish.
Try: Gilette Venus Spa Razor, $7.99, Amazon
6
Go Electric
Trimming can be tricky, using an electric trimmer can be loads of help to make things easier and keep your hairs even.
Try: Phillips Deluxe Bikini Trimmer, $44.99, Amazon
7
Don't Pull The Skin
"Whichever way you’re shaving you should make sure not to pull the skin too tight," Perez says. She adds that this method only encourages ingrown hairs which are a pain to get rid of — literally and physically.
Now go forth and treat your bush as well as you treat your mane!
