3 min readOption One: Trim It Up
You’ll want to avoid nicks and irritation when you're shaping your chest, torso, and stomach. So use a trimmer with multiple settings or comb attachments so you can start longer and go tighter as you perfect your technique, says John Rivera, founder of NY Barber. Here are some starter styles for inspiration.
- The Broccoli: Keep the hair bushy on the chest, with a straight line down to the navel and beyond. This taper also helps magnify a V shape.
- The Cumulus Nimbus: Here, the chest stays full, but you’ll trim the rest almost to the skin. It’ll help your abs look great, too.
- The Great Divider: Trim most, leaving it fuller in the middle of the chest to accentuate your epcs, says Oskar Moret, owner of MPM Body Hair Grooming in New York City.
- The Power Mow: An all-over trim, with a uniform look. Your standard one-inch clipper brush attachment is a good option here, Rivera.
Philips Norelco BodyGroomer 7000 Series
Philips Norelco BodyGroomer 7000 Series
This thresher comes outfitted with two flexible heads to adapt to the contours of your body to get every last hair. There are also adjustable combs that allow you to customize length, pearl-tipped blades to keep you safe, a built-in light (!) to help you see, and a foldable attachment for tough-to-reach spots.
Option Two: Take It Off
An anti-irritation bar helps release trapped hairs for extra smoothness, while a separate anti-ingrown bar minimizes the pressure that leads to bumps. The ergonomic handle makes it easier to maneuver over complicated areas, like your scrotum and undercarriage.
Read More: GilletteLabs Body + Intimate Razor Review
The intergalactic-looking beads are melted down, applied to your skin, and then peeled off—no strips needed. Plus, the melted beads emit a smoky-whiskey scent, which makes the process a little less painful.
This at-home hair-removal laser uses intense pulsed light (IPL) to target and kill unwanted strands. Designed to mimic professional results, the Nood also features a cooling panel to make the 10-minute treatment as comfortable as possible for the 90 days needed for maximum effect.
Option Three: Let It Grow
If you prefer to keep your hair full-on Papa Bear in the summer, that’s cool too. Dermatologist Dr. Josh Zeichner, MD, recommends switching from cream-based moisturizers to gel-style hydrators or thinner lotions, both of which disperse better and penetrate skin. Sunscreen, too, can be tough to apply for furry guys, which is why Dr. Zeichner encourages sprays for hair-dense areas. (Remember: You must rub ’em in.) And try a jojoba body oil, which will help keep everything looking under control.
Don’t Forget Your Skin
Shaving and waxing can strip the epidermis, the top layer of your skin, causing irritation and dryness, says Dr. Zeichner. To soothe angry skin, a hypochlorous acid wash or spray (we like the Enhanse Super Clean Antimicrobial Skin Cleansing Spray) will keep the area clean and calm, he says. Then you’ll want to repair the skin’s protective barrier by using a moisturizer with humectants like hyaluronic acid or glycerin and ceramides. A good option: Skinfix Barrier + Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream. If you experience mild redness, Dr. Zeichner recommends a thin layer of Bacitracin ointment, which protects compromised skin and prevents infection.
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Brian Underwood is beauty director at Women’s Health, where he oversees content strategy for the brand across all platforms, including digital, print, and social. Underwood previously served as beauty and wellness director at Oprah Daily and O, The Oprah Magazine. During his tenure leading beauty content for the Oprah brand at Hearst, stories Underwood commissioned were awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation Media Award and a Fragrance Award for Editorial Excellence (his second). He was the launch Beauty Director of Dr. Oz THE GOOD LIFE, and has held additional editorial positions at Fitness, Organic Style, Good Housekeeping, Life & Style Weekly, and Woman’s Day and has written for Self, Shape, Seventeen, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and many more. Underwood previously served on the Skin Cancer Foundation’s gala committee and as partnerships director of the Trans Beauty Clinic, a New York-based charitable organization that provided beauty services and workshops to the city’s trans community.
