Each and every woman has her own bikini area “style.” Regardless of whether you prefer the bare Brazilian look, the “landing strip,” or just cleaning up the edges – we all suffer from annoying and uncomfortable razor burn, bumps, and ingrown hairs once in a while. There are certain shaving techniques, pre, and post shave products that will help, if not eliminate that painful, itchy “plucked chicken” look. Here are some tips for healthy and safe shaving “down there.”
1. Exfoliate- Gently scrub the bikini area before shaving to remove dead skin that leads to pore-clogging, post-shave irritation. You can use a scrubby cloth, or a regular body or facial scrub. Exfoliating this area on a regular basis will help prevent future irritation, ingrown hairs, and skin sensitivity.
2. Wait Until The End Of Your Shower, And Use A Natural, Oil-Based Shave Cream – For the sensitive skin in your bikini area, there is a basic shaving technique that experts agree works for everyone. Most experts suggest waiting until the end of a shower to shave. After your skin has been soaking, hair and skin become softer, allowing for a close, gentle shave. Apply an emollient-rich, cream-based shave cream containing argan and hemp seed oils to add moisture and protection during your shave.
3. Shave With Hair Growth First, Then Against The Grain – Pubic hair is coarse, and the skin in that area is the most prone to irritation. Start by shaving in the same direction as the hair growth. Then, if you want a smoother, completely hairless look, shave against the grain, and rinse. This technique can be used on all body hair, but generally finer hair on the legs and arms can be shaved against the grain from the start. It is best to use a fresh razor every time your shave our bikini area.
4. Gently Pat Dry – After you are done shaving, pat the skin dry – don't rub. Rubbing with a towel irritates the skin, and should not be done regardless of whether the skin is freshly shaved or not. You should also try to keep out of the heat to avoid sweating for 24 hours after shaving to prevent itchiness and ingrown hairs.
5. Apply an All Natural After Shave Treatment – Apply an after shave treatment containing all natural ingredients. Tea tree oil-based products are particularly effective for a freshly shaved or waxed bikini area. Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. It is a very effective natural remedy against countless skin ailments, infections, cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites and skin spots etc.
Using Tea tree oil will help heal and renew the skin, which allows you to shave more often and maintain a close shave with minimal irritation. Look for a product that combines tea tree oil with more emollient, vitamin E and Omega 3, 6, 9 rich oils such as hemp seed oil, avocado, rose hips, soybean, jojoba and apricot oil to moisturize and protect freshly shaved skin. These types of after shave oils are great for after waxing as well.
6. Stay Away From Products That Contain Harmful, Irritating Ingredients – Freshly shaved skin that is as sensitive as the bikini area easily absorbs any products you may apply, therefore it is important to avoid harmful or irritating chemicals. Be sure to avoid pre and post shave products that contain mineral oil, dyes, sulfates propylene glycol, acetylsalicylate (which is potentially toxic and present in many shave products), phthalates or parabens.
