If you are reading this article, I will assume that you are a first-timer and have never taken scissors, a razor, an electric shaver or anything else to the fuzz growing between your legs. It may be in a state of complete chaos and you're wondering how things ever got so out of control...but the important thing is that you've taken that first step and decided to shave.
Before you get started, you may want to take some time to consider the various hair styles and designs you can select when it comes to taking this hair removal plunge. There is so much to cover, we've made a completely separate article about it. In the past, it has been common to just trim or pluck the bikini area, go with a basic landing strip pattern or simply shave it all off. But in the 21st century, people are taking a much more creative approach to pubic hair grooming; shaving or waxing intricate patterns into their hair and even coloring it.
You'll should gather everything you'll need in the bathroom (generally the best place to do this task) so you don't need to stop in the middle of the process to fetch something. I will be focusing on shaving with a personal razor (non-electric) and shaving cream for the majority of this article. I personally use the Gillette Venus Vibrance and find it leaves a very smooth shave. If you want to save a few bucks on razor blades, you don't need to buy their special Vibrance blades because they are no different than the original Venus ones aside from coloring - but don't tell Gillette I told you that!
Now it's time to get down to business. One of the first things you will want to do is trim down your pubic hair with a pair of clean scissors or an electric razor. (If you've shaved before and your pubic hair isn't very long, you can skip this first step and just start with the main event.) You want your scissors or razor to be clean so you don't cause yourself any unnecessary risks of infection. When you shave, it is likely that tiny nicks will develop (some of them so tiny you won't even see them) and if you're using scissors you were just using to prune flowers in your garden or an electric razor you used on your dog, your chances of a bacterial infection are certainly going to be elevated.
"Trim down" means what it sounds like. The goal is not to remove all your pubic hair in this step but to thin the trees back so you can get an effective shave with your razor later on. Otherwise you will end up cleaning your razor many, many times to keep the blade exposed and may end up snagging hairs which is never pleasant. You may want to do the trimming over the toilet bowl or in your shower, but you will certainly want to collect the hair you trim off somehow. If you are planning to be waxed instead of shaving, your pubic hair should be around one quarter of an inch long but no shorter than one eighth of an inch.
If you haven't done so already, why not check out your hair situation now in the mirror and see how things are going? You may find that after a trim, you have reached a pubic hair length which you are comfortable with. It's your hair and if you're not ready to go completely bare yet, there's no pressure. But if you are ready to go on, so am I.
It's now time to get wet and lather up. I prefer to shave in the shower after I've washed my hair because it gives the skin a bit of time to warm up and lets the steam of the warm shower soften the skin. You could also take a bath first but should shave at the end when you are ready to drain the water. I also usually put one leg up on the side of the bathtub or on a stool or step in the shower so I have better access to everything.
Cover your pubic hair with shaving oil, jelly or lather to form a layer of lubrication between your skin and the razor. I like to use shaving oil and jelly because I can feel the razor sliding over the skin smoothly, without leaving cuts and nicks. If you are desperate, hair conditioner can also be used but for best results I'd only use it in a real emergency.
You may also want to give some consideration to the type of shaving matter you use and what skin types it is recommended for. My favorite products are Venereous Shaving Oil and Venereous Shaving Jelly from Newf Brand. You can use them together, the jelly layered over the oil, or you can use each of them separately. Using them together just gives you an extra layer of shaving protection against nicks and leaves the skin extra moisturized. Plus neither of these products foam so you can actually see what you're shaving which is very useful.
Some gels have mint and other ingredients in them which may not be suitable for the sensitive skin in your nether regions. I have not had any adverse reactions using men's shaving gel versus women's but I generally select a product for sensitive skin. Some women's shaving gels state on the label that they are recommended to be used in the bikini zone and generally have a more feminine scent to them.
I usually cover the entire area I am going to shave at the beginning so I don't need to set the razor down constantly and fiddle with the container of shaving gel. You can always go back and add more shaving oil later, but be careful with some gels and creams because if you leave leave them on too long, you may start to notice a burning sensation on your skin. If that occurs, wash the lather off immediately and give your skin a few moments to recuperate. If you have another shaving lather, you may want to use it for the rest of the process and I would recommend not using the shaving lather which burns you again in the future for this sensitive area.
Now you're ready to put the blade to your skin. Don't be scared. If you've shaved your legs before, you know that it can take a little time before you are fully comfortable with all the contours of your body. Shaving your mound is no different and each one varies so you may find that these steps don't work perfectly for you or that a different order is a bit better. I'm just speaking from my personal shaving experience over the last 8 years.
Start with the top of your mound, use one hand to gently pull back the skin so it is tight and, with the razor in the other hand, shave down with the hair growth. I like to start on the sides near the crease of my legs and then work towards the center. After I've shaved most of my mound against the hair growth, I then shave against the growth and sometimes from side to side.
In some areas of the body, such as the armpits, hair grows in multiple directions and to get a very close shave, you need to shave in each direction of growth to get every hair at its base. But when first starting out this can increase your chances of razor burn in the end so be sure that you have plenty of lather covering your mound while doing this. Run your fingers over your mound and if it's smooth, you're ready to go on.
The lips can be a bit trickier although the outer labia should be similar to shaving your mound. Shaving against the hair growth usually gets most of the hairs although you may have to retrace your stroke one or twice to catch any strays. Try not to go over the skin too many times, though, as this also might cause irritation later on. If you feel the need to shave with the hair growth, be careful because you may end up nicking yourself which is quite uncomfortable.
To shave inside your labia, use your free hand to gently roll the lips open and carefully pull the razor up along the edge of your lip and around the upper ridge to get those little hairs which will really agitate your partner during oral sex if they are missed.
At this stage, you are more or less finished. You may want to reach back and give your anus a quick once over just to be thorough. This is where a second set of hands would come in very handy. In fact, you may want someone to assist you during this entire process but try not to get too carried away or you may end up with a lot more cuts than you expected.
Once you get out of the shower or the tub, you may want to use a moisturizer such as Venereous Mountain Mist to help prevent irritated skin and razor burn. Try to avoid excessively touching the area for a few hours as that may also cause irritated skin.
If you decide you love the feeling of your smoothly shaved mound, maintaining this style is simple. You will probably only want to shave every few days at first until your skin gets used to this constant new attention. If you do decide to start shaving daily right from the start, your skin may be more sensitive and irritated for the first few days that you continue this process. But as it adjusts, any discomfort and elevated levels of irritation usually subside.
Although shaving can be a bit tricky and it does take a bit of getting used to, most women love the results - and so do their partners! If you're doing this just for someone else, don't forget to let them know that you did go to some trouble and would really appreciate if they went out of their way to clear the forest too (if they aren't already)!
