The GQ Guide to Body Grooming

Also, don’t hastily slide the groomer over your skin. Take it slow. Because the amount of pressure you apply to the device can impact how you're cutting the hair. (Said by

someone with a chest-sweater who has too often trimmed one strip much shorter than the rest of it, despite using the same guard setting.) Easy does it.

4. Finish with a spot check

After the initial pass on the chest—and once you’ve settled on that desired length—you may notice a few patches. It’s hard to get a uniform trim across the contours of the chest (especially since you might apply pressure differently). This is where you have to “eyeball” it, and go in without a guard to trim away the hairs that escaped the trimmer. Your body grooming device should come with a smaller detailing head too—even the nose-hair trimmer works well for this. Again, don’t rush it—the slightest slip of the wrist could lead to the opposite problem (like a totally bare patch). This gets trickier with shorter hair, but there’s one good way to cheat: Use a fine-toothed comb as your guard, and comb against the grain to get the hairs to stand up—at the nipple, under the pecs, around the abs. As you trim slowly, you should have more control over the end result.


Now, here’s the most optimal advice for navigating specific body parts:

How to Manage Chest Hair

1. Don’t shave it: Unless you want to be a human pumice stone for your significant other, then it’s best to avoid shaving your chest. Your partner will appreciate this most of all. It’ll also spare you from having to shave half of your body every single day.

2. For smoothness, use depilatory cream: If you're determined to achieve that swimmer-sleek look, then there's an alternative route. I would first suggest a depilatory cream to dissolve the hair at its root; this will buy you a few weeks before it starts to regrow, and it won’t grow back with a blunt, sharp edge. Test a bit on one patch of hair to see how you react. If it goes well, take it all off. If not, then you can consider waxing it. (Eek.)

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3. Waxing is a last resort: Waxing will be painful and often results in a breakout. If you see a trusted professional, however, you can avoid most problems as long as you avoid sweating and wearing tight clothing for a few days to follow. On the upside, you can expect up to six weeks before the new hairs grow in. Regardless of which full-removal method you attempt (cream or wax), do it a few days before you need to showcase the goods. It should look bare and smooth by then, barring any possible redness, sensitivity to sun, or irritation. Follow the procedure as you would a shave: a cold shower, and nourishing/toning lotion.

4. Trimming is your best option: If you’re content with your chest hair and simply want to avoid any unruliness, then get a manscaping body groomer. This will allow you to keep the chest hair at a short but flexible length. You won’t look like a brillo pad, nor will you sandpaper your partner.

How to Trim Shoulder Hairs

If you’re nixing shoulder hair completely, then avoid razors and use a body trimmer. The shoulders are susceptible to breakouts, given they spend the whole day under your shirt, accumulating sweat and never breathing. This is why you want to trim the hair above the skin and avoid all of the problems that a razor invites.

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