Using A Pubic Hair Trimmer Before Shaving

Imagine this: you’re getting a haircut, and your barber walks out with just a razor and shaving cream to cut your full head of hair - no clippers, trimmers, or scissors. Wouldn’t that be absurd! (unless you’re bald, then that’s normal - but for the purpose of this analogy pretend you have long locks of hair). Surely it’d be a very long and uncomfortable experience for both parties involved. In reality, this wouldn’t happen because of the length of the hair.

It seems obvious but this logic is often forgotten when it comes to shaving pubic hair. When pubic hair gets to a certain length, it must be trimmed before going in with a razor. Keep reading to learn about how to groom your pubic hair and how it will benefit your skin and hair.

Why do we even have pubic hair?

Pubic hair is unlike any hair on the rest of our body. Pubic hair is more thick, coarse, and wiry than the hair on our legs, chests, backs, underarms, and scalps. According to dermatologist Marc Glashofer, the texture of pubic hair tends to be thicker and coarse because “It prevents friction during intercourse that can cause skin abrasion and rashes….More importantly, pubic hair serves as protection against bacteria and other pathogens.”.

Our bodies create pubic hair for a reason. Just because pubic hair serves an important function doesn’t mean you’re obligated to keep it. Whether you shave it off or let it grow - that is completely your prerogative. But I want to stress that you should never feel ashamed of your pubic hair - it is your body's way of protecting you. That being said, since you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’re interested in taking care of your pubic hair. So let’s get into it!

What not to do when shaving your pubic hair

Before outlining what to do when shaving down there, it’s necessary to establish what not to do. When you think about it, shaving is essentially dragging a metal blade across your skin to slice your hair off and open up the hair follicle. I don’t mean to deter you with this visual. Rather, I want to stress the importance of keeping your skin and razor clean before and after you shave. 

Do not use an old razor

Old razors pose two risks for the skin: 1) they are dull; and 2) they contain bacteria. Dulls razors create microscopic tears in the skin because they must run over the same area before successfully removing the hair. These abrasions leave the skin vulnerable to infection. Bacteria, dirt and oil that naturally accumulates on the surface could seep right into the skin causing angry rashes to appear in their place. Old blades also carry bacteria so the risk of infection increases as the blade causes more micro abrasions.

Do not dry shave

Shaving on dry skin will cause major skin irritation including razor burn and ingrown hairs. When the skin lacks moisture, it can become rough. Dragging a razor on an already rough surface can aggravate the skin and can discomfort Using a moisturizing agent (whether it's conditioner or shaving cream) will allow the razor to glide effortlessly on the skin and minimize tugging. 

To be clear, dry shaving is not the same as dry trimming. Dry trimming is completely fine. The blade of a trimmer does not meet the surface of the skin so the same rules don’t apply - Click here to learn about how to use a trimmer. 

Do not shave without cleaning the skin first

As previously mentioned, dirt, oil, and bacteria naturally accumulate on the surface of the skin throughout the day. It is for this reason that you should never shave your pubic area without cleaning your pubic skin first! Without cleansing, this debris will seep into the freshly opened hair follicles and cause razor burn. Investing in a pH balanced cleanser is an important step to make sure that no lingering bacteria seeps into the freshly opened hair follicles after hair removal.

Click here to learn about the importance of using pH balanced products near your vagina.

Do not shave without a moisturizing shave cream

You should never shave your pubic area without some sort of moisturizing cream - it could be your conditioner or any shave cream of your choice. When we shave, the first blade of the razor will lift up the hair strand so the next blade can slice it off. Pubic hair is very coarse so the razor requires the help of a moisturizing agent to lift the hair strand sufficiently. Otherwise, the razor will have to pull and tug on the hair rather than glide. This tugging will cause excessive irritation and lead to razor bumps and burn. 

Shaving Your Pubic Hair

Shaving down may seem intimidating but it’s actually very simple! Below you will find a step by step breakdown of how to prep your pubic area, shave the hair, and treat the skin afterwards. 

Step 1: Exfoliate with a sugar scrub

Exfoliating before shaving will soften the skin and hair. Soft skin will allow your razor to glide effortlessly and soft hair allows the razor to cut through with little resistance. Using a combination of nourishing ingredients and essential oils, our exfoliating scrubs will deep clean your pores, soften the hair, and let your skin breathe. The hydrating properties in the scrub will ensure that your pubic area is prepped and ready for a clean shave.

Step 2: Trim

Trimming before shaving pubic hair is a crucial step. The Francesca Trimmer is designed to comb all the hair in the same direction and cut it down to the same size. This will prevent ingrown hairs and razor bumps caused by being shaved at a weird angle. 

Pubic hair has a wiry texture and can sometimes curl and grow in different directions. This can become an issue when it comes time to shave. As previously mentioned, the first blade of the razor will lift up the hair strand so the next blade can slice it off. If the hair strand is too long, curled or pointing in a weird direction, the razor won’t be able to properly lift the strand. Instead, the razor will cut the strand at a weird angle. The hair could then fall below the skin line with a sharp edge. When it is time for the hair to grow, the sharp tip and awkward position of the cut will cause the hair strand to curl back into the skin, remain trapped beneath the skin’s surface and become an ingrown hair.

Click here to learn about how to use the Francesca Trimmer.

The Francesca Trimmer is safe to use and will not irritate, nic or cut your skin in the process of trimming. 

Step 3: Cleanse with a pH balanced cleanser 

Cleanse the skin! The cleanser will remove the dirt and oils on the surface that would otherwise seep into the skin after the hair follicles are opened. Clean skin minimizes the risk of infection and irritations in the form of razor burn. 

Step 4: Apply shave cream

Lather your pubic skin with a shaving gel, cream or even your conditioner. Using moisturizing agent will enable your razor to glide with ease across the skin as opposed to tugging.  This step preserves the skin’s moisture and helps protect the skin from irritation. 

Step 5: Shave

There are a couple things to remember before going in with a razor. First, make sure your razor is sharp. A sharp blade will remove as much hair as possible with as little strokes as possible. You should replace your blade every ten shaves. Second, use a different razor on your pubic area than you do on your legs/underarms.  According to Dr. Zeichner, dermatologist,  “Due to the texture of pubic hair, a shaper blade is required to remove the hair,”. A razor will become duller the more you use it. If one razor is designated for the pubic area, legs, underarms etc. it will get much more dull in a shorter amount of time. 

Finally, shave with the grain! In other words, move the razor in the same direction that your hair grows. This will eliminate tugging and ensure a seamless interaction between blade and skin. 

Click here to learn how to properly shave with a razor.

Step 6: Treat

After stepping out of the shower, gently massage the oil into the pubic area. Each oil contains Jojoba and Copaiba oils which will naturally soften the skin and hydrate the pores while the tea tree oil works to kill bacteria and the grapeseed allows the mixture to dry into the skin quickly and seamlessly. For after-shave care, we recommend the Nude Oil or Sweet Escape Oil.

Click here to learn about the difference between the Sweet Escape Collection and the Nude Collection (you can find this info at the button of the blog)