Gone are the days when men needed to look as rough-and-tumble as possible to turn a woman's head. The caveman look might work for some, but most women prefer their partners clean, sanitary, and well-groomed.
For the modern man, this means taking control of their body hair.
Chances are, you've been shaving since an early age. Yet, how much do you really know about the art of manscaping?
If that term caught you off guard, read on. Today, we're sharing everything there is to know about staying neat and trimmed. We'll discuss the elusive manscaping meaning, as well as which tools to use, the body parts to target, and how to approach every step with the care it deserves.
What Is Manscaping?
You mow your lawn, right?
You also edge your sidewalk, trim your hedges, and prune your trees back when they get unruly. These are basic tenets of landscaping, and without them, your yard would grow out of control. If you neglect these steps altogether, you may even lose neighborhood friends and get a nasty call from the HOA.
That's landscaping, in a nutshell. It's also how the tongue-in-cheek manscaping definition came to be.
What's manscaping? How do you do it and what does manscape mean?
It isn't necessarily a cue to shave everything off altogether, but to take as careful and methodical of an approach with your body hair as you would with your prized crepe myrtles or your weed-free sod. Men manscaping might be a semi-recent movement but it's been a long time coming.
Understanding the Manscaping Meaning
Consider manscaping as the art of landscaping your body. In fact, the very phrase is a combination of the words "man" and "landscaping".
What is manscaping used for? Ultimately, it serves a few important purposes. It's a crucial self-grooming skill that can help you:
- Stay clean
- Stay sanitary
- Stay attractive
Just like women have different tools for body hair removal, your manscaping arsenal will include a few power players. These include trimmers, razors, tweezers, and more.
Mens Manscaping Styles
Every man is unique, and there isn't a one-size-fits-all technique for manscaping. What you prefer (and your partner loves) may differ from your brother, father, or best friend and that's OK.
The scale ranges from totally smooth to fairly hairy, though the latter isn't a free pass to let your body hair grow wild. Even men who take a minimalist approach to manscaping should still take the time to tidy up their look.
Will you go completely hairless, shaving or waxing yourself as smooth as an Olympic swimmer? Or, will you leave your chest hairy and your stomach smooth? What about a snail trail?
Some men prefer to take a more cautious approach to manscaping, trimming their hairs when they get out of hand but otherwise leaving their look alone. Then, there are those who go all-out and leave no fuzz behind.
In addition to considering the level of hair removal you're comfortable with, think also about the shape you want to create with your body hair and where it should be placed. When you approach this task strategically, you can adjust your look to your precise preference.
Manscaping 101: Learning the Basics
Now that we've covered what manscaping entails, let's get into how to do it.
Basically, you can manscape any part of your body where hair naturally grows. This includes your:
- Ears
- Eyebrows
- Nose
- Chest
- Armpits
- Back
- Groin
- Arms and legs
Ready to take control of your appearance? It all starts with using the right tools.
If you've been staying on top of your personal hygiene for a while, you may already have most, if not all, of these in your bathroom cabinet. Here's a brief run-down:
- Facial grooming scissors
- Nose hair trimmers
- Groin hair trimmers
- Tweezers
- BAKBlade
- BODBlade Plus
Once you're all stocked up, there's no stubborn hair you can't handle. Not sure about those last bullets? We'll dive into how they work very soon!
Want to ditch the pile of grooming tools in your bathroom? Our upcoming BODBarber Grooming Kit is an 11-in-1 set that includes everything in the above list, and much more. With one purchase, you'll get a:
- Groin groomer
- Body groomer
- Hair and beard trimmer (with combs)
- Ear and nose groomer
- Micro shaver and design trimmer
Sound like the perfect bundle? Sign up today for our limited-time pre-order offer!
Now, let's take a look at a few simple techniques to follow when you're ready to tackle each area.
Manscaping Your Ears
As you grow older, you may start to notice more pesky hairs growing in and around your ears.
Not to fear! These hairs are some of the easiest and quickest to remove. Start by plucking super-long strands around the outside of your ear with a solid pair of tweezers. If you can see more hair in your inner ear, use facial grooming scissors to snip them back.
Don't have time for a thorough manscape? You can always clean up around your ears with a set of electric trimmers. While this can be a quick and convenient approach, keep in mind that trimming your hairs rather than plucking them can cause them to grow back faster.
Manscaping Your Eyebrows
Relax. We won't make you pluck these until your eyes water.
When it comes to shaping your brows, the main idea is to keep them looking neat and polished. You don't need to shape them excessively, but take the time to remove any strays and thin them out when they start looking extra bushy.
Again, grooming scissors are your best friend, here. You can also use tweezers to remove any hairs that have decided to go rogue and grow outside of your natural brow shape.
Manscaping Your Nose
Few things are more distracting than thick, lush nose hairs.
Thankfully, it's relatively easy to notice any overgrowth in this area. The rule of thumb is simple. When you see hairs poking out from the bottom of your nostrils, then it's time to trim them back.
The only thing you don't want to do is pluck those hairs. While it might be tempting, the skin inside of your nose is very sensitive. Plucking can lead to bleeding, which can lead to an infection.
It's better to be safe than sorry, so stick with the scissors. Trimmers will also work but again, be gentle and stick to the outside of your lower nostrils.
Manscaping Your Chest
Before you start manscaping your chest, think about the shape you want to create here. Before you get super exotic, keep in mind that it's best to stay simple.
A neatly-trimmed chest looks great and is easy to maintain. The same goes for a totally bare chest.
For both looks, you'll one key piece of equipment: our BODBlade Plus.
Used wet or dry, this best-seller features our game-changing DRYGLIDE blades, so you can enjoy the smoothest shave of your life. There are no batteries required and no moving parts, just pain-free body hair removal that's surprisingly easy.
That's right: You don't have to go full-on Steve Carrell in The 40-Year-Old Virgin to enjoy a smooth chest. Just grab this tool and you'll get the awesome results -- without bleeding nipples.
Manscaping Your Armpits
Not only is free-flowing armpit hair unsightly, but it's also uncomfortable.
Resist the urge to let yours grow wild, and commit to trimming them on a regular basis. If you have a pair of body hair trimmers, you can cut the jungle back in just a few minutes.
For best results, use a #2 guard at a minimum and go slow. It's easy to nick yourself by speeding along the surface.
Manscaping Your Back
For many men, shaving their back is a major pain.
If you live alone, it can be difficult to reach across the entire area and make sure you got everything. Even if you do have a partner who doesn't mind the task, it can still be time-consuming and frustrating.
Then, it seems as though every option for back hair removal is either painful or inefficient. Waxing doesn't feel great, hair removal creams aren't always successful, and it's nearly impossible to find an extendable set of trimmers that reach everywhere.
Enter, the BAKBLADE.
Our innovative BAKBlade 2.0 Elite Plus takes the legwork and the guesswork out of shaving your own back. It also makes this hair-splitting process safer and more effective than ever before.
With our patented DRYGLIDE blade, you'll enjoy the smoothest shave of your life, wet or dry. Plus, the built-in exfoliating brush keeps your skin soft and nourished, for a final result you have to feel to believe. Each BAKBLADE comes with a convenient wall mount so it's always within reach.
Manscaping Your Groin
Before you manscape your groin, consider the strategy you want to take. There are three main areas to trim, and you'll need to approach each one a little differently. They include:
- Your pubic bush
- Your testicles
- Your shaft
A body groomer is ideal for trimming below the belt. Any time you're working in this region, remember to pull the skin taut. This will give you a better shave and help prevent painful nicks.
However, it's best to reserve the trimmer for your pubic bush, only. Once you're ready to trim around your testicles, switch to shaving cream and a straight wet razor. Exercise plenty of caution here and only trim where necessary.
The same goes for the hair at the base of your shaft. Shaving cream and a wet razor work well here, but stop before you venture into bush territory.
Want to take your grooming a little further? If you're bothered by the hair around your perineum or backside, a professional groomer can help you wax it or remove it with laser treatment. If you shave it yourself at home, switch back to your body trimmer and use a very low setting.
Manscaping Your Arms and Legs
You don't necessarily have to manscape your arms and legs. In fact, many men choose to leave these areas natural and just keep them clean with soap or body wash.
However, if you do prefer to keep your limbs clean-shaven, you can easily do so.
While waxing will produce smoother results, the hair might grow back quicker. Alternatively, you can shave it yourself instead.
If you want to shorten the hair without removing it completely, use a body trimmer with a #1 or #2 guard. On the other hand, a straight razor will help you achieve a silky smooth, hair-free look.
Take Your Manscaping Game to the Next Level
When you invest in a BAKBLADE, you've already won at manscaping.
This tool allows you to shave your own back, so you don't have to feel like an ape anymore.
When you first receive it, you might be impressed by its size and shape, but totally unsure how to use it. We get it, and we're here to help. We've put together a series of video tutorials to help you get started and make the best use of your new favorite product.
Once you watch the videos, you'll have all the knowledge you need to take your shaving routine to the next level.
In addition to the basic blade, you can also select one of our premium packages, which combines all the products you'll need into one set for easy access. These include the BAKBLADE 2.0 Elite Plus Bundle and the BAKBLADE Confidence Kit.
The former includes the BAKBLADE2.0 Elite, along with six PAK blade refills. The latter comes with 12 PAK blade refills, a travel bag, and our BODBLADE Plus precision shaver.
Actual Manscaping Magic
Now that you know the processes behind the manscaping meaning, are you ready to transform the way you tackle your body hair? Whether you want to embrace the free spirit look or shave everything off completely, the right tools make all the difference.
That's where we come in.
Our products do more than save your time, money, and sanity. They also give you the confidence you need to feel great in your body and show it off.
In addition to our BAKBLADE and BODBLADE Plus, we're also excited to roll out our BODBARBER 11-in-1 Complete Body Groomer. Once this set is in your hands, you'll have everything you need to safely and successfully navigate your manscaping journey.
Have any questions about the products in our shop? Get in touch today!
