Razor burn, no matter where it is on your body, just plain sucks. I’m pretty sure that since I started shaving at the ripe age of 13, I’ve felt the repercussions of nicks and burns on my legs, under my arms, and, of course, along my bikini line which, if you didn’t know, is a nightmare. Because the skin down there is super sensitive, it can feel almost impossible not to shave without it hurting at least a little after the fact, but if you do your research on how to prevent razor burn on your bikini line, there are options, ladies.
No woman, whether it be her first or hundredth time shaving, should have to endure the painful sting of razor burn down there (or anywhere, really). I mean, the whole point of shaving is to be smooth and feel silky soft, not leveled and on freaking fire. But, anytime you take the plunge and put blade to skin, you’re at risk of a potential scorching — at least, so it seems. Rest assured, it doesn’t have to be that way, friends.
If you can't take the burn, that doesn't mean you have to get out of the bathtub and roam the streets with a braided bikini line for the rest of your life (but if that's your style hey, you do you). Here are a few tricks to try when everything you've done to avoid a bikini line burn hasn't been successful.
In The Buff Natural Bristle Dry Brush, $15.95, Saje
Ingrown hairs make shaving the bikini area that much more of a struggle. One of the best ways to avoid ingrown hairs from forming is to exfoliate often, and an efficient way to do so is to dry-brush on the reg.
Of course, you want to make sure you're being significantly more gentle along the bikini area than you would, say, over your legs and arms. I suggest giving Saje's In The Buff a try for a wonderfully natural exfoliant to routinely remove dull surface cells and enhance the body's revitalization process to ensure skin stays smooth and burn-free.
Instead of seeing the act of shaving your bikini line as a chore (or a severely painful punishment), think of it as a pampering act of self-care. Sounds a lot more appealing that way, right?
It can feel a lot more appealing, too. If you're anything like me, on days when I know I have to shave, I usually try to make the process as quick and painless as humanly possible. This method, however, is doing us dirty, ladies.
Women's Health reports that the key to a burn-free bikini line is to soak in warm water for 10 minutes or so prior to any razor-to-skin contact. Dousing yourself in warm water for a bit will soften the outer layer of your skin and loosen up the hair follicles for easier removal.
After enjoying the warm water, esthetician and electrologist Fumi Ozaki told Women's Health, pat the skin to remove excess water and gently exfoliate around the area to eliminate dead skin cells to ensure a closer and more comfortable shave.
Warm water is essential for bikini prep, but after you shave the sensitive area, switch the nozzle toward cooler temps.
Warmer droplets loosen up the area and allow for a painless shave, while a cooler stream is like a liquid compact for skin that might be privy to inflammation. Cold water also has the opposite effect on skin where, instead of loosening it up, it tightens the pores so that ingrown hairs don't even have a chance to form in the first place.
Sugar & Fig Whipped Shaving Souffle, $12.95, Angel Shave Club
Trust me when I say this stuff is like a dream on your skin.
The Angel Shave Club is a boutique subscription service that sends beautiful razors designed with high-quality U.S. steel, flexible heads, and moisturizing strips right to your door. What's even better, though, is they're a business for women by women, and every purchase helps contribute funds to young girls' access to education in low- and middle-class countries.
The entire service is fabulous, but my favorite part of the trial was hands-down this luxurious shaving souffle made with sweet almond oil, aloe vera, and bentonite clay to soothe skin, as well as prevent razor irritation. Bonus: It smells good enough to eat.
OK, so apparently I've been shaving the wrong way my whole life, and I can't be the only one making this mistake.
According to cosmetic dermatologist Neal Schultz, M.D., even though shaving against hair growth generally results in a closer shave, it can also trigger major irritation. In other words, shaving against the grain is a no-go, at least on your first sweep.
Once the skin is warmed up and you've removed most of the hair from the area, "if you'd still like a closer shave, reapply the gel and shave again — against the direction of the hair growth," he told Good Housekeeping.
Dove Advanced Care Sensitive Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, $4.69, Target
Back in March 2017, Cosmopolitan UK came across a former stripper's tried-and-trusted bikini shaving techniques on Reddit. While I can definitely check exfoliating and borrowing bae's razor for gentle removal off my to-do list the next time my bikini line needs a clean sweep, it was the woman's fourth tip that really threw me for a curve.
As a final step, she suggests applying "deodorant (an unscented Dove stick works best) liberally." This is so the area stays dry and free of chafing and razor bumps.
Weird? Maybe. Genius? I'd say so.
