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EmeraldSlave2 -> RE: Shaving? (5/10/2005 4:04:02 PM)
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Posted this back in March on the general forum under the "shaving" topic.
OK I figure I will go ahead and put my experience up in here.
I have thick dark hair generally. I didn't shave at all until I got into bdsm actually, I never saw the point in it. Of course, I always wore jeans and sweats so it didn't matter what anyone saw or thought. Since most of my partners have preferred bare, I've gone through lots of stages on this.
Shaving:
The good part about shaving is that it's easy to do, easily accessible, fairly painless, quick and cheap
The bad part is that it takes technique, doesn't last long and can easily lead to yucky bumps and cuts
Technique?
Take a shower or bath first. The heat will open the pores and allow the blade to cut deeper.
Get in a good position for access. Generally, I sit on the edge of the tub and spread wide.
I use hair conditioner for shaving. It softens the hair more than shaving cream, and it tends to be clear so you can see through it when shaving.
I first stroke WITH the grain, always holding the skin tight with the other hand. I use strokes of about 1-2 inches, clean the blade, then another stroke. Being left-handed I start on the right, work over the mons, then do each labia.
Once I've gotten the first round down, I condition again and then work AGAINST the grain, again pulling the skin tight, taking slower and longer strokes. This will help clear nubs left from the first pass and leaves a smoother finish.
Now that you've gotten the hair clean, take care of the skin! Exfoliate the area with either a cleanser, a scrubber, a mask, whatever you prefer. This will slough off the dead skin and leave the pores free to breath and less likely to get infected.
A lot of people like using lotion with vitamin E to soften the skin and make it likely to heal fine. Some people can go a few days without needing to shave, for me hair is definitely noticeable on the 2nd day.
Try and take care of the skin, keep dry.
Depilatories:
These are nice because they are very low work, easily accessible, cheap and create a fairly smooth look
The drawbacks can be bad skin reactions/burning, the smell and for thick hair it doesn't always work
Simply put- you spread it over the skin, waiting the appropriate amount of time and then wipe it off. ALWAYS do a skin test first on a less sensitive part or a small bit of your pubic area first to make sure you won't react badly to the chemicals. Be careful with the skin afterwards.
Pluckers/Epiladies/Threading:
These are like waxing but do small bits at once rather than large strips. They are fairly accessible. They do pull the hair out by the root so it lasts longer. Unfortunately they tend to be very painful. For those who don't know threading, it's essentially looping threads around the individual hairs and pulling them all out at once. It's like a zipper for hair. And it takes longer than some other methods.
Plucking you can obviously do on your own, simply pulling out one by one. Some hair may break instead of pulling out by the root but that's normal. Plucking reduces skin damage as well.
Sugaring/Waxing
In the pro world known as a "Brazilian" or waxing off all or almost all of one's pubic hair, or one can try sugaring instead of the wax. This is messier, longer, more expensive if you go to a pro (and I DO recommend going to a pro). It also lasts much longer and over time leads to slower/less growth overall. As well, when the hair grows back, it is finer without the rough stubble feeling. It's not as accessible as shaving and at-home methods as you have to find a place that offers this service.
Also, many people have issues with new women being so close and touching their pubic area. Don't be. They are pros and do it a lot, you aren't that amazing to them. You should get most of the stickiness off before you leave the appointment, but some might remaind. As well, this does rip off the first layer of skin as well so no showering or lots of sun exposure for a day or so afterwards.
Maintenence:
Ingrown hairs and infected pores are inevitable. Some people get them more than others. You can reduce the chance of this by keeping the area very clean, possible even swabbing with alcohol, and regularly scrubbing with a loofah to reduce the dead skin accumulation. There are some creams and such out there which can help break down the bacteria and reduce red bumps so try them and see what works for you. Ingrowns are painful but not damaging and will eventually work their way out.
The things we do just to lose hair...
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