MANSCAPING: BODY GROOMING FOR GENTLEMEN

When it comes to manscaping chest hair, surveys show that a little hair is actually preferable to none (just a little!), so we suggest between 1 or 2 centimetres for the best results. Keep in mind that according to the survey the optimal amount is "Just enough to run your fingers through." In order to embark on the chest grooming journey correctly, the manscaping tool we recommend is your trusty trimmers. Once you've cut your chest hair down to a consistent density all over, moisturize your freshly trimmed chest with the fast absorbing NIVEA MEN Maximum Hydration Body Lotion to prevent any redness, irritation, or itchiness.

For those who prefer a totally smooth hairless finish, the razor is the only way to go. Lather yourself up with the NIVEA MEN Sensitive Shaving Foam, carefully designed to prevent irritation from shaving, then go over with a blade. Make sure to always shave with the grain and those with thicker hair should be careful not to assume the grain is always growing in the same direction all over your chest. For a more comfortable shave, take a shower beforehand to soften up the hairs. To finish up, add a layer of NIVEA MEN Sensitive After Shave Balm to fight any signs of irritation and sooth your skin. Now you've manscaped your chest!

Unfortunately surveys show that out of all types of male body hair, back hair is the least popular, so it's time to learn how to manscape it. Even more unfortunately, there is no easy way to DIY manscape your back - so for best results you will need assistance from either a very loving partner, generous friend or to visit a salon. If you want to try manscaping your back on your own though the best tool will be your trimmer, set to its lowest setting. This will achieve the most even result, although may not prevent you from having to contort into funny positions in front of the mirror. To achieve a thoroughly smooth and even back though, have someone shave or wax it for you.

Now, we can't do a piece on manscaping and not mention your man-parts. That's right, it’s time to shave your genitals. This can get risky so it's important you stay calm and in control: You do NOT want any nicks or cuts down there. If done correctly, one can transform a shrouded shabby bushel to a strong majestic bonsai tree.

It's all in the technique. After lathering, get a good grip on any skin that needs to be pulled back to allow for the closest shave possible and rinse regularly to prevent the blades from getting blocked. We suggest getting a leg up on a stool or side of your bath for those hard to reach areas and a mat on the floor to clean up the aftermath of your manscaping routine. Some recommend shaving in the shower for an easy clean-up and the added bonus of the hot water making your hair softer and easier to deal with. When you're done, don't forget to reward your newly bald genitalia with a soothing cream to prevent/treat razor burn. It'll take smooth to the next level. 

Some men like to dive even deeper when intimate shaving to right under and around. This can be done in a similar way, however, is much harder to reach and the risk of nicks is higher - so proceed with extreme caution if venturing that deep, you definitely want to avoid razor burn down there.

Manscaping the pits is maybe slightly off the beaten track compared with the chest and back. Reasons men cite for shaving their armpits are usually either:

- To help reduce foul smells of body odor
- Lower chance of visible sweat patches
- Preferable look (long armpit hairs poking out of a t-shirt tend not to be favorable)

The trend generally for manscaping armpits is to trim the hairs to a short length, rather than to cleanly shave. These are our steps for how to manscape your armpits:

1) Prepare the skin: preferably by taking a shower as this will soften up the hair to make for a smoother shave. Also take time to cleanse and exfoliate to remove any dead skin or dirt
2) Trim the hair: don't go straight for the razor as long body hair can be difficult for it to cut through. Use a trimmer to take the hair down to a more manageable length. You might be happy leaving it at that, but if you would like a closer shave to continue with the next steps
3) Apply shaving foam: lather up under both pits to moisturize the hair and apply shaving foam to the area. The armpits are super-sensitive so look to use a foam that is kind to your skin such as NIVEA MEN Sensitive Shaving Foam.

4) Away with the hair: ensure that the skin under your arm is pulled as taut as possible, then begin to remove the rest of the hair. Make sure to glide the razor with the grain (in the same direction the hair grows) to prevent from shaving related irritation
5) Finish off: once you have removed the last of the hair be sure to rinse away any excess foam, then either pat your armpits dry or leave them to dry naturally. Once they have dried off apply NIVEA MEN Sensitive After Shave Balm for long lasting hydration and instant relief from any irritation that shaving may have caused

Generally, more common in sports and fitness worlds whereby excess body hair can negatively impact performance, or to show off hard earned muscle definition from the gym. Even if you're not hugely into your fitness, it still doesn't hurt to know how to manscape your arms and legs in order to tidy them up once in a while. 

Most men who decide to go manscaping on their limbs generally use a trimmer just to tidy up to a shorter length, after-all taming exceptional fuzz can help to smell better, relieve heat and help prevent sun damage (as thicker hair holds onto sweat which magnifies sun rays and also makes applying sunscreen harder). If you wanted to go fully bare on the arms and legs however, manscape in the same way you would your chest. The skin on your arms and legs is tougher than that on your chest though, so you can go against the grain for a closer shave with less risk of irritating the skin. Remember after every shave to moisturize as shaving dehydrates the skin.