The Best Manscaping Products (for Being a Well-Groomed Dude)

Fellas, there ain’t no shame in the manscaping game. You probably think about your facial hair on a regular basis, and maybe even grew out a James Harden-level beard during the pandemic (with barber shops closed and Zoom calls as the primary form of interaction, who could blame you?). That said, what about the hair on your body? You’re likely got quite a bit from head to toe, but unless you dabble in a sport that requires some serious grooming (like swimmers or cyclists who shave their legs), there’s a good chance you’ve never considered how much some well-maintained body hair can alter your physical appearance.

Of course, plenty of men mind their pits and pubes—but you’ve worked hard for those muscles, and deserve to show them off, too; they shouldn’t be hidden beneath inches of body hair (unless you're into that). Even if you’re on board to go with full-body grooming, it can be hard to figure out how far to go, or where to even begin. You don't want to end up a man-o-lantern via a wax gone wrong, and shaving with a regular razor can be a huge hassle and cause irritation. So, let us clue you into the best tips, tricks, and manscaping products out there to get the desired look you want—whether that's totally bare balls, a shaft-accentuating trim, or full naked-mole-rat status.

Before we get into the actual tools for shaving, an important step for pre-shaving is exfoliating your skin. We know—adding an extra step to your shower routine seems superfluous and boring, but now you know the reason girls spend so much time in there; they’re exfoliating!. Not only will the end result be smoother, softer skin that will have any prospective lover saying, “Wow! You have such soft [insert: arms, chest, balls—you get the picture]” it will also help you to avoid irritation and ingrown hairs in the long run. 

You can either lather up with an exfoliating washcloth or mitt, or snag an exfoliating body wash like Aesop’s cult-favorite Geranium Leaf Body Scrub that’s gentle, yet effective. 

You might already own a beard trimmer, but think twice before you go weed-wacking your pubes with the same device you use on that handsome mug of yours. First of all, you’ll need a trimmer with different attachments for different types and desired lengths of hair, and you’ll want to be extra careful around your bits and pieces. (Trust us, a nick on the dick is way worse than one on the chin.) Even if your desired result is completely bare—never go in with a wet shave first thing. It’s much harder to be precise (and your drain will look like you live with a yeti). 

The Lawn Mower from Manscaped is specifically designed to tackle all the hair below your waist, so you can be confident that your shaft isn’t in any danger. With soft ceramic skin-safe blades and four adjustable trimming guards, this bad boy is cordless and waterproof, so you can even use it in the shower.

The Philips Norelco Multigroom Series 5000 has 18 different attachments, including an extra-wide trimmer for tackling large swaths of body hair, a steel precision trimmer, and even nose and ear trimmers so your nooks and crannies can look polished from H to T. It also has over 31,000 reviews on Amazon. Most of the glowing reviews mention how great the self-sharpening blades function—one five-star reviewer mentioned, “I have not nicked or cut myself with the bare blade yet, unlike previous shavers. It is very smooth.” Score. 

Meridian’s body-hair trimmer has received high marks not only from satisfied reviewers, but also from a ton of publications including our very own staff writer, who claims it’s “the perfect width for navigating bush turf.” It’s the first trimmer that places emphasis on living out your pube-styling dreams, regardless of your gender or body type. So whether you’re into rocking a 70s-style shag carpet or a lightning bolt above your junk, you can go at it without fear thanks to Meridian’s anti-nick blade and multiple trimmer lengths. Plus, it now comes in a bunch of new, vibey colors.

Even if you have a significant other, they may not be the type to voluntarily shave your entire back for you at will (and if they are, hold onto them for dear life). If you want to shave large parts of your body— think your back, chest, and stomach—there’s only one answer (well, two actually) BAKblade 2.0 and Bodblade—two extra large razors with ergonomic handles so you can reach every part of your body covered in fur. Both can be used wet or dry and come with a smaller precision blade attachment so you can use it on smaller body parts as well. 

The old adage, “the less you wear, the more you need Nair” still rings true, and if you want to be as smooth as Ken without the pain and suffering of a Brazilian wax, or have really sensitive skin that gets inflamed at the mere thought of shaving, a depilatory cream is the way to go. Luckily all the leading brands now make formulas specifically for men and have come a long way since the days of strong chemical odors that were as bad (if not worse) as Spongebob’s rancid onion sundae. 

Don’t forget to moisturize! And please, clean up those clippings before your roommate or girlfriend uses the shower.

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