It seems like guys do one of two things when it comes to body hair: absolutely nothing, or way too much.
So I thought I’d share the best guys’ grooming tools to know about. We’re talking back hair, ear hair, nose hair, and more.
Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy (or is it stubbly?) ride.
EYEBROWS
Tweezerman Slant Tweezer, $13
Tweezers are not just for delicately extracting english muffin crumbs that are stuck under your laptop’s “S” key, though I used mine for that just yesterday.
A pair of tweezers is also great for easily removing eyebrow stragglers in the comfort of your own home. Women and men alike deal with unruly brow situations, whether that’s hairs sprouting up in between your two eyebrows (the dreaded, yet totally normal, unibrow effect), or simply outliers that don’t fall in your brow’s natural arc.
Of course, it’s also true that guys can go overboard when tweezing their eyebrows. I don’t know why, but Jordan Knight in his post-New Kids On The Block solo career will forever haunt my nightmares as a prime case of overly-plucked man brows.
However! I wouldn’t worry too much about going to that extreme. You know where your eyebrows are, and you know where they’re not. Just pluck the hairs that aren’t where the rest of your eyebrows are, and you’ll be fine.
NOSE AND EAR HAIR
Zwilling Pour Homme Nose & Ear Hair Scissors, $46
Were you expecting some wand-looking doohickey that would yank your nose and ear hair out at the root? Nope! You need those hairs; you just don’t need them to be so long.
Your nose hair protects you from pollutants flying in from who knows where and getting you sick (ahem, an especially relevant concern right now). Also, when you snip away all your nose hair, you’ll get more runny noses. It’s true! Easy in, easy out. Not good.
As for your ear hair, if it’s so long that it’s poking out of your face holes, there’s an easier, and less painful solution. Just trim them.
The goal is to cut just enough to keep hairs out of sight. At home, use a pair of snub-nosed scissors, like this Zwilling Pour Homme style with stainless-steel blades and rounded tips and blades that curve away from the skin.
Another option? Ask your barber to whack away at anything too unruly the next time you’re getting a haircut. It’s not weird, I promise.
CHEST HAIR
Philips Norelco OneBlade Body + Face Trimmer, $50
I am not here to tell you how much chest hair you should or should not have. Your body, your choice.
What I am saying is that if you have a lot of chest hair, and you want less of it (but still some of it?!), this Philips Norelco OneBlade Body + Face Trimmer is going to be the star of your own personal movie montage makeover scene.
It comes equipped with two blades–one for your face and one for your body–as well as four stubble trimming combs, a body trimming comb, and a skin guard for extra protection while shaving, ahem, sensitive areas.
If what you’re going for is the body equivalent of a well-manicured lawn, not ripping out all the sod from the yard and pouring concrete, this trimmer is the perfect tool.
BACK HAIR
Flamingo Body Wax Kit - 24 count, $10
When it comes to back hair, you’ve got a few solid options. I say start with waxing, either at home or at a salon, before moving onto more permanent solutions.
I really like the wax strips from Flamingo (started by the folks behind Harry’s). Yes, they’re technically for women, but body hair is body hair. I use them on my legs in the winter when I really let myself go and skip shaving for weeks on end. So trust me when I say, you can feel confident they’re up to the job.
If you don’t have a loving partner, or extremely accommodating roommate, to help you tackle this task, leave it to the professionals. Ask an acquaintance for a local recommendation, as online reviews of salons and spas tend towards the “They’re the best!” and “They’re the worst!” in equal measure. Not very helpful.
You can also pursue laser hair removal. Just know that the cost will vary by region, while the procedure’s effectiveness isn’t guaranteed for every hair and skin color combination (though if you have dark hair and fair skin, then you’re probably a good candidate).