Mens Back Groomer

How to clip, shave, and tweeze every inch of your body, from the chest to (yup) way, way down under

For most men, body grooming involves walking a delicate line between looking like a caveman on the beach, or a member of One Direction. Then there are the more...nitty-gritty aspects of grooming, involving places where the sun don’t shine, and even some you’ve probably never considered before. To help strike that balance, we consulted top grooming experts on how to prepare your body for the summer. That said, body hair is a matter of preference—both yours and your partner’s. In other words, don’t buzz without asking her how she likes it first.

"I rarely have completely shaven clients these days, " says Barbara Guillaume, groomer to stars like James Franco and Colin Farrell. "For the past couple of years, it’s easily 70% of the time that you’ll see actors with facial and body hair."

In other words, what we’re going for isn’t the Abercrombie catalogue. "You need a good pair of clippers, " Guillaume says. "Trim your chest, going in the direction of the grain, then make sure to go all the way down. No happy trail necessary. "Do it dry, " insists Guillaume. "And hydrate afterwards with a body lotion to prevent redness."

You also want to consider how much winter weight you’re carrying before taking it all off: "The less hair, the more you see the whole body. It’s okay to leave a little bit of hair just in case."

While the aforementioned rules are all great, don’t forget: Balance is key. If you’re rocking a bit of scruff this summer, you don’t want to have a completely buzzed chest. "If it’s just a little bit of growth on the face, it’s okay to have barely anything on the chest. If you have a beard, maybe go a bit longer."

All the experts (and lady friends) we consulted agree: Back hair is never sexy. "We never negotiate on that, " says Thea Istenes, who grooms everyone from Robert Downey Jr. to 50 Cent. "But unless you have a really good roommate, I wouldn’t try buzzing it."

That’s right, guys: It’s time to book an appointment. "The back is the easiest and least painful area to wax, and by far the most common service for men, " says Kenny Milstead, who oversees mens’ waxing at Bliss Spa in** **New York City. "Guys want it off the back, but also off the shoulders." But bad news for the hairiest of them all: "89% of guys are eligible for back waxing, but some I can’t do. They just need to trim."

A couple of tips for your first time: Take an Advil or a couple of Aspirin before your appointment. The longer you go in between was, the more it’ll hurt every time (remember The 40 Year Old Virgin?). Ask your esthetician when you should book your next appointment (generally four to six weeks). Finally, don’t put any product on the area for 24 hours to reduce the risk of irritation.