shaving

While a recent survey found that 58 percent of women fеаr bikini аnd leg stubble during the warm-weather months, hopefully very few of these women find fear in the actual process of shaving itself. Sure, multiple blades contained within a razor can look daunting, but when all is said and done, shaving produces instant results. And besides, shaving can also assist in "polishing" your skin, leaving behind a healthy glow.

So don't be afraid of the blade, but do:

• Keep the skin relaxed during a shave: But in areas that are more difficult to reach or where hair grows from various angles, don't be afraid to pull the skin more taut to make it easier to move the razor around.
• Make shaving the last thing you do: Hair that's been softened and plumped throughout the length of a warm shower is hair that's easier to shave. So the next time you step in the shower, wait until the very end to bust out that razor.
• Use a razor with a pivoting head and multiple blades: For a smoother, closer shave, choose a razor that moves with the body. And as for those multiple blades, the reason they work so well is that they reduce friction on the skin. They also help lift hairs up, allowing the hair to be cut much nearer to the shaft. Try: Schick Quattro For Women ($12).

But don't:

• Shave and then immediately head to the ocean: Jumping into the salty ocean water (or even chlorine in a pool) can irritate the skin. Instead, try shaving the night before swimming to avoid the ouch factor.

Are you always frustrated by the uneven edges after you stencil your pubic hair into a festive shape? Wish there was template that ensured that your efforts come out geometrically perfect? Well then, meet the LadyShape ($15), a European innovation that allows you to get perfect landing strips, triangles, and hearts in the comfort of your own boudoir.

Think of all the money you'll save on expensive spa pubic-hair art! And even the most discerning lover will be pleased by the smooth, straight lines of your newly fabulous nether regions. The template has a handle, antislip rubber undersides to seal the area and keep skin taut, and just requires a rectangular razor to shave around the area. After that, all you need is a little DIY Vajazzling (rhinestones and rubber cement, anyone?), and your ladybits will look very fancy indeed.

Hot guy in question: John Coyle Steinbrunner
Age: 34
What he does: Painter (see more here) and founder of The Salon Series
What he tested: The Gillette Fusion Power Razor ($13)

Want to see what he thought? Then just keep reading.

Whether you're a man or woman, at one point or another you've undoubtedly experienced some sort of shave-related discomfort. Shaveworks's unisex product, The Cool Fix ($11-$25), is an all-in-one gel lotion that hopes to free you from your shaving troubles. But can an aftershave product treat both razor burn and prevent ingrown hairs on two very different subjects of the opposite gender?

I called in Mr. Bella to find out. A hairy man he is, Mr. B's five o'clock shadow usually rolls in more around 10 o'clock . . . in the morning. As for me, I'm a light-skinned lady with dark brown hair, which can turn out to be a bikini-line nightmare. So to find out how we fared with The Cool Fix, just keep reading.

The New York Times has picked up on the "trend" of women not shaving their leg and armpit hair, counting Mo'Nique and singer Amanda Palmer among women who don't like the shaved look. There's been a lot of talk recently about both women, which is a bit odd, considering shaving is uncommon in many other countries. It's a big deal only because our culture makes it so.

I think shaving has its place. Even though I've been known to get lazy about depilating, I love having smooth, glossy legs. But I don't care if other women choose not to — doesn't matter to me one way or another. Where do you stand on this? Do you think you could stop shaving and feel confident? (Or maybe you already are au naturel?) Or is going the free and easy route only for celebrities who are already too glam and rich to care what other people think?

Via this semi-NSFW Twilight lulz blog, I've learned that Bic's line of Soleil razors — whose funk turned me off last year — now includes Twilight and Bella shaving options. I assume it's an attempt to hop on the New Moon train, but don't the bigwigs know that a true Twi shaver would have sparkles in the handle?