shaving

Now that summer's here, most beach-bound guys must dare to bare their chest hair. Some have none. Some have a ton. And some have a little too much fun. The following dudes have entered the College Humor Creative Manscaping Photo Contest to show off their summer style. Mr. Mantini (above) has my vote. What's your favorite?

I've always liked the looks of men's line from The Art of Shaving, so I'm really happy to explore its new women's shaving collection. The just-launched, seven-piece line ($18–$60) is specifically formulated for skin on the body, and it's infused with rose absolute. While I probably wouldn't go for all of the products because I don't have time for a four-step shaving process, I'm interested in trying the Ingrown Hair Night Cream ($30), a shea butter formula that soothes skin and prevents bumps and ingrowns. It sounds like someone's finally figured out how to tackle shaving problems without leaving skin oily or overly mentholated.

Everyone has a certain way that they deal with their bikini line. Whether you shave or wax, there's something we all have to deal with - IRRITATION!

Nobody talks much about how to take care of your bikini line once the hair is removed, but we all get itchy or painful red bumps. When the hair grows back, since it's curly and course, it can get stuck underneath the first few layers of your skin, causing ingrown hairs.

Here's how to prevent them:

• Gently exfoliate daily - Get yourself a pair of loofah gloves, lather up with some moisturizing soap, and gently scrub your bikini line. They've got a rough texture to get rid of dead skin cells, but they're gentle enough to use every day. My fave are from The Body Shop ($7.00) because they have a little loop on each glove so you can hang them in the shower.
• Wear loose-fitting undies - If the elastic on your underwear is making indentations on your skin, than it's way too tight. All that rubbing will irritate your sensitive skin, and cause more ingrown hairs.

Fit's Tips: Sometimes you may need to help get rid of an ingrown hair if it becomes too painful. Sterilize a pair of tweezers with some rubbing alcohol, and pluck the hair out. Wipe the area with some alcohol afterwards.

Do you all have any tips to share on this one? Let me know in the comments below.

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When you remove unwanted hair from your body by waxing or shaving, you run the risk of ingrown hairs. I've had women tell me to never wax my bikini line ever, because those hairs are thick and curly, so they tend to get trapped inside the hair follicle and grow in crooked more often than say your leg hair.

I'm not going to let a little ingrown hair keep me from waxing. Oh no. Here's a tip I picked up from a waitress when I was out to dinner one night (really). She said she was way into waxing (don't ask me how we got started talking about that), and she waxed everything, including her armpits (ouch).

Her advice: To prevent those irritating little red bumps you get from ingrown hairs, you must exfoliate the area daily.

Now I'm not saying use something harsh like a sugar scrub on your sensitive parts - I much prefer using loofah gloves. They are gentle enough to use every day.

And exfoliating consistently to remove dead skin cells really helps prevent those suckers. So you can wax and shave all you want and get silky smooth skin without those annoying red bumps.

Shaving your armpits isn't just for summertime, and you probably shave them as much as your legs. But your underarm skin is really sensitive, and because you sweat, it's a breeding ground for bacteria.

You've probably been a victim of little red spots, but here's some tips to battle those bumps.

• Wash your armpits (and the rest of your body while you're at it) after exercising.
• Toss your dull razors - they can cause major irritation.
• Try not to keep your razor in the shower - it ups the chance for bacteria to grow on your blade, which leads to those annoying bumps.
• Clean your razor after each use with a quick dip in some rubbing alcohol.
• Toss your disposable razor or blade after 3 uses.

Hope these tips help you look fabulous in your strapless New Year's Eve gown.

Who says shaving your legs and underarms has to be the pits? With this sparkly shaving brush, you can make the experience posh. As you can probably tell, I love anything bedazzled, so I simply can't resist this As You Whish Body Brush. The handmade tool is encrusted with Swarovski crystals and fitted with badger bristles designed specifically for a woman's body.

For a pampered shave, use the brush with a rich shaving cream and work it into a hefty lather on your skin. Not only will you achieve a closer shave, but you will also exfoliate your body. Buy a full-sized brush for $170 or a smaller version for $105 here. You can choose from 19 different colors of crystal to customize you own look, and each brush comes with a one year warranty.

For those of us who can't bear the thought of the Brazilian bikini wax (or worse, the Hollywood), shaving is the only way to remove those unsightly hairs around that, ahem, oh so sensitive area. But as everyone knows, red bumps and irritation are only slightly less offensive but almost always a given when you bust out the razors.

Luckily, the folks at Coochy Shave have put a LOT of thought into the problem and come up with an amazing solution. Described as "the world's first rash-free shaving cream designed for every area of the body," the Coochy Rash Free Body Shave Cream comes in original, pear berry and (my favorite) green tea scents to provide the cleanest, closest shave — minus the red bumps.

To see Coochy's step-by-step instructions for a great shave read more