For the longest time, body hair removal seemed largely relegated to the world of women’s beauty. In reality, male body grooming is a ritualistic aspect of exotic male performance — and, according to these performers, it’s a taboo that’s quickly changing for all men.
“When a male is well groomed with soft skin, it can be seen as feminine,” said an Arizona Male Strippers performer who prefers to go by his stage name Valente. “But, for me, grooming is an extension of my branding [and] boosts my confidence.”
He thanks the early-2000s rise of the term “metrosexual” and the “Magic Mike” franchise (the latest installment of which recently arrived in theaters) for demystifying “manscaping.”
He specifically citied a scene in the first “Magic Mike” film in which one of the male characters is caught shaving with his sister’s razor. For him, it highlights how outdated the stigmas are surrounding men that enjoy being close-shaven.
“I know that there is not enough information for male grooming due to how society is structured,” said Valente, who shaves at least twice a week.
His routine involves regular exfoliation and starting off completely dry using electric trimmers before wet shaving with a manual razor, then following up with oils and hydrators. He said this process (which you can learn more about below) prevents cuts and razor burn while keeping his skin feeling healthy.
Valente and other dancers from the world of male stripping gave us a detailed glimpse inside their bathrooms, including a look at the products that have reached near-sacred status in their upkeep rituals. Whether you’re most comfortable going completely bare, au naturale or somewhere in between, there’s something for everyone.
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With self-sharpening precision blades and a cordless operation, this electric trimmer allows users to achieve 14 different trimming lengths, courtesy of the seven different included comb attachments.
"I always shave using downward strokes, [then] sideways in a gentle slow momentum," Valente said, noting that he has one dedicated razor for his face and one for his body. "I also apply one stroke at a time, then I rinse the blade under water for a better performance; this way, I don't have tiny hair between the blades."
One of Valente's favorite options is this shea butter-based cream by La Roche-Posay that contains skin-essential lipids, prebiotics beneficial for the skin's microbiome and adored hydrators like glycerin and niacinamide.
Although this oil, which contains a proprietary blend of fruit stem cells and vitamin C, is intended for the face, Valente also applies it to his body. It harnesses the power of resveratrol-rich grape seed oil to improve skin tone and luminosity as well as a lipid complex essential for maintaining a healthy skin barrier.
This cream by No Hair Crew has been specifically formulated to remove hair in intimate areas and contains ingredients like seaweed to stave off the potential for irritation and dryness.
Another pro tip: Saayman suggested applying hair-removal creams with disposable rubber gloves, then removing the cream with a wet wash cloth.
Before You Go
