Not into waxing or shaving—or doing anything at all? Take heart: A sizable minority of men find hair removal unnecessary, or even unnerving. When you're with someone who's au naturel, explains Ken, 30, of San Francisco, "it makes you feel like you're with a real woman." Eric, 31, of Austin, Texas, recalls the time his girlfriend surprised him with a Brazilian. "I felt like a dirty old man," he says, "but I had to act like I loved it because I knew that for the next couple of weeks there was no going back."
In truth, the fact that bikini waxing has become so standard and expected makes some guys prefer when women buck the trend and don't do it. "Women do not need to subject themselves to all that unnecessary pain in order for men to find them attractive!" insists David, 37, of New York City. "A woman who's unashamed of her bush is a woman with self-confidence—which any man out there will tell you is the sexiest quality of all."
He's got a point: Guys may have their individual tastes, but they're hottest for you when you feel comfortable and self-assured regardless of what you did, or didn't do, at the salon. Besides, for most men, actually seeing a bikini zone at all, in any condition, is a good thing. "It's fun to find out who's waxed and who isn't," says Paul, 37, of Weston, Massachusetts. "Same with seeing who wears a thong, who enjoys what position. It's all part of getting to know everything about a woman." That's nice to hear, whether you have a Brazilian—or the Brazilian rain forest.
Ouch! How to Make It Hurt Less
Tips from women who've been there, waxed that
Trim hair to a half inch ahead of time. No shorter, or it'll be hard for the wax to grab it. "Long hairs take more time to pull out," says Lisa, 23, of Palo Alto, California. "Who needs even another millisecond of pain?"
Book the appointment for at least a week after your period; the area can be sensitive the week before menstruation.
Apply a topical anesthetic 30 to 45 minutes before waxing. A popular one, and not just because of its name: Relax and Wax No-Scream Cream (left, $20, relaxnwax.com). Also take an ibuprofen before hitting the salon.
__Get personal with your waxer…__in another way. "We gossip and catch up on our lives as she's working," says Christine, 31, of Minneapolis, "and when I'm distracted, waxing hurts less."
