Over the last few years, my philosophy on body hair has relaxed quite a bit. As a college swimmer, I shaved my legs and pits daily, living in constant, irrational fear of my crush wandering by the pool and becoming repulsed by a stray strand. These days, my worries have shifted to more important things, like properly filling out tax forms and trashing The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On to anyone who will listen. However, one nonnegotiable practice I still cling to is keeping my bikini area smooth and hair-free, especially ahead of summer. (If you haven't already, it's time to find your go-to swimsuit.)
Unfortunately, I have extremely sensitive skin. So sensitive that shaving more than once a week with a normal razor will incite an angry patch of red bumps and ingrown hairs on the very spot I'm trying to minimize. So, when I was offered a sample of a bikini trimmer and ingrown hair serum from Bushbalm, I was all in.
The Bushbalm Francesca Trimmer caught my attention first. I'd always been intimidated by electric razors, but this cordless, waterproof design sounded so easy to use in the shower (and spoiler, it is.) The first time I tried it out, this trimmer went directly under the faucet with no problem at all, and delivered a smooth, close shave, even in typically hard-to-reach places. An added bonus? It also has a five-hour battery life, and because I only ever use it for a few minutes at a time, I can go weeks without plugging it in (a life-saver for travel).
Buy It: Bushbalm the Francesca Trimmer, from $65, amazon.com and anthropologie.com
The minutes after shaving are usually spent aggressively applying lotion and praying for a flare-up free day. Luckily, that's where the Bushbalm Nude Ingrown Treatment Oil comes in. After applying the lightweight, moisturizing oil between my legs and under my armpits, my skin started to chill out thanks to a blend of jojoba, grapeseed, and tea tree oils. In the course of a few weeks, I even noticed existing ingrown hairs start to disappear, saving me from all the itchiness and sores they were causing. (BTW: So many shoppers are in love with this razor bump serum.)
Buy It: Bushbalm Ingrown Treatment Oil, from $25, amazon.com and anthropologie.com
While I still get a shaving bump from time to time, the situation has become eons better thanks to this duo, and I honestly won't attempt hair removal without them. I can even trim my bikini line twice, or even three times a week, without causing irritation. Shop the Bushbalm Francesca Trimmer and Ingrown Treatment Oil on Amazon or Anthropologie to enjoy stress-free shaving.