Using an electric trimmer on your pubic hair & bikini line

We have had customers write in about the pressure to remove body hair. In this day and age, hair removal has become an expectation rather than a preference - especially for women. At Bushbalm™, we believe that all body hair, no matter where it grows, is both beautiful and natural. It is for this reason that Bushbalm™ created the Francesca Trimmer™. The Francesca is designed to allow you to groom your body hair without completely removing it - click here to learn how to use the Francesca Trimmer™.

We like to think of body hair as a garden. When a garden grows, it’s a sign that its contents are healthy and getting the nutrients they need. But every gardener has a pair of clippers on hand to trim their garden if it begins to grow too big or starts to look messy. Think of the Francesca Trimmer™ as your clippers. Francesca will allow you to clean up and groom your ‘garden’ without destroying it.

Below you will find a full rundown of the trimming, including: 1) details about pubic hair maintenance; 2) our most asked questions about the Francesca Trimmer™; and 3) the benefits of trimming the pubic area.

What is the purpose of pubic hair? 

Pubic hair is unlike any hair on the rest of our body. Pubic hair is more thick, coarse, and wiry than the hair on our legs, chests, backs, underarms, and scalps. According to dermatologist Marc Glashofer, the texture of pubic hair tends to be thicker and coarse because “It prevents friction during intercourse that can cause skin abrasion and rashes….More importantly, pubic hair serves as protection against bacteria and other pathogens.”

Simply put, our bodies create pubic hair for a reason. That being said, just because pubic hair serves an important function doesn’t mean you’re obligated to keep it. Whether you shave it off or let it grow - that is completely your prerogative. But I want to stress that you should never feel ashamed of your pubic hair - it is your body's way of protecting you. 

Common Bikini Trimmer Questions

Where can you use an electric trimmer on your bikini line?

To uphold our mission to encourage skincare everywhere, the Francesca Trimmer™ can be used anywhere on the body! It’s really up to you where you decide to trim. You have the liberty to groom your armpits, legs, face, stomach, pubic hair, toes, back - wherever you want a little cleanup. 

Francesca has a built-in safeguard designed to allow the trimmer to fit into the grooves and crevices of your body without nicking or cutting your skin. 

What is the difference between a razor and trimmer? 

How to use a bikini line razor  

A razor is designed to achieve as close a shave as possible. Everyone has their own technique and preference when it comes to shaving but we recommend always making sure you: 1) use a moisturizing agent; 2) use a razor with a sharp blade; and 3) shave with the grain.

Lather up - Shaving on dry skin will cause major skin irritation, including razor burn and ingrown hairs. When the skin lacks moisture, it can become rough. Dragging a razor on a rough surface will aggravate the skin. Using a moisturizing agent (whether it's a shaving cream or even your conditioner) will allow the razor to glide effortlessly on the skin and minimize tugging. 

Shave with the grain - Move the razor in the same direction that your hair grows. This will minimize tugging and ensure a seamless interaction between blade and skin. Shaving against the grain increases the risk of irritation, nics, and cuts.

Click here to learn how to properly shave with a razor. 

How to use a bikini line trimmer 

The trimmer is designed to trim the hair down rather than remove it all off. In other words, an electric trimmer will not cut the hair down to the skin’s surface. The Francesca Trimmer™ is made up of a comb and blade that work together to trim the hair; the comb lifts the strands upright so that the blade can trim all the hair at the same length. The comb acts as a protective barrier between the blade and the skin. The comb prevents the blade from reaching the skin and cutting the hair down to the surface of the skin. This minimizes the risk of ingrown hairs, razor burn, nics, and cuts, and irritated skin.

How short will a pubic hair trimmer cut?

It’s up to you! Trimmers give you the liberty of choosing the desired length you want your body hair to be. With The Francesca, you can adjust the length of your body hair to 3mm or 6mm. The trimmer comes with the 6mm guard attached. This guard can easily be removed to reveal the 3mm guard - click here to learn how to switch out the guards.

Can I trim without using a shaving cream? 

The Francesca Trimmer™ is designed to be used without any shaving cream at all! When we created the Francesca Trimmer™, we wanted this tool to be as easy to use as possible. We understand that life can get hectic, and you may not always have the time to hop in the shower and do a full grooming routine. That being said, you can use the trimmer on the go whenever it is convenient for you. Click here to learn more about how to use your Francesca Trimmer™.

How to lubricate your electric trimmer 

How long is the Francesca Trimmer™ battery life?

Once you've fully charged your Francesca, you have 5-6 hours of battery life! 

Benefits of using a bikini trimmer before shaving

Prevent razor burn

Trimming before shaving will minimize the tugging on the skin and hair. If the body hair is too long the razor will tug on the skin as opposed to gliding smoothly. When the skin is pulled and tugged too much, the risk of getting nicks and cuts increases. Nics and cuts can be super painful and can get infected, leaving a rash razor burn in its place. Click here to learn more about razor burn and how to prevent it.

Prevent ingrown hairs 

The Francesca Trimmer™ is designed to comb all the hair in the same direction and cut it down to the same size. Trimming ensures that the razor slices each hair at the same angle and thus prevents the risk of ingrown hairs.

Sometimes, body hair grows in different directions; this can become an issue when it comes time to shave. If all the hair is not facing the same direction, some hair strands could be cut at a weird angle and fall beneath the skin’s surface.  When it is time for the hair to grow back, the awkward position of the cut could cause the hair strand to curl back into the skin and remain trapped beneath the skin’s surface. This could lead to angry ingrown hairs - not fun.

An ingrown hair is a hair strand that grows back into the skin, as opposed to growing up and through the skin’s surface. Ingrown hairs are often accompanied by uncomfortable symptoms such as redness, itching, and even acne-like bumps.

Ingrown hairs are commonly caused by:

• Improper hair removal
• Clogged pores
• Tight clothing after hair removal

Improper hair removal: 

Drying shaving, shaving too often, or shaving too close to the skin falls under the category of improper hair removal. When we shave, the first blade of the razor will lift up the hair strand so the next blade can slice it off. If we shave too close to the skin, by applying too much pressure or pulling the skin tight, the second blade will cut the hair below the skin line and give the hair strand a sharp edge. When it is time for the hair to grow, the sharp tip and awkward position of the cut will cause the hair strand to curl back into the skin and remain trapped beneath the skin’s surface. 

Clogged pores:

Ingrown hairs are also caused by clogged pores. Normally, the hair is supposed to grow up from its root and through the pore (the skin’s opening). Pores can often become clogged by dead skin cells due to a lack of exfoliation. When the pore is clogged, the hair strand cannot break through the opening and instead will curl back down underneath the skin’s surface - causing an ingrown hair.

Tight Clothing:

Wearing tight clothing, especially tight undies, right after hair removal can cause ingrown hairs. If too close to the skin, the fabric will trap the hair that is beginning to grow back and force them to grow sideways. We recommend using either: 1) 100% cotton underwear; and or 2) less tight undies. 100% cotton undies are a good alternative to use after hair removal as this material doesn't bother the skin as much. In addition, looser underwear will minimize friction and irritation.

We spoke with board-certified Gynecologist Dr. Arumala to understand the effects of wearing tight clothing immediately after hair removal. According to Dr. Arumala, "frequent friction causes dark spots and ingrown hairs. You may notice where your skin touches (i.e. the thighs, underarms etc.) there are dark areas and hyperpigmentation - that’s from friction."

Click here to learn about how to treat and prevent ingrown hairs.

Prevents Dark Spots

Trimming prevents dark spots by minimizing ingrown hairs. Shaving can be quite abrasive on the skin. After all, you are gliding sharp blades up and down your body. As noted by Dr. Ruth Arumala (a board-certified gynaecologist):

When one shaves, the hair follicle is irritated and will balloon out to protect the skin. This reaction creates pimple-like bumps which later lead to acne scars, dark spots, and discolouration. 

The inflammation that results from an injury triggers melanocyte skin cells to the area of injury. The excessive concentration of melanocytes will leave a darker and discoloured patch around the area where the wound once was.  

Having a trimmer on deck will ensure that the interaction between the razor and skin is as seamless as possible. By avoiding tugging and razor bumps, the skin will remain wound-free and the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation will decrease significantly.

Minimize Blade Clog 

Trimming the hair before shaving can help prevent clogged blades. If you go straight to work without a trim, you’ll notice your blade getting clogged more often. Blade clog slows down the shaving process because the hair has to be rinsed out on a regular basis.

Benefits of the Francesca Bikini Trimmer

The Francesca Trimmer™ will fulfill all of the benefits mentioned above along with the following benefits!

Groom on the GO

Francesca is a painless and hassle-free way to groom your body hair, everywhere. With Francesca, you can groom your body hair quickly without having to worry about ingrown hairs or razor bumps. The reason being that this trimmer won't cut the hair right down to the skin. The strand of hair rests above the surface. Therefore, there is no risk of the hair becoming ingrown. This product gives you the liberty to groom your body hair without the risk of pesky bikini bumps or ingrown hairs. 

The custom trimmer guard gives you the optimal height for trimming your bikini line before waxing or shaving. These guards protect sensitive skin. Whereas blades can scrape and damage your face, legs, underarms, etc. That means no chance of cuts, less irritation after each pass, less chance of getting ingrown hairs, and no painful razor burn when you're done.

Wet & Dry Use

The Francesca Trimmer™ can be used wet or dry. It works where you need it, whether that’s in the shower, or out. This trimmer is waterproof to IPX7 standards.

Comfortable and Easy to Use

The Francesca Trimmer™ was created with ergonomic comfort in mind. It feels perfect in your hand. There is added control with a sleek feeling so you can trim with confidence. 

Travel Ready and Easy to Pack 

The Francesca Trimmer™ is conveniently cordless and rechargeable. Made with advanced Ni-MH 600mAh battery power to ensure up to 5 hours of battery life. Francesca also includes a USB cord for convenient recharging, that you can bring anywhere you go.