Genital hygiene is a crucial part of a healthy sex life. If everything down there is smelly and hairy, the idea of sex becomes repulsive. There’s a wisdom behind pubic hair removal being an obligatory part of Islam. Everything is nicer in bed when you have no hair down there. There’s less odor, it looks nicer and your husband is more likely to go down on you!
At this point in your life, you probably have a routine to keep yourself bald down there. If not, here’s a quick guide to hair removal.
Shaving
In order to do this most effectively, start with a good blade. Buy a good quality razor and good quality blades to go with it. Don’t be stingy! The cheaper the blade and the longer you go before changing it, the greater the chance of razor burn or ingrown hairs. Not fun and not sexy.
Start by letting your skin soak for a while in warm water (i.e. take a warm shower or bath). Exfoliate your skin by using a loofah. You don’t have to go crazy but firmly rub the loofah as you shower to exfoliate the skin. Some women use shaving cream to help soften the hair and skin before shaving. If you want to go natural, you can use baby oil instead of shaving cream.
When you start actually shaving, pull the skin tight so you’re working with a smooth, firm surface. Shave with the grain using as few strokes as possible. Once you’re done shaving with the grain, go over the same area but against the grain this time. Once you’re out of the shower, blot yourself dry and apply some antiseptic to close the pores and kill bacteria. A neat trick I learned is to use odorless deodorant on your pubic area afterwards to prevent razor burn or ingrown hairs. There are also various products you can buy to prevent razor burns or ingrown hair. Every woman is different so do what works best for you!
Other options are to do home waxing, sugaring, or use an epilator. What is not an option, however, is to go to a salon and get a bikini wax. Exposing your awrah is not allowed without a medical necessity and this does not fall under that category.[i]
Smell
People sweat. That’s just a reality. It just so happens that in between your legs is a place where sweat likes to gather. This can sometimes leads to an unpleasant odor. There’s no way to completely eliminate the smell but you can take steps to minimize it. Most obviously, you should be taking a shower every day. General body hygiene goes a long way in taking care of odors. After that, you can combat smell by using scents. After you shower in the morning, take an itr stick and lightly dab a drop where your legs join your torso. Use itr not perfume. The oil base of the itr make it stay there and the heat from your legs will gradually release the smell. You’ll still smell good down there hours later.
For men
Genital hygiene goes both ways. You won’t enjoy sex as much if your
husband does not keep himself groomed and smell free down there as well. Push him to keep himself shaved and clean.