What do college women do as far as down there grooming? We asked 19 of them to break it down for us.
“It’s a must. I’m kind of a perfectionist so if I don’t [do it] I feel gross. I’ve been grooming down their probably since middle school. I used to shave but I recently got a wax and it was life changing. I was totally smooth for two weeks and I noticed it’s so much easier to tame now.” – Kaitlyn, Bryant University Class of 2016
“I used to shave but would get very easily irritated and hated having to shave so often and so close to such sensitive areas so I started getting Brazilian waxes and I am seriously never going back to shaving. They can be pricey but so beyond worth it.” – Sarah, UMass Amherst Class of 2016
“I don’t even remember what it’s like to have pubic hair anymore. I shave once a day when I shower.” – Rachael, University of Alabama Class of 2019
“I don’t like the pain associated with waxing and the annoyance of shaving. I keep the area around my bikini line shaven but everything else is completely natural. It’s more comfortable and allows me to own my body the way it is.” – Haley, York College of Pennsylvania Class of 2017
RELATED: 5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Shave Down There
“When I was a kid, probably like early high school, I was told that you had to shave it all off, like completely bare. So I did that for a while and then grew out of it. It was not comfortable for me and if my partner wasn’t into it, then tough luck for them. So now I stick to good ole bikini waxes. Sometimes I will go for a Brazilian if I am going on vacation somewhere where I know I will be in a bathing suit most of the time. But the reason that I do it is for me, not for a man or anyone else. It is only to make me feel more comfortable and sexy.” – Isabel, New York University
“For me, it’s important to keep it clean for hygienic purposes and it feels fresher and cleaner all around when everything is shaved. I prefer to shave because it’s the painless route. Yes, it does grow back faster but I think this method is perfect because I can shave everything how I want to and I know that everything will be the way I want it to be.” – Jessica, San Diego State University Class of 2018
“I don’t currently do much when it comes to grooming down there. I shave from time to time when I feel like it’s unmanageable but I’ve never gotten it waxed. To be honest I might consider waxing if I were sexually active even though I’m not sure how long I could stand the pain. But so far it really hasn’t been a priority in my life.” – Grace, Smith College Class of 2018
“I started shaving down there when I was around 12. One time, I heard boys making fun of a girl’s pubic hair, and I started to actually have nightmares about people seeing me without being completely shaven. Throughout the years, I’ve kept up with it because I felt like I have to or I would gross guys out. Now I couldn’t care less if a guy is grossed out by it or not. The only reason I keep doing it is because it becomes itchy when the hairs grow in and I still feel sexy with it completely shaven. I choose to shave because it’s easy for me and doesn’t require me to make a special trip every month or so just to keep it shaven. I also don’t have to bear all to a total stranger at some waxing place.” – Sarah, Drexel University Class of 2019
“I wax. I started when I was 12.” – Maya, SUNY New Paltz Class of 2016
“I used to shave all the time but it got to be annoying to do and when the hair grows back in it’s not comfortable at all so I started trimming it instead and touching it up with a razor now and again. That’s my day-to-day routine. If I know I’m going to have someone in my bed that night or I’m in a relationship I do shave and try to keep it up but honestly, if the guy can’t handle a little hair down there he doesn’t deserve it when it’s trimmed/shaved to his preference. Also, I’ve always been way too scared for waxing.” – Kayla, UConn Class of 2017
RELATED: How to Shave ‘Down There’
“Honestly, I really don’t do any grooming in that area. I might do the occasional trim and bikini-line shave, but otherwise I have such sensitive skin that if I do anything other than leave it alone my lady bits turn into my angry bits. I’ve heard that waxing is great but I don’t have any money for that kind of upkeep and I hate the way I look with no hair down there. I look juvenile and it makes me feel like I am trying too hard to please a partner who, at the moment, doesn’t even exist. Maybe if a guy has an outstanding personality and a dick made of gold I would change my grooming habits, but until then this jungle is staying wild.” – Liz, Oregon State University Class of 2017
“I started off shaving but quickly realized I have super sensitive skin. So I built up the courage to finally get waxed. And after the pain I realized how smooth it was. Waxing, specifically sugaring, gets the best results. It also lasts longer then shaving.” – Taylor, St. John’s University Class of 2018
“I groom down there for sure! I usually shave it all off. I started shaving when I started having sex, so like 16 or 17. I try to maintain a completely nude look but listen to my body. If I feel like I’m getting ingrown hairs or my skin is sensitive I’ll dial it down and grow it out for a bit. I do my best to keep it trimmed in between. I feel sexier trimmed or completely shaven.” – Nicole, San Francisco State University Class of 2016
“I tried down there grooming once but hated it. The chafing and razor burn was too much to handle.” – Elise, Boston University Class of 2019
“Usually only during the summer time! I use a hair removal cream around the bikini area, but not everything goes. I use hair removal cream because it’s not as scary as using a razor and way cheaper than lasers and easier than waxing. I started when I was 17 so it’s been somewhat recent.” – Abigail, University of West Florida Class of 2019
RELATED: Your Complete ‘Down-There’ Grooming Guide
“I don’t do any grooming because I was never taught or told that I had to. I think it’s kind of stupid, to be honest.” – Sylvia, UCF Class of 2019
“The first time I groomed myself was in eighth grade because my hair had started growing and I didn’t like it, so I didn’t think anything of it and just shaved it. I didn’t do it well because I cut myself and got a bunch of ingrown hairs. I didn’t shave after that until 10th grade, and began to get good at it. I groom down there now because it makes me feel more confident when I go out with friends or am talking to someone I am interested in. I don’t know if anybody else has ever felt that way, but somehow it’s empowering knowing everything down there is clean and looking good. Sometimes, life gets so busy now that I don’t have time to shave there for weeks. I would like to build up the courage to wax one day, but as of now all the horror stories I have heard about it [are] keeping me away.” – Jennifer, Virginia Commonwealth University Class of 2019
“I was probably about 14 when I started shaving around my pubic area before I went swimming so I wouldn’t have hair coming out of my swimsuit. Even now I just shave enough so that there’s not hair peeking out of swim bottoms or underwear, and I trim occasionally so the hair doesn’t get too long or itchy. As long as it’s relatively neat, I’m happy (and my partner is too!). I think it’s strange to shave or wax your entire pubic area so it’s completely naked. For one thing, it’s a lot of work (and possibly pain and itchiness) to put into an area most people are never going to see, and also, why would you or your partner want you to look like a pre-pubescent girl down there? Seems creepy to me.” – Noelle, FSU Class of 2017
“I shave, mainly when I think I might be getting some. I only do it for the guys because they’re assholes and want us to be bald. I shave because waxing is painful, lasers are expensive, and trimming isn’t good enough for men anymore.” – Anne, Johns Hopkins University Class of 2019