Ask Ada: Is It Better To Wax Or Shave ‘Down There’?

Welcome to “Ask Ada,” a weekly series in which we answer all those burning questions you’d rather not share aloud. Buckle up for some brutally honest advice!

Is it better to wax or shave “down there?”

Signed,

M.S.

Hi M.S.,

Well, you’ve definitely given us a masterclass in “story in 9 words.” There is a tonne of context here that I’m probably going to misread, so here is the tl;dr version of my answer:

Whatever pleases you the most.

A qualified beautician would give you a more detailed answer, but a) I am not here to sell you anything, and b) I appreciate that not everyone has unlimited money, time, and fucks to give to the pursuit of depilation. You know your body best, you know your budget best, and you are the  boss of how you will approach this age-old question.

This bears repeating: You are the boss of your body.

Not a beautician, not the Internet, not some uppity advice columnist who can’t be arsed to shave her own armpits. Maybe, you don’t mind using a razor more often if it means that you’ll save some money. Perhaps, you prefer to let a professional take care of your nether regions so that you don’t have to worry about them. Maybe, you’ll discover that you are allergic to most waxes. Perhaps, you’ll save up for laser therapy. Maybe, the latest miracle hack that’s making its way around YouTube will work the best for you. After all, the sky’s the limit!

Speaking of the Internet, this makes me wonder why you’ve asked an advice columnist a question that Google could have handled faster?

Is it because you’re just starting to discover the world of beauty treatments, and you don’t know where to begin? If so, I hope that what I’ve written so far helps you.

Go forth and explore.

Is it because you’re about to have sex for the first time, and you don’t know what to do to get ready? Don’t get me wrong; there is no wrong way to do self-care, but chatting with your partner beforehand will do a lot more for your nerves than reducing your chances of razor burn will. Sex talk is brave, and informed consent is sexy. A person who cannot take an honest conversation about boundaries has no place in your bed.

Is it because you are with a partner who prefers you bare “down there?” Fair enough – we like what we like. I just hope that they put in the same amount of effort for you as you do for them. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to woo your partner or to show them that you care about their preferences… as long as they’re reciprocating.

And if someone expects you to look a certain way while they look like a slob? Feel free to present them with the spa bill. If they split the check for dinner, they can split the check for your wax, and that’s all I’m going to say on the matter.

Ada

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Featured Photo by Alexis Reyna on Unsplash.

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