YASS Magazine is offering you the ultimate guide to untangle the groin down there

Recent research* reveals manscaping is spreading from the chest and back to a new region, with two thirds of men fessing-up to the fact that they style their groin. However, when it comes to ‘down there’ men are also messing things up. Almost two thirds (64%) of men have experienced a mishap when tidying their groin.

With millions of men glued to ITV2’s Love Island, it’s unsurprising that guys are reaching for the razor to tidy up their “Blokini Line”, spurred on by contestants Wes Nelson, Dr Alex George, Adam Collard and Jack Fowler who are all preened to the nines and sporting micro-shorts. Furthermore, almost a third of men (29%) admit they’ve felt the need to groom their body to make a partner happy. Shaving brand Wilkinson Sword has established the “Blokini Line” and released the first definitive manual to untangling the wood from the trees minus any mishaps.

The five popular Blokini Line styles as voted by men are:

Billiard Balls – Trimming or shaving hair from your balls (30% – UK no. 1!)

Thighs the Limits – Removing any low-hanging groin hair from your thighs (20%)

Woolly Mammoth – A full bush. Go wild (19%)

Hairless Mister – Removing every single hair down there and baring all (17%)

Boyzilian – All-over trim, tidy and detangle, leaving very short hair (14%)

“Billiard Balls” has been voted the UK’s number one look. Meanwhile, blokes steer away from a “Boyzilian” (14%) in preference of ‘Thighs the Limit’ (20%). 4 in 10 men are ambivalent about what style to channel. Nearly 2 in 10 go wild and opt for a full bush of hair.

Despite this trend, the study carried out by Wilkinson Sword also revealed that knowing how to style the groin is leaving Brits puzzled. A quarter (24%) of 16 – 34-year olds, the age group fessing-up to grooming their groin the most, claim it’s a ‘stab in the dark.’ Rather than seek advice from an expert, friend or partner – of which half of men wouldn’t – 1 in 5 guys put their technique down to trial and error.

Indeed, it’s a ball game down there, with three quarters of those surveyed confessing they’ve ‘ballsed-up‘ their pubic hair in the past. Unlike bikini line looks for women, there’s never really been definitive styles or advice available for men, until now.  Wilkinson Sword has partnered with grooming expert Marcus Jaye, who is lifting the lid on this topic.

Amongst common shaving mishaps, almost 1 in 10 men (8%) admit they’ve taken too much hair off. Furthermore, 1 in 10 confess to trimming the bush to make the ‘tree’ look bigger in addition to comfort and hygiene. Another key driver is prepping for a date (20%).

4 in 10 men (39%) reveal they reach for the razor to style their blokini line every month, with 19% doing so at least once a week. Marcus’ top tips for grooming the groin include taking a hot shower to soften and hydrate the hair, making it easier to cut. He also advises trimming before getting stuck into shaving so that the razor does not snag. And he warns that old razor blades are responsible for most mishaps.

Grooming expert Marcus Jaye commented: “The research proves that as part of their manscaping ritual millions of men are now grooming their groin to please their partner. This is still fairly unknown grooming territory for men compared to the face and other body parts.

“But whilst it’s a delicate area to expose to a razor, puzzled blokes shouldn’t be swayed away from styling their Blokini Line because of a past mishap. Following a few simple styling steps will make them manscaping masters down below in no time.”

General Blokini Line Top Ten Tips

• Don’t be a tool fool. Make sure you style it out down there with the right tools
• Trim before you get stuck in. One sure-fire way to not balls things up when grooming an untamed groin is to trim before you shave so the razor doesn’t snag on course curly hairs
• Turn the heat up. Shaving your pubic hair when its dry is a no-go so take a hot shower or wet your groin with warm water to soften and hydrate the hair, making it easier to cut
• Fix up, look sharp. Make sure your blades are sharp if you’re shaving hair off down there. Old and dull blades are the culprit for most mishaps
• Keep a clear head. Stick to a clear shaving gel if you are reaching for one so you can untangle the wood from the trees properly
• Don’t race the clock. Grooming your groin can be a stab in the dark, so take your time to feel around and cover all nooks and crannies  
• Keep things tidy. If you’re going bare make sure you control every that falls. Trim in the shower or over the toilet to stop any stray hairs from spreading around your bathroom

Blokini Line Style Specific Top Tips

Woolly Mammoth – A full bush. Go wild

• Being hairy doesn’t have to be scary. If you prefer to let your groin grow wild you can still maintain it with a comb

Billiard Balls – Remove hair from your balls

• Take a quick dip. If smooth balls are what you’re after, splash them with cold water before shaving, or shave during a cold shower so skin is taut and less vulnerable
• Get handsy. Use your dominant hand to pull your skin tight before you go to town with any tools on your balls

Boyzilian – All-over sack, back and crack trim, tidy and detangle, leaving very short hair

• Be an even Steven. If you’re just trimming pubic hair rather than shaving it all off, make sure you also trim stomach and chest hair to a similar length to balance things out

Hairless Mister – Remove every single hair down there

• Show your sensitive side. Your groin area is just as sensitive as your face, so it’s as important to prep it by exfoliating before you let your razor loose down there
• Become a seasoned shaver. Make neatening your groin part of your regular grooming ritual and minimise the risk of itchy re-growth by shaving often

Thighs the Limit – Remove any low-hanging groin hair from the thighs

• Go with the grain. Whilst your pubic hair is courser and curlier than other hair on your body, your thigh hair grows in one direction and you must go with the grain, not against it, for a smooth finish

Whilst you’re styling…check your balls, advises testicular cancer charity Ball Boys. Shockingly, the study also revealed that over a third of men (35%) don’t know how to spot the signs and symptoms of testicular cancer. Wilkinson Sword is supporting the charity Ball Boys to help educate men and encourage them to regularly check their balls. Follow these simple steps:

1) Know the signs. The most common to look and feel for are swelling, a lump or pain in one or both testicles

2) Get to know your body so you can easily detect anything unusual .If you find anything unusual or are ever unsure, speak to your doctor as soon as possible. Testicular cancer is very treatable if detected early.

3) Spread the word. Tell your colleagues, friends and family to check themselves too

A spokesperson from Ball Boys commented: “Our mission is to educate men about how to spot the signs of testicular cancer to they can seek support early on. If guys took a few minutes to check their balls every time they are tidying their Blokini Line, we’d be making great headway! It all comes down to caring about yourself in more ways than one.”

About Ball Boys

Ballboys is a UK charity raising awareness of testicular cancer. Their aim is to educate young men on the issue of testicular cancer, and encourage self-checks regularly and get ‘hands on’ with their health. We want to educate our present and future generations about testicular cancer, and we hope that through our work more individuals will be open to talk about their health. According to Ball Boys, testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men from 15-49 years old, however, detected early it’s one of the most treatable cancers with a survival rate of approximately 98%.

For more information on Testicular Cancer, please visit www.ballboys.org.uk

*All research/polling conducted by Markettiers. Commissioned by Wilkinson Sword, July 2018 polling the opinions of 1,000 male UK adults aged 16-55+

For more information visit https://www.wilkinsonsword.com/en-gb/