Women have practised hair removal for thousands of years, using beeswax, pumice stones and homemade depilatories, but the first razor for women didn’t enter the market until 1915, when Gillette launched the Milady Decolleté. By the 1960s, wax strips and laser hair removal had started to enter public consciousness. Now, everything goes: depilatory creams, razors, soft and hard waxes, and electrolysis.

No matter your method of hair removal, heading to the beach or an intimate evening with a partner can be anxiety-inducing if your bikini line is speckled with acne or in-grown hairs. Follow these tips to achieve smooth blemish-free skin down there.

1.    If you like to shave your bikini line, make sure you have a razor that’s dedicated to the area. Using one razor for your entire body can cause bacteria to spread, which may result in acne. Get rid of your razor every couple of weeks to cut down on additional bacteria.  

2.    Exfoliate. Sugar scrubs are great, but a dry brush is better for sensitive skin. Gently buff the skin on your upper thighs and around your bikini line before you hop into the shower, then rinse away the dead skin. Removing dead skin will prevent in-grown hairs.

3.    Exfoliating isn’t enough; you also have to moisturize your skin every day or two, because dry skin is more prone to in-growns. Use a fragrance-free cream. It can be the same moisturizer that you use on your face, provided it is unscented and free of irritating ingredients such as retinol.

4.    Tweeze in-grown hairs, but don’t scrape and prod until the skin bleeds. If you have trouble with deep in-growns, consider getting a “vajacial.”