Earlier this month, I wrote about The History of Shaving Vol. I and it seems that the questioning behind shaving, trimming, waxing, plucking, and removing bodily hair had a lot of yesteryear information.
So we’re going to get schooled on the 2nd volume of this thought-provoking subject. This will curiously take us to… when did it become a personal hygiene ritual? Why would women want to shave their underarms, their legs, and wax their pubic hair… also described as their hoo-hoo [yeah, that’s what my granny called it… she always made this word sound like an owl].
Let’s start from the top… and work our way down!
Underarms
American women had no need to shave their underarms before about 1915, after all, who saw their underarms? Even the word underarm was considered scandalous, what with it being so near certain other interesting body parts.
Fashion had a huge influence on women. When the sleeveless dress arrived in an ad in the fashion Magazine: Harper's Bazaar women would need to first see to "the removal of objectionable hair." Dance also had some influence on shaving.
If you wanted to participate in the modern dancing it did not take much convincing… that hair had to go! By the early 1920’s, hairy underarms were so last decade; at least in America.
Legs
The 1920’s fashion was risqué on the bottom half, too, but most women of the era didn't seem to feel the need to shave their legs, and when hemlines dropped again in the '30s, the point became moot. The '40s, however, brought even shorter skirts, sheerer stockings, and the rise of leggy pin-ups such as Betty Grable.
The removal of objectionable hair suddenly applied to a lot more surface area.
Fashion influenced hemlines to drop-
Pubic hair
So, we’ve made our way down from shaving armpits and shaving legs which bring us to genital self-image. This is an interesting topic, because private space has become public space. We live in a world where anything you want to learn or conduct research on… well, it’s at our finger tips. I would like to bring value and shed light by asking… how these personal grooming rituals become an experience for women to start and/or continue.
Keep in mind; this is simply a short blog post on The History of Shaving. This is not a written documentary to influence or convince women to start shaving or waxing their pubic hair. With that said the curiosity for the questions of why women groom their pubic hair… and when it started has many layers…
It seems that women are going hairless more than another grooming practice. It means something. The question is what and to whom? Is it because this shaving and/or waxing makes for a better time in the bedroom? According to The University of California, researchers found that women who groom their pubic hair reported more satisfied sex lives than those who didn’t.
The disappearance and/or waxing of pubic hair tell us something about womanhood, humans, and the state of love. What exactly is it telling us? Bodily hair seems to bring masculinization to women, so hairlessness becomes a way to hold on to femininity.
The University of California researchers found most women say they wax or shave for hygienic reasons or as part of their personal routine, while others do so because they or their partners believe it will make them more attractive.
Take a look at ‘Fresh Start Shaving Set’ from Camellia Alise
Pubic shaving rash or razor burn is quite common in this area over others because the hair is thicker and can affect those with more sensitive skin or who shave often. No one wants to get rid of hair only to trade it in for other irritating problems. We recommend The Camellia Alise shaving experience.
Fresh Start preps your skin along with our Radiance Revealer sponge, Smooth Intentions gives you the luxurious and close shave your skin craves, and Finishing Touch repairs and protects your freshly shaved skin. When used together the Camellia Alise shave system helps you achieve amazing skin that is smooth to the touch and radiantly healthy.
Resources:
- Pubic Hair Grooming Prevalence and Motivation among Women in the United States
- This Study on Pubic Hair Is the Only Reason You'll Ever Read a Medical Journal
Contributing Writer: Sharon Lee Zapata
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