WOULD YOU snip, Clip & Strip Down There? - removing pubic hair

Marie Claire, Dec, 2001 by Hallie Levine

These women all have the latest year-round accessory: a clipped or stripped bikini line. We asked them--and their parters--to tell us how it revs up their sex lives

ed [*] I was shocked the first time Jennifer had it done. She was so red and swollen--it freaked me out. But as the swelling subsided, I had to admit she looked hot. Jennifer has very sensitive skin, though, so whenever she does it, she's usually too sore to have sex for a few days, which can get a little frustrating. The only other downside is that when the hair starts to grow back after two weeks or so, it can feel a little stubbly, like I'm rubbing against a beard. But I really don't care if she maintains it. My wife is gorgeous no matter how she looks down there!

jennifer [*] I got my first Brazilian bikini wax about a year-and-a-half ago, when a friend dared me to do it. With a Brazilian wax, most salons will leave behind a small tuft of hair in the shape of a triangle or rectangle, unless you want to take it all off. (I got the triangle.) I made an appointment at the J. Sisters salon in New York City, which has a reputation for getting rid of hair where you don't even know you have it. You have to check your pride at the door, because the experience is a little degrading. A woman with a Brazilian accent asks you to lie down on a table, completely naked from the waist down. Then you have to spread your legs and hold them behind your head like a pretzel, with your private parts completely exposed. I was mortified. It took about half an hour, but the pain wasn't as bad as I'd heard. When I got home and show ed Ed, he almost didn't recognize me, but he definitely liked it. Now, I wax about every six weeks. I still dread having it done, but it's become part of my beauty routine--like getting a manicure.

Pamella [*] I like to have fun and experiment. I've dyed my pubic hair red on a whim and even waxed it into different shapes for special occasions--a heart for Valentine's Day, a bunny for Easter. About a year ago, I decided to take it all off. It felt so liberating not to have any hair down there--it really made me feel sexy. I loved how smooth and clean my vagina looked. It reminded me of a blank canvas--I couldn't wait to decorate it! I'd heard about the Swarovski-crystal craze--those tiny gems that people sometimes stick on their skin--so I pasted them on. The crystals have an adhesive on the back and usually last four or five days before they fall off; I've designed everything from a sunburst to a Christmas tree out of them. (I'm a sucker for holidays.) Occasionally, I'll experiment with body paint and draw on a flower. Whenever I try something new, John always says, "Oh, no! What have you done to yourself this time?"

john [*] I don't know why Pamella does all this crazy stuff to herself. I think it looks strange for a grown woman to be hairless down there. I have always thought a woman should have a mound of pubic hair. That's part of what makes her a woman--why take it off? When Pamella messes around with hers, it makes her look prepubescent. The first time she waxed off all her pubic hair, I was a little upset. It just seemed like such a bizarre thing to do. I have to admit, though, the Christmas tree she designed out of crystals was pretty spectacular. But I was glad when her hair grew back and her tree started to "sprout."

jill [*] There's something so refreshing and clean about not having any hair down there. I've been waxing for more than two years, and I love it! It makes me feel young. It's also made me more of a free spirit in bed, because I'm less self-conscious about how I look naked. The last time I was at my salon, Completely Bare, they told me how popular Swarovski crystals were, and I thought, Why not? So I got completely waxed for it, and for another $30 had them glue on about 30 crystals in a sunburst design that extends from my navel to just above my clitoris. They itched a little, but Eric was beside himself with joy. He spent hours trying to figure out how all the crystals stayed on. But I'm not sure if I would go completely bare again--it's more painful than the regular Brazilian. I'll probably reserve it for special occasions--like Eric's birthday!

eric [*] I can't tell you how thrilled I was when Jill showed me her sunburst. (There is something really erotic about seeing her completely naked.) It definitely spiced up our sex life. Jill feels less inhibited when we have sex, and it's fun for me to run my tongue over all those crystals. Also, it just tastes better and feels smoother when there's no hair in the way.

dayna [*] I began waxing shortly after I started dating Adam. I was going on vacation with my girlfriends and didn't want any stray hairs sneaking out of the tiny bikini I bought for the trip. Plus, I thought Adam would be into it. He used to drop hints about how sexy I'd look if I waxed off all my pubic hair. Now I'm hooked! I have much more sensation, and it's made sex so much more enjoyable to feel skin rubbing against skin. I even love the way my underwear caresses my naked body.