In a culture of insurmountable beauty standards, many of us have been trained to think in pretty polarizing ways about what is or is not okay with our bodies, including body hair.
So many of my clients wonder whether or not to remove body hair before their boudoir session, and too often I think the hesitation comes not from personal preference but from fear of how the presence or absence of body hair will be perceived.
I hear things like “I didn’t shave my armpits because I haven’t in a bunch of years - will that be weird for my photoshoot?” or “I haven’t shaved my legs all winter and didn’t want to do it just for this photoshoot - I hope that’s okay?” or “I usually like to get a Brazilian wax but I don't know if that's a weird thing to do for my session - is that normal?”
No matter the question, my response is sincerely the same: You do you!!!
It is normal and okay to have body hair in life, and in your boudoir portraits.
And it is normal and okay to remove body hair in life, and in your boudoir portraits.
There truly is no right or wrong decision - what matters most is choosing the option that feels authentic to you. In my studio, I invite folks to gently set aside all the “shoulds” that our culture tries to heap on us and instead ask yourself the most important questions: What do I want? What matters to me?
I work with a lot of clients who embrace their body hair: arm hair, leg hair, facial hair, pubic hair, short hair, long hair, thick hair, peach fuzz hair, red hair, black hair, brown hair, white hair – all hair is welcome!
I also work with clients who feel their most normal and empowered when they shave or wax some or all of their body hair before their boudoir session. No hair is also welcome! I truly believe beauty exists in the presence and absence of body hair, because beauty shines from within.
So this year, whether you are enthusiastically leaving your body hair as is or looking forward to an upcoming wax appointment before your boudoir session, my sincere hope is that you know your body hair is normal to have, normal to remove, and worth documenting and celebrating either way.