Personally, I like to keep it bald down there. I always thought having cutesy little patterns like hearts or lightning strikes in your pubes was cool in concept, but I never really had any desire to get it done for myself. I think it’s because I’m South Asian, and I don’t just grow a few girly hairs on my vagina — if I leave my pubes alone, they will sprout up like crazy. I mean, like, it gets so hairy that “bush” wouldn’t even be the appropriate term for what they look like — it’d be more of a tree or even a forest.
However, some people like that look. In a recent viral TikTok, user @sujindah keeps repeating the phrase “full bush in a bikini” over and over again. Apparently she saw an Etsy review for a bikini and a woman had posted a review picture rocking — you guessed it — a full bush in a bikini. The user then said the review kind of radicalized her, which lead to thousands of comments of other women (and men!) talking about how they are going to start embracing the bush. And honestly? More power to you!
I’m aware that my preferring to be bald isn’t just a personal choice; it’s a choice that’s been formed by literal centuries of social change. The general consensus on pubic hair has changed so much throughout history that it’s almost impossible to make a decision about what you want your pubes (or lack of) to look like in a complete vacuum. Whether you choose to go hairless or to go full jungle, you might want to understand how you even got to this point: here’s the history of your pubes.
Ancient Egypt: Smooth as a Pharaoh
In Ancient Egypt, hair removal was pretty much a luxury sport. Upper-class women were all about getting rid of their pubes, using copper razors, sharp flintstones (ouch), and a DIY waxing technique called sugaring (it’s still a thing today!). Think of it as the OG Brazilian, except instead of a spa, you had a sticky paste made of sugar and water and hoped for the best. But not everyone was on board with the smooth look — some hieroglyphs show both men and women proudly rocking dark triangles down below.
Ancient Greece & Rome: No Bush Allowed
The Greeks and Romans took the no-hair game to another level. Upper-class women were expected to be as smooth as marble statues — literally. They used tweezers and pumice stones and were even known to singe their hair off with fire. Yes, fire. (Suddenly, your monthly waxing appointment doesn’t sound so bad, huh?) In one of Aristophanes’ plays, a man disguised as a woman gets plucked entirely bare, suggesting that a hairless body was seen as the ultimate feminine ideal. Let’s just say that if you were a Greek goddess, a bush was a no-go.
The Middle Ages: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Fast forward to the Middle Ages, where shaving your pubes was basically a flashing neon sign that read, “I’m a prostitute.” Society wasn’t exactly pro-hair removal, and keeping a full bush was considered a health move. Why? Because lice and diseases were rampant, and body hair was a natural barrier against dirt and vermin. So, if you were living your best medieval life, chances are your bush was thriving — because no one wanted creepy crawlies down there.
The Modern Age: Enter the Razor
By the 19th century, pubic hair trends started to shift. Naughty photos from the Civil War era show trimmed but not fully shaved bushes — kind of a “neat but not too neat” vibe. Then, in 1915, Gillette dropped the first women’s razor ad, calling body hair “unsightly” and “objectionable.” And capitalism struck again. Suddenly, hairlessness became a status symbol, and women were told to get rid of it if they wanted to be seen as elegant and refined.
The 1970s: Let It Grow
Ah, the 70s — a decade of free love, bell bottoms, and the bush. With the rise of the hippie movement and anti-establishment vibes, people were all about going au naturel. Pubic hair became a symbol of bodily autonomy, and shaving was considered a tool of the patriarchy. The motto? “If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” And flaunt it, they did.
The 1980s & 90s: Back to Bare
The pendulum swung back in the 80s and 90s, thanks to the rise of the fashion industry and HD cameras making every pore visible. Suddenly, body hair was back under scrutiny, and everyone was expected to be as hairless as a supermodel on the cover of Vogue. Porn also played a big role in popularizing the clean-shaven look, with women experimenting with landing strips, heart shapes, and everything in between. Fun times.
The 2000s: Low-Rise Jeans & No Hair
Enter the early 2000s — aka the era of low-rise jeans, crop tops, and Brazilian waxes. With more skin on display, women were encouraged to go completely bare. Magazines airbrushed models to oblivion, reinforcing the idea that pubic hair was a no-no. If you were rocking low-rise jeans, a visible bush was basically fashion suicide.
The Hipster Era & Today: To Shave or Not to Shave?
As the 2010s rolled around, the hipster movement brought back the natural look. Think longer pubic hair, minimal grooming, and a “take it or leave it” attitude. Now, in the 2020s, it’s all about personal preference. Whether you’re into a full bush, landing strips, or totally bare, the key is owning it. Social media has also played a part in normalizing all types of grooming, and we’re here for it.
So, Is Pubic Hair ~In~ Now?
As we discussed, pubic hair is apparently making a huge comeback right now all thanks to TikTok (and Etsy!). I mean, “full bush in a bikini” seems to be the battlecry of a lot of women online — so I guess you can say the bush is back again.
But if it were up to me the answer would be: Who cares? It’s 2025, and the only opinion that matters is yours. Whether you want to wax it, trim it, or let it grow wild and free, pubic hair is no longer a trend — it’s a choice. But hey, we’ve got people encouraging the public to get their labia puffed and get Botox in their traps, so who knows where the public opinion on pubic hair is going to be in the next few years?
