But it is also a little scary. You want to show that special man who you are, but not enough to scare him off before you have the chance to steal his super-comfy sweatpants. And you find yourself constantly wondering if he thinks about you as much as you think about him, why he hasn’t called yet and if he minded that you screamed really loudly while watching Saw 3 the night before.

When I was younger, the scariest part of a new relationship – especially with someone I really liked – was walking the line between being myself and doing/saying things that I thought he wanted to hear. I know it sounds pathetic, but you know you’ve been there too; telling him you love Bob Seger only to freak when he asks your favorite song. Or pretending to be obsessed with The Sopranos and then wondering what station that show is even on.

Now that I am approaching adulthood (graduation is coming at me quickly!) I have finally come to terms with who I am on my own and in a relationship. I now realize that there are plenty of really good guys out there for me so I don’t have to settle for that douche bag who pops his collar and wears a giant gold chain.

But, I can’t be too stubborn. There are a few things I will tweak for a boy:

1. Hair Maintenance: Singledom means a break from leg/bikini cleanups. But even I know that it is only fair to do a little tidying if I expect anyone to approach.

2. Music Preference: Not that I will ditch my own amazing music collection (ranging from the tunes of Sister Act to the infamous Beastie Boys), but being in a new relationship is all about experiencing new things. Plus, it makes the option of a cuddly concert date much more probable.

3. Sport Viewing: I’ll be honest, while I enjoy watching all college sports, if I had the option to get a mani/pedi, I would ditch the TV in a nano-second. But, when there is a man in my life who loves sports, I am totally fine giving up some girl time to spend the day with him and some beers.

4. Underwear: No more torn/worn/granny panties for me. Enter the lace, flowers and super sexy sheer panties.

Things that I will absolutely not change for any man. Ever:

1. The Way I Look: You don’t like my hair; find a blonde. Not a fan of my thighs? Well, they don’t like you either. Any man who wants to be with me should love every inch. No matter how many there are. And if he doesn’t, he should shut up and learn to appreciate it.

2. My Obsession with Bravo: I know that “Bethenny Getting Married?” isn’t any sort of quality programming, but I love it. And yes, I even DVR it.

3. My Friends: I have the greatest friends in the world and I would not get rid of them for anything. I believe strongly that you can judge me by the friends I keep, so if some guy doesn’t like them, then he really isn’t going to like me.

4. My Sorority Sweatpants: I know they are torn and say the name of my sorority across the butt, but I love them… and will always, no matter how old I get.

5. My Hatred for Under-Nail Dirt: That is just nasty. Clean that sh*t up if you want to get near me.

What sorts of things are you willing (or totally unwilling) to compromise?

We’ve all done our fair share of multitasking while driving: putting on mascara en route to work, mowing down that Big Mac on the way home from the gym (no? just me?), catching up with friends via the cellular….

But there are some things that are just not meant for the car.
Like drinking or – I don’t know – trimming?

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: “Duh, what kind of moron would try that?”

Well, that moron’s name is Megan Barnes, who attempted to snip the hedge while en route to her boyfriend’s house. Yes, she actually tried to trim her tree… while driving… on the highway! And then slammed into another car.

Smooth move, Megan. (Pun fully intended.)

Luckily, Megan was wearing a seatbelt and did not incur any serious injuries, but we still haven’t received word on the razor burn sitch down south.

Looks like it’s time for Oprah to start another pledge….

Well, that one I requested.

Anyways, while we get all this stuff dropped off daily, it is truly rare that I find something new and awesome and totally worth writing about. Because I’m not gonna write about just anything the mailman drops on my desk while I’m out for my mid-morning brownie run. But I recently received a package that intrigued me and has since changed my life. And I not exaggerating.

I have a bikini line problem. It doesn’t matter if I maintain it myself or leave it to the waxing professionals, I get terrible in-grown hairs. I’ve used old razors, new razors, hard wax, soft wax, blue wax…you name it, I’ve tried it. And I’ve ended up with big, ugly bumps. Not really the look you’re going for when you spend $50 to beautify your nether regions.

I’m desperate to fix this and will give just about anything a try (well, anything that doesn’t cost $1,200 and use red, hot lasers on my va jay). So when I recieved a package from Hair Care Down There, I stuck that sucker in my messenger bag and took it home. Yeah, so it was only 2pm.  I just had to try it.

The Ultimate Shaving Kit came with everything I’d need to take matters into my own hands:
- A new, super sharp razor with refills
- Safety scissors for trimming without fear of lobbing off some important parts
- A mirror for getting at all those hidden places
- Clear shaving gel that protects your skin while you shave, but also lets you see through to what you’re doing
- A soothing spray and a smoothing cream to make everything feel better after the fact

And maybe a few things I didn’t need quite as much:
- A heart-shaped stencil for a more romantic look
- Bikini bindis, in case I felt the need to bling out my bush

Anyways, I set up shop in my bathroom and went to town. I had to see for myself if this shaving gel was as good as the promotional materials boasted. And it was. As was the awesome razor it came with. But the best part of the entire kit was the Skin Fix spray you use after shaving. It soothes and almost numbs the area so you don’t itch or burn. And it prevents ingrown hairs! Seriously, it’s been 2 weeks and for the first time in my life I don’t have any!

Now, I didn’t use the stencil or the bling included in the kit, but I was intrigued. There is an entire book explaining how to do everything and do it right, so there may be a little heart (or perfect landing strip) in my bikini line future.

The kit isn’t cheap – it’s a hefty $65 – but it’s totally worth it when you think about how much you spend (and how much pain you endure) getting those monthly bikini waxes. And you don’t even need to buy the whole thing. If you don’t need the extras like the razor or the bindis, you can just buy the shaving gel, cream and spray by themselves.

The Hair Care Down There products are truly amazing. After years of painful ingrown hairs (and one guy who freaked out thinking I had herpes….) I am forever indebted to the women who solved my biggest and most embarrassing issue.

We thought we’d help and every Thursday our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: Whenever I shave my bikini line or get waxed I get MASSIVE bumps down there. We’re talking HUGE. They hurt a ton and are super gross looking. Oh, and sometimes they pop (like a zit) and I get nauseous just looking at them. I can’t NOT wax/shave, but I also can’t handle these things. What is the cause and how can I prevent them?

A: I hear you, sister!  Sounds like you’re suffering from what we call folliculitis, infected ingrown hairs that can be caused by shaving.  We’ve all been there: it’s a hot, sunny day, and the beach beckons. You don your pink polka-dot bikini, only to discover that your Fabulous Furburger is flowing over the bikini line.  Bathing suit still on, you grab the razor and maybe a little hand soap, and set to work scraping the pubes off your inner thighs. Problem solved, right? Maybe not.  Two hours later, you’re covered with fire-engine red bumps advertising your bikini shave to the universe. And you can’t even swim because you’re so raw that the salt water makes you want to rip out your whole genital region and sling it into outer space.

And even in non-emergencies, when you do it right- soak in the bathtub first, lather up your pubes with the best shaving cream, and use a fresh, sharp razor, shave against the grain of what pubic hair wants- razor burn, ingrown hairs, itching, and burning often follow.

Why do we get razor burn? In addition to slicing through hair, razors shave off the top layer of the epidermis, resulting in tissue injury. The skin responds as it’s supposed to, by increasing blood flow to the area in order to heal the tissue injury, leaving you looking like a sunburned, plucked goose. Then there are the bumps, which result from shaving off puckered hair follicles that were damaged by the razor.

The easiest way to relieve the red rash of razor burn is to stop shaving and grab some boy-short swimming trunks. However, if the bikini beckons and you’re not interested in exposing your Furry Monkey to a beach full of hair-gazers, don’t fret. There are ways to shave safely and relieve the raging redness.

Tips For a Safe and Sane Bikini Shave

1. Before you shave, soak in a warm bath, which softens the hairs and allows for a gentler shave. Then exfoliate your bikini region with a loofah or shower puff to remove old, dead skin cells that could clog your pores. Bath products containing salicylic acid or glycolic acid may help prevent ingrown hairs, but some people are very sensitive to chemicals in this delicate region.

2. Purchase high quality razors and discard them after a few uses.

3. Choose a shaving cream with aloe or other soothing ingredients, and avoid shaving with bar soap, which further dries the skin, rather than hydrating it. An old fashioned shaving soap with a badger brush can work wonders. Try leaving the shaving cream on for a few minutes before you shave to further soften the hair.

4. Hold the area to be shaved taut, but not stretched.  Shave in the direction the hair grows- with the grain, rather than against. Clean your razor with water between each swipe. If you must double back over an already shaved area, apply more shaving cream.

5. Apply ice to your freshly shaved bikini line to hasten the closing of your pores.

6. Try following shaving with a product like Tend Skin, which you can buy at the drug store. Aloe vera gel and tea tree oil sprays offer natural relief.

7. Wait at least 30 minutes after shaving to apply moisturizing lotion. This allows the pores to close after shaving, minimizing irritation.

8. Treat redness and irritation with over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream. This topical steroid cream acts as an anti-inflammatory and constricts raging blood vessels. But don’t get hooked on it – chronic use can thin the skin and cause problems. Save hydrocortisone for serious irritation.

9. If you break out into pimples where you shave, zap zits with benzoyl peroxide cream.

10. Ingrown hairs can lead to pustules. If you are plagued by them, apply warm compresses to the pustule twice a day to encourage the hair to bust through. If this doesn’t work, or if the overlying skin is thin enough that you can see the hair, you can try unroofing the pustule yourself. Clean the area with hydrogen peroxide and use sterile tweezers or a needle to fish the wayward hair out of the pustule. Minimize squeezing and other trauma that can further damage the hair follicle and cause the ingrown hair to recur. When you locate the offending hair, don’t pluck it, which can further inflame the area. Just free it and encourage it to grow in the direction of the other hairs. If a pustule is especially large, surrounded by a lot of redness, or severely painful, or if you develop a fever, call your gynecologist or dermatologist right away.

[Like what you read here? Dr. Lissa's got a new book coming out in September: What's Up Down There? Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist if She Was Your Best Friend. Be sure to check it out for all the answers you want but were too afraid to ask.]

So I realize it is mid-August, and that means that it’s taken me pretty much all summer to get my bikini shaving to a level of perfection. As someone with sensitive skin, I am often prone to razor burn and the dreaded ingrown hairs. If you have ever had an ingrown hair you know that they are painful, unattractive, and pretty tricky to get rid of. But even with these risks we ladies have to keep a clean-cut bikini line!

Luckily, I have (finally) figured out exactly which products will prevent these problems, and what to do if you do have to deal with evil ingrown hairs. Yes, ladies, there is a solution. Now, stay with me:

- You should always shave your bikini line last in the shower when skin is softest. And don’t lather on the same shaving gel you use on your legs; use this gel from BikiniZone instead. It moisturizes skin as it sits there and is clear so you can see what you’re doing. At only $4.99, this gel is a necessity and I have found it to be proven to prevent unwanted bumps.

- When it’s time to actually begin the shaving process, you want to switch up your razor, too. The Noxzema mini bikini razor is made just for this area – small and delicate – so it’s much better suited to the job than whatever you’re using on those legs. It also comes in a three-pack, which makes it much easier to grab a new one often. And you should! It is important to keep the razor sharp and prevent buildup; a dull, used blade will create more problems down there than a new one.

- After you shave and towel off, apply a light, unscented lotion, like this one from Cetaphil. Lotions with more chemicals will create problems for newly shaved, sensitive skin. After applying lotion liberally , you can apply baby powder to prevent itching (yet another purpose for baby powder!). However, you want to pay attention: make sure you are using baby powder made of 100% cornstarch, as other kinds will cause build-up, burning and bumps.

If you follow these steps you should be able to avoid razor burns and ingrown hairs, but if one pops up there is a way to get rid of it:

Ichthammol Ointment can be bought at a drug store for pretty cheap. This ointment looks and smells…gross. Pretty much like tar, to be honest. But trust me, it’s much better than having a painful ingrown hair, which can escalate into more problems if left untreated. Squeeze a bit of this ointment onto a Q-Tip before you hop into bed and apply to the ingrown hair. Cover it up with a Band-aid so it doesn’t get anywhere else and the hair should be gone in the morning. If it’s not, repeat until that sucker is gone.

So now you should be able to take care of your hair removal at home safely (and cheaply!), with a couple of helpful products. Luckily I know all of this now and will be prepared the second summer heat rolls around next year (which, judging by this year, could be mid-July).

There are few things more awkward than having a strange woman apply hot wax to your happy place as you sit spread eagle before her holding your undies out of the way. Except, maybe, hoisting your leg up on your bathroom counter and doin’ it yourself.

Maintaining a nice coif (or lack thereof) downtown takes a lot: of patience, of work, or pain, and of self esteem. I mean, you don’t lay on a table with your legs wide open for just anyone (sober, at least). And being that it’s such a sensitive situation, there are bound to be some awkward experiences along the way.

After opting for a cheap wax in the back of a Korean nail shop in Midtown Manhattan, where the room was so small I had to rest my legs against the wall and use my pants as a pillow while the teeny lady did her work, I wanted to see if anyone else had similar experiences. Here is what the rest of the CollegeCandy team had to share – well, the ones who didn’t block the experiences from their memories. Share your own stories in the comments!

Beata – Notre Dame: I tried to do it myself once, with some warm-up aloe vera “waxing” gel.  Ended up with sticky green goo all in my lady parts. It took a very long time to get out.

Caitlin – University of Alabama: All of my bikini wax experiences have been normal, but one time I was getting my eyebrows done and my usual lady was out of town so I got stuck with the new girl.  She wanted to try the trimmer instead of wax, and she “trimmed” off half of my eyebrow.  “Oops” is never something you want to hear from your eyebrow lady.

Sara C-Fordham: When I was about nine, I went over to a friend’s house for a pool party and we were at that age where we still weren’t bashful about our bodies and changed in front of one another. Well, one of my girlfriends was maturing much faster than the rest of us, and when I caught glimpse of her bush I shrieked. “What?” she said. “Yours is coming. Just you wait.” The way she said it, it sounded like a threat, and I feared I would one day wake up entangled in a jungle. Fortunately, I eventually realized change comes slowly.

Liza M – Minnesota: I was in the bathroom with three other girls at a frat party when one of them decided she was going to hook up with one of the brothers there, but discovered that she wasn’t as…freshly groomed as she would like for this event. To deal with it, she grabbed one of the guy’s nasty old razors and shaved. Dry. Right there. In front of us. It was horrific.

Lauren – University of Michigan: I once tried to Nair the entire thing off in the shower, then spent the next 20 minutes splashing cold water on myself to stop the burning. I was red and swollen for a week. NEVER AGAIN.

Sara – NYU: I don’t do any of that. If shaving isn’t enough, he can, frankly, suck it.

Kayla – California State University, Sacramento: While shaving my cookie in the shower one day, I felt a sneeze coming on. I stopped shaving when the sneeze came, but kept the razor against my skin. Thus, a jerk of my hand in response to the sneeze caused a vicious slicing of my tender parts. Lesson learned.

Sarabeth – University of Texas: One time after a wax, I’m not entirely sure what happened, but when the hair started growing back I had a bald patch for almost 3 months. It looked sooooo awkward.

Lauren H – New School: I haven’t always been known for reading instructions well, so the first (and last) time I attempted to wax my own bikini zone… well, I figure that since the cloth strips were long, you were supposed to put a long on line of wax to take up the whole thing. So I covered about 5 inches of my groin in molten wax, patted my little cloth strip on and then ripped it off. And I then cried. A lot. I was bruised for a week.

Charlsie – Hollins: Recently, I was at a water park and to my surprise, I left a few stray hairs. Mortified, I was obsessed with fixing my bathing suit non-stop the rest of the day, even though I’m sure no one would have noticed but me.

Mechelle – Florida State: I have only waxed once. The guy I was dating told me I looked like “a naked mole rat” and I vowed never again. In his defense, I was trying to distract him from his zoology final.

Kari- Florida State: My very first Brazlian, the woman told me I was “beautiful” while looking pointedly at my hoo-ha. Not sure if she was referencing my or my vadge, but it made the rest of the appointment WAY awk.

Mandy – Hofstra: I’ve never gotten my netherareas waxed and here’s why: In highschool, one of my good friends wanted to do it and asked me to go with her….as in IN the room and everything. So I did, to be supportive. I held her hand as they dripped the wax on her sensitive bikini line and, despite the fact that she had taking a couple Advils before, she screamed bloody murder when they ripped the first strip off. I turned my head and saw blood coming from the area her hair used to be and decided this might not be a good option for me.  No thanks, I’ll stick to shaving…

Say WHAT?!?!?

I couldn’t believe it. How could you not enjoy something that is completely and totally dedicated to your pleasure, and yours alone? Surely she was alone in this, I thought. Not so! As soon as the question was posed, a definite majority of the group was on her side! Some disliked it altogether, some liked it OK but were pretty “meh” about the whole concept, and I was the only holdout for it being truly awesome.

I have to say, ladies, I just don’t get it. When I got curious, I was presented with a few primary reasons for these women not being crazy about someone heading downtown.

1. “I worry he doesn’t like doing it.”
A valid concern, on the surface: no one wants to put someone they love/like/lust after in an awkward position. But dig a little deeper for a minute, if you will. I don’t love the physical act of giving a blow job, but I love love love how good I can make someone feel when I do it! Isn’t that the point of all this? If he doesn’t care about making you feel good, then forget him. Seriously. Now.

2. “I’m self-conscious about the appearance/smell/yadda yadda yadda of my ladyparts.”
Are you naked? ‘Cause he won’t notice anything else. But seriously, folks, I know that if I am in need of a little yardwork, I am uncomfortable with someone getting too close down there.  With a little maintenance, it’s a non-issue. And that’s just me: you may prefer more or less, all or nothing at all.  Maintain what YOU like, not what you think someone else will find attractive. It’s subjective, anyway, and any man who has specific opinions on your pubic hair should really get over it.  Even if he does have opinions, they should be a preference, not a deal-breaker. If you’re still feeling fidgety, remember: women all have the same bits, and you probably look and smell much like the rest of us ladies, and any man worth his salt knows and appreciates this.

3. “I don’t enjoy it all that much. I just prefer sex.”
My working theory is that this stems from one of the first two reasons, which can distract you so entirely from the present moment that you won’t enjoy anything at all. But if you really just think it doesn’t feel good, then, well, I didn’t want to get all “you’ve just never been with someone who was good at it” on you, but you’ve just never been with someone who was good at it. Bad oral sex is….pretty bad. Pretty useless, at best.  Men who are too rough, or fast, or seem to think that imitating porn stars is the way to go just need a little direction.  If the usual strategically placed moans don’t work, most men dig it if you tell them what you want. Honestly, if you can tell him “ohhhh do that again,” or “I love it when you…” you’re golden. It might feel like awkward dirty talk at first, but trust me, it’ll get the job done and probably turn him on in the process. Everybody wins!

It is incredible to have someone focused entirely on making you feel amazing (and trust me, that is different than someone who is just trying to warm you up so he can get his groove on. Forget that guy also. Immediately.). You give, should you not also have the chance to lay back, relax and receive? On top of it being an incredible orgasm on its own, oral sex makes any sex that follows utterly toe-curling, because you are so revved up and ready to go. That is one of the little gifts of being a woman: the first orgasm only prepares you for the next one.

If you think you don’t like it, try it again.  You don’t know what you’re missing.

Ok, so maybe not (and maybe that’s about the only thing that doesn’t these days….), but I do get a bit rowdy for two-in-one products. You know: shampoo AND conditioner, moisturizer AND SPF, a friend AND benefits…

And now I can add razor AND vibrator to the list.

Yes, shaving that bikini line just got a lot more fun. The people over at Tinge have just created the ultimate shower product for women: a water proof razor for trimming your nether regions that also acts as a shower rockin’ vibrator when the cap is on.

Be still my heart.

Not only does this puppy do double duty downtown, but anyone who sees it laying around your apartment won’t give you the “Aw, you have to do it yourself?” look or, worse, the “Lauren, what is this?” question as you turn around and see your mother holding your Pocket Rocket in her hand. It is a razor, after all, and that’s exactly what it looks like.

Oh and did I mention that it also boasts 32 speed/mode combinations?

This thing is seriously the best invention since the Bumpit. Goodbye bikini waxes and hellooooo shower time.

Earthquake rocks California.

A Spanx clothing line? Where do we sign up?!

Something’s wrong with Josh Hartnett.

Does PETA kill animals?

Gisele makes me want to work out cry in the corner.

Fox’s newest dating show…for the larger people.

P. Diddy is racist?

A cure for the bikini bumps.

Madonna won’t let Octomom out mom her.

Wonder weener? What!?

Puppies! Enjoy.

Mmmm March Madness.

Robin Williams is doin’ A-OK.

Myth or fact: you can repair split ends.

Make a 25 before 25 list!

Zac Efron out of Footloose?

Obama to speak at Notre Dame commencement!

Cure for the dreaded bikini wax?!

LC’s love life heats up.

Would you wanna smell like Avril?

Flava Flav is 50?!