Manscaping 2.0: from proudly hairy Henry Cavill, Benny Blanco and Mark Ruffalo, to Bradley Cooper, Nick Jonas and Ed Westwick embracing a middle ground – plus the best tools for the modern male groomer

Once upon a time, male grooming meant a splash of cologne after shaving nothing more than the facial area. But nowadays, men are wielding something called the Ballber (from male body care brand Happy Nuts), trimming below the belt like they’re tending a high-end garden.

Manscaping (aka male body grooming) has evolved from a whispered euphemism to a billion-dollar industry, packaged in matte black and stamped with bold, hypermasculine names. But behind the slick marketing lies something more revealing: a shift in how men relate to their bodies, their routines and their body hair. While the ads still trade in blades and bravado, manscaping has quietly become a cultural touchpoint – one tied to hygiene, confidence, athleticism and even how clothing fits. So the question is no longer whether men manscape – it’s what, how and, perhaps most importantly, why.

While women often brandish an arsenal of hyper-targeted products, men typically favour streamlined, all-in-one tools. The Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra by Manscaped is a case in point: a sleek, waterproof trimmer, it’s designed to handle everything from chest hair to below-the-belt grooming. With skin-safe ceramic blades, dual cutting heads and cordless functionality, it’s built for precision – wherever it’s needed.

According to Chee Min Hong, vice-president of product development at Manscaped, the groin grooming conversation now spans generations. “We pioneered a white space in the market by introducing a whole new segment of grooming: groin grooming. At the time, grooming below the waist tended to skew younger. Older men are quickly catching up, and today, the groin grooming audience spans a broad demographic of men aged 18 to 65,” he explains, adding that Manscaped’s customer base now includes everyone from first-time groomers to seasoned pros.

But beneath the sleek packaging and precision tools lies a quiet pursuit of confidence. For many, manscaping isn’t just about aesthetics but about self-perception. In a culture saturated with shirtless selfies and gym mirrors reflecting chiselled torsos, the pressure to look polished is hard to ignore, and as a result, grooming has become increasingly shaped by the digital standards that now define beauty.

“Recently, I’ve noticed a fresh wave of folks waltzing into my office, all asking for procedures inspired by what I’ve fondly dubbed ‘algorbeauty’,” says Dr Benjamin Caughlin, facial plastic surgeon at Chicago-based Impressions Face + Body. “Apparently, filters and AI-tweaked selfies are setting new bars for beauty, thanks to algorithms running the show on our socials. Now, I’m seeing a boom in guys coming into my office looking for sharpened jawlines and chin implants to make their facial hair pop.”