Lesbian Exclusive Exchange

It's finally & officially summer, and that means we all have license to walk around showing a little more skin than usual. For us ladies, that's particularly great because hey a) we have much better clothes than men do, and  b) it's totally socially acceptable for us to show off a lot more.
Shorts
Let's face it—skirts are cute, but they're just not practical all the time. Shorts are the far more flexible and heavy-duty option—you can bike & run in them, swim & surf in them, you can do just about anything in them—and they're the staple item of summer. If you like the board short trend and hate short shorts,  this pair by Carve Designs has the best of both worlds ($60, Zappos).

Sandals
Don't forget to show off those sexy feet, ladies. Other women have a great eye for shoes, so don't disappoint. For an everyday standby, try something like the Hush Puppies Leda. You can't go wrong with hand-burnished, softly milled full-grain leather and a cushioned memory foam footbed ($40 , Piperlime.com)!

Feeling a bit showier? These are the Rusher by Fergie. Absolutely gorgeous fergilicious and will definitely elongate your legs ($99, Piperlime.com).

Hats
Although we're showing off our summer skin, we need to remember to cover up too! Every woman needs at least one hat to help ward off the sun and up her daily fashion quotient. A great fallback that will go with almost any outfit is a nice fedora, like this Zig-Zag one ($14.95, American Eagle Outfitters).

For beach wear, though, nothing beats a good sun hat. Try something like this. It's corduroy appearance makes it extra trendy.( only $20 @ overstock.com)
Happy summer !
This post was contributed by Sara Bimmel, who spends her non-fashion-obsessing time writing about Halloween costumes over @ starcostumes.com.

Summer is here and so the days of getting away with not shaving if you’re not having sex or not wearing a bathing suit are coming to an end. This is bikini season and full blown Spring Fever season for us lesbians! Time to shave on the daily ladies.

I am one of those women that do try to shave everything, everyday. However  I tend to get bumps, ingrown hairs, and skin irritation no matter what shave lubricant I try. So it’s a daily isuue; do I have unattractive stubble today or do I shave again and have irritation, redness and ingrown hair? 

I’m sure I’m not the only woman who regularly deals with this. I thought I’d write a quick review on this topic as I recently tried a friend recommended product by Bikini Kitty that actually helped with some of these issues.  

Bikini Kitty’s Clean-Up Kit boasts to be a targeted body shave kit for the bikini and underarms which are definitely areas where ingrown hair are an issue for me.  I have to admit that when I first looked at the kit with all the different items it included and the lengthy instructions, my ADD kicked in and I was a bit overwhelmed.  I get in and get out of the shower as fast as possible, so the thought of adding a bunch of steps to my rushed routine was a bit of a turn off.  But don’t let this scare you off. This is a great product and you need to give it a chance! 

The kit includes: Bump-Free Exfoliation Brush, single blade Razor, Everday Magic Spray, BK Shave Gel, and BK Razor Oil. The recommended start-up schedule for your new shaving routine is a 7 day process.  Day 1–Trim & Spray.  Day 2–Brush & Spray.  Day 3–Shave.  Day 4–Brush & Spray.  Day 5– Brush & Spray.  Day 6–Shave.  Day 7–Brush & Spray.  After the first week, you should be able to shave as frequently as you wish.

I found that the Body Brush definitely provided bump-free exfoliation by stimulating and bringing any ingrown hairs to the surface.  It is a bit rough the first time if you’re not used to exfoliating those areas, but it does work and your skin gets used to it after a day or two. I also found that the Shave Gel and Razor Oil worked wonders when shaving the bikini area, underarms and my legs too!   I didn’t feel the need to over lather or continually reapply more gel as a very small amount covered an entire area.   I was able to get a very close, clean shave without feeling like I had to press hard or go over the same areas multiple times.  One soft and light shave stroke and I was good.  I am not sure if the Everyday Magic Spray is actually magical or if it’s the entire process as a whole, but after shaving on Day 6, my skin was super soft and smooth.  It’s a total self confidence boost when you don’t have to worry about bumps and redness in a bikini or panties. Another thing of note is that it’s been my belief, thanks to wonderful marketing by razor manufacturers, that the more blades the better the shave.  Well when reading the shaving tips provided by Bikini Kitty I realized that these multiple blade razors I have been using for years could be causing all of my ingrown hair issues.  Razors with 2, 3 or more blades are designed to pull the hair up out of it’s follicle, cut it, then let it snap back below the skin.  While that may be good for the closest possible shave, it’s definitely a major cause of ingrown hair.  I have officially made the switch back to a single blade razor.  Thank you Bikini Kitty! 

If you are unfortunate like me and plagued with continual ingrown hair issues, you definitely need to give this product a try. All Bikini Kitty’s products are made with spa quality, paraben free, non-toxic, cruetly-free, organic, vegan skin care ingredients.  Safe and safely tested:)

While lesbians can forgive a number of shocking fashion faux pas for the right girl, there are some mistakes no lesbian can bear.  A bit of attention to ourselves and some ladyscaping, where needed, should do the trick.  Here we highlight some lesbian grooming mistakes that instantly make the ladies lose interest.
Odor-A-Go-Go
Women have a very sensitive sniffer therefore your aroma is of the utmost importance. If  B.O., or even worse V.O., prevents her from coming within two feet of you, trust me-the two of you won't be getting any closer. Thankfully, there are a number of products out there that can keep you smelling shower-fresh all day long;) We recommend the Body Shop for great flavor & fragrance varieties. If you break a sweat easily, make sure to purchase a long-lasting deodorant and a heavy-duty, clinical-strength antiperspirant too. Consult your gyno if your "girl" smells or feels off in any way.
Nail No-No
No woman wants to imagine your hands over or in her if she notices visible dirt underneath the fingernails. For those employed in industries that involve getting dirty on the daily, spend a five spot on a nail brush & scrub underneath your nails whenever you wash your hands. Also, please take care to clip your fingernails evenly, avoid biting and deal with hangnails promptly. Neatly trimmed toenails are also a must. No one I know likes to get stabbed in the shin in the middle of the night by a jagged toenail!
Witchy Woman
When women spot even thin hair above the lip, it makes them think of men -- need I say more? Lesbians don't want to date a woman with chin hair like their grandma's either! Not bothering to deal with lip and chin hair suggests that you're somewhat lazy in the grooming department and may be falling short in other departments as well. This is easy to fix though!  Purchase a tweezer and a personal groomer, if you don't already have one. We recommend Tweezerman. They are reasonable priced, work fabulously, & available @ most drug stores! Pluck every one you can get out with the tweezer; they won't grow back as quickly. Then use the groomer to buzz the rest off. Follow with Witch Hazel to cleanse and soothe the skin.
Happy Trail
Another huge grooming goof is the fine hair that some woman have running from their belly buttons to their mons. Getting up close and personal with this hair is about as enticing as getting it on with a gorilla. If the amount of hair on your belly is in any way noticeable, you need to wax it or take a razor to it asap.
Lady Flake
It's always a major mistake when running your hands through her hair starts a snowstorm. Healthy hair is imperative to a healthy social & sex life. Your first step in combating dandruff is to head to the drug store to purchase a specially formulated anti-dandruff shampoo. We recommend Neutrogena T-Gel. Use it regularly until your problem subsides. For chronic dandruff accompanied by an extremely itchy or irritated scalp, consult a dermatologist immediately.

Remember: A clean, natural scent, white teeth, freshly shampooed hair & proper grooming are all signs you're ready to go;).