Now is the perfect time to embrace your natural body hair and here’s why

As the deep freeze of the winter months sets in, many of us are seeking warmth by hiding out under cozy blankets, drinking hot chocolate, and cuddling with our partners. However, there’s an underrated source of warmth that we can’t forget about, and guess what? It’s all over your body. Yep, you got it: body hair!

In a world where there’s intense societal pressure to remove our body hair, especially for women and femmes, let’s explore how empowering (and cozy) it can be to take a break from shaving, waxing, lasering, sugaring, threading, and so on.

First things first. Your body hair is there for a reason.

Why do we have body hair in the first place? Well, it turns out that human body hair serves a variety of important purposes, from keeping our brains cool (!) to helping heal wounds. Our pubic hair is super important for a number of biological reasons. Our pubes reduce friction when we’re having sex and protect our genitals from germs. Our hair is there to protect us, whether it’s a full head of hair on our heads or stubble in our armpits.

Second, hair removal is a pain—sometimes literally.

Hair removal procedures like shaving, waxing, or sugaring can cause slight pain, irritation, red bumps, or even skin infections, especially for those who have sensitive skin. And we actually spend our time and money in exchange for this pain and discomfort.

People have different reasons for removing body hair, and whatever the reason, we’re not here to tell you if it’s right or wrong for you. We’re just here to remind you that you have options. And if you do decide to take a break from removing your body hair, the winter might be the best time to do it. Why? Because air gets trapped between the hair and the skin and creates a layer that helps your body hold onto warmth.

Last, but not least, embracing your natural body hair can foster confidence and self-acceptance.

Letting your body hair grow out can send a powerful message to your own brain that your worth is not determined by how well you conform to mainstream beauty standards. If you’re feeling pressure to adhere to a specific (and unrealistic) idea of what’s attractive, then it may help to take a break from some or all of the ways you’re currently trying to beat your body into submission.

Ultimately, you’re in control and only you can decide what works for you! You might want to shave your armpits but not your legs—or the other way around. You might decide to rock a full bush for a while or test the waters by keeping your pubic hair styled in a landing strip. And your reasons for keeping or getting rid of your hair are all your own, and may change over time. Whether you find hair removal uncomfortable, too expensive, or you want to become more confident in your natural state, that’s cool! And if you want to keep doing whatever you’ve been doing, that’s cool too. There are no rules when it comes to what you decide to do (or not do) with your own body.

But if the idea of taking a break has you feeling intrigued, take some inspiration from the Januhairy campaign, and find out how much growing out your hair can warm your heart (and body).