What do men think about hair down there?

Amanda, a New York City photographer, used to like getting Brazilian bikini waxes—or at least the ready-for-anything, single-girl-in-the-city feeling that came with them. Then one hookup a year ago left her feeling a bit too bare. "When the underwear came off," she recalls, "he took one look and said, Women used to have such big, gross bushes. I'm glad Brazilians have become, like, required.'"

"My first thought was: How many has he seen?" Amanda, 36, continues. "Then my libido went out the window. Suddenly, my Brazilian was no longer this sexy, liberating thing, but a whole bunch of money—and pain—spent on making myself hookup-ready. I said, Sorry, I'm not feeling this,' got out of his bed, hailed a cab and went back to doing my own lady-scaping."

Amanda's Prince Charmless was right about one thing: Over the last several years, wax jobs have gone from being a risqué novelty to a basic grooming procedure countless women undergo regularly. In a new survey of 500 women by Schick, 73 percent said bikini-line maintenance is part of their normal beauty routine. Even the Brazilian, which generally entails the removal of all hair front, back and in-between (unless a small "landing strip" is left) has become a standard on spa and salon menus, right up there with mani-pedis.

Waxers across the country report that business is booming. Paulina Youkhanna, owner of the House of Wax Day Spa in Morton Grove, Illinois, had seen six new clients on the day Glamour called. In this economy, she observes, "there may be more wait time between waxes—some women come in every six weeks instead of four—but it makes them feel good without dropping a ton of cash." As Christine, 31, of Minneapolis, says, "I do it because I like that clean, put-together feeling, although the side benefit—a guy's appreciation—doesn't hurt."

And guys do seem to be fans. Of the 500 men surveyed by Schick, 79 percent said they like neatened-up bikini areas, while 21 percent either don't care or are turned off by it. (Of course, if guys want it so much, perhaps they should pick up the salon tab…but that's another story!) What's somewhat reassuring: Many men hold themselves to the same standard. Of the 100 men Glamour polled, 30 percent agreed that if women are expected to groom their privates, men should also have to—and half said they already do it, which explains the "manzilians" some salons now offer. Perhaps Diddy, who's admitted to shaving his man parts, best summed it up when he said, "If men require women to go through the pain, we should return the favor."

It's all part of today's cult of perfection, this inclination to pluck, prune and preen every inch of yourself. Yet there are other, more unexpected reasons why men like it when women wax, according to conversations with dozens of guys. Unlike Amanda's date, they aren't necessarily grossed out by a thatch of hair. Nor do men want us to act out some super-shorn porn-tacular fantasy (well, not all the time) or pubescent Hannah Montana creep show.

As it turns out, a lot of men see grooming down there as an intimate little treat—they don't just think you've waxed, they think you've waxed for them. Which is egocentric and cute, all at the same time. "When a woman I'm with takes time to landscape,'" says Joe, 29, of Atlanta, "it shows that she's trying to look sexy in a way that only I'll be able to see. That makes it even sexier." As another guy puts it, "It's the same feeling as when men give women flowers: Awww, gee, you care." Go for a haircut and he probably won't notice; when's the last time a guy you were dating said, "I love those layers. And did you go more choppy this time?" But get a bikini wax and bam—boyfriend is paying attention!

Men who are into Brazilians use words such as naughty and vixenlike to describe their appeal. Keep them talking, though, and they rave about the feel, which makes sense: A lot of women who go bare say it heightens sex for them, too. "When women remove their hair, there's one less layer between you," notes Jonathan, 28, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. "It feels great to slide across smooth, bare skin, and it's easier to access her hot spots. Everybody wins."

Not into waxing or shaving—or doing anything at all? Take heart: A sizable minority of men find hair removal unnecessary, or even unnerving. When you're with someone who's au naturel, explains Ken, 30, of San Francisco, "it makes you feel like you're with a real woman." Eric, 31, of Austin, Texas, recalls the time his girlfriend surprised him with a Brazilian. "I felt like a dirty old man," he says, "but I had to act like I loved it because I knew that for the next couple of weeks there was no going back."

In truth, the fact that bikini waxing has become so standard and expected makes some guys prefer when women buck the trend and don't do it. "Women do not need to subject themselves to all that unnecessary pain in order for men to find them attractive!" insists David, 37, of New York City. "A woman who's unashamed of her bush is a woman with self-confidence—which any man out there will tell you is the sexiest quality of all."

He's got a point: Guys may have their individual tastes, but they're hottest for you when you feel comfortable and self-assured regardless of what you did, or didn't do, at the salon. Besides, for most men, actually seeing a bikini zone at all, in any condition, is a good thing. "It's fun to find out who's waxed and who isn't," says Paul, 37, of Weston, Massachusetts. "Same with seeing who wears a thong, who enjoys what position. It's all part of getting to know everything about a woman." That's nice to hear, whether you have a Brazilian—or the Brazilian rain forest.

Ouch! How to Make It Hurt Less

Tips from women who've been there, waxed that

Trim hair to a half inch ahead of time. No shorter, or it'll be hard for the wax to grab it. "Long hairs take more time to pull out," says Lisa, 23, of Palo Alto, California. "Who needs even another millisecond of pain?"

Book the appointment for at least a week after your period; the area can be sensitive the week before menstruation.

Apply a topical anesthetic 30 to 45 minutes before waxing. A popular one, and not just because of its name: Relax and Wax No-Scream Cream (left, $20, relaxnwax.com). Also take an ibuprofen before hitting the salon.

__Get personal with your waxer…__in another way. "We gossip and catch up on our lives as she's working," says Christine, 31, of Minneapolis, "and when I'm distracted, waxing hurts less."

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