Today, new research has revealed that half (49%) of people are worried about being ‘beach body ready’ this summer – including stressing about the amount of body hair deemed ‘normal’ to show on the beach.

The research, commissioned by vegan razor brand Estrid, found that two fifths (45%) of people feel pressured to look a certain way on trips to the beach, compared to other summer activities, despite beach outings coming out on top as the activity everyone’s most looking forward to this summer – followed by long walks (32%) and BBQs (27%).

The research revealed a generational difference too, with two thirds of millennials (70%) and Gen-Z (66%) admitting they are concerned about being ‘beach body ready’, compared to just a third (30%) of people aged 55 and over.

When asked about their main concerns ahead of a day at the beach, half of respondents cited pressures around better physical fitness (52%), feeling ‘beach body ready’ (49%), removing body hair (48%) and enhancing their personal grooming (47%).

When asked why people feel the need to shave off body hair at the beach, the top reasons were:
To feel cleaner (22%)
Showing body hair makes them feel insecure (11%)
Shaving increases their confidence (11%)
They feel like they’ll be judged by others if they don’t shave (9%)

With confidence and perceived peer pressure contributing to people’s beach woes, the research went on to reveal that friends (20%), people of a similar age group (20%), social media (17%) and social media influencers (10%) all impact how people present themselves at the seaside.

Growing up in a digital age, it’s no surprise that a third of millennials (34%) and a quarter (27%) of Gen-Z felt influenced by social media, in comparison to their older counterparts aged 55 and over, only 5% of whom shared this experience.

On a mission to champion body positivity – and body hair – on the beach this summer, Estrid’s High Summer campaign takes viewers on a journey of shedding the winter coat on the beach, to help you walk (confidently) to the sun lounger.

Kajsa Carlson, Marketing & PR Manager at Estrid, commented: “Our research suggests we have a long way to go when it comes to accepting and loving our bodies, with something as normal as showing body hair on the beach becoming a major cause of anxiety in the summer.

“With the launch of our High Summer campaign and accompanying film, we hope to challenge the status quo and redefine what it means to be ‘beach body ready’. Because everyone deserves to feel their best on the beach this summer, whether you’re smooth, hairy, or somewhere in between.”