A third of women shy away from sex – for one key reason

A study involving 2,000 has revealed that a whopping 79% prefer to be 'adequately prepared' before getting intimate with their partner. As a result, a third of women confess to dodging if they have unshaven legs. The findings indicates one in five women decline sex with their partner fortnightly or more when feeling 'unkempt'.

Besides the worry about , 51% of women avoid sex if they haven't showered, 48% if they haven't brushed their teeth, and 26% if they have unshaven armpits. Consequently, 32% of women feel the need to groom themselves before having sex, dedicating an average of 17 minutes to do so.

The research, commissioned by Philips Lumea, discovered that a staggering 90% of women believe being well-groomed boosts their .

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Over half reported feeling better about their bodies, while 38% said they feel more relaxed when prepared. In fact, 40% believe it shows self-care and consideration for their partner.

A spokesperson for Philips Lumea commented: "Small steps in self-care can have a big impact for women on body confidence and intimacy.

"Although the other person might not be bothered and intimacy rituals vary from person to person, making sure you're feeling and looking your best during the most intimate of times can be a big deal."

Common pre-intimacy rituals often involve tidying up the bikini line, wearing attractive , and applying perfume. According to the OnePoll.com survey 85% of women feel more like themselves after grooming.

However, for 35% of women, the prospect of an extensive grooming routine can actually be a turn-off. Interestingly, 32% of women are not bothered if their partner hadn't groomed beforehand.

A spokesperson for Philips Lumea commented: "There's no denying the freshly groomed feeling can boost our confidence levels.

"We appreciate the whole process can take quite some time and can therefore be a turn off when wanting to get intimate with someone between the sheets.

"It's all about prioritising what you personally feel needs to be done to feel your best, whether you choose to remove your hair, and finding the quickest ways to do it."