Skincare for Down There:
What your Esthetician Wants You to Know.
Beauty has evolved to focus on the whole body (not just above the neck!) and with that comes skincare regimes that are specific to certain body zones. One of the biggest trends right now is intimate skincare and we sat down with Master Esthetician Katie Bell to talk about the skincare for “down there”.
Q: What is intimate skincare, and do we need it?
A: The pH of your skin varies, and areas that aren’t exposed to the daily environmental stressors have a natural acidity (pH of 4.5-5.5) vs. the rest of the body which is more alkaline (pH of 7). Intimate skincare has taken off with a whole new crop of washes, oils, and exfoliating treatments designed to improve the look, feel and health of our skin and hair down there. From SweetSpot Labs designed for the V-zone to our latest brand Bush Balm, which is perfect for all genders, there are some pluses to using products specific to those areas but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Q: How do you build an intimate skincare routine?
A: It’s about the basics but with a pH twist. Here are the four steps you want to include in your intimate skincare routine.
1. A No Soap Zone:
For your most intimate area, you want to look for body washes with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5 that have clean ingredients. Soap can be acidic and can cause an imbalance in your natural chemistry.
2. Exfoliating:
This is an essential step in keeping red, irritated bumps and ingrown hairs from appearing post-shave or wax. Exfoliating helps remove the surface layer of dead skin cells and improves circulation. For best results, exfoliate twice a week. Use an gentle exfoliating mitt with water or try SweetSpot Labs Buff and Brighten glycolic acid pads or Bush Balm’s Nude Oil Ingrown Hair Treatment with tea tree oil. Pro Tip: Always exfoliate the day before you visit the spa for a wax treatment.
3. Up Your Moisturizing Game with Natural Oils:
Using natural emollient oils packed with antioxidants will moisturize skin and make coarse pubic hair softer for both him and her. We are in love with Bush Balm’s Sweet Escape Oil Nourishing Treatment – it smells of tangerine and vanilla and will leave skin feeling hydrated and soft. Both men and women can apply a few drops of oil on their fingers and massage them into the skin post-shower daily. Bonus tip – apply post-shave or wax to help soothe irritated skin.
4. Ingrown & Dark Spots Happen:
Here are the Treatments: Exfoliating and regularly applying a treatment oil like Bush Balm’s Nude Oil Ingrown Hair Treatment or its Bermuda Oil Dark Spot Corrector can help. If ingrown hairs get inflamed and enlarged, see your esthetician who can help extract the hair follicle – do not pick at home! It can cause scarring and make dark spots worse.
