After years of being encouraged by pop culture and the problematic porn industry to go completely bare down there, if you ask me, it’s only fair women are being offered products to help us feel more confident in our skin.
One new company supporting this message is The Perfect V, a luxury line of skin care for the vagina with everything from a moisturizing lotion and a gentle exfoliator to a concentrated firming serum. They refer to the vaginal skin care regimen as a “Vanicure” and offer kits complete with essential products for $58.
When it comes to grooming the vagina, it’s no longer just about waxing and shaving. Women are paying closer attention to their lady parts, and we’ve seen a host of vaginal-beautification trends emerge as result. From Vajazzling (aka adhering rhinestones to bare pubic skin as if it were a vintage jean jacket) and Vajacials (vaginal steaming) to pubic hair masks, the feminine care market, which was once made up of only medical creams, cleansing cloths, and douches, has been completely reimagined.
“I realized it would be great to have multi-tasking skin care products to address the beauty needs of the ‘V,’ but once I started investigating the existing products, I realized there was a huge gap in what the marketplace had to offer and what I thought women would actually want,” say Avonda Urben, founder of The Perfect V. “We provide a different experience for women that is a complete skin care regimen for the vagina, much like other brands offer for the face. ”
While many medical experts will caution you against certain vaginal fads, treating your ‘V’ to a regular skin care routine is both safe and effective. Whether you have a vulvar skin problem or are just prone to irritation, gentle care of the area is a must, explains Jennifer Walden, MD, a board certified plastic surgeon and founder of The Vaginal Rejuvenation Center of Austin. “Skin care products for the external vagina and labia can protect the sensitive skin, help balance pH, and restore soothing moisture after activities such as waxing or shaving, being in chlorinated hot tubs, taking hot baths, sexual activity, and exercises like running or cycling. ”
What’s more, Dr. Walden explains, hormonal fluctuations, menopause, certain medications, and lifestyle factors all contribute to vaginal changes and atrophy with age, which can cause irritation, dryness, inflammation, and darkened skin. “This is a big concern for women when things start to look a little different than they did in our youth,” she says. Her office uses lasers like the FemTouch with CO2 technology to rebuild collagen in the area and help it return to its original appearance.
At home, Dr. Walden suggests looking for products with vitamin E and essential fatty acids to soften and pamper the external labia. These nourishing ingredients reduce skin sensitivity and can even help decrease the incidence of skin tears during activities such as intercourse or exercise. You’ll find them in The Perfect V collection, along with antioxidants like resveratrol and vitamin C to help reverse damage to cells and promote tissue regeneration.
“It’s about time that women have an elegant line of beauty products for the ‘V,’ and I think it’s super empowering to have luxury offerings instead of old-fashioned or drugstore options,” Urben says.
