Whatever you do (or don't do) with your pubic area is between you and your maker. But in the spirit of over-sharing, I briefly tried laser hair removal years ago and couldn't believe the results from just a few sessions. No more razor burn! No more ingrowns! No more hurried trims in the work bathroom because my date tomorrow cancelled but is actually free tonight, and things have been going really well, and I'd like to take this to the next level, do ya know what I mean?
But eventually, I started slacking off with the appointments, and my time with a pain-free, hairless groin was up. Within months, small patches of scattered hair returned with fervor — as did irritation any time I'd shave or wax. Only this time, the side effects seemed to be even worse after months of giving my skin a much-deserved break.
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So when I stumbled across a peculiar body oil that claimed to be "ideal for soothing minor irritation, especially from ladyscaping," I immediately texted the ingredients list to my gynecologist to see if jojoba oil, carrot seed oil, tamanu oil, and extract from the herb plant eclipta prostrata were safe for the area. "Does it contain any artificial colorants or fragrances?" she asked. (Nope.) And thus came a virtual thumbs up with the caution that I only apply the liquid on the outside of my vulva.
The next time I shaved down there, I waited 10 minutes before massaging the oil onto the entire area. It absorbed in seconds, felt silky as hell on my skin, and left behind the subtlest smell of grapefruit you'd usually only get from the real thing. Better yet? I haven't seen any redness, razor burn, or an ingrown since.
At the end of the day, I will never love shaving — but this oil has definitely made me hate the process a little less. The only thing I would change about the product is all this "lady" talk, because, let's be real: Razor burn knows no gender.
Lady Suite Lady Business Botanical Oil, $46, available at Free People.