From The Straits Times    |

Whether you’re in the hairless camp or in between Brazilian waxes, it’s safe to say that pubic hair has pretty much been regarded as a bane in our everyday lives. We’re constantly bombarded with advertising slogans that exhort us to get our bushes trimmed or to remove every single strand, with an almost unspoken assumption that pubic hair is unsightly/ugly/gross.

 

So when I first read Into The Gloss’ article on Emma Watson’s beauty repertoire last December, I was surprised to find out that one of her go-to products was something called Fur Oil. In her own words: “I’ll use that anywhere from the ends of my hair to my eyebrows to my pubic hair. It’s an amazing all-purpose product.”

 

Besides the earth-shattering revelation that Emma Watson does not shave, I was curious to find out just what an oil created for the sole purpose of softening pubic hair would be like, and whether it would be worth shelling out for.

 

 

Enter Singapore body sugaring studio Sugar(ed), whose founder Jasmine Yong had helpfully informed me that this was a new addition to their shelves in their new Katong studio (79 East Coast Road), which officially opened in September 2017.

 

If you don’t already know: Sugaring is touted as a natural alternative to waxing as it uses edible sugar paste in hair removal procedures. During my visit there, I tried two treatments, the Brazilian ($60) and underarms ($25). The process is quick and relatively pain-free (minus the more sensitive areas of my lady parts). After cleansing skin, the therapist uses a round ball of sugar paste and spreads it onto skin, then flicks it off in the direction of hair growth to remove hair from their roots. What this means: There will be less hair breakage and fewer ingrown hairs. Once all hairs are removed, you are powdered off, and there is no lingering soreness or redness.

In my case, my hairless state lasted for 10 to 12 days, and stubble started growing thereafter – which is where Emma Watson’s sage beauty advice came into play.

 

I tried the American beauty brand’s signature Fur Oil ($85) and Ingrown Concentrate ($48) for one month. Both already scored highly based on presentation: The bottles are spherical in shape and come in beautiful, minimalist packaging. Plus, their formulas are 100% natural and are paraben, silicone and artificial fragrance-free.

 

 

It was easy to add Fur Oil to my daily after-shower routine. The bottle comes with a dropper, and I applied two to three drops of the golden-hued oil on said stubble every night. Its list of ingredients is kept simple: Grapeseed and jojoba oils (they have vitamins A and E to soften and condition skin), tea tree oil (to clear pores and minimise ingrown hair) and clary sage seed oil (to reduce inflammation).

 

After just one use, I noticed that the hair in my nether regions were noticeably softer to the touch – which made me want to use it even more regularly. What’s more, it comes with a refreshing citrusy scent, and absorbs easily into skin without leaving any oily residue.

 

 

The Ingrown Concentrate (above), meanwhile, is recommended for use twice a week. It contains coconut oil (to soften skin so ingrown hairs will reportedly slide out), tea tree oil (to clear pores), taramu oil (for its healing properties) and chamomile extract (to soothe skin). One drop is enough to be applied on ingrown hairs on dry skin, which you then exfoliate using the provided finger mitt in the shower.

 

As I had minimal ingrown hairs, the results weren’t very apparent, but it’s definitely something handy to keep within reach when the need arises.

 

My verdict? I don’t know how I’ve survived without Fur Oil. It’s banished prickliness and itchiness from my girly bits, and kept my skin feeling soft and supple 24/7. I’ve also started applying it to my underarms and brows a la Watson, and I’m looking forward to the day the brand launches a full-on body oil.