Beauty
by Michaela Somerville
All-over skincare is getting a little cheeky, with the emergence of a new beauty category. Specially handling more explicit regions, treatments and products that are designed to beautify everything from the bum to the bikini area are gaining a following in the Middle East.
Mae Do Thanh, founder of The Branding Room in Dubai, says that many of her clients have the same concerns for
their bottom half as they do for their face, including pigmentation, congestion, water retention, and breakouts. Just like the complexion, the skin on the bottom, thighs, and hips can be treated with a combination of extractions, exfoliants, and masks. Sensitive zones like the bikini area can flourish with a little TLC, adds Nawal Jarges, co-founder of Salon 971 in Dubai. Noticing a need for post-waxing or pre-beach care, she and her business partner Cat Hawkes launched a “vacial” service (AED250). “It feels a little taboo to talk about it, but maintaining the bikini area is an important part of feeling well- groomed,” says Jarges. Introducing a dedicated salon treatment is just an extension of this beauty regime, she explains, with Salon 971’s vacial leaving skin feeling fresh. Targeting the exterior pubic area, this treatment is a surprisingly effective add-on to hair removal services, helping to prevent ingrown hairs, breakouts, and redness. Jarges says women may neglect more intimate areas of their bodies, simply due to not knowing that there are easy fixes to a number of skin concerns. Many clients find themselves trying the vacial as a way to soothe issues arising from hair removal. “Nine out of 10 clients have ingrown hairs, so extractions are an important part of the service,” Jarges points out. With stray hairs and blocked pores handled, the rest of the salon’s classic vacial treatment is designed to reduce areas of pigmentation, and to soothe and rehydrate sensitive skin. The 45-minute treatment starts with an Esthemax ultrasonic deep cleanse, followed by a soft peeling gel to clear away dead skin cells. After steaming, any ingrown hairs and blocked pores are extracted, before a high-frequency device is applied to reduce inflammation. The treatment wraps up with a customized jelly mask smoothed on with a quartz roller and a hydrating moisture emulsion. The response has been enthusiastic, reports Jarges, with clients in the UAE using the service to prep for swimsuit season, to handle breakouts caused by sweaty gym leggings, or to tackle visible pigmentation following laser hair removal. For in-between appointments, an at-home routine can also help keep pubic woes on the down-low.
A flurry of sensitive skin and hair treatments has recently launched in the region, from nourishing sheet masks to styling oils. Similar to a facial skin routine, a curation of products can soothe skin left irritated by hair removal or environmental factors. A clinically approved oil is a good place to start, with a multitasking formula that can help destress post-waxed skin, stand in as a hydrating shaving oil, or add a little glow to overworked areas.
On the flip side, the derrière can also benefit from a dedicated skincare service. With concerns involving cellulite, water retention, stretch marks, and pigmentation, booty solutions can get a little more hi-tech, with lasers and high-frequency massage devices doing the heavy lifting. Thanh says that the skin on the backside is not dissimilar to that on the face and a combination of targeted salon treatments and at-home products can deliver noticeable effects. The salon owner also notes that clients are becoming less cautious of trying out beauty treatments for the backside, with personal endorsements and word-of-mouth helping shift the stigma. For new clients, Thanh recommends Velashape to help reducing the appearance of cellulite across the thighs and backside (from AED450 per session). The multitasking machine uses infrared and radio frequency to gently heat fat cells, thereby encouraging an even distribution of collagen production to help combat the dimpled appearance of cellulite. As the treatment areas heat up, the salon therapist guides a high-powered mechanical vacuum over the skin’s surface. An intensive treatment – there may be bruised behinds – the Velashape machine aggressively kneads, suctions, and squishes textured skin, encouraging blood circulation through to the lower dermis, and aiding in surface tightening. When paired with Arosha – clinical style bandages pre-soaked with active ingredients that encourage lymphatic drainage – Thanh says that skin will be left looking tighter, smoother, and less textured. Those just seeking an end to breakouts can try a facial – or “bacial” – tailored to the tush, with a deep cleanse, peel, lifting massage, and mask to leave skin looking peachy.
Read Next: The Best Beauty Looks from the 2021 Cannes Film Festival
Originally published in the July/August 2020 issue of Vogue Arabia
