The £13 gel that claims to tighten your vagina – but could it leave you feeling more ‘ouch’ than ‘ooh’?
The beauty market is teaming with an array of products to keep your lady bits glistening from the 'SuperVagina Kit' to the 'Vanicure'
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IF YOU don't have an intimate skincare regime then you could be missing out - judging by the latest wave of high-street treatments designed specifically for your vagina.
You can now get wipes, washes and balms that are claiming to help keep our lady bits glistening, gleaming and tight - including a £13 gel that claims to tighten the area and make it look more "youthful".
After Gwyneth Paltrow raved about steaming her vagina and Emma Watson revealed she liked using Fur oil on her pubes, it was only a matter of time before the beauty industry arrived armed with budget skincare options.
Skincare range Woo Woo was launched last year and is available in large Superdrug stores and online.
The budget brand includes products like Saddle Sore Sooth Balm for £6.50, ph Balanced Gentle Micellar Wash for £5.65, and while it's not available at the high street store, Amazon stocks its Women's Lift and Tightening Gel for £12.95.
The gel claims to help you "feel the sensation of your intimate area shrinking and contracting".
- Woo Woo Lift and Tightening Gel, £12.95, Amazon -
However, Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and Clinical Director of Patient.info says that by treating your vagina with products like cleansers, lotions, oils or any pH balanced washes it can upset the natural balance.
"I never recommend using anything on your vagina other than plain water. Your skin is there to protect your insides, and the vagina is no exception.
"But the skin around your nether regions – and particularly the lining of your vagina – is thin and very sensitive. It can be irritated by any strongly scented products. If you tend to get vaginal itch or recurrent thrush or BV, I recommend you steer away even from soap or shower gels, which can cause irritation and inflammation.
"The only exceptions are medicated products which your GP or pharmacist recommend to deal with, or cut the risk of, medical conditions like thrush or BV."
- Woo Woo Saddle Sore Soothing Balm For Intimate Areas, £6.50, Superdrug -
- The Perfect V Essentials Kit, £52, Harvey Nichols -
- BareDerma SuperVagina Kit, £29.99 -
Dr Shirin Lakhani at Elite Aesthetics agrees: "One of the worst things that we can do to our vaginas that is widely believed to be helpful is to use perfumed products for cleansing.
"The vagina is a self-cleaning organ and it doesn’t need anything to be done to assist it in the cleaning process. By over-cleansing with perfumed products or douching, you can disrupt the delicate balance of balance which helps to maintain its health.
"If the pH increases and becomes less acidic, the vagina can be prone to infections, including bacterial vaginosis or thrush.
"Our vaginas are sensitive areas. I would recommend washing once a day with water and avoid perfumes, dyes, preservatives and harsh chemicals.";
Despite vocal concerns from healthcare professionals that products targeted at vaginal cleaning are not necessary, the business shows no sign in wavering.
- Fur Oil, available on Free People, £40 -
Boots have a growing selection of products from brands like Vagisil and FemFresh that offers a Re-Balance Powder for £2, whereas Harvey Nichols have a little more luxury with new brand Perfect V.
It's eight-step 'Vanicure' essentials kit is available for £52, that 'contains all you need for a complete beauty regimen for the bikini area' - a gentle wash, exfoliator, V Cream and V Serum, a beauty sheet and a luminizer sachet.
Online brand BareDerma, which is boasts organic products, offer a 'SuperVagina Kit' for £29.99 which aims to 'restore and rejuvenate' your private area with the at home vajacial.
Emma Watson's favoured Fur Oil is available on Free People for £40, and there's a whole 'Beauty and Wellness' section that also includes Holy Yoni by Moon Juice a £40 oil with the 'woman's most sensitive area in mind'.
There was never any conclusive proof that Gwynnie's yoni steaming had any real benefits and there has been concerns that following a trend that heats such a sensitive area isn't good for your vaginal health.
Writing for , Dr Ann Robinson said heating that part of the body encourages "unwanted bacteria and yeasts such as candida will proliferate, normal enzymes start to get sluggish and increased blood flow due to the heat will make the vagina itchy.
"The water vapour in steam isn’t a good idea either.
"The vagina is kept naturally well lubricated with oily substances. Water isn’t hydrating to cells.
"On the contrary, water can wash away natural oils, leaving the vagina poorly lubricated and more prone to cuts and irritation.
"Thrush, caused by an overgrowth of candida, thrives on warm, damp conditions, so is a definite risk from steaming."
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Vaginal regimes have appeared under the guise of self-care and female empowerment, but for Dr Jarvis it's not something she readily encourages.
"At best, these products won’t do any good – the idea that you can make your labia look smaller or tighter is nonsense.
"At worst, they could make you more prone to irritation and infection. They could even make barrier methods of contraception like condoms less effective, putting you at higher risk of sexually transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancy."
Previously we revealed some of the most bizarre beauty products you can buy for your vagina - including glitter capsules.
We also tested out a £17 vagina face mask - and you can read our verdict here.