Nothing warms up the room like a Mother’s love – do you agree? This month, whether you are a new mom, pregnant mom-to-be or celebrating your Mother’s Day again, Shaista Sophia, Medical Pharmacist and Founder of South Africa’s first intimate skincare range SKINSTEM™, urges women to lean into appreciating themselves, their body and their skin. 

“Feminine care is so important, and something that we want women all over South Africa to embrace in abundance this Mother’s Day. As women – our bodies undergo several transitions, changes and transformations in our lifetime. One of the biggest changes our bodies experience is pregnancy and birth. Becoming a Mother is a blessing that keeps on giving, but it is also something that changes our skin tremendously. From stretch marks, to lose skin, hyperpigmentation and sensitivity, these all affect your skin and intimate areas,” explained Sophia. 

SKINSTEM™ products are vegan and cruelty free made to reinvigorate the skin in your V-area, leaving you feeling confident, comfortable and providing you with a sense of being carefree. It’s time invest in yourself and your skin – by taking the leap into caring for your V-area. The #LoveYourVulva movement aims to encourage women to pay attention to their V-areas, love their vulva’s and place importance on skincare for your V-area. 

Skincare is important for a happy mind and healthy body. Whether you have been a Mom for a week, a month, a year or ten years – never stop loving yourself, taking care of your skin and investing time into your wellbeing. While the postpartum affects fade as time goes on, your skin stays with you forever. 

Sophie provides the below skincare tips for your intimate area for all women, and especially Moms’: 

• To avoid feeling like a plucked chicken with ingrown hairs down there, invest in a gentle exfoliator and fragrance free cleanser. We have the first and only exfoliator for your bikini line. Gently exfoliating three to four times a week will help smooth the skin, encourage even skin tone and a healthy cell turnover while also reducing ingrown hairs between hair removal sessions with regular use. 

• Never clean the inside of the vagina (use douches) because doing so disturbs the beneficial bacteria inside and alters the pH. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to take care of your vulva. The vulva should ideally only be cleaned with warm water and a cleanser that is close to your vaginal pH. Resist using products that include irritating ingredients like scents, essential oils, or parabens because they can provoke discomfort, inflammation, or allergies later in life.
• Lastly, remember that your V-area is more than just your vulva. Your V-area includes your inner thighs, your bikini line and under the glutes. These areas are prone to pigmentation, stretch marks, uneven skin tone and irritation. A simple daily skincare routine with a gentle cleanser, exfoliator, moisturiser and serum does the job. 

“Being a Mom is a job like no other thus the need to celebrate what being a Mom and being a woman really means. Our bodies are our superpower. Therefore, putting ourselves first is so important. Remember that being comfortable in your skin is the first step to skin deep wellness,” concluded Sophia.