The 2-Product Combo That Soothed the Intense, Painful Razor Burn on My Bikini Line Overnight

Every time I shave my bikini area, I convince myself that this time will be different. I’ll exfoliate regularly and keep the area moisturized so I don’t get any razor bumps. But recently, I shaved before a walking-heavy trip to Mexico City and got wildly irritated on day one. I was waddling through the streets trying to avoid making it worse. Since razor bumps are inflamed, irritated, and often infected hair follicles, I knew that to soothe the razor burn around my vagina, I needed to get rid of the bacteria and calm the skin.

So I sprayed on the Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray ($12 to $28) and topped it off with Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($7 to $14) and awoke with so much relief.

Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray — $12.00 to $28.00

Aquaphor Healing Ointment — $7.00 to $14.00

Although it’s technically a facial spray, Tower 28 Beauty SOS can be used all over the body. The main ingredient is hypochlorous acid, an ingredient used in the medical field to keep bacteria counts down, reduce inflammation, and increase blood flow and oxygen to the area.

“Hypochlorous acid is what your white blood cells make to fight infection and to kill bacteria and viruses,” says Kelly Killeen, MD, a double board-certified plastic surgeon in Los Angeles who works with Tower 28. “It’s a great ingredient because it’s super safe. You can get it in patient’s eyes, noses, ears, mouths—any orifice and it’s not going to harm them, which is really rare for disinfectants and antiseptics.”

This spray—which is the brand’s top-selling product—can be used to soothe everything from acne to a fresh piercing, so I knew it would work great on my irritated bikini area. I love that it’s a spray, making it super easy to apply and reapply. Of course, when using it on your own skin, you’ll want to avoid getting it in your actual vagina, as it isn’t designed for that type of use.

Next, I slathered on the Aquaphor. This petroleum-jelly ointment works wonders on compromised skin. “With no potential for skin allergy, it protects the skin by creating an artificial, and protective, skin barrier that holds in moisture, allowing the skin to heal,” says board-certified dermatologist Tsippora Shainhouse, MD.”

Finally, to cut down the chances of any more friction, I went to bed commando. When I woke up, I was shocked at how much better I felt. The bumps had decreased significantly and I was in so much less pain. I kept this regimen up for the next few days and was able to enjoy the rest of my trip. If you also get painful razor burn, these two products are a must-have. Please excuse me while I look into getting laser hair removal so I never have to deal with this again.

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