The Skims merkin has sparked debate on the internet, but is it all about the new product? Or does this represent a switch in beauty standards? L360 reveals all.
Kim Kardashian’s brand, Skims, returned to the headlines recently after yet another wacky product release. First came the Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap, which is positioned as ‘jaw support’. If you thought it couldn’t get more bizarre, think again.
The Faux Hair Micro String Thong retails at £34 and offers a unique opportunity ‘for your carpet’. According to the Skims website, the thong allows your bush to be whatever colour you want it to be.
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At first glance, I assumed it must be an April Fool’s post. But alas, its release was in October and the thong was stone cold real. So real, in fact, that it sold out within 24 hours of launch.
But in addition to shocking beauty journalists across the UK, the release of the product has also helped to revive conversation around body hair
“It’s fascinating coming from a brand that’s always been associated with a very polished, curated aesthetic,” says Mary-Jane O’Regan, manager at aNuMe Medical.
“I think it’s less about the product itself and more about the message — that beauty and body confidence are becoming more individual and less filtered.”
But fashion author and presenter Nicky Hambleton-Jones isn’t buying into the fad: “I will eat my hat if it becomes anything more than a short-lived marketing ploy.”
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Are women’s grooming styles really going to change?
The beauty and aesthetics industry has been responsible for pushing the message of dolphin-esque smooth, hairless skin for decades, so it seems unlikely that one product will initiate a worldwide switch, but it’s not impossible.
“I think it would take a generation to dramatically change the way we feel about our excess body hair,” Nicky says.
She raises a valid point but, despite this, we’re seeing women’s body hair becoming increasingly showcased in mainstream media.
“Fashion has been known to be political and is certainly a key pillar in today’s society when it comes to expressing how women feel,” says Nicky. “I think it’s nice to see women’s pubic hair represented in mainstream media, perhaps it will signal a little less obsessiveness from ourselves.”
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Will this change how women approach hair removal?
Mary-Jane explains that from the point of view of running an aesthetics clinic, “[I’ve] definitely noticed a shift in how women approach hair removal.”
She adds that it’s indicative of women coming in for hair removal treatments to feel comfortable, “not because they want to fit a standard”.
Whether the new Skims release will be helpful in changing the narrative around women’s hair removal or not, it all comes down to doing what feels right for you.
Feature image: Canva
