Ever since I discovered the disposable shaver at 16, I’ve been plagued with all sorts of burns, in-grown hairs, skin darkening, itching, and razor bumps on the underarms. Since then, I’ve been convinced that, no matter the brand or price of a razor, shaving is non-partisan — all roads lead to bumps. The only solution? Use a calming serum or lotion on the skin post-shave. For the past month, I’ve been using a serum aptly christened Bumpps ($130), by TWO L(I)PS, sister label of the beloved homegrown hair removal chain, Strip. It claims to fight folliculitis and control an oily T-zone as a sebum-control serum.

When I first got hold of Bumpps, it came in a plastic tube with a clear nozzle. Perfect — it’s shatter-proof. Next, I gave the tube a little squeeze and clear, whisky-brown liquid came oozing out. A wave of raw and herbal scent wafted into my nose — a cue to the three key ingredients, namely Arrowroot extract (healing), Chamomile extract (anti-bacterial and soothing), and Tea Tree oil (anti-inflammatory and calming). When paired together, these three ingredients soothes all sorts of bumps — in-grown hair, razor burns, rashes and bumps caused by inflamed hair follicles.

If it sounds daunting to apply products to your bikini line and labia, always opt for products with a clean and gentle repertoire of ingredients. Thereafter, run a patch test. For a day, I tested the formula on the underarms and inner thighs and it didn’t sting. So, come next day, post-shower, I towelled dry, squeezed some of the formula into my palms and slathered it where I shaved — both the underarms and lady bits. The watery formula glides on easily, spreads thin, and in a nifty five seconds — voila — I was done. Unlike gels or creams which tend to be icky and uncomfortable considering all the skin and folds we have down there, Bumpps seeped into the skin quickly.

Now, if you are prone to razor burns and bumps, Bumpps is quite the lifesaver. I could shave in the morning, walk out of the shower with some fresh razor bumps, and still have them flaring and angry in the late afternoon. These days, I’d shave, slap Bumpps on, and the razor bumps would subside in an hour or two.

So, one day, I got a bout of period pimples (on my face). I looked at them in the mirror and the tube of Bumpps sitting on the shelf. “Why not,” I thought to myself. “It’s anti-inflammatory and soothing either way.” Here’s what happened — while my pimples usually took a week to heal, two days into Bumpps, they dwindled and dried up.

When that happened, I looked at the nasty mosquito bite on my calf that has been itchy and swollen for the past week. I layered and layered Bumpps over the open wound (all thanks to my itchy, scratchy fingers). Next morning, the swelling waned.

While Bumpps doesn’t nip razor bumps at its roots (maybe less abrasive hair removal treatments like Strip’s AFT does), what it offers is the promise of comfort — and that’s just about enough.

TWO L(I)PS’ Bumpps serum, $130, is available here and at all Strip outlets.



Excerpts from Can This Serum Solve All Your Shaving Bumps?
ELLE Singapore | Guan Tan | October 16, 2019