This brand is shaking up the way we think about body hair
Shaving for hair wherever and if ever you choose
Lifestyle
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Founded by Rebecca Harding, Lui is putting a new spin on shaving – and it might just be the bathroom disruption we’ve been waiting for.
Compared with the hairless-everywhere-below-the-eyebrows culture of the noughties, shaving has taken a serious dive out of pop culture over the past five or so years.
No longer as tightly bound by the rigid societal structures of femininity and presentability, showing body hair, be it on your legs, underarms or face, has become less of a faux pas, and more of a valid choice for women – something we’re endlessly grateful for.
Now in the newly-launched brand Lui, shaving has reappeared as part of body care – but it looks totally different to the prescriptive formula of years past.
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Founded by model and influencer Rebecca Harding and marketing and brand expert Ingrid Kesa, Lui was born out of the need to disrupt the female shaving category, for those who choose to partake.
A market-first creation in Australia, Lui was three years in the making, and came from the knowledge that the female shaving experience has always been a byproduct of men’s – and steeped in social conditioning.
“We spoke to hundreds of women and an overwhelming number of them said that the most ugly thing in their shower recess was their plastic pink razor,” Harding tells Body+Soul.
“All of the other products we use in our skin and body care routines are thoughtful and considered, why doesn’t shaving deserve the same amount of attention?
Not just an aesthetic solution, Lui’s creation was driven by the way women actually shave, and why they shave.
“We wanted to move away from the gendered stereotypes within the shaving space to build a brand that feels both sophisticated and approachable,” says Harding, who tells Body+Soul she wanted the Lui razor to be “a beautiful, design-led product.”
While the beauty industry is saturated with skincare and makeup brands, shaving is a category that’s rarely been touched.
“The female shaving category has always been an afterthought and the pink plastic razors we grew up using have not evolved with us,” Harding tells Body+Soul, who believes that because shaving has been seen as a chore, the products haven’t existed to make shaving a positive experience.
“In creating beautiful and thoughtful products, we want shaving to be just as considered in the self-care routine,” she tells Body+Soul.
Given the brand is founded by two women entrenched in all-things beauty, Lui was built on genuine understanding of shifting mindsets around body hair.
“Body hair is natural and beautiful. Choosing to remove it is a personal preference,” says Harding. “If women choose to shave, they often shave a larger surface area of the body than men. But our options in this space have remained limited and outdated.”
“We wanted our shaving products to reflect who we are as modern women. It’s our choice whether to remove our body hair or not. Either way, we think it’s time we changed the approach.”
The Lui range consists of three core pieces: a razor, a shaving cream, and a refillable blade set.
“All products can be purchased on a one-off basis, but we also offer a subscription service for the Shave Cream and Refill Blade Set to ensure you’re never without,” says Kesa
The razor, $49.95
“The razor is constructed from premium materials that are made to last,” says Harding, which was an integral part of creating a product that actually serves women, and reduces the amount of plastic going in the bin.
“Made from premium materials, our weighted razor handle has been expertly designed and crafted to pivot effortlessly around the curves of the body,” Kesa tells Body+Soul.
The razor comes with a reusable handle and one of the refill blades.
The refill blade set, $31.95
Containing four refills in the set, the ergonomic razor heads are comprised of “Five nickel-free stainless steel blades wrapped in a Vitamin E cushion to provide slip, glide, and hydration,” says Kesa.
Harding suggests replacing the blade after six-to-eight shaves and removing it from the shower to air dry after use.
The shave cream, $39.95
Having a great shaving cream makes all the difference when it comes to getting a quality result from your shave – we all remember trying to shave with shampoo or soap only to get irritated skin and painful regrowth.
The Lui shave cream is 97 per cent naturally derived and leans on skin-nourishing ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera, camomile, macadamia oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and olive oil, to ensure a smooth result and “nourish and give back to the skin after shaving,” Kesa tells Body+Soul.
Created by female chemists, and rigorously tested (on people), the shaving cream was rooted in creating a more enjoyable experience for the female shaver and bather. The bottle is also made from recycled plastic to help reduce the impact on the environment.
The Lui shaving ritual
“Shaving for me is an integral part of my body care routine. I don’t see it as a task or chore, I treat it more of a moment to slow down and connect with my body,” Harding tells Body+Soul.
“Day-to-day life is so busy and chaotic, I personally love nothing more than getting home at the end of the day and having an ‘everything shower’ – so much so that we’ve even dubbed this the LUI ritual.”
#1. Light a candle and hit play on your perfect shower playlist
#2. Give yourself a little lymphatic massage and boost circulation with a dry body brush.
#3. Disperse your favourite essential oil into the bottom of your shower and cleanse the skin with a body wash.
#4. Delicately resurface the skin with a light exfoliator and lather up the Shave Cream.
#5. Shave using the Razor, which features five super diamond-sharp stainless steel blades for an exceptionally close shave.
#6. Pat dry using a fresh towel and liberally moisturise the skin. Follow with an oil to round out your shaving routine.
#7. Wrap yourself in a fluffy robe to keep the body warm and lock in hydration and nourishment.
Shop the Lui range at luibody.com
Originally published as This brand is shaking up the way we think about body hair
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