“Let’s be honest, people just don’t really talk about butts,” Katie Sturino, the founder of Megababe, tells me. It’s true—from the day we pass through the elementary school doors, we’re told to (literally) cut the crap and stop blabbing about our behinds.
The don't-talk-about-our-tushies narrative is ironic. Interest around butts is a societal constant—lest we forget Australian Fitness Trainer Kayla Itsines' viral butt workouts circa 2016 or the rapidly growing global buttock augmentation market, which is projected to reach $11.2 million by 2030. Yet, how we treat our rear ends has historically remained fairly sterile and a bit taboo. Preparation H, Balneol, and Cottonelle Flushable Wipes, with their sans serif typeface and medicalize, have long been relegated to the bottom corner shelf in the drugstore. And despite the fact that we all go number two, carrying an eight-pack of Charmin down the street sans a brown bag feels incredibly bold.
“For many years, the butt has been a deeply shameful part of the body. But just like any part of the body, the butt warrants a spotlight and products to address it. It’s time to get the conversation started, and it’s long overdue,” says Sturino. The beauty industry has been slowly inching toward shifting the conversation. We’ve had butt facials and booty sheet masks and even been butt firming creams from brands like Maely’s, LAPCOS, and Carpe. They’re adorably kitschy in their marketing, with bubble letters and “booty firming” jargon.
But within the past year, the beauty industry has expanded to a full-fledged butt care boom that’s determined to actually change how we care for our behind. “Consumers are paying more attention to the often-neglected areas, like butts, with the same dedication and care they previously reserved for their faces,” says Eleonora Mazzilli, a Trend Localization and Business Development Director at BEAUTYSTREAMS. “Brands are normalizing the discussion around buttocks and offering targeted products that tackle the full spectrum of butt skin and wellness concerns.”
Just like the rest of the skin, the butt region can be affected by concerns such as aging, acne (or rather, buttne), roughness and dryness, uneven texture and pigmentation, keratosis pilaris, stretch marks, and cellulite. There can be anal itchiness and irritation or hemorrhoids—something 75 percent of Americans will deal with at some point in their lives. Said concerns shouldn’t be treated in secret or shrouded in shame. Keeping the area down there in a healthy state should be as casual as talking about acne or eczema.
With the dedication of a select few brands and butt care influencers (it’s a thing), it’s becoming not only normal but encouraged to have a daily butt routine. “I recommend washing your butt with a salicylic acid body wash to prevent acne and folliculitis,” says Chris Bustamante, DNP, NP-C and founder of Lushful Aesthetics, an NYC-based practice dedicated to non-invasive butt aesthetics. “This will prevent fungal growth that can also contribute to breakouts, discoloration, and other skin concerns like jock itch and athlete's foot.” You should also moisturize your butt to prevent dryness and, according to board-certified colo-recto surgeon Evan Goldstein, M.D., regularly shower or use a bidet to quickly, easily, and thoroughly clean the area after you poop.
“This need is clearly resonating with the masses, and you can see that people are yearning for not only for products that support butt care (whether or not that involves anal sexual health), but it’s also spawned an untapped market,” says Dr. Goldstein.
In the past year alone, his brand FutureMethod launched a prebiotic supplement because “butt health is gut health,” as well as a Body and Butt Scrub specifically formulated for the sensitive area around the anus. Sturino’s Megababe sold out of Butt Stuff, their first-to-market hemorrhoid cream, and Bidet Bar, a cleansing alternative. New butt care brands, like My Bum, Coco Fesse (which has gone viral for its cheeky debut product, Twerk Cremé), and searches for GoodWipes, a toilet paper alternative, have increased 25 percent over the past three months, according to GoogleTrends.
The butt care universe is ramping up—and per Mazzilli, it’s only going to continue to expand. “Brands are shedding the stigma and normalizing booty care, aesthetic, health, and wellness needs,” she says. Butt care is poised to get the same stigma-shedding treatment that period care, vaginal health, and sexual wellness have received over the past five years. No ifs, ands, or butts (sorry, I had to) about it.
Meet the Experts
Entrepreneur, author, and body acceptance advocate Katie Sturino is the founder of Megababe Beauty. Katie lends her voice and personal style to raise awareness for size inclusivity, empowering women of all sizes to find their confidence and celebrate their style.
Eleonora is the Market Manager, North America at BEAUTYSTREAMS and has been leading business and partnership developments within the American and Canadian markets. After managing the U.K. market, Eleonora is now in charge of growing BEAUTYSTREAMS’ largest accounts and has attended and presented insightful conferences at many global beauty trade shows including MakeUp in New York 2022 with BEAUTYSTREAMS Founder and CEO, Lan Vu. Passionate about culture and travel, Eleonora earned a Master’s Degree in Languages, Society & Communications from the University of Bologna followed by a Master’s Degree in Digital Marketing & Communications at 24ORE Business School. Of Italian origin, Eleonora is fluent in four languages and has leaned on her collaborative and entrepreneurial nature to develop many successful collaborations for BEAUTYSTREAMS.
Dr. Evan Goldstein is a nationally renowned anal surgeon and the Founder and CEO of Bespoke Surgical, the leading private practice specializing in an elite standard of sexual health and wellness care in New York City. His practice caters to a wide range of clientele; however, the majority of his patients are LGBTQ+. Dr. Goldstein is also the Co-Founder of Future Method, an innovative sex care brand that is the result of Dr. Goldstein’s years of experience working with his clients and understanding their sexual needs which has been embraced by people from a wide spectrum of sexualities.
As the preeminent expert and thought leader in the field, Dr. Goldstein is committed to education and awareness not only bringing the important issues surrounding sexual health to the forefront but also eliminating the stigma attached to anal engagement. Relating to a wider audience, Dr. Goldstein leaves the medical jargon behind and communicates in a straight-forward, direct manner, breaking down taboos and allowing for more conversational and open discussions.
Dr. Goldstein has extensive experience educating and shedding light on healthcare issues relating to both the LGBTQ+ community and mainstream audiences. He is a frequent resource for journalists and has been published in many national media outlets including NBC.com, GQ, Well + Good, Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, HuffPost, NY Magazine, Forbes, and many others. He was named one of New York City’s top LGBTQ+ business leaders by Crain’s New York in 2020. He maintains his own collection of essays relating to his practice and daily life on Medium.com, as well as a weekly IGTV series that covers familiar issues he sees at his practice, as well as user-submitted questions and topics.
Chris Bustamante, DNP, NP-C is an Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner and received his Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Columbia University. Chris specializes in aesthetic treatments such as the Lushful Instant BBL, Facial Filler, Botox, Penis Filler, Laser Resurfacing, Sexual Enhancement Procedures, Chemical Peels, Laser Hair Removal, RF Microneedling + Exosomes, and more!
InjectorChris is a consummate professional who stays up to date on the latest aesthetic training and regularly attends conferences to continue educating himself in advanced techniques. Before becoming an Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner, Chris worked as a makeup artist for several years with MAC Cosmetics. This is where Chris developed a precise eye for detail, facial proportions, and customizing beauty to the individual. Chris has built a following by sharing informative and engaging content about Lushful Aesthetics procedures, that help educate people on the world of aesthetic procedures and promote a deeper understanding of the process behind men's aesthetic treatments.
Chris Bustamante, DNP, NP-C is well respected in the press with major features notably covering his expertise in Penis Filler. InjectorChris has been featured in The Cut, The New York Post, The Daily Mail, AskMen, HuffPost, and Beauty Independent specifically for his proficiency in male sexual enhancement treatments. Men have traveled from all over the world to his medspa in NYC to be treated by InjectorChris due to his extensive portfolio of demonstrated Penis Filler results. InjectorChris utilizes both his knowledge of medicine and passion for aesthetics to deliver effective aesthetic treatments from top to bottom that help patients feel more confident about their appearance.
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