Meet the Melbourne beauty brand offering anal-care for after sex and beyond
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC LYONS
WORDS BY VIOLETT FARRAR
Skincare for your anus.
When it comes to openly discussing ‘butt stuff’ we can probably all agree that it can feel like a bit of a taboo. Sure, we all have them, but despite this it still feels a little uncomfortable to discuss. Maybe it’s down to a fear of being ‘butt shamed’ and facing unwelcome judgement, or perhaps it’s internalised homophobia. But (no pun intended) thanks to the fast-growing sexual wellness market, it looks like it’s finally time to break the taboo.
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Marc Lyons is the founder and director of Happie Holl, a new Melbourne-based beauty brand offering skincare for your anus. The brand is on a mission to reframe how we think and talk about anal care. Below, Marc speaks about the launch of his brand and why these products are a necessity for many consumers.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a 38-year-old gay man living in Melbourne and I guess I’ve always had problems with my butt. It started when I was a little kid and I had issues with constipation which led to pain and fissures… which was devastating for a little kid. I grew out of that, thank God, but I guess I’ve always had a special relationship with my butt because as a kid I had issues.
What was the motivation and/or inspiration for you to start this brand?
I, unfortunately, suffered from anal fissures from vigorous lovemaking and that led to frustrations because I would go to the GP and he would give me creams to help heal them but unfortunately they can be challenging to heal. I took it upon myself to look for alternatives and that lead me down this path of googling all these remedies and trying to get my body back to what it was.
I stumbled across a few things that were working and so I thought why not share what I have been able to develop because there’s got to be other people out there who have similar issues. I started to share these remedies with friends, and they started to try them and got good results after having anal sex and experiencing pain and that’s where Happie Holl was born.
What exactly is Happie Holl? Can you talk us through your range of products?
Happie Holl is essentially aftercare for your butt. We offer two products, the After Anal Cooling Cream and the Sore Butt Soothing Balm. Both products are designed to smooth the skin on your bum hole and calm any kind of general soreness that you might have after anal sex, a big poo or too much poo.
Some of the key ingredients include menthol, a natural product known for stimulating blood flow, aloe vera, an ingredient with great anti-bacterial and antiviral properties and coconut oil which is good for inflammation. There are a bunch of other ingredients as well like witch hazel and lanolin but all ingredients have been chosen based on the calming and soothing properties that they bring to the skin.
Why is this a necessary product? What have people been using up until now or have there not been options for people seeking anal care?
There are products out there but many of them, which are specifically for anal fissures, are quite invasive and come with side effects like headaches and the like. I wanted something more natural that would bring a calming sensation. I also think it’s necessary that people understand that their butthole is actually quite precious, and they need to look after it better.
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Would you say there’s a social stigma or taboo around anal sex? Do you think that Happie Holl products can help people build confidence in this area?
I really hope so. That’s been a real intention for the brand when I developed it. There’s a lot of stigma around butts; they’re associated with shame because it’s where poo comes out and there’s internalised homophobia because it’s connected to homosexuality if you’re into anal play. That is the biggest existential issue, bringing better awareness to the butt and dissolving the shame. The products have been designed to create a better relationship with your butt, to nurture and care for it.
With the sexual wellness market set to continue its growth in the coming years, what direction do you see Happie Holl going in?
In terms of the sexual wellness space, I think that I’ll move into that with other products associated with sex. I would consider a lubricant like massage oil to slow down sex so it’s not just about an orgasm but about a deeper connection that allows for better sex because it takes time to get your butt to relax. I’m also thinking of looking at products linked to butt acne and that kind of thing.
I am interested to see how the sexual wellness industry shifts with larger retailers like Sephora and Selfridges starting to stock sexual wellness products. With this happening I’m hopeful customers will become more comfortable with talking about sex because those products are visible on our shelves. After all, sex is something we practice all the time, so why should it be something that’s hidden away?
Who’s your target consumer?
Generally, it would be for cis-hetero women [and] cis-hetero men exploring pegging, gay men, trans men and then really anyone who’s just got a sore butt, so that’s kind of everyone really. If you’ve got a really sore butt after doing a big poo or you’ve had a bit of diarrhea then you can apply the Sore Butt Soothing Balm to help with that.
If you could sum up the brand in two words which two would you use?
Two words… I can’t help but go back to ‘happie’ [and] ‘holl’, because that’s really what the brand is all about!
Any final thoughts?
Mainly I just want to encourage people to look after their butts better, be more curious about exploring their butts and have fun with it when you’re doing it!
To learn more about Happie Holl’s products and to shop the full range, head here.
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