Being smooth and hairless is not enough, it seems.

Some women want their pubic region to dazzle. Literally.

Vajazzling involves attaching tiny crystals or jewel stickers to a woman's pubic region for aesthetic purposes, after she has been waxed.

Although it's not entirely new, it is experiencing a small revival among a niche group of women here.

The term "vajazzle" was coined by Hollywood actress Jennifer Love Hewitt some two years ago. She said in an interview that vajazzling her "precious lady" and having it "look like a disco ball" helped her feel better after a bad break up.

British reality star Amy Childs also turned the spotlight on the trend when she vajazzled her co-star Sam Faiers in the first season of reality television show The Only Way Is Essex, which ran in Britain in 2010.

The trend is catching on with a small group of women here, claimed owner of home-based beauty boutique Miss Jessica Tan, 27, who offers the service.

There is demand from clients, especially when they expect intimate encounters or beach parties, she said.

One of her clients is an air stewardess in her 30s, who didn't want to be named.

The woman had a crystal diamante sticker forming the words "I love you" pasted in the lower part of her pubic region earlier this month as a special treat for her boyfriend.

They were going to celebrate his birthday, which included a one-night staycation at a hotel.

"My female friend got a white heart-shaped one and told me that I should go and check it out.

"My boyfriend found it a nice surprise. He smiled when he saw it and said it was very quirky and interesting," she said, adding that she was pleased with it.

"It's very nice. You'll feel proud of it even if it's just for yourself," she said.

She claimed she had no problem showering and that the tiny protruding crystals - which typically come off after five to seven days - did not make her uncomfortable in shorts or jeans.

She paid $38 for the Brazilian wax, which removed all her pubic hair, and another $20 for the sticker to be stuck on.

"The next time, I want to do it a little higher up so that when I go to the beach, other people can see it. Perhaps I want to do a multi-coloured rainbow," she said.

The process of vajazzling is painless and fuss-free, and can be completed within minutes, depending on the complexity of the design, said Miss Tan.

What's that?

Most of the 20 people The New Paper polled had never heard of the practice - only one person knew of vajazzling.

Among the eight waxing salons TNP called, only two had heard of the trend.

"We don't offer the service of vajazzling, but we've had a handful of Caucasian clients ask for it," said the owner of Wink Wax parlour, who wanted to be known only as Richard.

But modest demand has not stopped Miss Tan from bringing in stickers through an overseas website and offering the service about two months ago.

To date, she has vajazzled 10 to 20 women, mostly in their 20s, she said.

She first came across the crystal stickers while researching online about new waxing trends.

Intrigued by the wide range of shiny designs, she ordered her first batch of about 15 different designs from the website.

"I didn't know if it would take off, but I thought they were cute and fun," she said.

The crystal diamante stickers come in a range of shapes and sizes, including alphabets, lips, angel wings and no-entry signs.

Those with a higher budget can also opt to use swarvoski crystals, which can be customised to form unique symbols or words, although Miss Tan does not carry these high-end crystals.

"I don't think customers would be willing to pay that much.... perhaps later if the trend takes off," she said.

Each sticker sells for between $5 and $20, depending on the size and design.

Stickers with messages, such as "I love you" or "I'm yours" remain the most popular, she added. "My customers hum and haw over how adorable the other ones are, but in the end, the choice always seems quite clear," she said with a cheeky laugh.

Private part

But not everyone is open to looking shiny down there.

Said 19-year-old student Chow Huimin, when told of the idea: "I consider myself pretty open-minded, but it's called a private part for a reason. You don't go 'blinging' it.

"What's the point of paying for it to be done if people can't see it most of the time?"

Events organiser Ruth Ong, 27, said: "That's totally strange! People think of the weirdest things to do to their bodies."

A 23-year-old student, who goes for regular waxing and wanted to be known only as Miss Mok, agreed: "I think it's quite weird to decorate down there. Only you and your boyfriend will see it.

And is it even hygienic?"

Although the health risks of vajazzling are low, doctors say there are aspects to be mindful of.

"The sticker or glue may cause a skin reaction because the area around the pubic region is very sensitive," said Dr Yeap Min Li, a gynaecologist from ML Yeap clinic for women at Thomson Medical Centre.

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