There’s an entire aisle at most big box stores dedicated to intimate health products. The intimate health care industry is large and tricky to navigate. While there may be an aisle full of products that promise better sex, better overall comfort, and a deeper, better clean, it can be hard to determine which products are legitimately beneficial and which products are, well, hype. After all, does your vagina actually need its own special soap?
We decided to wade through the washes, douches, creams, and lubricants and figure out which products are actually helpful and effective for your most intimate areas and which you can leave safely on the shelves. We determined if an intimate health product was beneficial based on whether it addressed a concern that actually needs addressing, if the product was easy to use, and if it produced quantifiable results. Here’s what we found.
Vaginal Lotions for Dryness
Vaginal dryness can be experienced by a woman at any point during her life, however she is more likely to experience vaginal dryness and discomfort regularly when her body begins producing less estrogen. Women begin producing less estrogen during perimenopause (the period before menopause when estrogen production begins to decline) and menopause (the period after a woman stops having her monthly cycle).
This decrease in estrogen production has a dramatic effect on the sensitive tissues of the vagina. Aside from experiencing dryness during arousal and/or intercourse, a woman may experience dryness and discomfort during the course of her normal day. Normal activities like wiping may be uncomfortable, and even painful. She may feel like her underwear “stick” to her, or scrape against her. If the dryness is severe enough, she may even experience itchiness.
Products we found to be extremely effective in treating and healing vaginal dryness arevaginal lotions. In particular, vaginal lotion that is full of humectants and natural oils are particularly effective in helping alleviate vaginal dryness and rehydrate the thinning tissues of the vaginal skin. We found that using high quality vaginal lotions regularly not only provided immediate relief for dryness, over time these vaginal lotions actually helped the skin maintain and regulate its own natural moisture levels.
Vaginal Lotions Applicator
Working congruently with vaginal lotions, we love vaginal lotion applicators. While most all vaginal lotions can be applied with your fingers, we find that the applicator allows for better delivery of the product where you need it the most.
Most women experience vaginal dryness on the tissues surrounding the vaginal opening (the labia) and the quarter inch just inside the vaginal canal. A specially designed applicator can help ensure that the vaginal lotions you use get applied directly where you need them, and not absorbed by your fingers or placed too deep inside your vagina where they lose effectiveness.
The best vaginal lotion applicators will be crafted from a reusable material like medical grade silicone, which is both sanitary and washable. A quality applicator will also be shaped in a manner that works with the shape of your vagina, not against it. A slender tip that allows application of vaginal lotions just inside the vaginal opening can ensure you apply your vaginal lotions where they need to be applied, and nowhere else.
Dietary Supplements to Support Intimate Health
Thinking outside the box (pun totally intended), we found a plethora of dietary supplements designed to help support a woman’s intimate health needs. Although there were a lot of products designed to address concerns ranging from low libido to hot flashes, we found several ingredients in these products stood out and provided results where others did not.
- Pine bark extract. This extract supports circulatory health which may reduce hot flashes and help regulate night sweats.
- Ashwagandha extract. An Indian plant extract, this ingredient helps support a healthy cortisol level which can boost your mood and help you sleep better at night.
- Green Tea leaf extract. The ultimate in clearing out “brain fog,” green tea extract contains powerful antioxidants and the right amount of caffeine to keep you feeling motivated and energized.
- Melatonin. If menopause is trying to rob you of a solid night’s sleep, melatonin can help. Melatonin is non-habit forming and can help you fall asleep fast and wake up without feeling groggy.
The takeaway from our intimate health products review is that there are a lot of products available, and a few that really work. Vaginal lotions to aid with dryness are a great tool to keep in your arsenal for occasional vaginal dehydration and for chronic dryness, should you experience it. Applying vaginal lotions with a vaginal lotion applicator keeps the process clean, easy, and effective. Intimate health products aren’t just limited to products used directly on your nether regions either. There are many supplements that support intimate health available which are taken orally. While some of these supplements make some fantastic claims, we found that certain ingredients actually deliver on their promises and are worth the investment.