How to take care of your vulva?
Your vulva is a part of the body that is quite fragile. Periods, sexual activities, hair removal/shaving, synthetic materials... It goes through many factors that can easily damage it. This is why it is very important to take the greatest care of it! The vaginal flora is made up of microorganisms and to avoid discomfort (mycoses, odors, irritations, unusual losses, etc.) there are a few tips to maintain the harmony of these bacteria. 🥰 We give you all our advice here! 👇
Personal hygiene
First of all, know that your vagina is self-cleaning; so when we talk about intimate hygiene, we are talking about the hygiene of the vulva and the inter-gluteal cleft. 😊
Vaginal douching, which involves injecting liquid into the vagina using an enema bulb or directly with a jet, is strongly discouraged! Just like the vaginal sauna, this could damage your intimate flora. 😕
To wash your vulva, do not use washcloths! These are breeding grounds for germs and can irritate your private parts. Perfumes, deodorants, shower gels… Forget them!
Instead, use clear water once a day and, several times a week, an intimate soap with a pH that respects your body. 🧼 With your hand, wash your vulva from front to back to avoid spreading germs from your anus. 👍
To maintain a healthy vulva, say bye-bye to your synthetic underwear 👋; make way for cotton panties, like those from the Henriette H brand . 😍 Cotton materials will allow your vulva to breathe properly and avoid all kinds of discomfort. To let your vulva "breathe" it is also advisable not to wear underwear at night. 😉
If you find that your vulva has a bad smell despite good personal hygiene, this is certainly a sign of a gynecological infection. In the same way that if you observe unusual discharge, consult your gynecologist as soon as possible! Moreover, your annual appointment with your gynecologist should not be neglected. 😉 Nothing better than the advice of a doctor! You can also self-examine this area using a mirror!
Finally, a healthy diet will also affect your health and your vaginal odors (which, by the way, are completely natural)!
Pubic hair: to remove or to keep?
Since we have been removing them since Ancient Egypt, we could say that biological evolution could have made it possible to eliminate our hair! But if this is not the case, it is simply because they are very useful and have a function for each place! 🤗
So why do we wax? For Charles Darwin, hair was synonymous with modern man, the one descended from the ape. But the citizens of the Victorian era had precisely the ambition to detach themselves from animals. The beauty industry therefore followed this idea and divulged the fact that removing hair was a question of hygiene. Thus, a new criterion of beauty was created: that of waxing/shaving. 🪒 Over the ages, many factors have banned hair from our lives. Mainstream pornography , for example, represents women with smooth, hairless skin, which then became a popular fantasy.
Nature gives us hair everywhere; on the head, face, legs, arms, armpits and also in the bikini area and vulva. If they are there, it is not for nothing; they serve as a protective barrier against unwanted bacteria and reduce the risk of dryness , especially in this area which is certainly one of the most fragile. The hair present on the labia majora protects against infections during sexual intercourse, since friction is limited as well as burns, irritations, serious infections and the risk of developing condylomas (responsible for the papillomavirus). 😦 In case of infection, consult your gynecologist or doctor quickly!
In everyday life, it has become commonplace to see women without any leg hair; the opposite has unfortunately become surprising. More and more women are embracing their hairiness. 😍 If leg hair removal has become so common, it is easy to wonder what we should do with our pubic hair. The answer is very simple: you should not keep it, you should not remove it. It is more a question of power and especially of wanting . It is up to you to decide what you do with it, even if it is difficult to detach yourself from the gaze of others, especially on this subject.
You now know that removing your hair is far from being a question of hygiene, contrary to popular belief. 😉 And if you think that hair makes the smell of sweat stagnate, it's completely normal; a shower and it's gone again. 😊
If you do want to remove them, do so with respect for your vulva! Trimming them with scissors, waxing them or shaving them… It’s the big dilemma! Know that in fact, whatever your choice, your hair grows back at the same speed. It’s simply that waxing removes them at the root. The bulbs must therefore have time to regenerate, the hairs to grow under your skin and appear, whereas razors and scissors only cut them at the surface. If you have the impression of having fewer hairs when waxing grows back, it’s because when shaving, they “divide” and appear thicker. After waxing, the hairs grow back as new, but just as numerous.
If you choose to remove your hair, don't forget to take care of your skin, which will need a good scrub before, and a good moisturizing after (no Nivea cream on your vulva please 🥹 )!
And during menstruation?
To avoid the inconveniences of periods, the use of tampons and disposable towels is quite common. In addition to being not very ecological, these protections often have chemical components that are not always good for the vulva. In direct contact with the mucous membrane, the residues of toxic and irritating products spread directly into our body... Which does not eliminate them. 🤢
Luckily, brands like Jho are completely transparent about the composition of their products; their pads and tampons are made from certified organic cotton. In addition to being environmentally friendly, this material allows your intimate parts to breathe! 🌬
If you are prone to vaginal mycoses, your flora is fragile, so you need to take useful precautions! In fact, mycoses are not created due to a lack of hygiene contrary to popular belief. It is a common infection for some women, in the same way that some people have more tonsillitis than others… 🤒 And during your period, the flora is disrupted every time. Good news, some brands offer tampons and sanitary towels with a probiotic intake that will properly maintain the vaginal flora during menstruation!
Today, there are menstrual panties that allow good absorption of your flow, whether it is light or heavy! Most of the brands that produce them also make sure to make them from cotton and respect your privacy. ✨ It may sometimes be necessary to change your panties during the day if your flow is too heavy. But in general, a pair of panties is effective for 7 to 12 hours! 🤩
To replace the tampon, you can use a medical silicone Cup that will not damage your vaginal flora either. 😉 Similarly, a menstrual cup lasts up to 12 hours! In addition to being hypoallergenic, the vaginal mucous membranes do not dry out when in contact with it! (However, it is strongly advised not to keep it in at night). 🍃Same, it's eco-friendly! No waste is produced with cups! 😉
Long-term, ecological and healthy investments, that changes your life, right?
Sexuality and vulvar health
In your intimate relationships, you should not ignore lubrication. Indeed, using a lubricant is completely beneficial insofar as this product will improve your sexual relations. Being lubricated limits the risks of pain, friction, lesions, dryness and thus protects your vulva from the friction caused by your practices. If cyprine is the natural lubricant of women , it is very often recommended to supplement this intake! If you are prone to vaginal dryness, this is characterized by insufficient genital hydration: the natural lubrication of the intimate mucous membranes is insufficient. But using a lubricant is not reserved for women who have vaginal dryness, since during intercourse (alone or with a partner), it will significantly intensify the pleasure, the sensations and avoid desensitization of the erogenous parts of your vulva! 💧
There are several types of lubricants and the water-based one is the most natural. 🌿 That's why we have created at Puissante your new organic intimate gel (rated 100/100 on Yuka 🤩) that you can find in pharmacies or directly here:
Also, it is always necessary to ask your partner to wash their hands and to have good personal hygiene before your lovemaking . If it can be very embarrassing or even sensitive to bring this subject up front, you can bring it up indirectly by showing them that you do it yourself: "wait, I'm going to wash my hands", "I'll quickly take a shower first"... Normally, they will be encouraged to do the same! If you are afraid that it will kill the mood , you can always make sure that this moment happens before the state of excitement and make it a moment of foreplay. 😉
Choosing your vibrator and taking care of it while respecting your vulva
If you want to use vibrators to masturbate or spice up your sex life , it is important to choose your product carefully, always with a view to respecting your vaginal flora. ☺️
Be careful with homemade vibrators. Using a cucumber, an electric toothbrush, fruits or others, it's not great for your intimate hygiene. 😕 And how many stories end up in the emergency room with these practices! Vibrators are designed to respect your privacy without any danger . ❤️
There are vibrators made of glass, metal, plastic…
At Puissante, we designed Coco in medical silicone, a non-irritating and allergen-free material. ❤️ In addition to respecting your body, it will allow you to explore and discover it thanks to its suction part and its vibrating head. 💓
Never skip the hygiene of your vibrator, since it is in direct contact with your intimate parts! ⚠️ If you also use it with a partner, the transmission of STIs remains a risk ⚠️. Toproperly clean your vibrator, you can pass it under clear water and clean it with an intimate soap or a special vibrator cleaner ! Coco is waterproof and is therefore very easy to clean. 🥰 You can store it after use in its small pouch included in your package to prevent other microbes from inviting themselves there. 🦠
