When it comes to brown households, the topic of sex or anything close to it is a big no-no. Discussed in hush-tones and mostly deriving knowledge from online sources, many find themselves stumbling through bad sexual experiences and unable to engage with sex in a positive way. Even when the topic of sexual wellness finds its way to our advertisements, the focus is usually on men and how they can derive the most pleasure.
Moving away from these rhetorics are a few new-age homegrown brands that are focusing on the sexual wellness and pleasure of men, women and non-binary folks. Whether it be their vegan condom ranges, sex toys, pubic hair oils or men’s wellness products, here’s a definitive guide to some homegrown sexual wellness brands in India.
I. Bleu
Bleü condoms are India’s first non-toxic (free of toxin chemicals and carcinogens) and vegan external (usually referred to as male) condoms. These condoms are made from ethically-derived latex from pesticide-free forests. Bleü is about more than just condoms –– as their website states, they focus on making sexual wellness as important as any other health concern, empower women and encourage autonomy, and also spread information regarding the issues faced post-use of regular condoms. They currently sell Ultra Thin, Dotted, 3-in-1 (ultra thin, dotted and ribbed), and Spiral (in which the tip is spiral-shaped).
Find Bleü here.
II. Bold Care
A men’s health and wellness startup, Bold Care is all about helping men feel confidence in themselves. Giving a more holistic approach to wellness, the brand offers end to end sexual wellness products ranging from kits to tackle erections, lasting longer in bed, water and aloe-based lubricants, fertility support tablets, safe range of condoms and flavoured condoms. All their products are ethically sourced and pass a stringent quality test.
Find Bold Care here.
III. I Am Besharam
Among India’s number one adult toys store with over 200 international brands in their catalogue, I Am Besharam does not shy away from what they want to offer. Their no-nonsense website is quite on your face and divided into distinct categories to cater to your sexual needs. They have sex toys for men, women, couples and lgbtq folks and their diverse product catalogue that include edible lingerie, massaging oils, bedroom games, body accessories, self-pleasure items, condoms, products for anal sex and foreplay among many other things.
Find their products here.
IV. Love Treats
Based out of Bangalore, Love Treats is an online pleasure store that focuses on body positivity when it comes to sex and sexual wellness products so that people can explore their sexuality in a positive manner. They aim at creating a fun, safe, and legal space for Indian women, men, and couples to explore adult toys to spice up their love lives. They have a wide range of international sex toys that range from male mastrubators, male enhancement products, dildos, vibrators, bondage kits to couple play products. If you’re concerned about log, kya kahenge? Don’t worry as all their packaging is discreet and your purchase stays totally confidential.
Find Love Treats here.
V. My Muse
Taking sex beyond contraceptives, sexual wellness and lifestyle brand MyMuse founded by (wife-husband duo) Anushka and Sahil Gupta focuses on sex with a lens of intimacy and pleasure –– both, on your own and with partner(s). While various brands focus on the health and hygiene aspect of sex, this one hones in on the sweet spot of exploring and enhancing pleasure altogether. Their products are directed at intimate and holistic wellness and range from massager Pulse to the candle Spark, and the mood-setting oils to their diverse gift sets.
Shop MyMuse here.
VI. Pee Safe Domina
Pee Safe started as an attempt of finding solutions for women’s use of public washroom without contracting UTIs in the process. Over the course of its journey it has evolved into a female wellness brand that caters to most of women’s intimate, menstrual and sexual wellness needs. In that vein is their sexual wellness range Domina, which offers a natural-latex female condom which is electronically tested, guarantees no side effects along with a great experience. The internal condom can be worn up to 8-hours and not only takes care of your pleasure, but also takes care of unwanted pregnancies and STIs. In their range they also have body relaxing oils, natural stimulant oils, lubricants, intimate moisturizers and Kegel Balls for pelvic health.
Shop Domina here.
VII. Salad
Easy to use, effective and affordable– Salad condoms are vegan-friendly as they are made with natural rubber latex sourced from sustainable forests in India, do not contain harmful chemicals, and are also electronically-tested for long-lasting security. Wondering why it’s called salad? It is called so because of how common the word ‘salad’ is which allows people to be as discreet as they want when they bring up condoms in conversation. The brand follows the same philosophy with their packaging and does not overtly disclose that the box contains condoms.
Find Salad here.
VIII. Sangya Project
At its core, Sangya Project aims at creating a space for destigmatized, kink-affirmative and trauma-informed education which takes into account the varied perspectives, stories and experiences of people. In their own words, they are “...your one-stop shop for destigmatised education and discourse, wellness products, and so much more.” Through their evolution they are now also an online pleasure store that sells products, aiming to better equip everyone with the tools to explore pleasure in a safe way. Among their available catalogue are vibrators, strap-ons, massagers, butt plugs and more to explore pleasure.
Shop from Sangya here.
IX. That Sassy Thing
Sachee Malhotra, founder of That Sassy Thing, a homegrown female sexual wellness brand wanted to turn the focus of sexual wellness onto women and normalise everything from body hair to periods to sex as well as female pleasure. When Sachee was researching all things female sexual wellness, she realised that products that aid pleasure such as lube, are aimed towards satisfying the need of men. Obviously enough, that fact does not sit well with Sassy’s ideology and hence, their all-natural, pH balanced sexual lube, DTF, was manufactured after much testing. Apart from this, Sassy’s armoury consists of a period cramp care Soothing Stick (Hallelujah!) and Bush, a pubic hair oil — yes, you read that right.
Explore That Sassy Thing and their products here.
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