Intimate Care

Not everyone does. Warm water alone is enough for many people. The reason a separate wash exists is pH: intimate skin sits at a lower, more acidic pH than the rest of your body, and ordinary soap and shower gel are more alkaline, which is what leaves some people feeling dry or irritated. If that is you, a pH balanced, soap free wash is worth trying.

No. Everything on this page is for external use, on the vulva and the surrounding skin. The vagina cleans itself, and douching or washing internally works against that. If you have been told otherwise, check with a pharmacist or your doctor first.

It means the product is formulated to sit close to the natural pH of intimate skin rather than to general body skin. Intimate skin carries its own population of bacteria that prefers a slightly acidic environment, so a product matched to it cleanses without disturbing that balance.

The daily washes and powders are made for everyday use, including during menstruation. Moisturisers, balms and ovules are usually used as needed rather than daily. Follow the directions on the individual product, and if you are using more than the pack suggests, that is worth a conversation.

A wash is the cleansing step in the shower. A powder is the drying step after it, which is the one most people skip and the one that matters on hot days, after exercise or under activewear. A balm or moisturiser is for dryness and comfort, and is the usual starting point if the problem is friction rather than freshness.

Dryness is common at many life stages, including around menopause, after childbirth and on some medications. The intimate moisturisers, balms and ovules here are made for it. They are different from a wash, which cleanses and rinses off. If dryness is persistent or painful, see your doctor, because it is often treatable.

Check the individual pack. Water based gels are generally fine with latex; oil based balms and some creams can weaken latex, so they are not a safe pairing with condoms. If contraception matters to you, ask our pharmacy team before you choose.

Many are, but it depends on the product and on you, and some ingredients are best avoided. Check with your midwife, doctor or our pharmacists before starting anything new while pregnant or recovering from birth.

If you have itching, burning, unusual discharge, an unfamiliar odour, bleeding between periods or pain, that is not something a wash is for. Speak to our pharmacy team or your doctor so you get the right answer rather than a guess.