You probably couldn’t imagine skipping moisturizer on your face or body, but what about your vulva? Intimate skin needs (and deserves) the same attention and care! While many people think a moisturizer for private parts is really only for women of a certain age, the truth is a vulva moisturizer can be helpful at any age for a variety of common concerns. A vulva moisturizer can help maintain optimal hydration levels, soothe irritation, and promote healthy intimate skin. Here are six times you should consider using an intimate moisturizer.
1. Before and After Exercise
Whether you’re a runner or a Pilates aficionado, exercise can lead to sweat and friction, which may cause discomfort or irritation in the vulva area. Before your workout, applying a vulva cream like SweetSpot Labs' Hydrate Ever After can provide a protective barrier and reduce the risk of chafing and discomfort during exercise. After your workout, use intimate wipes or a wash to cleanse the area and re-apply moisturizer to soothe any potential irritation and maintain optimal moisture levels.
2. Before Your Period
During the menstrual cycle, hormonal shifts can affect the moisture levels in your vulva. Many women experience dryness, itching, or discomfort as a result of low estrogen. Using a vulva moisturizer before your period can help alleviate or even prevent these symptoms. Hydrate Ever After is specifically formulated with skin-similar emollients to nourish and hydrate delicate intimate skin, so you can stay comfy during this time of the month.
3. After Shaving or Waxing
Shaving or waxing the bikini area tends to leave the skin feeling sensitive and prone to irritation like razor bumps and ingrown hair. What can you do? Applying a vulva moisturizer immediately after hair removal can help soothe the skin and reduce any potential redness or inflammation. You’ll just want to be sure to choose one that is non-comedogenic (aka won’t clog pores). Common moisturizers often contain pore-clogging ingredients like coconut oil that can actually make razor bumps and ingrowns worse.
4. When Taking Certain Medications
Certain medications, including hormonal contraceptives, antihistamines and antidepressants, can cause dryness - below the belt and elsewhere. This dryness may cause discomfort, itching, or a general feeling of tightness. Using a vulva moisturizer daily can help counteract the effects of these medications and provide much-needed relief.
5. During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Pregnancy and postpartum can be quite the hormonal roller coaster. With all those hormones fluctuating, many women experience dryness, itching, or sensitivity in their intimate areas. Using a vulva moisturizer is crucial throughout pregnancy, after delivery, and while breastfeeding to maintain hydration and support the skin health. An intimate moisturizer like Hydrate Ever After can also be used to moisturize pregnant bellies (hello, stretch marks), dry/cracked nipples, and for the all-important perineal massage.
When looking for a moisturizer for pregnant private parts, be sure to look for a solution that is gynecologist tested and approved and non-irritating, since skin can be extra sensitive before and after childbirth. You’ll also want to take a closer look at ingredients during this time, since there are certain ingredients to avoid while pregnant.
6. During Perimenopause
Menopause is highly associated with dry, itchy sweet spots. But perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause, brings hormonal fluctuations that can have a similar effect on the vulva's moisture balance at an earlier age. Estrogen levels start to decline during this time, leading to dryness, itching, and discomfort. Incorporating a vulva moisturizer into your daily routine can help alleviate these symptoms and maintain a healthy intimate environment. Over time, a vulva cream like Hydrate Ever After can also help restore comfort during sex for increased pleasure. What’s not to love about that?
Taking care of your intimate skin health is just as important as caring for the skin others can see, and we believe, essential for overall well-being. Incorporating a vulva moisturizer like Hydrate Ever After into your daily routine can provide the necessary hydration and soothing relief for healthy, happy sweet spots.
This website is for informational purposes only and not to be considered as medical advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure any medical condition.
