Everything You Need To Re-Learn About Washing Your Intimate Parts
We’re going to give you a good overview of what a vulva even is, how to wash it, how to balance its pH, and so much more, in this collaboration between Dandy Wellness and Luna Daily. Here’s a quick lesson in female anatomy and what to do with it!
By Anna Myers / Nov 16, 2023
Listen up, friends! Take it from someone who’s had more yeast infections in her early twenties than any human should experience in the course of a lifetime: learning how to wash your vulva, how not to treat your vagina, and how to generally make your intimate parts a less confusing and frustrating place, should be mandatory in school.
Since it’s not, however, we’ve got you covered here at Dandy.
what’s the difference between a vagina and a vulva?
First things first, let’s go through a refresher in female anatomy. The vagina is the inner canal inside your body, whereas your vulva is the outer part of your intimate area. The vulva includes your clitoris and clitoral hood, as well as your vaginal lips, also known as inner and outer labia.
With this distinction in mind, let’s say it all together: you should never wash the internal passage, the vagina, but you can and should clean your vulva, the external part.
The vagina is entirely self-cleaning, because in order to birth a whole human being, you kinda have to prioritise the tasks at hand and automate some of them, right? The vulva, on the other hand, has the same kind of texture and sensitivity as the skin under your armpits, so it’s recommended that you give it a daily wash, either when you wash the rest of your body, or separately if you have a fancy Italian bidet.
what soaps should you be using?
Here’s the tricky part that no one really teaches you. It’s absolutely fine to wash your vulva with just water, but think of it like this: just like our armpits, our vulvas are covered in sweat glands (apocrine glands), so it makes sense that you’d want to give it an extra thorough clean at the end of the day.
The issue is that many traditional soaps and shower gels (the majority!) have a very high pH, synthetic and often harsh formulas that can cause irritation, yeast infections, and thrush. Then, there’s specific feminine hygiene products, with their pink and hyper-clinical features and their fair share of synthetic ingredients, just like traditional cleansers. Many, for example, contain Sodium Laureth Sulphate, a known skin irritant.
why ph matters
Now, you might be wondering, what the hell does pH even have to do with irritation and infections?
It’s because the vagina’s pH, at around 3.7 to 4.5, is more acidic than “normal” skin, which has a pH of 5, and soap has an average pH of 9-10! The vagina (inner canal, no need to wash, remember?) contains “good bacteria” which works hard to maintain a right pH balance in your intimate parts, and when you wash inside of it, or use any harsh cleansers around it, even just a drop of product can disrupt the environment completely. This leads to irritation and even infections like thrush or bacterial vaginosis.
what products should you use for your intimates
The most important thing to avoid, besides any pH irritants, is scented products. They’re designed to prey on our insecurities, and they’re completely ineffective --actually, they’re often just harmful!
And the good news is also that you don’t need a separate product for your vulva: as long as your preferred cleanser doesn’t contain harsh chemicals or synthetics, you can use it on your intimate parts and on the skin everywhere else on your body. Want to know where to get products like that, all good fun and no harm? Here at Dandy, of course, since we stock Luna Daily products!
why luna daily
Luna Daily products are formulated with their trademarked Hydra-Biome+(™), a unique complex of Thermal water, which mirrors the body’s NMF (Natural Moisturising Factor), Pre-biotics inulin and lactic acid to enrich the skin biome and foster natural protection, and Vitamins A,E,C & F to deeply nourish and hydrate skin. Their products contain only natural and necessary ingredients, all vegan and sustainably sourced: no sulphates, no harsh chemicals, no common allergens, alcohols or irritants. They aim to balance, nourish, and protect the skin, not just “wash” it ––and that’s every type of skin, not just one.
AVAILABLE AT DANDY
luna daily
The Everywhere Wash
As we’ve discussed, many cleansers and traditional washes are a no-go if you care about your vulva’s health. Enter the Everywhere Wash, designed to balance, nourish and protect your whole body, from vulva to everywhere else you’d like! One wash, everywhere, for a natural, gentle cleansing wash.
The Everywhere Wash contains a HYDRABIOME+™ complex blending thermal water, prebiotic actives and vitamins A, E, F & C.
The Everywhere No Soap
The Everywhere (No)Soap™ is the world’s first plastic free, non-stripping, non-drying natural soap bar for ultimate nourishment and pH balance.
It was formulated with a unique coconut derived base, proven to be milder on skin compared to other traditional soaps, and it contains the Luna Daily trademarked HYDRA-BIOME+™ complex to balance, nourish and protect skin ––for intimate skin, and everywhere else!
The Everywhere Spray-To-Wipe
Feminine wipes can lead to irritation and infection, as they often contain harsh fragrances and chemicals. Luna Daily has a natural, eco-friendly alternative to single-use cleansing wipes, a world-first revolutionary product.
The Everywhere Spray To Wipe is… well, a normal-looking spray. But just a few spritzes of this ultra-fine mist instantly transforms toilet tissue into a skin-friendly, biodegradable cleansing wipe to refresh intimate skin and everywhere else on the body.
Formulated with Evian water with an exceptionally rich mineral content (Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium) to maintain a healthy pH microbiome with soothing, anti-inflammatory and skin repairing properties, as well as a plant-based blent of Inulin and Lactic Acid to enrich the skin microbiome, and vitamins F, E, A and C complex to deeply nourish the skin.
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