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I, like most women I’ve spoken to, grew up feeling very weird about sex. Though I’m retrospectively grateful that my parents never spoke to me about the birds and bees (I’ve heard several horror stories of parents who liked to speak of them at length), a complete lack of conversation surrounding sex—and more specifically sexual wellness—was probably not the best approach either. In a society where women are generally taught to feel shameful about sex, this code of silence just made me feel even more guilty about my very natural (and frankly out-of-control) hormones, body parts, feelings, etc.
When I arrived at my very liberal liberal arts college freshman year, I quickly unlearned a lot of the shame I had been harboring re: sex, sexual wellness, and masturbation. Whereas my middle school friends and I used to swear that we had never even heard of the word masturbation, my college friends and I discussed the topic at length—sharing sex health tips and rightfully treating sex as a very important part of life and relationships. It was refreshing and comforting and sure, sometimes a little bit scary—but all in all, I was happy to be free of the rest of the world’s outdated approach to sex, where cis men are the only ones allowed to say they enjoy it.
Years and several rounds of sexual awakenings later, I stumbled upon Maude, a “modern intimacy company,” determined to flip the script on sexual wellness. Founded upon inclusivity, simplicity, and quality above all else, their products have saved my life on a number of occasions. So when their new wash. no 0 launched, I quite literally jumped for joy—while talking about sex and masturbation can be nerve wracking, at least it’s kind of sexy. Talking about vaginal health, on the other hand, is hard to glamorize. Yet, somehow, with its ph-balanced body wash and bubble bath, Maude did just that. The wash, part of their body care line aimed to advocate for intimacy in and out of the bedroom, is designed for any and all skin types (and regions), and I couldn’t wait to try it out.
At this point, I’ve been obsessed with Maude for a while now: their mineral bath salts and coconut milk bath have treated my boyfriend and me to many romantic quarantine dates and the wipes are quite frankly a game-changer in the bed/bathroom. Oh, and how could I forget—their scented candle (burn no. 1) means everything to me. Maude had me covered in the bedroom and in the bathtub. Now, it has me covered in the shower, too.
Their new wash is intended for daily use in the shower, but since it’s gentle and safe for all skin types, it’s the perfect sudsy soap to use for a special occasion shower with your partner, too. It also doubles as a relaxing bubble bath (again, alone or with a partner) and is filled with vitamins B3, B5, C, and E to keep your skin extra moisturized. Plus, it’s vegan and paraben/sulfate/phthalate-free.
I’m a big fan of suds, but when something bubbles up a LOT, I hate how artificial it feels. Maude’s wash was truly the perfect in between—it sudsed up enough to feel like it was really cleaning, but it felt natural, too (and they have a short ingredient list to prove it). While I love a good scent as much as the next gal, having a fragrance-free wash that is ph balanced is incredibly important for your vaginal health, making wash no. 0 not only a chic and sexy choice, but a smart and responsible one, too.
While my circle of friends has this “progressive” approach to sex, it’s clear that most of the world isn’t quite there yet. While there have been a number of impressive strides in the porn industry, it’s still riddled with issues, and the sexual wellness industry (toys, lube, and the like) is frankly archaic—toys “catered towards women” are really catered towards men and in the same fashion, lubricant often contains a number of ingredients that cause yeast infections (are you kidding me?!). In essence: it seems a lot of people are in need of a similar freshman-year-revelation.
I stumbled upon Maude at a particularly stressful time in my life, right after I got my first IUD. Lubricant was never a necessity to me before—I had dabbled in it from time to time, but the mess never felt worth it. Without getting too into detail here: because of some side effects of hormonal IUDs, I went looking for a good lube. I have a checklist of non-negotiables when looking for a new brand: are they sustainable? Do they hold representation as paramount as I do? Are they well-priced? Maude passed the test with flying colors.
Maude chooses sustainable packaging and ingredients whenever possible, but even more importantly—they’re in the business of safe sex, which ultimately leads to less disease and less unplanned pregnancies (both of which drive global poverty and environmental crises). As for representation, it’s at the very core of their brand: founded by a Latinx woman, Evá Goicochea, Maude’s blog “the maudern” touts an exquisite array of stories, interviews, and sex ed pieces, featuring many WOC and LGBTQ+ voices.
While I was always a Maude fan, wash no. 0 really pushed me more into the devotee realm. I’ve been telling anyone who will listen about it—from it’s hydrating, cleansing effects to it’s perfectly designed pump and gorgeous packaging, it leaves little to be desired. And as someone who tries to be very intentional with what they buy, it’s a hard price to beat at $22 for a body wash and bubble bath, all in one.
• In addition to being gender, sexuality, and race-inclusive, Maude prides itself on being age-inclusive as well. The sexual wellness industry is certainly riddled with ageism, and we love that they’re encouraging folks of all ages to get a little freaky.
• They work with the best factories in the world to ensure safety and quality above all else.
• We love that their packaging is discrete. While I’m all about sex positivity, I’d rather not have a bright blue bottle that says “LUBE” on my nightstand. Maude’s lube (called “shine”), condom (called “rise”), and vibrator (called “vibe”) are discrete enough to be kept out for easy grabbing.
• Whereas some blogs just feel like branded fluff, the maudern is filled to the brim with real information and stories. I’ve found it an incredible resource with regard to sex education and tips.
• They’re a WOC-owned business, which we can (and will) always get behind.
