It’s the first ‘female sexual pleasure and wellness’ category to be launched by a major retailer in the UK and it’s set to change everything from vulva chat to gynaecological cancer awareness. The vulvalution is coming, quite literally…
In a neat but niche fact that turns patriarchal ideas about women and domesticity on their head somewhat, more women in the UK own vibrators than dishwashers, with the annual market turnover dwarfing sales of washing machines and tumble dryers combined. Not that you’d normally hear such sales stats shouted from the rooftops - women’s sexual pleasure remains ‘hush hush’ even in this supposedly woke day and age, with a shame and stigma attached to female sexual enjoyment that simply isn’t present where men are concerned. Which is where Cult (Clit?) Beauty’s new Vulvalution comes in…
The fastest growing multi-brand retailer in the UK launches the first female sexual pleasure and wellness category today, which is no coincidence considering it’s International Women’s Day and the Cult Beauty team reckon it's time that both our intimate health and sexual fulfilment were put firmly on the agenda. In addition to creating widespread understanding and familiarity with the female anatomy by way of expert informed editorial and open conversation, Cult Beauty’s new category will sell sex toys made by women, for women, pelvic floor trainers to serve the one in three of us who deal with pelvic floor issues day in, day out and pH balanced vaginal care products (although whether these are actually necessary is a hotly debated issue). A percentage of proceeds from all sales within the Sexual Pleasure & Wellness offering will also be donated to The Lady Garden Foundation , marking Cult Beauty’s first official charity partnership, and a highly impactful one at that.
The Lady Garden Foundation raises awareness and funding for essential research into gynaecological cancers , work that is so desperately need owing to the fact the five gynecological cancers (ovarian, vulva, vaginal, cervical and womb) are so starkly underreported on in the mainstream media and known as the ‘silent killers’ as there’s currently chronically low awareness of early symptoms and signs. To put that numerically, of the 58 women diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer every day in the UK, only 56 per cent of these women will have a good chance of survival. Keeping our “private parts” private in terms of public discussion and recognition isn’t just damaging our sex lives, it’s limiting our lives full stop, as dwindling take up of smear tests also indicates (one in three of us avoid them citing “embarrassment about appearance.”)
In addition to supporting one of the world’s leading women’s health charities, picking up some cooling gel lube as you fill your beauty basket will finally satisfy your retail needs too - Cult Beauty has observed recent spikes in searches for ‘lubricants’ as well as ‘vibrators’, of which there are a techy, expansive (and sometimes expensive) array on offer. There’s the mint green Dame Fin Jade Vibrator , £75, which is designed to be unobtrusive yet powerful and proves that size really isn’t everything, unlike previous hulking vibrator models more often than not conceived by men, or the witty Smile Makers Frenchman Vibrator , £39.95, described as a “sexy linguist” if you catch my meaning.
In short, there’s something to cater for every taste, need and desire, whether you’re after a solution to ingrown hairs on your bikini line ( The Perfect V Gentle Exfoliator , £31, claims to help here) or a multivitamin for pregnancy ( Equi London Pregnancy Formula , £37 for 120 capsules could be just the thing). The section is set to expand - the Vulvalution is apparently just beginning, but the fact that we can quite literally pick up our fanny and face products in the same place without the blink of an eye while supporting a gynae charity in the process is something fresh, although whether we really need to sold an "intimate calming oil" is another matter...