What is daily care of the vagina? We know how to take daily care of our face – we cleanse it, we balance our pH with toner, we moisturize it. But what’s involved with taking care of our vagina? And why take care of it every day?
Let’s first address why you want to practice daily care of your lady business.
Your Vagina Has An Optimal pH, and It Has Good and Bad Bacteria
Science has shown that the normal pH of a healthy vagina is between 3.8 and 4.5 which falls on the acidic side of the pH scale. But why does vaginal pH actually matter? An acidic vaginal environment is protective. It prevents unhealthy bacteria and yeast from multiplying too quickly and causing infection. A high vaginal pH level — above 4.5 — provides the perfect environment for unhealthy bacteria to grow. Having a high vaginal pH puts you at risk for infections and inflammation.
Luckily your vagina is home to a lot of good bacteria—the second largest amount of bacteria in your body after the gut, actually. The good bacteria help regulate your vagina’s pH level by fighting and killing bad bacteria. When the balance of bacteria is thrown off, then your pH will also be thrown off. So balance is key.
What Causes an Unbalanced Vaginal pH?
Here are some common culprits…
- Sex - During sex, the pH level inside the vagina temporarily rises, to protect the sperm so they can make their way to the egg.
- Antibiotics - These not only kill the bad bacteria that cause disease, but also the good bacteria you need.
- Douching. Although it isn’t advised, about 20 percent of women regularly wash out their vagina with a mixture of water and vinegar, baking soda, or iodine. Douching increases the vaginal pH level, because it kills good bacteria, allowing harmful bacteria to take over.
- Your menstrual cycle. When menstrual blood flows through the vagina and is absorbed into a tampon or pad and sits in place, it can raise the pH level of the vagina.
- Fragrance - found in soap, laundry detergent residue, or even tampons
- Certain ingredients found in most conventional lubricants
- Wearing sweaty clothes too long
- Poor health and/or poor diet
- Hormonal imbalance
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of an Unbalanced Vagina?
- A foul or fishy smell
- Unusual white, gray, or green discharge
- Vaginal itching
- Burning when you urinate
When You Love Your Vagina, She Loves You Back
When your pH is in balance and your good bacteria are having their way, there are countless benefits.
One really cool benefit is a that balanced vagina talks to your brain and actually helps you feel less moody and less stressed!
Another benefit of having a healthy vagina is that it makes you feel more confident. And when we feel more confident we feel more pleased with ourselves! And if you’re sexually active that confidence will help you be more open to trying things that could make you feel more pleasure.
The last one we’ll mention today is that she will smell sweet to you because of these things called pheromones that are biologically there to attract partners to each other, so cool right! Don’t get us wrong, vaginas ARE meant to smell, but it should be a light smell, not a fishy or metallic smell.
So by loving your vagina you’re setting yourself up for more pleasure, whether that’s just the way you feel about yourself or sexual pleasure.
So, How Do We Take Care of Our Vaginas?
Taking good care of your vagina is actually very similar to taking care of your face.
1. Cleanse Daily
There are only a few safe options on the market today when it comes to washing your vagina. These are water and Balance Moisturizing Personal Wash.
Washing daily with a gentle cleanser like Balance Moisturizing Personal Wash is the perfect way to help cleanse, refresh, and eliminate odor, and has been formulated to accurately match vaginal pH – without putting artificial fragrances, petroleum, and parabens on your body like other feminine hygiene washes.
2. Balance Your pH
Like we discussed previously, many things can throw off the pH of our lady parts, so having a convenient wipe to help balance it back is an ideal solution!
This is why we love Rebalance™ Personal Moisturizing and Cleansing Wipes. They’re great for travel, post-workout, after an intimate moment, and everyday on-the-go cleansing. Like Balance Wash, they are formulated to closely replicate the healthiest vaginal conditions to support your natural healthy vaginal ecosystem.
3. Moisturize
Our vaginas aren’t meant to be dry and they aren’t meant to itch. Many women need vaginal moisturizer all the time, especially after menopause when their bodies don’t produce as much estrogen anymore. And then many women only need vaginal moisturizer a few times a month, during the times of their cycle when your estrogen is lower. The key here is that most women will benefit from a vaginal moisturizer even if they only need it a few days a month.
Restore™ Moisturizing Vaginal Gel is our favorite vaginal moisturizer! Restore mimics the vagina’s natural equilibrium with perfectly calibrated pH levels, salt balance, and the same type of beneficial lactic acid produced by healthy vaginal bacteria for a truly healthy lubricating response.
