Josh Ortiz of XR Brands, via his “Dear DadBodDom” SE column, answers retailers’ most pressing questions. In this issue, a retailer in Houston has been deluged with questions from women about “yoni” products to assist with feminine hygiene.
(NOTE: This story appears in the December 2024 issue of SE Magazine.)
Dear DadBodDom: I have had an influx of young people coming in and asking our staff for “yoni pearls” or various yoni-related items. At first, I thought they were referencing the yoni egg kegel balls, but they are telling me these items are to help with yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. I don’t feel like that’s a thing, but I also have no idea what they are talking about. Am I missing out on some kind of revolutionary thing, or is there information I could be passing on to my customers when they ask? I’ve done some Googling, but the information makes zero sense to me, and the pictures are terrifying. — Horrified in Houston
A: Hi, Horrified! If I’m being honest, when I first learned about these products, I was — and remain — pretty damn horrified, too.
Ok, so let’s explain to our other retail partners what these products are and to whom they are mainly marketed, before we get into how to combat the misinformation that comes from this type of nonsense.
Yoni-care products are widely marketed and spread within communities of color. As a BIPOC, I can tell you that my social media ads and feeds have been full of them starting around early 2022. So what are they? Nothing good, I’ll tell you that much.
Yoni Pearls: Compressed balls of unregulated herbs, generally manufactured overseas with little to no foresight, wrapped in gauze with a string similar to a tampon. These are meant to be inserted vaginally, and left in the body for at least 24 hours. Apparently, the longer you leave it in, the deeper the “cleansing.” It’s reported to shed out old skin and residual semen (I’m not even making this up) and keep your vaginosis bacteria-free.
Yoni Bars: Bars of soap full of and sprinkled with herbs and oils targeted at eliminating vaginal odor.
Yoni Spray/Spritz: A mix of oils, herbs, petals and water in a spray bottle. It is meant to be misted directly into your vagina’s face to, again, make a vagina similarly scented to the floral section at the grocery store, I’d assume?
The primary purpose behind all of these is to eliminate bacterial vaginosis. What even is that?! BV is basically inflammation of the vagina caused by an overgrowth of the wrong kind of bacteria. There are times when one has no symptoms, there are times when one may experience unusual vaginal discharge, an odor not normally their own, or itchy-scratchies. The only truly effective way to treat BV is via antibiotics, not oregano in sunflower oil with nag champa incense flakes.
What’s important is to understand our bodies, how they work, how they are meant to smell and how to properly handle issues that arise. If a doctor has not diagnosed BV, let’s not assume it’s BV! Vaginal discharge changes in both quantity, viscosity, scent and even color, during different times throughout the reproductive cycle. You may notice more vaginal discharge during ovulation, or a different scent before, during, or after your period or intercourse.
Using soaps, lubricants or condoms that are not pH-conscious will absolutely cause unfamiliar odors, itching or burning and discomfort. Adding things like essential oils, herbs, flower petals and whatever else these products contain is a pretty good way to guarantee you’ll end up with some kind of yeast infection.
When our customers come in asking for these items, what they are really asking for is something to help them feel more hygienic. Although the vagina is a brilliant self-cleaning oven, I understand not everyone feels their best at all times. An enema bulb, just for regular water, is an amazing product to offer them in place of unregulated herbs. Filling the bulb with warm water will help flush the vagina of any residual blood or semen quickly, while helping maintain and protect the delicate flora of vaginal pH.
The stigma and shame surrounding “smelling good” can be stopped in your stores one interaction at a time. Inform your vulva-owning customers about the vagina’s ability to self-cleanse, advise them of the ability to disrupt their pH and make matters worse, teach them about water and using an enema to help flush any remnants of the past, and empower them to show their bodies some grace and love. After all, the center of their sexual intimacy is already a luscious and blossoming flower. There’s absolutely no reason it needs to be adorned any other way.
Giving people permission to not only experience pleasure but to also experience their bodies in ways that affirm them is the reason we’re all here. It’s the reason we do what we do. Breaking down walls of shame and stigmas while normalizing the conversations surrounding changes the intimate areas of the body undergo is paramount to really breaking ground in this shift of awareness towards the sexual revolution it seems each of us is undergoing.
**If you have a question you’d like to see featured in Dear DadBodDom, please send them via email to TheDadBodDom@gmail.com and you may see yours answered next!**
Josh Ortiz is a Sex Educator & Brand Ambassador in the pleasure product industry.
