Doc Johnson and Foria have come together to bring CBD-infused female sexual health and wellness products — including arousal sprays, lubricants and massage oils — to erotic retail stores nationwide.

(Note: This is the cover story from the February 2020 issue of STOREROTICA.)

At the intersection of cannabis and female sexual health and wellness, you’ll find Foria. When the company was established in 2014, its goal was to bring the healing power of THC to women through their initial product, Foria Pleasure. Foria Pleasure, a premier medical cannabis product, is a natural arousal lubricant with THC, formulated specifically for women. Foria followed Pleasure with other THC-infused products, including Relief, a first-of-its-kind menstrual-relief suppository, Explore (a rectal suppository, formulated to enhance relaxation and ease) and their CBD Micro-Dose Vape Pen.

However, because all of these products contained THC, they were not legal in all states. This, of course, limited the company’s ability to provide female sexual health and wellness on the scale with which they had always intended. That’s why, after years of development, Foria released several brand new wellness products that, because they contain “broad-spectrum” CBD, they are completely legal on the federal level. (Broad-spectrum CBD products have had all of the THC completely removed, thus making them legal to sell over the counter.) Despite the difference in the way their wellness products are created, Foria remains deeply committed to organic practices and ingredients, and to maintaining the highest standards of purity and transparency.

Still, the company faced one more roadblock: They sold directly to customers online and had little chance to land on the shelves of erotic retail stores. That is until Doc Johnson stepped in.

“We had worked with Foria on some co-marketing campaigns, so the exposure to their brand made us interested in learning more,” says Scott Watkins, Doc Johnson’s VP of Sales. “As we found out more about their business, we realized they were strictly B2C and asked if they had any interest in getting their product into brick and mortar stores. We established a retail strategy and moved forward.”

Doc Johnson had worked with Foria before on co-marketing campaigns and now are working jointly to get Foria’s products in brick-and-mortar locations.

“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Doc Johnson, who are true innovators in this industry,” echoes Foria’s Director of Communications, Kiana Reeves. “We’re also very inspired in general to be bringing our line of plant-based sexual wellness products into the adult world. People are more and more curious about how to bring cannabis into the bedroom, and our products are a marriage of all-natural plant medicine with the excitement factor that the adult world brings into so many bedrooms.”

This collaboration began in 2018. Just one year later, Foria was enjoying industry-wide praise and recognition, including a nomination for SE’s 2019 “Sexual Enhancement Product of the Year.” STOREROTICA had the chance to speak further with Watkins about Foria’s place in the impressive Doc Johnson portfolio.

SE: Talk about what specific products and product lines from Foria that Doc Johnson currently offers to erotic retail stores.

The Foria line also includes three CBD massage oils: Lemongrass, Lavender, and Ylang Ylang.

WATKINS: We offer Awaken, which is an arousal spray that’s cocoa and mint-scented. It’s meant to be sprayed on the vulva and in the vagina for increased sensitivity and arousal. Awaken is available on its own or in the Intimacy Kit, which also includes a silicone vibrator.

Our Foria line also includes three CBD massage oils: Lemongrass, Lavender, and Ylang Ylang. Each massage oil has 200 mg of CBD per bottle, and they all smell amazing.

The last current product is a CBD Lubricant called Liquid Coconut. Like all the other cosmetics in the line, it’s 100% organic and all-natural. Each four-ounce bottle has 200 mg of CBD.

L-R: Item # 4580-50-BX, Item # 4580-06-BX, Item # 4580-04-BX, Item # 4580-03-BX, Item # 4580-05-BX
L-R: Item # 4580-50-BX, Item # 4580-06-BX, Item # 4580-04-BX, Item # 4580-03-BX, Item # 4580-05-BX

SE: What did Doc Johnson see in the CBD market that inspired the merging of CBD with the adult retail industry?

WATKINS: After Foria educated Doc Johnson about the multitude of CBD benefits, we realized there was a strong connection to our industry and wanted to work together to move forward.

SE: What separates this CBD brand from other CBD companies that are also marketing to adult retail?

WATKINS: Foria was the first in the CBD sexual wellness products in the marketplace. Also, Foria makes sure its employees and retailers have a true understanding of the benefits of CBD within the intimacy realm.

We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Doc Johnson, who are true innovators in this industry. We’re also very inspired in general to be bringing our line of plant-based sexual wellness products into the adult world. People are more and more curious about how to bring cannabis into the bedroom, and our products are a marriage of all-natural plant medicine with the excitement factor that the adult world brings into so many bedrooms. — Foria’s Director of Communications, Kiana Reeves

SE: What is some feedback you’re hearing from retailers/consumers regarding the products? Are there any myths you’ve had to dispel?

WATKINS: Retailers have been super pleased with the turnover of the product. I think the biggest challenge is making sure everybody understands the truths about CBD, for example, because our Foria products feature broad-spectrum CBD, none of the products have any THC in them (and are thus legal on a federal level). However, it should be noted that there are specific states that are still working out their local laws that we cannot ship to at the moment.

SE: Where are the products being manufactured? Are they all sourced from the US?

WATKINS: All Foria cosmetics are currently being manufactured in Colorado and Southern California (cannabis is legal in both states). All of the ingredients in Foria’s products are all-natural and grown pesticide-free. The final product is independently tested for purity, ensuring that it’s free of pesticides, heavy metals, microbes, and other toxins.

They’re also particularly careful to only use US-sourced broad-spectrum hemp. Theirs is sun-grown without pesticides that also uses sustainable practices for enhancement of soil and protection of the local watersheds.

SE: Do you offer marketing packages to your distributors/retailers to better understand the product and educate the public?

WATKINS: We offer sales and consumer pamphlets that educate about the line. For retailers, we offer an eye-catching display that holds six Awaken bottles.

SE: How often should retailers expect to see new products from Foria?

WATKINS: Our goal is to add at least one new SKU to the range every six months.

For more information, please visit Docjohnson.com or foriawellness.com.