The 4 Best Personal Care Products For Sexual Wellness In 2022

Chances are, you’re already spending a small fortune on skincare for your face. Why not share the love? The newest intimate care products are gentle and a genuine joy to use. Unlike similar-seeming products of old, there’s no subtle shaming in the messaging around these brands’ products. Instead, it’s simply about taking pleasure in taking care of yourself — every part of yourself. Ahead, Bustle’s editors and a team of hand-selected sexual wellness experts reveal their choices for the best personal care products in sexual wellness.

We at Bustle only include products that have been independently selected by our editors. We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

First Place: Honey Pot Normal Wash

Last year, Honey Pot CEO and co-founder Bea Dixon told The Zoe Report that the idea for her brand came to her in a dream. “The catalyst for me to launch the brand was simply because I had bacterial vaginosis [BV] for almost a year,” Dixon said. “Literally, nothing I did worked. I went to the doctor, took medicine, put all kinds of things in my vagina trying to get relief, to no avail. The problem was that everything I was doing was throwing my pH off and restarting my BV.” This down-below cleanser is one of her brand’s most popular products, and for good reason — it’s pleasingly foamy, with a light and inviting scent. It’s soothing, and for our testers it’s never irritating — bear in mind that a change in formula led to some social media backlash earlier this year, which means (as always) your mileage may vary. But for our experts and editors, this was a genuine pleasure to use. Think of it as a lovely extension to your skin-care routine.

Second Place: Love Wellness pH Balancing Cleanser

The consistency of this cleanser reminds Executive Health Director Melissa Dahl of Glossier’s Milky Jelly cleanser — it’s fragrance-free, with a just-right consistency that’s not too thick or too thin. Angela Melero, executive editor of The Zoe Report (and the editorial mastermind behind that site’s special series, “V Is For Vagina”) loves it, too. "I'm pretty picky when it comes to feminine washes, as I've had some negative reactions in the past,” she said. “I'm always careful to opt for formulas with no fragrance or parabens, and this option fits the bill ... then some. It's super gentle and works wonders in keeping my nether regions clean, in check, and reaction-free."

Third Place: Smile Makers Silky (S)wipes

Listen, there are wellness products you use because you need them, and then there are wellness products you use because you’ve convinced yourself you need them — and then there are wellness products you use simply because you like them. For Dahl, this product fits squarely in that last category. It just feels good — and isn’t that the point of all of this? It particularly feels good in those days between ovulation and the start of your menstrual period, when estrogen levels drop, which in some women can cause a little dryness. If that vaginal dryness is really bothersome, it’s worth a conversation with your doctor. But for many people with vulvas, it’s just the result of the natural rise and fall of your hormones in your monthly cycle, and a quick swipe with this Smile Makers product can make things feel a little more comfy.

Honorable Mention: Momotaro Apotheca Salve

Another good product intended for minor bouts of vulvovaginal dryness, itching, and irritation, the Salve from Momotaro Apotheca comes in packaging that mimics the chic minimalism of a fancy skin-care product. And why shouldn’t it? It is a fancy skin-care product. “Momotaro’s salve is an OG favorite of mine,” said sex educator Emily M. Depasse, who finds it especially soothing for impending external herpes outbreaks. She adds, “Momotaro’s natural selection of ingredients make this salve flexible in use from post-sex play to self-care rituals.”