A gentle intimate wash from Cattier's Gynea range, 200 ml — formulated for the external genital area, and pH-adapted to it.
Start with the thing that matters most: the vagina cleans itself. It maintains its own ecosystem — a population dominated by Lactobacillus species that produce lactic acid and hold the internal pH at roughly 3.8 to 4.5. That acidity is a defence: it suppresses the organisms that cause bacterial vaginosis and thrush. Nothing needs to be washed inside, and washing inside actively causes harm. Douching is associated with bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes, and gynaecological bodies advise against it consistently. An intimate wash is for the vulva — the external skin — and nothing else.
Why an ordinary soap is the wrong tool for the vulva. True soap is alkaline, around pH 9 to 10. Vulvar skin sits nearer pH 5, and it is thinner, more permeable and more prone to irritation than skin elsewhere on the body. Repeatedly raising its pH and stripping its lipids is a common and entirely avoidable cause of itching, soreness and recurrent irritation. A pH-adapted, soap-free wash is not a luxury refinement; it is simply the correct pH.
What to avoid, regardless of brand. Fragrance — the leading cause of contact allergy, and worst placed exactly here. “Intimate deodorants” and scented wipes, which treat a normal body as a problem and frequently cause the irritation they claim to solve. Antiseptic washes, unless a doctor has prescribed one. And anything used more than once a day: over-washing is a genuine cause of irritation.
Warm water alone is enough for many people, and we would rather say so. A gentle wash is useful if plain water leaves you uncomfortable, if you are prone to irritation from soap, or after exercise — not because the body requires cleaning products to be acceptable.
And the important one: a persistent change in discharge, smell, itching, soreness or any bleeding between periods needs a doctor, not a different wash. Those are symptoms with causes, and a cleanser will neither diagnose nor treat them.
Available at Só Verde, an organic concept store in Foz, Porto.
Cattier
Cattier
