Vaginal wipes: are there exceptions to the rule?
Updated July 29, 2019
Let me paint you a picture...
It’s the peak of summer heat, you’ve just returned from a trip to pound town in an un-airconditioned room, and your vag is feeling not so fresh. What do you do? Do you reach for a summers eve wipe (definitely don’t recommend this) or hop in the shower hoping they have a bar of plain soap?
Desperate to solve the cleansing conundrum after sex, exercising, or solo play––without instigating a bacterial or yeast infection––the ladies at Ovee hit the market to find a cleansing, yet non-irritating wipe.
Unbound
Booshies
LOLA
Cleansing Wipes
(not pictured)
CORA
Body Cloth
Best on the Go
Made with bamboo, these cloths are 100% biodegradable, pH balanced, and free of glycerin, fragrance, alcohol, parabens, sulfates, dyes, bleach, phenoxyethanol, and other scary ingredients.
Bonus: Support girls and feel fresh doing it! With every Cora purchase they give pads to girls in need.
We really liked the way they smelled. The wipes are soft and don't feel like they are leaving any sort of residue on your skin. Our favorite part about the Cora Body Cloths: they can be used for more than just your privates! Great for a quick clean after exercise or on the days when you don’t feel like a shower ;)
"I like them! They’re body wipes so it feels wasteful to just use them on my cooch. For example, this one day I couldn't tell if it was my cooch or my feet that were smelling so I used the wipe on both! I wish they were smaller so that I didn't feel like I was wasting so much, but they do make me feel cleaner and it doesn’t feel like i’m cleaning myself with a bunch of chemicals or something." - Maddy
They come individually wrapped for when you are on the go as well as in a 30 sheet dispenser.
The Ingredients: Water, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Water , Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Propanediol (Humectant), Citric Acid, Gluconic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate (Safe Preservatives), Sodium Chloride (Salt), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate (Safe preservatives)
**free of glycerin, fragrance, alcohol, parabens, sulfates, dyes, bleach, phenoxyethanol
Listed as pH balanced
These wipes were our favorite for keeping our sex toys clean and ready for action! They smell great and are quick and easy to use. Extra points for being flushable and biodegradable.
Booshies pair well with Unbounds variety of vibrators, plugs, dildos, etc.
"Really liked these! They smelled great. I used them to clean my vibrator which was a game changer. Was previously using dish soap and it really irritated me, but the booshie was great. Toy was clean and no harsh chemicals. Will use again!" - Courtney
You can purchase just a single individually wrapped Booshie or a pack of 10.
What they say on their site: Aloe vera, vitamin e, chamomile, cucumber, witch hazel, and cocoa butter. Booshies are lightly scented with geranium and sandalwood
What it says on the packaging: water, polyglyceryl-6 caprylate, polyglyceryl-4 carpate, polyglyceryl-4 cocoate, polyglyceryl-6 ricinoleate, cocamidopropyl betaine, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, glycerin, cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract, chamomilla recuitita (matricaria) flower extract, hamamelis vriginiana (witch hazel), bark/leaf/twig extract, disodium edta, tocopheryl acetate, citric acid, phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, potassium sorbate, tocopherol, fragrance
pH NOT listed
It's important to note that in this case we were swayed by a cute name and refreshing fragrances without digging into the actual ingredients (the website listed only the natural ingredients in their product). The Booshies contain alcohol, glycerin, and fragrance, the kryptonite trifecta to your vulva! While we still use these to clean our sex toys, be careful when using directly on your vulva.
Best Smelling
Honestly we had just an ok experience with the Lola Cleansing Wipes. They smell amazingly fresh, but were a bit harsher than we anticipated (not the best if you have sensitive skin or recurrent yeast infections).
The good news is they are 100% biodegradable, gynecologist recommended, and hypoallergenic. They check all the right boxes, but weren't an Ovee Team favorite.
These are worth a try if you are in a pinch, but be sure to pay attention to how your parts feel after (avoid using them if you have the slightest bit of irritation). We suggest using these wipes on other non-cooch related body parts for a quick refresher while you are out and about.
"Not very memorable. They smelled great, but felt too chemically, almost made me second guess if it was meant to be used down there. Not uncomfortable, just fine." - Jane
I’m generally pretty sensitive and was not a huge fan of these. Thought they would help balance my pH levels after exercising but I didn’t notice much of a difference. If anything only upset my recurrent yeast infection."
- Courtney
The Ingredients : Water, Gluconic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lactic Acid
**free of Alcohol, Parabens, Chlorine bleach, Sulfates, Dyes, Synthetic preservatives, Fragrance
pH NOT listed
What should you look out for in a vaginal wipe?
The first thing you should know: the FDA does not require feminine wipes to be tested before hitting the shelves because they are considered low risk. Seems like the person that made up that rule never experienced the discomfort of a yeast infection 😑.
What this means is wipes could be formulated to smell great but in actuality be upsetting your delicate biome. If you use a wipe, look for ones that have a pH level of 4-5, are glycerin-free, alcohol-free, and fragrance-free.
TLDR
The Ovee co-founders were terrible at discerning what wipes were safe to use. When it came down to it we realized that when it comes to things going in and around your vagina its important to read the fine print. A little research can go a long way in protecting you from uncomfortable irritation.
The moral of the story, in many cases, maybe you don’t need a wipe at all? In a pinch you can try Lola or Cora because they don’t appear to have any offensive ingredients and discontinue use if you notice any changes to your normal smells, feels, and discharge. One bacterial & yeast infection later, we’ve learned nothing beats good ‘ole fashioned soap and water.
COMING SOON: The Honeypot Company Sensitive Wipes and Public Goods Wet Wipes
👇 Check thesE out👇
