3 top tips for Intimate hydration

As our bodies are made up of up to 60% water, for our body to work optimally we need to support it with hydration. Water will help maintain blood pressure levels, improve brain function and with the bodily function of removing waste. One of the key things is that it protects our organs, primarily by moistening our mucous membranes. We have a number of different mucous membranes that line different body parts from the mouth, inside our noses and even the lungs. The vagina also has its own mucous membranes, these create a slippery liquid which we would often refer to as discharge. This protects the sensitive vaginal membrane tissue and helps to keep them moist and healthy. So it is important to keep the body and the vagina hydrated as it will help protect it against infections, prevent the vagina from becoming dry and keep your pH balanced. 

It is reported that, on average, a woman needs 2.7 liters of water a day to stay at optimal hydration. Starting with ensuring you are drinking enough is a great first step to naturally treat vaginal dryness by making sure you are hydrated, but how else can you make sure you're keeping your intimate area hydrated easily.  

Here are our 3 top tips for intimate hydration: 

Maintain intimate hydration from the inside out. Having a healthy diet with water-rich foods and those that contain nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins that support vaginal moisture and overall health. 

Water-rich foods like cucumbers, watermelons, apples and tomatoes will help you reach that 2.5-liter goal. Additional foods for vaginal health would include flaxseed, greens such as avocados, kale and spinach plus fruits like strawberries and peaches providing great nutrients to support hydration, hormone balance and overall vaginal health. 

Just like you do for your face you should be following an intimate skincare routine. Whether it's for maintaining vaginal health or treating the irritation and discomfort of vaginal dryness. Always avoid soaps and fragrances that can irritate and focus on gentle, hydrating products designed specifically for the vagina, supporting its natural lubrication and pH. Introducing a vaginal skincare routine is a small lifestyle adjustment that can help improve vaginal health and comfort. 

Starting with an intimate cleanser formulated specifically for the external intimate tissue, the vulva and labia. You don’t need to clean the inside of your vagina as it is self-cleaning, using something inside of the vagina to wash it will cause more harm than good. However, the outer vaginal tissue like the vulva and labia can be cleaned to help combat odor-causing bacteria as long as it is with a product that won't dry out the skin, is pH matched and is designed to be irritant-free to the vulva.  

Following an intimate cleanse, once all dry applying a vaginal moisturizer can be beneficial for all stages of life, depending on if you are perimenopausal or menopausal, where you are in your menstrual cycle or if you are just wanting to help maintain your pH and moisture levels. Using a water-based vaginal moisturiser like AH! YES VM vaginal moisturizing gel will rehydrate the tissue that needs it for up to 3 days. Made from certified organic ingredients, its pure and gentle formula will help to soothe dry vaginal tissues, alleviating burning and itching associated with vaginal dryness but also prepping the vagina if planning on intercourse. 

Following that, if sex is on your mind then a water-based personal lubricant would be the next best step. Feeling like the real thing AH! YES WB water-based lubricant has a natural texture for additional glide during intercourse but it also supports vaginal health as it is pH-matched and hydrating. 

Water-based product is best for hydration to dry vaginal tissue. Hydrating the tissues that need it, as they need it, reducing the chances of irritation by not overwhelming the tissue it has been applied to. Your vaginal pH really matters and a water-based product is one of the best ways to ensure its pH-matched to the vagina. Products may say they are pH neutral or pH buffered, but as the vaginal environment is acidic, these will actually cause the pH to rise and no longer be the right level for a healthy vagina.   

Our pH-matched water-based lubricant AH! YES® WB will enhance sexual pleasure while also hydrating the vaginal tissues. However, lubricant doesn’t need to be used solely for sex, it can also be used to help insert a tampon more comfortably or be applied inside of the vagina before medical examinations, making it a useful multi-use product for your nightstand.  

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