Sex sells. The global sexual wellness market – which spans toys and vibrators, lubricant, lingerie, condoms and other contraceptives – is expected to reach more than US$125 billion (around AU$192 billion) by 2026. A key factor in this is societal shifts around pleasure and, dare we say it, the chicification of product offerings.
In recent years there’s been a refreshing uptick in locally owned and often female-founded sexual wellness businesses pulling back the sheets and getting real about what we really want – regardless of gender or identity. Removing taboos, making solo pleasure a priority and supporting physical wellbeing is at the heart of these brands.
Lbdo
Melbourne-based Lbdo specialises in beautiful and functional sexual wellness products, including lubricants, massage oils and palm-sized vibrators. “They’re products you wouldn’t hide at the bottom of your drawer,” says founder Rachel Baker. Its signature waterproof, silky-soft Essensual vibrators are made from high quality silicone and can vibrate for up to two hours – they’re also rather inconspicuous. The brand’s vegan and cruelty-free lubricant is made with aloe vera, and Kakadu plum and quandong extracts. And the massage oil has Kakadu-plum-seed, coconut, jojoba and sandalwood oils.Normal
This Australian company has a handy quiz on its website to help you find the right toy for you (provided you’re okay with handing over your email address). It has vibrators and stimulators for solo or partnered pleasure, including options for internal or clitoral stimulation. Frankie is a teardrop-shaped bullet vibrator; Darcy is designed to hit the elusive internal G spot; and Flynn sits around the base of a penis or dildo to provide stimulation at the point of penetration. The latest launch, Option A, is a modular butt plug kit designed for all bodies.Bed Intentions
This Melbourne sex and sleep brand launched late last year with a soothing, slippery and socially responsible lube. The water-based product is made in Australia (at the moment in Western Australia) and contains fermented cranberry and prebiotics. It doesn’t stain and it washes off easily. More importantly, it’s very slippery and fit for purpose. “You can use it with a partner, or during solo play, by using as much or as little as you need,” says the Bed Intentions founder. And, if plastic packaging is a turn-off, the tube and cap are made of aluminium, making it 100 per cent recyclable.Get Down
Founders Kat Hanzalek and Nicola Ommundson were frustrated by the often male-focused lens that condoms are made and marketed under. Get Down makes condoms that are boxed like skincare and use gynaecologically friendly ingredients, including ethically and sustainably sourced rubber. Each pack comes with a game called A Little Head or Tail, which is designed to empower couples to get talking and remove any awkwardness around using condoms.Frenchie
Founded in Sydney, Frenchie offers a water-based aloe vera lubricant, hypoallergenic, biodegradable bamboo wipes and 100 per cent natural rubber-latex condoms. Its Beret condoms have a buttercup design that makes it easier to know “which way is up”. They’re ultra-thin – 0.05 millimetres – and fragrance-free. The brand’s sex toy offering includes the Petit Eiffel, which is perfect for external stimulation, and the Double Entendre for both internal and external play. All of Frenchie’s products are made ethically and are vegan and cruelty-free.Ilo
If you’re after an ethical orgasm, look no further. Western Australia’s Ilo is as much about pleasure as it is about design and eco-conscious climaxes. It was founded by friends Claire Deeks and Luciana Burke with the aim of making toys that look good while delivering powerful vibrations. There are plenty of goodies to keep you entertained, like flexible internal and external devices, as well as lube and a melt massage candle. Once you’ve had your fun, you can send your old toys off to the brand’s recycling scheme and receive a gift card in exchange.Lovers
Founded by long-time friends Dr Raelia Lew and Jordi Morrison, Melbourne label Lovers offers a luxury addition to the intimate wellness market. With three lube formulations currently available – and customised prescriptions also on offer – the brand is focused on ingredients that are a help rather than a hindrance. The medically formulated products, which come with both silicon and water bases, are designed to meet women’s (changing) needs, whether they’re suffering from vaginismus, going through perimenopause, engaging in medical treatments or simply looking for hydrating and balancing products they can feel good about. The signature Smooth Love lube doubles as a moisturiser to replenish the skin after friction, laser hair removal or waxing appointments.Girls Get Off
A Kiwi-owned company that leaves nothing to the imagination, Girls Get Off is on a mission to empower women in all things pleasurable, removing the stigma that comes with talking about getting off. Bestsellers include Missy, an external device that uses suction to stimulate the clitoris, Tiff – the “overachiever” – applies the same technology with the added bonus of a flexible, waterproof arm for internal stimulation, and the newest launch, Deedee, is a rabbit style with nine modes. Girls Get Off isn’t all action – there’s plenty of talk across the brand’s blog and podcast, including real-life advice from the GGO community about intimacy, partner communication, and sex positions you didn’t even know existed.Figr
Pronounced “figure”, this water-based lubricant is made using finger lime and strawberry gum from Byron Bay. It’s fragrance-free, comes in a chic glass bottle and doesn’t have a sticky, gel-like residue. Cofounder Eloise O’Sullivan tells Broadsheet its ingredients lend themselves to a luxurious pH-balanced lubricant. “Finger lime is high in vitamin E and C,” she says. “Vitamin E is known as the ‘sex vitamin’. Strawberry gum holds a lot of antibiotic and antifungal properties.” It also “stays wet” for a long time.Vush
You might recognise Vush as the company that partnered with radio host and reality TV personality Abbie Chatfield on a G-spot vibrator, or as the maker of the wand vibrator that starred in Cardi B’s music video for Up. The brand’s signature pale-pink toys are designed for both solo use and partnered play. From bullet vibrators that fit in your purse like a lip gloss (and come in their own carry case) to a cock ring that features rabbit ears for clitoral stimulation, these devices are made to have the most benefits for everyone involved.Additional reporting by Elizabeth McDonald, Chynna Santos and Bec Zhuang.
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