Meet the Startups Improving Sex with Plants
A new crop of companies are growing in the sex industry, and the common theme seems to be plants.
Could plants be the key to sexual bliss? Many new sexual wellness brands seem to think so.
With consumers growing more conscious of what they put inside of and on top of their bodies, it makes sense that our sex products would evolve to meet that demand. But what is ‘sexual wellness’ anyway? According to the World Health Organization, sexual health is “…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.”
A new wave of sexual wellness brands seem to embody this holistic approach to improving consumers’ sex lives, from using healthy, body-safe materials in their products to posting feel-good, body-positive quotes on their Instagram feeds.
One such brand is Foria, a plant-based company based in Boulder, Colorado. Started in 2013 by Matt Gerson, the company has quickly risen to acclaim by outlets like Marie Clare and Glamour for their CBD and THC-infused sexual lubricants. Companies like Quim and Maude, too, are focusing on producing lubricants derived from natural ingredients like sunflower oil and aloe compared to more commonly seen synthetic, silicon-based lubes.
One of the more interesting innovations by these new startups are the infusions of plants and herbs that aim to foster a more positive sexual experience. Foria’s Awaken Arousal Oil is a concoction containing “whole-plant infusions” including hemp, kava root, and cinnamon, that are said to awaken sensation and make sexual experiences more pleasurable. In addition, a number of brands have chosen to infuse their products with CBD and THC, claiming that they promote relaxation and help alleviate sexual pain. Then, there are companies like Moon Juice and Rae Wellness who are creating plant-derived oral supplements that use ingredients like epimedium aka “horny goat weed” or adaptogenic herb maca, which they claim boost sexual vitality and libido.
The recent rise of these brands might be due in part to the rise of the overall ‘wellness’ trend, a trend that often promotes naturally-derived product formulations and ethically-minded supply chains. Plant-based companies are well-suited to capitalize on this.
Because of the wellness boom, we’re seeing new companies launch like Standard Dose, a curated marketplace of plant-based wellness products. Standard Dose features many of these new sexual wellness brands front and center, further promoting their growth.
As the end of 2020 draws near, there’s reason to believe that the sex industry as a whole has begun to evolve, with consumers now having the ability to buy from a host of new companies that tout their ethical and thoughtful business practices — from ethically produced porn startups to body-safe sex toy companies.
We’re seeing plant-based companies in all sectors continue to grow and thrive, and plant-based sexual wellness brands are leading the change at the intersection of sexual health, wellness, and the rising plant-based industry.
Blog post by Amber Ward
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