Self-love Is Maintenance, Not Indulgence
February often frames self-love as something extra, something you add on. But real self-love is quieter. It’s maintenance. It’s noticing discomfort early and choosing not to ignore it. Vulvar discomfort isn’t something to push through. It’s information. And responding to it thoughtfully, without shame, is one of the most grounded acts of care.
The Vulva Is Skin — and It Responds to Everything
The skin around the vulva is thinner, more absorbent, and more reactive than most other areas of the body. It doesn’t produce oil the way facial skin does, which makes it especially vulnerable to dryness, irritation, and barrier disruption.
Things like sweat, hair removal, friction from clothing, and hormonal changes don’t act in isolation. They stack. Over time, that layering is what turns mild irritation into something chronic, especially when the skin barrier is repeatedly stressed.
Support the Skin Barrier Instead of Chasing Irritation
When the skin barrier is healthy, it holds moisture, protects against friction, and calms inflammation. When it’s compromised, even small stressors can trigger discomfort.
For many people, reclaiming comfort starts with using products formulated specifically for intimate skin. Brands like conditionHER support vulva skin health with a cream that prioritizes hydration, pH balance, and barrier repair. conditionHER is meant for daily use and is effective when used post-hair removal to calm irritation and reduce ingrown hair over time. Intimate skincare IS self-care.
This kind of care is preventative, not reactive — and that distinction matters.
Sensual Comfort and Self-Love
Comfort doesn’t stop at the surface.
Hormonal shifts, whether from stress, menstrual cycles, birth control, postpartum changes, or perimenopause, can affect natural lubrication and sensitivity when internal moisture drops, friction increases, and discomfort can show up in ways that feel confusing.
Supporting internal comfort and pleasure is part of self-love too, not separate from it. Brands like Personal Fav approach lubrication and intimacy as a form of wellness. Their plant-based sex serum products (like Pique) support moisture, sensation, and ease without shame. Normalizing this kind of care allows comfort and pleasure to coexist naturally.
What You Wear Can Undermine Your Vulva Too
Even the best skin routines can be quietly undermined by what sits against your body all day. In high-sweat situations, moisture that stays trapped against the skin doesn’t just cause discomfort; it can disrupt the vulvar microbiome and increase the risk of irritation and infection over time. This is where Oya Apparel approaches the vulva differently.
Instead of standard leggings that retain moisture around the vulva, Oya's Barely There Underwear dries faster, stays cooler, and helps reduce prolonged skin exposure to sweat.
94% of Oya customers report drying faster post-workout. Lab testing shows that Oya’s BPA and PFA fabrics can reduce body temperature by up to 2°C during wear. Oya also incorporates antimicrobial silver technology to help prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria that can lead to infections.
The result is apparel designed to support vulvar comfort by reducing friction, heat, and moisture, three of the most common contributors to ongoing irritation.
Comfort Works Best as a System
No single product can do everything, and it shouldn’t have to.
Long-term vulvar comfort comes from addressing multiple layers at once:
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Skin barrier support (conditionHER)
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Internal moisture and pleasure (Personal Fav)
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Moisture management and reduced friction (Oya Apparel)
When these pieces work together, vulvar comfort stops feeling fragile or temporary.
Choosing Comfort Is Choosing Yourself
You’re not sensitive.
You’re responsive.
Listening to your vulva, adjusting your routines, and choosing products and clothing that support you is not indulgent; it’s self-respect. This February, self-love can be practical, science-informed, and grounded in ease.
Because comfort isn’t something you earn. It’s something you deserve.
Genital health and intimacy are two of the most studied areas in women’s health. In our next issue, we’ll share science-backed intimacy tips to support genital and microbiome health, along with insights on the textiles that come into contact with your skin daily. This Q&A will feature dermatologist Mona Hardas, MD.
So let us know what you want to understand better about this topic? What feels unclear?
Send us your questions HERE, and we’ll take them straight to the expert.