Feminine Intimate Deodorant Spray – External Use Only

Product Overview

A small pump spray sold as an intimate freshener. It is used on the outside only — on the vulva and the surrounding skin — in the same way any light body spray is used, and never inside.

The seller supplies no ingredient list for this product. That is worth knowing before you buy it: we would rather say so than fill the space. If you have reacted to a fragranced product before, this is one to patch test properly.

An Honest Word on Intimate Washes, Sprays and Douching

A healthy vagina cleans itself. It maintains its own acidity and its own bacteria, and that balance is what protects it from infection. Nothing needs to go inside it — not water, not soap, not a wash, not a spray.

• Never douche. Flushing the inside pushes out the bacteria that keep you healthy and is associated with a higher rate of bacterial vaginosis and pelvic infection. This is one of the few things in personal care where the evidence is not close.
• The outside — the vulva — needs plain warm water and nothing else. If you want to use something, an unperfumed mild wash on the outside only is enough.
• A new or strong odour is information, not a hygiene failure. A fishy smell, a change in colour, itching or burning are the signs of bacterial vaginosis, thrush or an infection. Covering them with a fragrance does not treat them and delays the visit that would.

So the honest use for a product like this is a light external freshener on skin that is already clean and healthy — the same way you would use any body spray. It is not a treatment, and it is not a substitute for seeing a doctor about a symptom.

How to Use It

1. Wash the outside with plain warm water and pat completely dry.
2. Hold the bottle about 15cm away and use one light spray on the outside only.
3. Let it dry before dressing.
4. Never spray inside, and never use it as a douche.
5. Do not use it on broken, shaved or irritated skin, or during an infection.
6. Stop at once if there is stinging, itching, burning or a rash.

Patch Test First

Before the first full use, put a small amount on the inside of your forearm and leave it for 24 hours. If there is redness, itching, burning or a rash, do not go on to use it.

Fragrance is the most common cause of a reaction in personal care products, and it is in almost all of them. If your skin has reacted to a scented product before, patch test this one properly rather than hoping.

Keep it out of your eyes. If it gets in, rinse with plenty of cool water.

What Helps More Than Any Spray

• Cotton underwear, and not too tight. Synthetic fabric traps heat and moisture, and that is where most odour comes from.
• Change out of wet or sweaty clothes rather than letting them dry on you.
• Change pads every four to six hours during a period.
• Plain water on the outside. No soap, no antiseptic, nothing inside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can it be used inside?

No. Nothing goes inside — not this, not water, not a wash. The inside cleans itself and interfering with it causes infections rather than preventing them.

Will it stop a strong smell?

It will cover one for a while. If there is a new smell, a fishy smell, a change in discharge, itching or burning, that is a medical sign and a spray will only delay treating it. See a doctor — bacterial vaginosis and thrush are common and both are easily treated.

Can I use it during my period?

You can, on the outside, but changing the pad more often does more. Do not use it on skin that is already sore or chafed.

I have sensitive skin. Is it suitable?

Patch test it first and see. Fragrance and alcohol are the two most common causes of a reaction in personal care products, so check the pack for both if your skin is reactive.

Can I use it during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?

Most external personal care products are fine, but skin is more reactive during pregnancy and this is not the moment to guess. Ask your doctor or midwife about anything you are unsure of.