“Be the only food I want to devour this Christmas.” A peach cut in half and dripping with honey accompanies this suggestive phrase. And in case you had any doubts, a phrase completes the advertisement: “Get a sweet smell, pleasant taste and softness in your intimate area based on natural ingredients.” I mean, that peach is a pussy, and that Instagram post is a contemporary reminder of an ancient, misogynistic stereotype: vulvas smell and taste bad. It is not an isolated advertisement or a unique product, but part of a cosmetic industry that exploits insecurities and discomforts, especially those of women, and that for some time now has also invaded vulvas, vaginas and anuses. Make money, even if it’s at the cost of making you feel bad about your pussy.
This discomfort is not new. “We have learned to be ashamed of the smell of our vulvas, to feel bad about it. We have internalized that vaginal discharge is something dirty and the smell is something we should hide. And that is a problem not only for ourselves but also creates insecurity when it comes to having relationships. Feeling insecurity and discomfort with the body, the smell, the flow… prevents having carefree sex focused on pleasure,” summarizes the midwife and expert in sexological care for women with gynecological problems Laura Cámara. What is more recent is the business: “Of course, where there is insecurity among women, there is someone wanting to make money. Selling that your pussy will smell good and that it will be more desirable… is selling from pain,” concludes the author of the books. wish you and Sexopause (Vergara publishing house).
Sexologist Arola Poch emphasizes that products that promise to make the vulva smell and taste “better” are based on “prejudice.” “What we have to do is understand once and for all that the genitals have neither a bad smell nor a bad taste, it is a myth that has been going on for a long time and it is time for us to leave it behind. And that is true for both female and male genitals, but when it comes to smell or taste we always talk about ours.” And that myth, far from being neutral, goes against our enjoyment. And about the very notion of sex: “Sex is not aseptic, sex smells, it has taste, it is sound, it is visual stimuli, it is touch and all the stimuli and senses are what make us enjoy it. That smell and taste is also an important arousal factor for many people,” explains Poch.
Everything, yes, starting from normal hygiene. No matter how many products and advertisements that promise us “freshness,” “sweet smell,” “softness,” “getting ready for a date,” spicy [picante]” or “drive you crazy” (in masculine, always), the smell and taste of the genitals “is natural, something normal for the body” that, with daily hygiene, does not need extra products or rituals, Poch highlights. Laura Cámara continues: “The smell of the vulva and vagina is personal. Everyone will have body odor, as happens with sweat or scalp and, beyond daily hygiene, it should not be a problem.” What’s more, the use of deodorants or perfumed products can be counterproductive. On the one hand, because they cause irritation “and do not benefit the skin or the mucosa.”
On the other hand, because they can mask an infection, for example, bacterial vaginosis. That is to say, the bad smell exists and, unless there is a lack of hygiene, it serves as a warning to know that something is wrong. “From a health point of view, camouflaging odors is even harmful. A bad odor or a stronger odor is a sign that you need to get checked and it is advisable to make a medical appointment,” says Laura Cámara. And a cosmetic product does not solve a medical problem.
We use creams for the face, body, neck, hands, feet. Serums. Anti-dark circles. Anti-bags. Anti-wrinkle. Anti-cellulite. Firming. Anti-stretch marks. When you mentally review the list of different products that end up in our toiletries, you understand why it is so difficult for a woman to be even remotely comfortable in her body.
But in the case of vulvas and vaginas, cosmetics that promise “hydration” have a double edge. “They have a more twisted point than hydration itself; It is one thing to treat a problem of dry skin and mucous membranes, which can appear at a given time due to taking contraceptives, postpartum, menopause… and can serve to maintain genital comfort. And another thing is that now it seems that we all have to moisturize our pussies and that is not the case,” says the midwife. That is, if you don’t have discomfort, you don’t need hydration. If you have them, it is better to consult with a professional before opting for any product without knowing what exactly you need.
We have gone from normalizing genital pain and discomfort to creating needs… and accentuating complexes. “It is very good that we know and respect our body odor, that if we notice a different smell it draws our attention and we consult, or that we know that there are products to hydrate if there are discomforts or problems, hence creating insecurity and a source of discomfort …”, concludes Laura Cámara. Because pussies don’t smell like roses nor do they have to. They smell like pussy and that’s fine.
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