UK
Why Does Buying Lube Feel So Awkward?
Calling all smooth operators. It’s no secret that we’re major fans of lube. You’ll always find a couple of bottles of HANX in our sex kit (plus a clit toy and mini pack of condoms) and it’s our go-to recommendation for anyone who wants to amp things up but doesn’t know where to start.
We’re not alone: 75% of our community regularly use Lube in their horizontal activities. However, we’ve noticed a big disconnect between their enthusiasm for getting lubed up - and their buying habits.
In fact, 63% said they’d find it uncomfortable buying Lubricant in-store. Here are just some of the reasons why:
- “I feel awkward even hovering around the condom and lube aisle”
- “I’m overwhelmed with choice and I don’t want to be caught checking the labels”
- “It’s embarrassing to be seen buying it”
So, let’s talk about lube stigma.
Why is it embarrassing to be seen buying it? Blame the British stiff upper lip and prudish sex education for some of those blushes, but we reckon there’s more to it. One big myth that we hear time and time again revolves around the purpose of lube. When we polled our community, 75% associated increased natural vaginal lubrication with being more aroused. The vast majority believe that essentially, the wetter you get, the more turned on you are. We’ve heard from the HANX Gang in our DMs that not getting wet, especially when you feel mentally turned on, can feel really alienating or that there’s something ‘broken’ or ‘unsexy’ about your body. Therefore, if you’re experiencing vaginal dryness, it might make seeking out lube in your local shop an uncomfortable mission to be kept on the down-low, rather than an exciting addition to your sex life.
The reality is, there are loads of reasons why your vagina’s lubrication level isn’t necessarily matching up with your desire level. Whatever you’re up to and however wet you’re getting, a pump or two of the good stuff just accentuates self-love or partnered play, making it smoother, slipperier, and more pleasurable.
Sexual Wellness In Store
We’ve become accustomed to ultra-discreet, nothing-to-see-here packaging for absolutely anything we’re buying online… and that anonymity can be so reassuring, it’s hard to step outside of that. Newsflash: things are changing when it comes to ‘taboo’ items in real world shops. Lubricant now sits on shelves in supermarkets alongside mini vibes - Hey, you can even find penis pumps on-shelf in Tesco.
That hasn’t always been the case. When we launched HANX, we really focused on getting our products on shelf with the UK’s biggest retailers, not just because the aisles were outdated and in need of a serious shake up. Sexual wellness is an important part of our general wellness, given that some studies show getting it on boosts our mood, the immune system and can lower blood pressure, too. If you can whack a bottle of lube in your basket alongside your toothpaste, that goes a long way in encouraging us to invest in our pleasure just as normal as any other aspect of our self-care.
And if all else fails? God bless self-checkout.
