Earlier this week a candle, with the name ‘This Smells Like My Vagina’  went on sale on GOOP.com (Gywneth Paltrow’s wellness and lifestyle company) ….It sold out within hours!!!  The candle sounds like it smells perfectly nice, “geranium, citrusy bergamot and cedar,” according to those in the know it smells “funny, gorgeous, sexy and beautifully unexpected….”

What we love about this marketing coup, is that ultimately people wanted to smell the vagina, NOT hide the smell of the vagina.

Which brings us on to the issue of ‘fragrances in period products’… 

The idea that the vagina is dirty and smells is simply not true.  This is a message being reinforced by companies selling fragranced period products.

It is impossible to know what chemicals are in these perfumed products, as the ingredients don’t have to be disclosed, but numerous studies have linked the fragrances and other chemicals in pad and tampons to a range of health issues.

Chemicals can cause infections, by upsetting the balance between the good vaginal bacteria which exists to protect and the bad bacteria which cause irritation, itching and infection.

Furthermore, the promotion of fragranced period products perpetuates the taboo of menstruation.  They play on women’s insecurities that they need to hide the fact that they are menstruating to prevent others from discovering that they are menstruating because of the smell. 

The reality is...

...that if your vagina does smell it could be due to an infection that needs to be treated. By masking your natural odour it could, in fact, prevent you from realising that there is an actual health issue, so make an appointment with your doctor instead of trying to cover it up with fragrance.

The vagina is a self-sufficient organ that keeps itself clean and fresh by constantly washing away its own naturally renewing cells and microorganisms, even during menstruation.

At Mondays, our period products contain 100% organic cotton, zero pesticides, zero chemicals, zero bleach and NO fragrances.  So your vagina can smell like your vagina - beautifully unique, just like you!