Long spared by beauty trends, women's intimate areas have become a veritable battleground for brands. Specific cleansers, deodorants, and serums promise "freshness and confidence"... but do these products meet a genuine need? Healthcare professionals urge us to distinguish between marketing and necessity.<\/p>\n
The feminine hygiene sector is experiencing spectacular growth. It alone represented over $31 billion<\/a> in 2025 and could exceed $48 billion within the next decade. This growth illustrates the interest of manufacturers in a particularly profitable market. However, this commercial boom contrasts with the discourse of specialists. While the range of products is constantly expanding, gynecologists point out that many of these products are not essential for a hygiene routine.<\/p>\n Doctors are largely unanimous: the vulva should be cleaned daily with just water, while the vagina should not be washed. Its microbiota, composed in particular of lactobacilli, plays an essential role in the natural balance of this area and protects it from infections. Using multiple cleansing products or perfumed products can disrupt this delicate balance without providing any proven benefit.<\/p>\n Beyond their limited usefulness, some products contain substances that concern healthcare professionals. Powerful antiseptics can eliminate both beneficial and harmful bacteria. Perfumes and fragrances are frequently associated with irritation or allergic reactions, while some harsher cleansing agents can damage the mucous membranes. Several studies, as well as recommendations from gynecologists, emphasize<\/a> that frequent use of these products is associated with an increased risk of vaginal infections.<\/p>\n Over the years, the range of products has become increasingly surprising: intimate deodorants, scented wipes, skin-lightening products, and accessories designed to "clean" the intimate area. What do these products have in common? They often rely on the idea that a vulva should be "odorless," "perfectly smooth," or "constantly scented." However, experts remind us that a slight odor is normal and part of the body's natural functions. By creating a sense of insecurity and self-consciousness, brands then offer "the solution" supposedly to address these concerns.<\/p>\n Some companies even go so far as to market products specifically for young girls. This strategy has drawn considerable criticism from associations and pediatric gynecologists. According to them, there is no evidence that these products are more effective than lukewarm water. On the contrary, they can convey, at a very early age, the idea that a so-called healthy body still needs specific products to be "correct."<\/p>\n To attract female consumers, some campaigns now emphasize messages of self-confidence, well-being, or empowerment. Experts refer to this as "feminism washing": communication that adopts feminist rhetoric to promote products whose usefulness remains questionable. The goal is less about addressing a medical need than about creating an emotional connection with customers.<\/p>\n Faced with this proliferation of products, healthcare professionals, midwives, and many specialized content creators reiterate a simple message: the body already possesses its own protective mechanisms. A better understanding of how one's microbiota functions, familiarity with medical recommendations, and access to reliable sources allow for informed choices, without succumbing to marketing promises.<\/p>\n In short, taking care of your intimate health doesn't mean using lots of cosmetics. It's primarily about respecting your natural balance, listening to your body, and keeping in mind that a product presented as essential isn't necessarily so.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Long spared by beauty trends, women's intimate areas have become a veritable battleground for brands. Specific cleansers, deodorants,...","protected":false},"author":8395,"featured_media":444686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[89445],"tags":[97833],"class_list":["post-444677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-soins","tag-actu"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SHVETS-production-_-Pexels-6-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SHVETS-production-_-Pexels-6-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SHVETS-production-_-Pexels-6.jpg","author":{"name":"Clelia Campardon","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/clelia-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":89445,"name":"Skincare","slug":"soins","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":89617,"taxonomy":"category","description":" The Skincare section of The Body Optimist helps you build simple face and body routines, understand cosmetic ingredients and protect your skin from the sun, whatever your skin tone. Dry, oily, combination, sensitive or mature skin: the focus is on comfort, skin health and informed choices, not on fighting aging.<\/p>\n An effective skincare routine comes down to three steps: cleanse, moisturize, protect. In the morning, use a gentle cleanser (or just rinse if your skin is dry), a moisturizer that suits you, then sunscreen. At night, cleanse to remove sunscreen and grime, then apply a cream. Choose textures for your skin type: rich formulas with ceramides or butters for dry skin, lightweight non-comedogenic ones for oily skin, and short, fragrance-free ingredient lists for sensitive skin. To add an active ingredient (retinol, glycolic acid, vitamin C), introduce one at a time, patch test it and give your skin several weeks before judging the results. Retinol and exfoliating acids are best used at night.<\/p>\n We talk about skin, not \u201cflaws\u201d: wrinkles, stretch marks, visible pores and cellulite are part of life, and no cream erases them. We explain what products can actually do, beyond the marketing promises, and remind you that a persistent skin problem calls for a dermatologist, not one more product.<\/p>\n Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, apply nothing and look at it an hour or two later. Skin that feels tight or flakes is dry, shine all over points to oily skin, and shine limited to the forehead, nose and chin (the T-zone) means combination skin. Frequent redness and stinging point to sensitive skin, which can also be dry or oily.<\/p>\n Yes. Melanin offers some natural protection, but it doesn\u2019t prevent UV damage or the risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen also helps keep dark spots, a common concern on deeper skin tones, from appearing or getting darker. To avoid the white cast some mineral filters leave, look for fluid, sheer or tinted formulas.<\/p>\n \u201cClean\u201d has no regulatory definition: each brand uses it for whichever ingredients it chooses to leave out. Cosmetics are already regulated in many countries, with lists of banned or restricted substances that vary from one market to another. For a verifiable commitment, look for certified labels such as COSMOS Organic and read the ingredient list (INCI).<\/p>\n No. Hyaluronic acid is a hydrating ingredient that holds water in the upper layers of the skin, so it suits every skin type, including oily skin that\u2019s dehydrated. It improves comfort and bounce, but it won\u2019t stop wrinkles from forming. It works best on slightly damp skin, followed by a moisturizer.<\/p>\n Keep exploring: browse the whole Beauty<\/a> section, our hair care advice<\/a> and our easy beauty tips and tricks<\/a>.<\/p>","parent":6141,"count":481,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":89445,"category_count":481,"category_description":" The Skincare section of The Body Optimist helps you build simple face and body routines, understand cosmetic ingredients and protect your skin from the sun, whatever your skin tone. Dry, oily, combination, sensitive or mature skin: the focus is on comfort, skin health and informed choices, not on fighting aging.<\/p>\n An effective skincare routine comes down to three steps: cleanse, moisturize, protect. In the morning, use a gentle cleanser (or just rinse if your skin is dry), a moisturizer that suits you, then sunscreen. At night, cleanse to remove sunscreen and grime, then apply a cream. Choose textures for your skin type: rich formulas with ceramides or butters for dry skin, lightweight non-comedogenic ones for oily skin, and short, fragrance-free ingredient lists for sensitive skin. To add an active ingredient (retinol, glycolic acid, vitamin C), introduce one at a time, patch test it and give your skin several weeks before judging the results. Retinol and exfoliating acids are best used at night.<\/p>\n We talk about skin, not \u201cflaws\u201d: wrinkles, stretch marks, visible pores and cellulite are part of life, and no cream erases them. We explain what products can actually do, beyond the marketing promises, and remind you that a persistent skin problem calls for a dermatologist, not one more product.<\/p>\n Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, apply nothing and look at it an hour or two later. Skin that feels tight or flakes is dry, shine all over points to oily skin, and shine limited to the forehead, nose and chin (the T-zone) means combination skin. Frequent redness and stinging point to sensitive skin, which can also be dry or oily.<\/p>\n Yes. Melanin offers some natural protection, but it doesn\u2019t prevent UV damage or the risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen also helps keep dark spots, a common concern on deeper skin tones, from appearing or getting darker. To avoid the white cast some mineral filters leave, look for fluid, sheer or tinted formulas.<\/p>\n \u201cClean\u201d has no regulatory definition: each brand uses it for whichever ingredients it chooses to leave out. Cosmetics are already regulated in many countries, with lists of banned or restricted substances that vary from one market to another. For a verifiable commitment, look for certified labels such as COSMOS Organic and read the ingredient list (INCI).<\/p>\n No. Hyaluronic acid is a hydrating ingredient that holds water in the upper layers of the skin, so it suits every skin type, including oily skin that\u2019s dehydrated. It improves comfort and bounce, but it won\u2019t stop wrinkles from forming. It works best on slightly damp skin, followed by a moisturizer.<\/p>\n Keep exploring: browse the whole Beauty<\/a> section, our hair care advice<\/a> and our easy beauty tips and tricks<\/a>.<\/p>","cat_name":"Skincare","category_nicename":"soins","category_parent":6141}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8395"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444677"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":446432,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444677\/revisions\/446432"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/444686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} The vulva doesn't need miracle products.<\/h2>\n
Ingredients that are not universally popular<\/h2>\n
When marketing creates a need<\/h2>\n
A pressure that begins at a very young age<\/h2>\n
"Feminism washing," a well-honed strategy<\/h2>\n
Knowing your body better to make your choices<\/h2>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Skincare section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you build a simple skincare routine?<\/h2>\n
Our approach<\/h2>\n
Our articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
How can you tell if your skin is dry, oily or combination?<\/h3>\n
Do you need sunscreen if you have dark skin?<\/h3>\n
What does \u201cclean\u201d mean on a beauty product?<\/h3>\n
Is hyaluronic acid only for mature skin?<\/h3>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Skincare section<\/h2>\n
\n
How do you build a simple skincare routine?<\/h2>\n
Our approach<\/h2>\n
Our articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
How can you tell if your skin is dry, oily or combination?<\/h3>\n
Do you need sunscreen if you have dark skin?<\/h3>\n
What does \u201cclean\u201d mean on a beauty product?<\/h3>\n
Is hyaluronic acid only for mature skin?<\/h3>\n