If the vagina is self-cleaning then why would I need a feminine wash?
First of all, it’s important to differentiate the vagina from the vulva. The vagina is often used as the term of choice for women’s genitalia, but vulva is actually the correct term to use to describe all of the external sex organs. The vulva includes the pubic mound, labia majora and minora, clitoris, urethra and vagina. Whereas, the vagina is a muscular canal that runs from the cervix (the opening of the womb) to the vaginal opening. The vagina is designed to clean itself inside the body with natural vaginal secretions (also known as discharge). If you wash the vagina internally, you can risk aggravating issues such as infections, dryness or odour by upsetting the pH balance of the vagina, particularly if using perfumed soaps or washes. YES CLEANSE is not designed for internal use. Rather, the product is simply designed to keep the outer genitalia (the vulva) fresh and clean without disturbing the pH or using chemically burdened products.
This is what makes it a great alternative to soap or other less natural intimate washes, should you wish to use more than water to wash with. Another benefit is that it can freshen the vulva without the need for a wet wipe, which makes it a much more environmentally friendly choice.
Occasions when women might want to use more than just water to wash their vulval area could include after sex, playing sports or during menstruation. According to the NHS website it is important to keep the perineal area between the vagina and anus clean, especially during your period suggesting that ‘during your period, washing more than once a day may be helpful’. Other instances may also include if a woman is experiencing certain conditions such as stress incontinence, faecal incontinence or Lichen Sclerosus and similar vulval dermatological conditions. Washing can be difficult for those living with Lichen Sclerosus, and using soap on and around the affected skin should be avoided.
Are YES product hypoallergenic?
Yes products are hypoallergenic as we have used the most pure ingredients possible in our products.
Hypoallergenic means that something is formulated to minimise risk from allergies.
Products labeled hypoallergenic are purportedly less likely to cause an allergic reaction in the person using them. This is because they are believed to contain fewer allergens, the substances and particles that irritate allergy-sufferers and cause them to have a reaction.
Are YES product Oestrogen free?
Yes products do not contain oestrogen. The purity and distinctive formulations of Yes products make them uniquely suitable for women recovering from cancer.
Many lubricant products are preserved with methyl paraben, which is an oestrogen mimic, and contraindicated for anyone who has had an oestrogen receptor positive cancer.
Vaginal dryness is experienced by many women who are recovering from cancer, Breast care nurses and oncologists are very happy to recommend Yes intimate moisturisers to their patients, confident that they will safely provide real relief from dryness without compromising their recovery or challenging their immune systems.
Yes is known to cherish and nurture precious and sometimes traumatised intimate tissue.
Are YES products gluten free?
All YES® products are gluten free.
What’s in YES Cleanse?
- Water
- Lauryl betaine
- Decyl glucoside
- Rosa damascena Flower Oil*¹
- Calendula officinalis extract*
- Aloe vera*
- Citric acid
- Potassium sorbate
- Sodium benzoate
- *certified organic ingredients
- ¹Only in YES® CLEANSE Rose
Are there preservatives in YES products?
YES WB water based uses two different preservative systems, which are Sodium benzoate and Phenoxyethanol.
YES has to buy the synthetically produced versions as they don’t use animal body parts and they cannot find commercially available plant extracted sources. They are approved by the FDA and UK/EU bodies for food and/or cosmetic applications, as well as by our Organic certifier: The Soil Association.
To date YES have found no naturally occurring preservative package that is safe, non irritant and effective. Used correctly (not above 1%) both these preservatives do a brilliant job without being skin irritants or having any other concerns associated with them. In the absence of chemicals know to be penetration enhancers, like Propylene glycol, they are not pulled thought the skin into the blood stream. YES® products contain NO penetration enhancers.
YES are often asked why they use preservatives in their natural products, when they have striven to make their products as natural as possible. Unfortunately preservatives of some kind will always be needed in water-based products. Water is the basis of all life, and that includes bacteria, fungi and moulds. Products without preservatives will have a very short shelf life, even if refrigerated (think of milk or orange juice). Products that are not properly preserved, even if made in a very clean environment, will become a health risk when exposed to the microbes present in life. So they preserve their products to give them shelf life and to ensure they are hygienic – to protect you. And as registered Medical Devices our products also have to meet strict preservation standards.
Preservation and product cleanliness are critical. YES tested all commercially available natural and “natural” preservation systems and found that none were secure, reliable and safe enough to meet their criteria. For instance Grapefruit seed extract is a known eye irritant at low concentrations. They finally chose a combination of natural and synthetic preservatives for YES WB to deliver the performance required.
All YES® products are certified organic by the Soil Association in the UK, this supports their ingredients policy, in that they can only use certain approved (gentle) preservatives (e.g. no parabens).
