The New Melbourne Start Up Making Lube Cool
Photo FIGR
By Ruby Staley
It’s safe to say, most of us have our fair share of embarrassing bedroom moments and awkward sex stories, many of which we might look back on and realise just how avoidable that embarrassment could have been.
Not at all immune to such sexual blunders, young entrepreneurs Eloise O’Sullivan and Eloise McCullough put their heads together and devised a way to make easy sex more accessible.
Going on to eventually found their own lube brand, FIGR, the gals aims to offer a modern, sleek and not-at-all-embarrassing alternative to the regular, degular lubricants already on the market.
We chatted to the girls about their novel approach to lubrication, reducing stigma around sex and sexual health and their incredibly cool approach to re-branding the way we think about lube.
Hey guys, we're loooving your brand concept, where did the initial idea come from?
Why thank you! Our concept was derived from a distaste of the branding of current sex brands - that is, outdated and misogynistic. On the flip side, we wanted to steer clear from pink and cursive “sexy” typefaces. This stereotype just doesn’t feel in alignment with modern day values. FIGR is fluid and confident. It’s what we need to start smashing that stigma.
Do you think lube should be as stigmatised as it currently is?
Absolutely not! It’s such a shame that sexual wellness still has a massive stigma tainting its potential in 2021. Lube has been stigmatised (especially for womxn) through the negative messaging and connotations that have been taught to us through mainstream media and porn for the past few decades. If you can't get wet while you're young, there is something ‘wrong’ with you, and past 40, “you're past your expiration date”. Both of those sentiments are entirely untrue.
For those opposed, why is lube a positive addition in the bedroom?
Everyone should use lube. It has the propensity to increase pleasure during sex, and who doesn’t want that? There are also so many factors that come into play when it comes to naturally-occurring lubrication (read: certain medications, ageing, post birth, illnesses and stress). Antidepressants disrupting libido is something we’ve experienced first-hand, and with over 3 million Australians on antidepressants (DoHS, 2019), we know we’re not alone in this.
Tell us a bit about the formulation and how it differs from that found on supermarket shelves?
The formulation of our water-based lubricant is designed to mimic naturally-occurring lubrication, and it really does last the mile. With two native Australian extracts: Strawberry Gum (a great source of antioxidants) and the anti-bacterial properties and Finger Lime (abundant in Vitamin E, aka the sex vitamin).
We were a bit stunned when we found out that the most popular lubes on the shelves have a pH of 7. Suddenly, this connected a lot of dots to all past yeast infections. The difference between FIGR fluid is that it has a pH level of 4, and a standard vaginal pH level is 3.8-4.5. Also, the packaging doesn’t scream late-night servo trip. It’s something you’d want adorning a bedside or chilling in the bathroom.
As an incredibly UTI and thrush prone person myself, does FIGR help prevent that kinds of irritation traditional lubes can cause?
Ha! We are all a part of the same club. Our formula is 100% fragrance-free, so it’s built for those of us who are irritation-prone or extra sensitive. We’re all different, so we do recommend test-spotting on your forearm before use (like any product). The extracts in the lube have been really consciously selected and for full transparency, there's an ingredients glossary on our website to have a squizz at.
Tell us a little about the branding and why you decided for it to look the way it does?
It was a deliberate decision to have the vessel as minimal as possible. Our intention is for FIGR to sit in pride of place between your perfumes and skincare, not shoved somewhere clandestine. Even though plastic is way cheaper to produce, it was never an option for us. The glass bottle can be renewed for a second life or recycled. We have a few things in the works to further reduce our waste and carbon footprint, but that’s for our next catch-up.
Check out thefigr.com to find out more or purchase your own.