‘I don’t want my vagina to glow in the dark or smell like watermelon – this natural £7.50 lube transformed my sex life’

An actress who was fed up with seeing fruity or glow-in-the-dark lubes in what she calls the “aisle of shame” has said a high-street product has “transformed” her sex life.

Petra Bryant, 44, who is also a writer and digital content creator and lives in Walsall in the West Midlands, had been searching for a natural lubricant for years without success.

After experimenting with products bought by her partners, many of which resembled “liquid cake”, Petra said she developed urinary tract infections (UTIs) because they disrupted her pH balance.

Wanting to prioritise “toxic-free beauty and wellness”, she started searching for a natural lubricant online and found the brand In2mate.

Petra said its £7.50 product which claims to be a “natural-feeling, non-perfumed lubricant” which can rejuvenate vaginal skin, has “enhanced everything” for her.

She told PA Real Life: “The products that my sexual partners had were full of chemicals and perfumes, like a liquid cake, a cherry pie with glitter.

“How is that going to make me feel good with my pH balance?

“It’s not a circus. Like if you reach for eye drops you’re not going to think, ‘Oh, let me put this pink cherry-flavoured product on my eyeball and it’s going to make me feel good’.

“This lube totally mimics the natural lubrication, it doesn’t disrupt anything, and it has enhanced everything; solo pleasure as well.”

Petra, who has starred in films including For The Love Of George, said she had used lubricants for years with her sexual partners and for solo pleasure, or to use with sex toys.

She went to a local pharmacy looking for a new lubricant because her partner at the time had been suffering with intermittent erectile dysfunction due to stress and she had been experiencing vaginal dryness because of the contraceptive pill, a common side effect.

However, the only options for sale were “exotically flavoured, brightly packaged products that resembled more of a candy shop for teenagers” than an “adult sexual health aide”, she said.

“I don’t want a vagina that glows in the dark or smells like watermelon,” Petra added.

“I’m concerned about my vaginal health and about the effect it’s having on my relationship, so excuse me if I don’t find anything cherry-flavoured as a helpful or plausible solution.

“I want something non-scented, as natural as possible and which is beneficial to my vaginal health.”

Having suffered with UTIs and unpleasant burning sensations from using these types of lubricants previously, Petra knew she wanted to find a product with natural ingredients.

However, she was surprised at the lack of options available and said the sexual health sections in pharmacies often feel like the “aisle of shame”.

“Why doesn’t vaginal skincare exist like any other form of skincare?” she asked.

“I’m not looking for anything medical nor am I looking for anything kinky or experimental.”

Having given up on the “confusing selection” at her local shops, Petra found In2mate Natural Lubricant online.

She said the product, which she is not being paid to promote, claims to be for everyday use, helps rejuvenate and repair vaginal skin and offers a natural-feeling lubrication.

Petra said it felt like a “hallelujah” moment to read that the product is “over 99% natural” and non-perfumed.

With the “cute pink tube” costing just £7.50, Petra bought one and said she was delighted with the results.

“When I found this lube, I thought, ‘oh my gosh, it’s prebiotic, it’s scent-free and it totally mimics the natural lubrication’,” she said.

“You don’t feel like you’re using something different from what you would produce naturally, and it doesn’t disrupt anything.

“If you put it on your hand, on your fingers, on a sex toy, you don’t really notice it apart from the good sensation and lubrication.”

Petra, who has written a coming-of-age book called Girl On A Rocking Horse, said talking about sexual pleasure still feels “taboo” but she wants to break the stigma and encourage more open conversations.

She has created a WhatsApp group for women to talk about sexual health and to share advice and recommendations because she feels there should be “no shame”.

“It is never worth upsetting my vaginal pH levels for a man but luckily with my lube I don’t have this worry,” she added.

“I just feel like there is no shame owning a personal lubricant, whether it’s to use with your partner, with a sex toy or just for solo pleasure.

“It’s just part of body care and everyone should prioritise healthcare.”