Loveologist, Sexologist and Fierce Woman: Wendy Strgar Talks Good Clean Love

by All Maxim Hygiene, Culture, Sex, Sustainability

This past Valentine’s Day while we gave you four reasons to use organic and natural personal lubricants, many of us dreamed about gifts we want or how to be spoiled by a significant other. Some of us rushed to book waxes or go shopping for lingerie deals, and some spent hours baking . But how many of us took the time to really celebrate the most important relationship we’re in – the one with our selves? How many of us dedicate the mental energy, with wholehearted confidence, to give ourselves the immense self love we deserve? It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of Valentine’s Day, but we and our featured Fierce Woman of February, Wendy Strgar, Loveologist, Sexologist and Founder of Good Clean Love, are here to remind you to love yourself first.

Wendy Strgar is the author of Love that Works and Making Love Sustainable, an insightful blog devoted to helping women and couples explore love, sexual health, and positivity. She is also releasing her second book this spring – Sex That Works: A Woman’s Guide to Embracing the Erotic, Awakening Arousal, and Deepening Intimacy. Each page promises to hold “a pearl of sexual wisdom”, according to Dr. Ian Kerner, renowned sex therapist and author of She Comes First. Dr. Tammy Nelson says it best — “Deep within our erotic selves, we all have a desire to be free to pursue sexual pleasure. With her own life and the stories of couples just like us, it is clear that she knows this world; she has lived it, she is an expert in true intimacy. She helps us to express our fantasies through fun and easy-to-understand exercises. Strgar shows us how to find the courage to ask for what we want and reassures us that there is no such thing as ‘normal’.”

For many, the quest to introduce pleasure into a physical relationship may be daunting; many women today report never having asked their partner for what they want and some aren’t even sure what they may want or like. Sexual literacy, as she explains below, is an integral part of a healthy relationship and is something she attempts to guide couples of all ages through in her campaign, Make It Good. (Ladies to the left, if you need some tips or fun ways to introduce new lube into your romping schedule).

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The marketing behind Good Clean Love products is the key, according to Wendy; most of their efforts combine educational facts about vaginal health, as well how toxins, parabens and petrochemicals wreak havoc on the body as well as the environment. For example, about 2 in 5 women have bacterial vaginosis but about 84% aren’t aware of it, making them more likely to develop STD infection and have reproductive health issues.

The core message behind each product, from water based lubricants to natural oil-based aphrodisiacs, relates to empowerment for individuals. As a result, pleasure is on the way to being more accepted as an integral part of sex and becoming prioritized as much as health consciousness. That’s why Wendy was sought out by Jane Fonda herself, as a consultant for the show Grace & Frankie, in which two 70-single-something-women start a line of sexual health products for older women. The show is contributing to loud and growing cultural conversation about women, women’s rights, sexuality and the rights to our bodies; the popularity of Netflix show can arguably be directly credited for bringing the conversation into our homes and raising the topic between family members, breaking down barriers with its witty humor and intense relatability.

Benefiting from the consumer movement of buying organic and its infiltration into media and pop culture, both Wendy and her brand unabashedly promote the message of watching what we as women put in our bodies, from chlorine-free tampons to cosmetics and household cleaning solutions, like fellow Fierce Woman Erin Switalski’s organization, Women’s Voices for the Earth. Each Good Clean Love product has been scientifically formulated to work with and boost the body’s natural immune system; their Bio-Match™ line mimics the body’s natural lubricating response, accurately matching the pH, salt balance, and lactobacilli so that whether the goal is cleaning, re-balancing, moisturization or play, it’s always handy. Try coupon code ‘Biomatch‘ to get 15% off the product line (excluding sample packs) till March 31st for a V-Day reader special!

We sat down with Wendy to find out the inside story. Here’s the scoop on her work as a company founder; for her advice on love, sex and more, be sure to check our links to some of her blog archives —

What challenges have you faced as a company within such a niche and silent/taboo space?
Our mission at Good Clean Love has always been to normalize  sexuality as part of a healthy lifestyle which fosters respectful and pleasurable intimate relationships.  We have been a pioneer in developing sexual health as a category in many types of retail outlets and all of our social media, marketing, and public relations efforts (including my new book, Sex that Works) is dedicated to turning this challenge into an opportunity for expanding sexual education.  

Sometimes having “the conversation” for a couple is hard; any games, ice-breakers or tips for women who want to introduce organic products into their life? Or for women who haven’t brought their own lube to the table before?
Sexual literacy – the ability  to talk about and ask for what feels good – is critical to growing up sexually and also provides women with the ability to truly consent to what kind of sex she is interested in having. The truth is that when we cant say what we want, we also can’t name what we don’t want.  To this end, we provide weekly content about how to become more comfortable with our sexual self.  My new book, Sex that Works, an intimate guide to awakening your erotic life, comes from over 5 years of this online writing.
The other question about why to use organic lubricant is important because the majority of younger women rarely use lubricant now.  We work to help them make the connection between vaginal dryness and painful sex. Repeated cycles of painful sex can hurt arousal and libido for years. We give away hundreds of thousands of samples every year so that women can feel the difference for themselves.  
Many women have been taught to believe that soaps can alter the pH of the vagina and cause yeast infections. How do you tackle this issue and educate them otherwise?
Many soaps are very bad for the natural ecosystem of the vagina and so this is an area we continue to do a lot of research and education in.  Heavily concentrated petrochemical soaps, lubricants, douches do create toxic effects for the vagina; they are associated with an up to 13x risk of Bacterial Vaginosis. I am actually very proud of our bio match line of feminine hygiene products that are specifically, scientifically formulated to avoid these problems and help women maintain a healthy vaginal ecosystem.    
As part of our #FierceWomenFunded program, Maxim Hygiene will donate a portion of proceeds raised from online sales throughout the year to any NGO of your choice. Which nonprofit would you like to donate to? 
Given the current climate, everyone should be supporting Planned Parenthood’s mission to provide reproductive health to all women; thanks for this!
At Maxim Hygiene, we define a Fierce Woman as a “glorious female creature whose idea of beauty is hinged upon the idea that she can change the world with each choice, each moment and each breath of her life.” This is the philosophy and spirit we live by and see in you. As part of our 2017 intention, we’re exploring this identity even further by asking “what does being feminine mean and look like to you?”
As a goddess worshiper I believe that the universe is a continuous creation of the divine feminine. I try to bring the power of this into every day. Being the mother of 4 young adults makes me sure of the power that women have to change the world in every relationship they manifest. We are also a B-corp which is another way that female values drive business.
My blog, Making Love Sustainable, has been the source for 2 books now, but even more deeply is a reflection of what I think making love is about – it isn’t just sexual, although I swear by that part and it heals my life continuously. Really trying to apply the idea of love making to how you relate to every thing you do can impact your decisions and keep your will strong.  My lifework is one of my greatest blessings.  I am so lucky to work at love everyday- which is the essence of the divine feminine.  
Has Wendy’s story got you tingling with love? We feel ya! Head on over to her company’s online store and enter the following coupon code at checkout to get 15% off Good Clean Love products: BIOMATCH
Then, come back over to our online store to make sure your most sexy parts are protected during the most feminine time of the month with organic tampons and natural sanitary pads or organic cotton cosmetic pads for your beauty care routine. If you enter the following coupon code, you’ll get 10% off your order and we’ll donate 10% to Wendy’s suggested non-profit, Planned Parenthood. Just enter the following coupon code at checkout: FWWENDY
Together, as a united force of women looking out for women’s health, we can all feel sexy not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day!