It’s time to face facts: the vagina and the vulva are *not* the same thing. 

The vagina is an elastic and muscular part of the internal female genital tract.  It is a tube that begins from the outside vaginal opening and extends to the cervix. The vagina contains bacteria that maintain an acidic pH that prevents the overgrowth of yeast and bacterial vaginosis that cause an infection. The vagina cleans itself through natural secretions, which is the discharge that you see at the end of the day.  When you use soaps, sprays, and even water to wash the inside of the vagina, the balance of healthy bacteria can be disrupted and cause vaginal infections and irritation. 

The vulva, on the other hand, is the external female genitalia and includes the mons pubis, labia majora and minora, clitoris, and vaginal opening. This can be cleaned with warm water and even a pH-balanced fragrance-free soap made specifically for the vulva, like pH Balancing Cleanser from Love Wellness.

Using pH Balancing Cleanser can be particularly helpful after a hot, sweaty day, working out, after sex, or during your menstrual cycle. To cleanse, simply spread the vaginal lips apart and gently cleans around the folds, using a clean washcloth or your hands. Avoid using a loofah or sponge, which can harbor bacteria (and we don’t mean the good kind). Wash the area between the vulva and the anus called the perineum and the anus. Always wash from front to back-the vulva first and then your anus.  If you wash the anus first, bacteria from the anus can spread to the vagina and increase the risk of vaginal infections. 

The most important thing to remember is to keep your feminine hygiene routine as simple as possible. Your vagina will have an odor but that does not mean that there is something wrong, no vagina is odorless. pH Balancing Cleanser from Love Wellness is formulated without any harmful fragrance or irritants, and uses only clean ingredients to keep your pH in check so you smell like you.