What is so intimate in Intimate wash ?
The word intimate opens the eyebrows !!
But what is so intimate about the intimate wash..
A category which opened its wings to consumers in early 2012-13 has still not taken off …
Indian market is witnessing the development of Intimate wash category in the Rs 5000 crore + female hygiene market.
What is the Intimate wash category all about ??
- Human vagina has bacterias like Lactobacillus spp which acts as guardians of vaginal ecosystem/vaginal flora
- They are anaerobic bacteria( can live without oxygen)
- They produce lactic acid through fermentation of glucose (which is present in vaginal epithelial cells)
- This acidic environment in intimate are is important because they inhibit the growth of various disease causing micro-organisms, thereby preventing the intimate area from infections.
- Approx 1 gm of vaginal fluid contains 10,000-100 million lactobacilli . Most lactobacilli thrive at a ph < 4.5. ( also called acid lovers)
In any case if vaginal environment becomes alkaline (increased ph), lactobacillus concentration starts reducing leading to pathogenic bacterias to proliferate and cause infections
The vaginal ecosystem undergoes major compositional changes throughout a woman’s life (from childhood to puberty to menopause)
In any case if vaginal environment becomes alkaline (increased ph), lactobacillus concentration starts reducing leading to pathogenic bacterias to proliferate and cause infections
Physiological changes in Human Body like menstruation , intercourse , menopause and external factors like antibiotic use, stress , intravaginal products disturbs the normal count of lactobacillus leading to change in vaginal pH and the intimate part of women loses much of its cleaning ability and natural defense mechanism .
In a nutshell, this category is all about maintaining the normal pH of the intimate area !!!
The category Innovator has been Clean & Dry but Vwash has outpaced the brand (Brand leader didn’t catch the fish at the right time)
Vwash is the major player in the Intimate wash category which did Rx to OTC transition in 2013.
The category is expected to be on the growth path with increasing awareness among women about Intimate Hygiene, progressive mindset of the modern women, changing lifestyles with urbanization and increasing population of working women in India. Not only the category promises the growth but also with the growing awareness but also new users entering into the category.
The category is driven by brands like:
- Vwash
- Clean & Dry
- Lactacyd
- Intiwash to name a few
The category has already seen a lot of start up brands which are available and sold through on marketplace platforms like Amazon , Flipkart, Nykaa.
Initially the category was completely driven by doctors and the products were gaining acceptance through recommendation of gynaecologists only but the category has seen Rx to OTC transition in 2013 with Vwash ( earlier Glenmark , now Hindustan Unilever) with major awareness campaigns in TV, Press, Indoor, Internet etc.
Category has seen new channel of promotion through Modern trades channels , online pharmacies and portals apart from regular chemists
Not only Chemists but the brands have started getting space in cosmetic stores , hosieries etc.
Influencers of the category :
The brands in the category are either Category is growing either through doctor prescription or directly through OTC route ( bought by consumers directly over the counter without prescriptions)
Infection, Odour, Irritation, Itching , Freshness, confidence becomes the key priority of the Target audience
Which is the potential Pie of the category :
Whilst India is home to 355 million menstruating women, it is the second highest menstruating population globally, with reports suggesting that 71% of girls have no knowledge of menstruation before their first period
Looking at the communication of the brand leader Vwash , it is evident that they want to drive the consumption by their TG in the red days of the month and that’s probably seems a good move.
If in highly advertised market of Sanitary napkins , just 20% of Indian women use sanitary napkins, we can imagine the penetration in the intimate wash category !!
Is Rural the new growth driver ?
Will Sachet penetrate the market and drive consumption and grow the consumer base ??
Can the category become a daily use category ??Well how many of us brush the teeth 2 times in a day !!
……………To be continued !!
BY : Kumud Kandpal
