Good Clean Love‘s Bio-Match line was created with the vagina’s natural environment in mind, mimicking pH levels, salt balance, and lactic acid production in order to create products that are vulva-friendly and health-conscious. The line consists of two products: Restore (a lubricant) and Balance (a “personal wash”).
Description
Good Clean Love’s Bio-Match Restore is a water-based gel lubricant, which is safe for both silicone sex toys & latex barrier methods of contraception. It is free of petrochemicals, parabens, & glycerin — with a minimal list of ingredients: organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice, xanthan gum, lactic acid, natural flavor, potassium sorbate, and sodium benzoate. It can be used to add lubrication to sexual activity or simply to alleviate daily vaginal dryness and discomfort.
Restore comes packaged in a small, cardboard box that includes (1) a 2 oz. tube with a screw-on top and (2) a plastic applicator for easy internal reach. Good Clean Love estimates that each tube is good for approximately 15 applications.
Experience
As I’ve mentioned before, my body’s lubricating abilities have been drastically reduced with the emergence of my “low libido.” My partner and I are always looking for a lubricant that feels natural but lasts an impressively long time, and that’s why Restore piqued my interest. If it mimicked the vagina’s natural environment, would it mimic natural lubrication too?
Turns out, it does an okay job. It’s relatively thin and slippery without being too watery and it lasted as long as we needed it to (albeit we didn’t push for any world records). However, even though the instructions say to apply to both partners, it’s definitely more of a lube for the receptive party. It dried out almost as soon as we applied it to my partner’s penis; not even lasting the few moments it took for us to get into position before intercourse.
Thankfully, it works much better when applied inside of the body, and that’s where the handy plastic applicator comes into play. As I went through the process of squirting lube directly into my vagina for the first time, I found myself wondering… Could this be injected ahead of time, purely in anticipation of sex? Would it be a good option for individuals who do not produce enough natural lubrication but maybe don’t want to pack lube with them for a night on the town?
The next time my partner and I had to run some errands and go grocery shopping, we tested it. We were gone for a couple of hours, we came home, grabbed a condom (to cut down on friction, just incase the lube had dried out), and jumped straight into a PIV quickie. To my surprise, Restore had maintained its wetness — whether this is a testament more to the lube or the handy applicator that gets “all up in there,” I’m not sure.
The only thing that really bothers me about this lube is the smell. It’s similar to Almost Naked‘s vanilla cake scent, but has a twang of something that smells sour and reminds me of sterile environments. (If you’re thinking that this would taste particularly terrible, you would be correct.)
Bottom Line
Honestly, Good Clean Love’s Restore lubricant did what it was supposed to do, but it didn’t feel so good that it truly impressed me. If you’re looking for a health-concious water-based lube that comes with a handy applicator and feels somewhat natural, maybe this will be perfect for you. But I’m still smitten with their (much more cushiony) Almost Naked lube — which also happens to be more affordable ($15/4 oz vs. $20/2 oz).
Description
Whereas many commercial cleansers can be too harsh for more sensitive areas of the body (like the genitalia), Good Clean Love’s Bio-Match Balance has been specially crafted for this exact purpose. It is both petroleum and paraben-free. However, the list of ingredients is much longer than for Restore, including: water, sodium cocoamphoacetate, glycerin, lauryl glucoside, sodium cocoyl, glutamate, sodium lauryl glucoside, carboxylate, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, coco-glucoside, glyceryl oleate, lactic acid, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, mahonia, aquifolium (oregon grape) root extract, hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal) extract, allium sativum (garlic) bulb extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender oil), potassium sorbate, and sodium benzoate.
Good Clean Love’s Bio-Match Balance arrives in a 4 oz. plastic bottle with a press-to-open top and has a relatively thin, watery consistency. (It is important to note that although this product is marketed as a personal wash, the bottle clearly states that it is “for external use.“)
Experience
First of all, let me say that I don’t have particularly sensitive skin. I can suds up my pubic hair & outer-most vulva bits with regular old body wash and experience no ill effects. I’m also a huge fan of cleaning in between my folds with a simple combination of washcloth & water, never allowing scented products to cross that intimate threshold. So naturally, when I first tried using Balance for its intended purpose, I felt extremely neutral. Sure, I was a fan of the soft lavender scent — and yes, it made me feel quite “fresh.” But there was nothing uniquely special about it, and that hardly justifies a $14 bottle of soap in my life.
As I was wondering how I would possibly be able to write such a lackluster review, I had an idea: I could wash my Lunette menstrual cup with this! After all, it’s made to be a mild intimate wash that is safe for vulvular contact. And although it says “external use” on the label, it wasn’t like I would be pouring it directly into my vagina. I’d simply make sure to rinse my cup very well afterwards.
The verdict? It works wonders. Generally, I like to give my cup a quick wash with soap and water whenever I empty it (to do-away with any lingering smells) and then boil it in-between my periods for a more thorough clean. Unfortunately, I’ve experienced mild irritation from certain soaps and I’m happy to report that Balance is not one of them. It helps me feel clean throughout menstruation without any discomfort or negative reactions.
It’s important to remember that this is not what Good Clean Love’s Bio-match Balance is marketed for — and may even go against their printed instructions. As I mentioned before, my body is not overly sensitive to most products, so although this worked for me, I cannot recommend this alternative use for everybody.
Bottom Line
Do I think that Balance is worth the price tag? No, not for me…even if it is a good menstrual cup cleaner. However, if you’re the type of person who has really sensitive skin and/or has a difficult time finding soap that is genital-friendly, this might be a good product to try — unless you are also sensitive to glycerin.
Special thanks to Good Clean Love for providing me with these items in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
If you would like to purchase Good Clean Love Bio-Match products, please consider doing so through my affiliates: SheVibe and Sexy Time Toys.