Kourtney Kardashian has embarked on her latest career endeavour: vagina gummies.
The 43-year-old reality TV star has been gradually launching her wellness industry career with her blog, Poosh. Last year she launched a line of supplements called Lemme.
Her latest addition to the vitamin range is the subject of controversy, as she claims they can boost the health of your vagina and improve its taste.
To promote the product, called Lemme Purr, she posted an Instagram video of herself, surrounded by cats, as she eats one of the gummies.
“Vaginal health is such an important part of a woman’s overall well-being (and not talked about enough) which is why we are so excited to launch this! Give your vagina the sweet treat it deserves (and turn it into a sweet treat). You know what they say…you are what you eat,” she wrote in her Instagram announcement.
“We combined real pineapple and Vitamin C with the power of clinically-studied SNZ 1969™ probiotics to target vaginal health and pH levels that support freshness and taste,” she added.
Kourtney, however, has been widely criticised by fellow influencers, health professionals and gynaecologists.
“Omg this is absolutely unethical and unnecessary,” commented one Instagram user on Kardashian’s announcement post, while another added: “Seriously? No. One. Needs. This.”
Dr Melanie Bone, an OBGYN and member of Daye’s medical board, a gynaecological health research and development company, told The Independent that since vaginas are self-cleaning, products that play on false insecurities about women’s health should be treated with caution.
“Brands should not try to advance artificial insecurities forced upon women and AFAB [assigned female at birth] individuals,” she said.
She explained that while the gummies contain probiotics, which have been proven to support the health of your vaginal microbiome (micro-organisms that exist in the vagina), the ingredients used in Karshian’s product such as pineapple extract “are less credible”.
“There is no validated clinical data that suggests you can, or should, alter the way your vagina tastes,” she confirmed.
Dr Bone advised that perfumed antibacterial sprays and douches are unnecessary for vaginas, which are already self-cleaning.
“The pH balance of your vagina – whether it’s acidic or basic – plays an important part in determining whether it’s healthy.”
She explained: “These scented products can upset the normal pH level of around 4.5 in the vagina, which in turn, can increase the risk of infections, so it’s best to avoid them.”
While she wouldn’t recommend perfumed products that might alter the pH level of a vagina, she recommended that “cotton underwear is the best” for keeping your vagina healthy.
“Avoid materials that trap heat and moisture and don’t allow the vagina to breathe, like lycra, nylon and spandex,” she continued. “Bad bacteria love heat and moisture, therefore, these materials create a perfect breeding ground for infections, including UTIs.”
