In a recent interview, Jamie Leventhal (JL), founder and CEO of the sexual wellness brand clio/plusOne, described arousing results from a new clinical study, to be released this month (January 2021), connecting the effects of masturbation with skin benefits. Following is an excerpt adapted from this conversation. To access the full interview, see Page 10 of your digital edition and click to listen.
C&T: How does self-pleasuring or masturbation relate to skin health? What inspired the idea that these two might be connected?
JL: When we launched the sexual wellness category and were developing the identity of our brand, at that first meeting we talked about how we wanted to see this through the wellness and beauty lens. Someone at the table talked about that “healthy glow” women get as a result of orgasm and that theme permeated the early brand identity.
We also constantly talked about the notion that these products are good for you, and it all seemed to come back to skin. At one point, we said, “Why don’t we put our money where our mouth is?” It may have also been a member of the media who challenged us to “prove it.” At that point, we reached out to a third party to run a true clinical study.
We leaned heavily on that clinic, as they do a good deal of testing skin care products for efficacy and clinical benefits to determine the variables. We looked at complexion and acne, specifically, and created some 18-20 test parameters with the clinic. We set some pretty aggressive benchmarks in terms of performance and the results were fairly staggering.
In our sample size of about 40 women, subjects used one of our vibrators to achieve orgasm at least three days a week for 8 weeks. Evaluations were made by a clinical grader as well as instrumentally. We looked at collagen levels, skin firmness, radiance, luminosity, mid-face sagging, fine lines and wrinkles.
Compared with baseline, all variables improved. Statistically significant improvements were seen in elasticity and firmness but what I found most compelling was the feedback the participants provided at the conclusion of the study: 66% of the women felt their skin looked more radiant and brighter; and 54% indicated the texture of their skin improved.
We’ve taken the stigma away by proving that these products are good for you from both a beauty/complexion standpoint and in the way they make you feel. Now we’re in the midst of our second and third clinical studies on the medical health benefits of masturbation
and orgasm.
