I wrote an article a few weeks ago about my favorite sexual wellness brand, maude, and how it’s been essential in helping me develop better intimacy habits in college. In response to that article, I got a few comments asking me which products I recommended from people who hadn’t heard of maude before. What’s this? An opportunity to write another article about a brand I love? Say less!
Here’s a list of all the maude products I’ve tested so far, and how I’d rank them—with my favorite product at the end of this article. I’ve also provided some thoughts and recommendations about each as well.
Note: if you haven’t heard of maude before, I highly recommend checking out my previous article about the brand and its founder, Éva Goicochea, for some background before reading this one.
6. soothe (calming ingrown hair oil) and shave (moisturizing shave oil)
One of my favorite things about maude is that they offer a wide range of self-care products that aren’t specifically sex-related—and these two products are a great example of this. However, being at the bottom of this list, I’m combining maude’s soothe and shave into one because I bought and tested them at the same time (I purchased the grooming set) and, honestly, I think they’re fairly forgettable and interchangeable products. Both are described as dermatologist-tested, vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, sensitive-skin-safe and moisturizing. They also claim to be free from parabens, phthalates and sulfates. With a combined rating of 4.5-5 out of 5-stars across 90 reviews each, you can’t really go wrong with purchasing. However, as I mentioned, I didn’t really notice a huge difference between soothe and shave, nor did I become super attached to either product. While they both left my skin feeling soft and smooth after my showers, and the smell was extremely pleasant (a very essential-oil-scent), I wasn’t impressed enough to repurchase. Personally, I have an orchid moisturizing oil, which I bought while visiting Brooklyn for this year’s Her Conference, which I prefer way more.
5. spot (5-speed internal vibrator)
spot is described as a “discreet and easy-to-use, 5-speed, curved vibrator designed for g-spot or p-spot stimulation.” It’s the second newest device from maude, and I was able to purchase it early access because I’m subscribed to maude emails. I love how it’s made from 100% platinum-grade silicone (both REACH passed and FDA grade), so those with latex allergies can feel safe using it. Similar to soothe and shave, the low ranking on this list is not necessarily a comment on the product’s quality. In fact, spot is also rated extremely well, with 4.9 out of 5-stars and over 140 reviews. My reasoning behind this ranking has more to do with personal preference, as the larger size of spot compared to the other devices on this list makes it less convenient for me. I also tend to prefer only external stimulation during solo play, so I rarely find myself reaching for this one.
4. wash no. 1 (pH-balanced body wash and bubble bath)
Looking at the brand’s mission of creating high-quality products designed to enhance sexual wellness, maude’s pH-balanced body wash is a great addition to the lineup. Because wash is pH-balanced, it’s designed not to irritate intimate areas, plus it’s skin-softening, gentle, and doubles as a relaxing bubble bath. The product has 4.9 out of 5-stars and over 120 reviews. While the body wash itself is called wash, each scent is labeled as a different number. For instance, wash no. 0 is unscented, while wash no. 1 is described as having “warm notes of amber, cedar leaf, clove, lemongrass, medjool date and tonka bean.” As of now, there are four scents (wash no. 0, wash no. 1, wash no. 2 and wash no. 3). Personally, I’ve only tested wash no. 1, but I was extremely impressed with both the scent and the formula of this body wash. Everyone in the reviews seems to have their own favorite scents, and I look forward to trying them all in the future when I purchase more (and I will definitely be purchasing more).
3. vibe (3-speed external vibrator)
vibe holds a special place on this list because it’s the first device I purchased from maude. It’s described as “discreet and easy-to-use, vibe is our original, 3-speed, flutter tip vibrator designed for focused external stimulation.” vibe seems to be one of maude’s most famous products, as it was awarded Best-in-Show by The Strategist and featured in the MoMA Design Store. Boasting an impressive 4.8 out of 5-stars across over 1,200 reviews, many describe this vibrator as perfectly-minimalist, quiet and reliable. My favorite part of vibe is its design, as most sex toys on the market are too flashy or explicit-looking for my taste. But vibe is discreet—I feel like I could put it next to my bed and people might assume it was some sort of sculpture (although probably not, but I’d like to believe so). I’ve had my vibe for almost two years now and it still remains consistent in both power and volume. If you’re looking for a great first vibrator, one that’s not too cheap but also not too expensive, I highly recommend this one.
2. band (5-speed vibrating ring)
As of writing this, band is the newest release from maude. Similar to spot., I also bought band early access for being on maude’s email list. It’s described as “discreet and easy-to-use…a 5-speed vibrating ring designed for shared stimulation.” band is also latex-free, but it has a shorter run time than the other devices on this list. Although this short run time is most likely on purpose, as it’s not advised to wear band for longer than 30 minutes at a time. This product ranks higher on my list because it’s the first sex device from maude that’s specifically designed for penises, and I enjoy being able to include my boyfriend in my love of maude devices. Additionally, even though it’s so new, band already has an impressive 5 out of 5 stars across over 80 reviews. I personally really like the versatility of band, as it changes the game when it comes to partnered sex (my boyfriend loves it), but it’s also really satisfying as a personal vibrator. Maybe it’s just because my vibe is getting older, but band seems much better when it comes to solo play lately.
1. rise (ulta-thin latex condoms)
Here it is, my favorite maude product: rise.
I’m going to be honest, this number one spot is mainly awarded out of spite because I have a personal hatred of all problematic, mainstream condom brands. In my opinion, rise deserves this spot on my list due to its game-changing ingenuity when it comes to condoms. It’s described on maude’s website as “vegan-friendly and made with 100% natural rubber latex…gluten-free, and are also free of glycerin, parabens, spermicide and harmful chemicals.” These condoms are approved by the FDA and classified as Class II medical devices. maude also includes information about how they’ve partnered with a factory which has been producing award-winning contraception for the last 20+ years. And this high-quality is apparent, because rise is rated 4.8 out of 5 stars across over 180 reviews. One review boasts, “This is literally the most comfortable, thinnest, closest to nothing condom we’ve found. We have more sex BECAUSE of these condoms and their quality.” Another review admits, “I’ve made a few exes condom snobs. Accept no substitutes. They’re sexy, sleek, and inhibit no sensation. Stock up.” Many other reviews rave over the packaging, which is the most unique packaging design I’ve ever seen for condoms. I made a joke with my friends about them looking like condom-ents—like the ones you would get from a fast food restaurant. Not only does the hard casing better protect the condoms (this is my assumption), it also makes them look super chic, and I’m a huge fan of pretty packaging. My boyfriend seems to really like them as well, or at least way better than some of the other mainstream brands he’s tried. I highly recommend these condoms over all others for their unique design, almost non-existent taste and itch free-ness (for both partners).
Even though I’ve tried a good portion of maude’s products, I’ve yet to find one I’ve had a bad experience with. According to maude, all products are designed in-house, valuing functionality and inclusivity. Especially when it comes to sexual wellness products, I feel safe knowing that all maude’s products have undergone strict testing to ensure safety and quality. Ultimately, if you find yourself interested in maude, I don’t believe you can go wrong with whatever you decide to try.