VAGINA. It’s not a bad word; it’s just a word. Let’s get comfortable with the word first because we sure as hell need to get comfortable talking about it. “The sexual wellness category is super skewed towards men, ignoring the female perspective in terms of products, conversations and culture,” agrees Sachee Malhotra, founder of That Sassy Thing, a brand that caters to women’s sexual health. As a teenager, Sachee struggled with the all-too-common Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). “It had a huge impact on my mental health,” she recalls. “I couldn’t share how I felt about it; having these difficult conversations was never encouraged at home. A few years later, with the acceptance and ownership of my body and self, I wanted to share my story with the world. Because that wasn’t my story alone.” And therein lay the seeds for That Sassy Thing, a brand that not only makes products that are good for women’s sexual health and pleasure but also focuses on educating and empowering young girls to take charge of their sexual, menstrual and mental health.
“We’re also building a content platform that calls out all the myths and notions that the society feeds women. We aim to normalise conversations around women’s bodies— periods, sex, pleasure, masturbation, body hair, the list goes on,” she explains.
Excerpts from ELLE India’s chat with her:
ELLE: What led to That Sassy Thing?
Sachee Malhotra (SM): Having experienced vaginal dryness, painful periods and sex, I looked for products that were safe and good for my body, but I couldn’t find any. The femme hygiene space was under-served, with a lack of representation. Most brands ultimately aimed to please the male gaze and feed women’s insecurities. It was the same for pleasure. Most sexual lubes were flavoured, super sticky and had artificial sweeteners, which throw off the vaginal pH, causing itches and rashes. So, I went to around 15 manufacturers until I found one who understood my vision and the need to bring female-focused, all-natural products. I always wanted to launch a brand that reflected my personality, story and experiences. I knew it had to be bold, in your face, witty and fun.
ELLE: How are products of That Sassy Thing different from the rest?
SM: It’s the very way we think about products—we will never make products that feed women’s insecurities or make them feel bad about themselves, like vaginal lightening and tightening creams. Our first ‘qween’ product is DTF—India’s first all-natural, pH-balanced, water-based sexual lubricant, designed keeping women and their bodies in mind. It’s plant-based, formulated with aloe vera, flaxseed and tea tree extract. It’s unflavoured and unsweetened and maintains the vaginal pH levels to avoid any itches, rashes and yeast infections. And it doesn’t have the chemical for time delay, benzocaine. It’s compatible with all condoms and toys, making partnered and solo sex smoother, more fun and pleasurable. Soothing Stick is our second product. It’s hemp oil blended with essential oils like Geranium, Wheatgerm and Lavender, which calm and ease period cramps and bloating. The third one is Bush—an all-natural, plant-based body and pubic hair oil, designed with anti-inflammatory properties of hemp oil and essential oils like Clary Sage, Chamomile and Lavender.
ELLE: What is the message that you want to put out there?
SM: A major part of That Sassy Thing is normalising all bodies and body hair (an example of that is using full-bodied, hairy women illustrations in our communication), and I think I have somewhere been able to start a conversation. I want to give women ownership of their bodies, and that’s why we launched the bold and much-needed products for them. I want women to own their sexuality, and as a brand, we’ve begun the journey. We know it’s a long one, but we’re walking the walk and talking the talk, one step and one conversation at a time.
Photo courtesy of That Sassy Thing
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