Reflections from Stimulate Nashville and the Growing Sexual Wellness Category
By Kayla Childress, Director of Strategic Growth, Private Label Beauty & Wellness
On August 3 and 4, I attended Stimulate in Nashville, a conference focused on sexual wellness, intimate care, education, innovation, and connection.
It was my first time attending, and one thing stood out almost immediately: sexual wellness is no longer a niche category. It’s becoming an important part of the broader health and wellness conversation.
For years, discussions around sexual health have often happened behind closed doors—if they happened at all. Many consumers were left to figure things out on their own, with limited education and products that often felt outdated or designed more for novelty than genuine wellness.
That is changing.
What Stood Out at Stimulate Nashville
What impressed me most wasn’t just the products on display. It was the range of conversations taking place. Founders, healthcare professionals, educators, formulators, retailers, and manufacturers were all discussing real issues people experience throughout different stages of life.
The topics went well beyond intimacy. They included:
- Pelvic health
- Menopause and hormonal changes
- Vaginal wellness
- Fertility and recovery
- Comfort and intimate skincare
- Confidence and overall quality of life
That shift says a lot about where this industry is headed.
Sexual Wellness Is Becoming Part of Everyday Wellness
Consumers don’t separate wellness into neat categories anymore.
They’re thinking about how they sleep, manage stress, care for their skin, support hormonal health, exercise, and maintain overall well-being. Sexual wellness naturally fits into that picture.
We’re also seeing the category mature. Brands are moving away from products that feel overly clinical or unnecessarily provocative. Instead, they’re investing in thoughtful formulations, elevated packaging, better consumer education, and products designed to solve real problems.
For entrepreneurs and established brands alike, that opens the door to meaningful innovation. Consumers are looking for products that are effective, approachable, and backed by quality—across categories like:
- Intimate skincare
- Massage products
- Body-safe oils
- Soothing balms
- Cleansing products
- External moisturizers
- Menopause-supportive personal care
Education Matters Just as Much as the Formula
One of my biggest takeaways from Stimulate was how much education influences trust.
Consumers want to understand exactly what a product is designed to do, how it should be used, and why certain ingredients have been selected—especially when products are intended for sensitive areas.
Marketing alone isn’t enough. Successful brands in this category earn consumer confidence through:
- Responsible claims
- Straightforward instructions
- Quality ingredients
- Packaging that feels both professional and approachable
Regulatory Decisions Belong at the Start, Not the End
Behind the scenes, manufacturing plays an equally important role.
Depending on the product and its intended claims, sexual wellness products may fall into cosmetic, personal care, OTC, medical device, or other regulated categories. Those regulatory considerations should be addressed early in development—not after the product is ready to launch.
Getting those decisions right from the beginning saves time, money, and unnecessary headaches later.
Questions Every Brand Should Ask
Companies considering a sexual wellness product should start by clearly defining the consumer need they’re trying to address. Some important questions include:
- Who is the product intended for?
- What problem is it solving?
- Where and how will it be used?
- Does it fall under cosmetic, OTC, medical device, or another regulatory category?
- What product claims can be appropriately supported?
- What safety, stability, microbiological, compatibility, or consumer-use testing should be completed?
- Does the packaging make the product easy, hygienic, discreet, and intuitive to use?
- How will consumers be educated without creating confusion or embarrassment?
The answers to those questions influence every stage of development—from formulation and ingredient selection to testing, packaging, manufacturing, and marketing.
Looking Ahead
One thing became clear after spending two days at Stimulate: this industry is full of people genuinely trying to improve quality of life.
Many of the founders I met weren’t simply introducing another product. They were addressing issues that have often been overlooked or uncomfortable to talk about, and they were doing it with professionalism, compassion, and a genuine desire to help consumers.
At Private Label Beauty & Wellness, we see sexual wellness as a natural extension of the work we already do across skincare, personal care, wellness, supplements, and OTC manufacturing. Our role is to help brands bring well-conceived ideas to market with safe formulations, scalable manufacturing, and products consumers can trust.
The conversation around sexual wellness is becoming more open, more informed, and more practical. Consumers are asking better questions and expecting products that reflect today’s understanding of health and well-being.
The brands that combine innovation with education, quality, and responsible product development will be the ones best positioned for long-term success.
Thinking About a Sexual Wellness Product?
Whether you’re expanding an existing personal care line or developing something entirely new, the earlier you bring in a manufacturing partner, the smoother the path to launch.
Private Label Beauty & Wellness is who you’ve been looking for!
Already working with a manufacturer who can’t support this category? Switching is easier than most brands think.