As we know now where the desire for your brand came from, I want to open things up even further. You feature a world exclusive lubricant called noir - which is aimed at beautiful black skin. Tell me how you came to feature such a revolutionary product?
It had been an idea since we exhibited at The Vitality Show in March 2013. We had so many black men and women love our Silicone+ lube. Some came back the next day and others had said that their friends had told them about the product. They loved the feel during intimacy and loved how it left their skin feeling afterwards.
Other products have been created for different sexual orientations and genders. After seeing the demand at the Vitality Show I realised that this
was a group that have certainly been under-represented and almost neglected
as far as brands go and thought that this group deserved their own
product/brand too.
At this stage I did have unanswered questions in my head though; why did
such a higher proportion of black men and women, compared to white men and
women, enjoy the product so much? Why were black men and women so
complimentary on how it left their skin feeling afterwards? This left me
with the initially contentious question of whether black skin has different
properties to white skin.
After doing lots of research, particularly following some of the work of Dr
Rolanda Johnson Wilkerson Ph.D in the USA, the answer is yes, black skin
does have different properties to white skin. It’s all about
Trans-epidermal Water Loss (TEWL), which is about the quantity of water that
passes from inside the body and out through the skin. Six out of eight
studies in the USA indicated that TEWL is greater in black skin compared
with white skin. As such black skin has a propensity to be dryer and
benefits from moisturisation, or, in our world, lubrication!
As a white guy there was no way that i was going to create a product for
black people on my own. The next step was to form a customer focus group
comprising of men and women of African/Caribbean origin. Volunteers for the
focus group were recruited via London marketing agency RSL Management
Services, the founder of which (Ronke Lawal) is the recipient of a Precious
Award, founded to celebrate the achievements of inspirational
entrepreneurial women of colour.
The focus group members all received different formulations to try, answered
questionnaires, provided feedback on design elements and were given the
opportunity to help name the product. After the process the final
formulation was chosen and Noir was born.
The formulations that were sampled included the original Silicone+ that was
received so well at The Vitality Show. But the best received and chosen
formulation included the ingredients aloe vera and vitamin E, which were
added to maximise the moisturising properties of the product. We were so
pleased with the results from the focus group as they corroborated the need
for a lube that not only provides a luxurious glide quality but leaves the
skin feeling soft, silky and moisturised.
had and I’m surprised it didn’t put me off lube forever. We liked the flavour but the stickiness that it
left behind was horrendous. But instead of ending the use of a, well, crap
product my entrepreneurial brain told me that surely we could do better than
that.
My thoughts were corroborated when I visited a local Tesco and found that
that was the only brand that people could buy. It shocked me that mainstream
shopping consumers had no choice options. It also shocked me that a large
company could make such a poor product and that major retailers buy it from
them. Just because a company is large, it doesn’t mean that they have the
best products or even the best ideas, clearly.
After a world-wide search of cosmetic and lubricant manufacturers (and lots
of enjoyable testing!), in Germany we found what we believe to be the best
lubricant manufacturer on the planet. The CEO of which was the original
inventor of silicone lube. After visiting the factory and discussing our
plans it was clear to us, with these quality products, their pedigree and
pioneering approach this was the obvious and only choice for us to make. A
few months later Give Lube was born. I’d always been a giver in
relationships and believe that you get what you put into your relationships,
so giving became the very heart of our brand ethos.
Cutting a very long story shorter I’ll let you know why I now love lube and
how you can benefit from this great, incredibly versatile intimate
consumable. After an unpleasant experience with our very first try with
lube I now classify lube as a sex toy in it’s own right. It is not just to
solve sexual dryness. It is the easiest and most economical way of adding
more fun to your sex life. It’s the versatile, essential sex accessory that
can be used with and without sex toys, on your own or with partners, for
countless situations and encounters.
We don’t always use lube. Sometimes we have sex with lube. Sometimes we
have sex with a toy and lube. Sometimes we use nothing. Sex is about
variety and there really are endless combinations of pleasure that you can
have! With lube I love the different sensations each can give you.
Water-based lube is a great all-rounder and can be used for everything; with
sex toys, vaginal, oral, anal, masturbation. Silicone lube gives a more
luxurious glide quality and, unlike water-based lube which will eventually
dry out due to the water content starting to evaporate, is extremely
long-lasting and will last as long as you do!
noir lube
was a group that have certainly been under-represented and almost neglected as far as brands go and thought that this group deserved their own
product/brand too.
At this stage I did have unanswered questions in my head though; why did such a higher proportion of black men and women, compared to white men and women, enjoy the product so much? Why were black men and women so complimentary on how it left their skin feeling afterwards? This left me with the initially contentious question of whether black skin has different properties to white skin.
After doing lots of research, particularly following some of the work of Dr Rolanda Johnson Wilkerson
Trans-epidermal Water Loss (TEWL), which is about the quantity of water that
passes from inside the body and out through the skin. Six out of eight
studies in the USA indicated that TEWL is greater in black skin compared
with white skin. As such black skin has a propensity to be dryer and
benefits from moisturisation, or, in our world, lubrication!
As a white guy there was no way that i was going to create a product for
black people on my own. The next step was to form a customer focus group
comprising of men and women of African/Caribbean origin. Volunteers for the
focus group were recruited via London marketing agency RSL Management
Services, the founder of which (Ronke Lawal) is the recipient of a Precious
Award, founded to celebrate the achievements of inspirational
entrepreneurial women of colour.
The focus group members all received different formulations to try, answered
questionnaires, provided feedback on design elements and were given the
opportunity to help name the product. After the process the final
formulation was chosen and Noir was born.
The formulations that were sampled included the original Silicone+ that was
received so well at The Vitality Show. But the best received and chosen
formulation included the ingredients aloe vera and vitamin E, which were
added to maximise the moisturising properties of the product. We were so
pleased with the results from the focus group as they corroborated the need
for a lube that not only provides a luxurious glide quality but leaves the
skin feeling soft, silky and moisturised.
lubricant manufacturer on the planet. The CEO of which was the original
inventor of silicone lube. After visiting the factory and discussing our
plans it was clear to us, with these quality products, their pedigree and
pioneering approach this was the obvious and only choice for us to make. A
few months later Give Lube was born. I’d always been a giver in
relationships and believe that you get what you put into your relationships,
so giving became the very heart of our brand ethos.
Cutting a very long story shorter I’ll let you know why I now love lube and
how you can benefit from this great, incredibly versatile intimate
consumable. After an unpleasant experience with our very first try with
lube I now classify lube as a sex toy in it’s own right. It is not just to
solve sexual dryness. It is the easiest and most economical way of adding
more fun to your sex life. It’s the versatile, essential sex accessory that
can be used with and without sex toys, on your own or with partners, for
countless situations and encounters.
We don’t always use lube. Sometimes we have sex with lube. Sometimes we
have sex with a toy and lube. Sometimes we use nothing. Sex is about
variety and there really are endless combinations of pleasure that you can
have! With lube I love the different sensations each can give you.
Water-based lube is a great all-rounder and can be used for everything; with
sex toys, vaginal, oral, anal, masturbation. Silicone lube gives a more
luxurious glide quality and, unlike water-based lube which will eventually
dry out due to the water content starting to evaporate, is extremely
long-lasting and will last as long as you do!
Ph.D in the USA, the answer is yes, black skin does have different properties to white skin. It’s all about
Trans-epidermal Water Loss (TEWL), which is about the quantity of water that passes from inside the body and out through the skin. Six out of eight studies in the USA indicated that TEWL is greater in black skin compared with white skin. As such black skin has a propensity to be dryer and benefits from moisturisation, or, in our world, lubrication!
As a white guy there was no way that i was going to create a product for black people on my own. The next step was to form a customer focus group
comprising of men and women of African/Caribbean origin. Volunteers for the focus group were recruited via London marketing agency RSL Management
Services, the founder of which (Ronke Lawal) is the recipient of a Precious Award, founded to celebrate the achievements of inspirational entrepreneurial women of colour.
The focus group members all received different formulations to try, answered questionnaires, provided feedback on design elements and were given the opportunity to help name the product. After the process the final formulation was chosen and Noir was born.
The formulations that were sampled included the original Silicone+ that was received so well at The Vitality Show. But the best received and chosen
formulation included the ingredients aloe vera and vitamin E, which wereadded to maximise the moisturising properties of the product. We were so
pleased with the results from the focus group as they corroborated the need for a lube that not only provides a luxurious glide quality but leaves the
skin feeling soft, silky and moisturised.