After graduating in Fine Arts from Pratt Institute and pursuing a freelance photography career in the beauty industry, Lindsay worked with brands such as Maybelline, Lancôme, and L’Occitane. Lindsay found herself looking back on a decade of work in the commercial beauty world and at the time, was experiencing new and recurrent issues with conditions such as UTIs, yeast infections, and bacterial vaginosis. Growing exceedingly exhausted with the ineffective ‘solutions’ on offer she began to wonder why she could not find any natural, organic, and inclusive products in the ‘feminine care’ industry. Soon after Lindsay turned her body into a vaginal wellness DIY project and co-founded Momotaro Apotheca – a collection of certified organic, plant-based, and pH-balanced skin products for vulvovaginal health. Lindsay aims to rethink how we talk about our sexual health issues, how we support each other in wellness, and how we understand our bodies.

Tell us about your company, Momotaro Apotheca.

Momotaro Apotheca is a certified organic vulvovaginal care company. We make plant-based alternatives to the harsh, often offensive products people buy in the feminine care aisle. What started as a project to solve my recurrent issues with bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, and UTIs has now turned into a global brand helping tens of thousands of people with not only the issues I was experiencing, but tons of other experiences and conditions relating to our sexual health.

What has your personal experience been with product inclusivity in the feminine care industry?

Well, the term “feminine care” is inherently not inclusive because there are many folks out there who need these products that don’t identify as feminine. I was never affirmed by the products and messaging surrounding these issues so it has always been a pillar of our brand since day one to use anatomically correct words when talking about our bodies.

What was your process of developing the product line?

We started by doing the research ourselves. After months of frustration with the lack of options, I took it into my own hands to solve my issues. We wanted to create a product that addressed those common infections in a way that was gentle, organic, and of course, efficacious. We then brought our concepts to naturopaths, nurses, OBGYNS, and pharmacologists to help us vet and finalize these formulations. We still work with a very well-rounded team to ensure our products can be as safe and effective as possible.

Do you have a favorite product?

The salve and the tonic, I use these products Every. Single. Day. They are incredibly versatile and have become products I now use all over my body because of their very multi-use qualities. I always love an opportunity to pack less and use less day-to-day or while I am on the road and these products really support that.

What advice would you give to someone struggling with recurrent UTIs?

Keep a journal. I started tracking my diet and lifestyle to help me better understand my triggers. This was incredibly helpful in my overall understanding of what my body needed vs what people told me. The point being what works for one person might not work for another. And of course, try our supplement. It is very special in that we formulated this “super supplement” to flush out bacteria in a very different way than your traditional D-Mannose or cranberry (which are still included). We wanted to offer something unique that addresses recurrent infections in a way that had never been done before.

How does Momotaro Apotheca help educate women on holistic intimate care?

We support many philanthropic organizations with “boots on the ground” if you will. As an e-commerce company, it’s really important to know we are supporting organizations that impact people in ways our products can’t, so paying sex educators, and creating inclusive content that expands beyond the physical products we make. This could be content that spans pain to pleasure, mental health to sex tips. We believe all of these pieces are incredibly important to building a healthy relationship with our sexual selves whether it be mentally or physically.

Where do you see your company in the next year?

The goal is to continue to launch products that address the myriad of concerns people have with their sexual and vulvovaginal health. We intend to create a certified organic alternative for every inch of the feminine care aisle (and rename that space vulvovaginal health, lol). At the same time continue to create inclusive education and resources to push the industry forward, as well as our understanding and treatment of our own bodies. □

Article Credits

Lindsay’s Instagram: @lovemomotaro
Lindsay’s Twitter: @momotaroapoth
Lindsay’s Facebook: @MomotaroApotheca
Lindsay’s Website: momotaroapotheca.com

Photography Credits

Lindsay Wynn & Rob Loud