Intimacy and sexual pleasure is an integral part of women’s health and wellness, but we as a culture have spent far too long treating this critical issue like a taboo topic, a luxury of sometimes mythical proportions, only to be enjoyed by men and the women who please them. In recent years with the rise of social media, podcasts and outlets where diverse women’s voices have risen to prominence, the pleasure gap has become a huge topic of interest. And the rise in female-founded brands rooted in closing the pleasure gap and encouraging self-experimentation is providing solutions to the challenges many women have faced around sexuality.

Whether you are having sex with a partner or practicing self-love solo, knowing your preferences and how to get there is the key to more pleasure – a right we all deserve access to, at all times. This month of love we’re excited to share some products catering to the unique makeup of the female body.

Here are 5 of our favorite brands for sex and pleasure, and the products you can add to your sex-cessory collection:

Dame

Dame, founded by Alexandra Fine and Janet Lieberman, burst onto the sex toy scene with an unprecedented successful crowdfunding campaign for their first product Eva. The discreet but powerful vibrator, which tucks securely under the labia for stimulation during partnered sex or solo play, still remains one of the brand’s most popular products, Dame carries a whole line of sex toys and accessories designed with the intention of closing the pleasure gap.

If you’re new to the world of sex toys or are unsure what kind of product you’re looking for, we love that Dame offers a quiz on their website to “find your perfect toy.” What we love most of all, however, is that Dame truly is using its platform to advocate for pleasure equality – in 2019, they sued the New York MTA for refusing to run Dame ads in New York City subways.

Maude

Maude‘s line of pleasure products make self-care an act of foreplay and set a sexy mood wherever you are. They make a  hydrating coconut milk bath can be used to soak alone or together, a Shine lubricant that is naturally hydrating, and a jojoba-oil candle that can be gently poured onto the skin for a warm, sensual massage. Maude also makes a personal massage vibrator with 3-different speeds to be enjoyed no matter your preference for power and pressure.

Maude was founded by Eva Goicochea and Dina Epstein; as a brand, Maude calls itself a “modern sexual wellness company,” aiming to “change this outdated industry and make intimacy better for all people.”

Sustain

Sustain, which sells period products including 100% organic cotton tampons and menstrual cups, also carries lubricant and an array of latex condoms. Sustain was founded by Meika Hollender, and prides itself as a leading brand of all-natural, vagina-friendly products that put women’s bodies and sexual wellness first.

Sustain makes the only nitrosamine-free condoms, which are lubricated inside and out and come in tailored fit, ultra thin, large, and extra large. Sustain’s water-based personal lubricant is 96% organic with ingredients like aloe vera that work to supplement natural lubrication.

Unbound

Unbound Babes, a sex-positive brand with a diverse array of sex toys and accessories, was founded by Polly Rodriguez. Unbound products encourage customers to explore in their sex lives, and make experimentation accessible with affording pricing and options for every sexual preference.

Their line of vibrators come in aesthetically pleasing colors and shapes that will not intimidate first-time sex toy users or bore more experienced players. The space theme following on their website and in the designs of many of their products teases that your enjoyment of Unbound’s offerings will be equally “out of this world.”

Another detail we love? In addition to their original “Jelly” lubricant, they make two other lube products – one that targets clitoral stimulation and another meant to increase size and sensitivity of the G-spot.

Lioness

Lioness is the first “smart” vibrator on the market, designed specifically with self-experimentation in mind. What makes Lioness so unique as an intelligent sex toy is that it syncs with an app on your phone so that, after you have finished using it during solo play, you can review the results and better track how your body responds to different stimuli and during orgasm. The goal is that by using Lioness over time, you can learn what gives you the most pleasure.

Liz Klinger and Anna Lee co-founded Lioness in response to their own unanswered questions about sex, as a resource for women to take ownership of their pleasure and overcome feelings of guilt and shame to get empowered by their bodies.