Give Pleasure Products has announced the launch of a world first in the lube sector – Noir is claimed to be the first lube that has been specifically developed for black skin. The silicone-based lube with added skin care ingredients is the result of extensive research and collaboration with a customer focus group consisting of men and women of African/Caribbean origin. Volunteers for the focus group were sought 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 was consulted on and sampled different formulations, contributed to design elements and helped choose the name for the product.
Give Pleasure Products MD Nigel Powell explained why Noir was created: “The idea first came about after exhibiting at The Vitality Show in early 2013. We had so many black men and women love our Silicone+ lube. Some came back the next day and others had said 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, seeing the opportunity, thought that this group deserved their own product/brand too.”
Powell continued: “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 PhD 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! With Ronke’s help we put together the focus group. They 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. We’re really pleased with the finished product. We’re so grateful to the men and women who contributed greatly on the focus group and they will be the first recipients of the finished product as an additional thank you. We also think that this product shows that Give Pleasure Products are a forward-thinking, diversity-valuing company which are the right ingredients for the multi-sexual, multi-cultural world and industry that we live and work in.”
Noir is available in 100ml bottles and has a suggested retail price of £12.95. Retail stores are supported with space maximising vertical POS strips, which are free with cases of 24. For more information contact Give Pleasure Products on 01452 223055 or email [email protected]
