Intimate hygiene products globally remain niche but their launch numbers are increasing. Principally, these launches are positioned towards women (67% of all launches carry this claim), and whilst 42% of intimate hygiene launches have occurred in Europe, the number of launches in this region have declined, whereas they have grown in Latin America and Asia Pacific, which now account for 21% and 23% of global launches respectively.
Like Europe, the Middle East and Africa have both seen a decline in intimate hygiene launches in the last year. However, Mintel’s Senior Beauty and Personal Care Analyst Shiyan Zering has noted a change in attitudes towards intimate care and health in the region, thanks to younger, tech savvier generations opening up the conversation beyond cultural taboos.
Zering says there is an opportunity to align intimate health products with Islamic values, highlighting how intimate hygiene is closely tied to Islamic teachings that promote cleanliness through cleansing practices such as wudu. It is therefore key that products are halal-certified. Such products can also support ritual cleanliness by avoiding excessive fragrance to support purity for prayer. Products like Nona Woman’s Feminine Cleansing Wipes (launched in Indonesia in July 2025) could fit well into this opportunity, with its Halal Indonesia certification and absence of alcohol and fragrance.
Reframing intimate hygiene from shame to function can grow the category, says Zering, offering a contrast to the many intimate hygiene products in the Middle East that currently focus on malodour and thus run the risk of reinforcing shame around bodily functions. Instead, intimate hygiene products can provide a more positive approach, positioning intimate hygiene as a means of comfort, care and ritual alignment. Functional claims – like cooling, pH-balance or ablution-friendly – offer a way to support physical and emotional needs without stigma.