Sliquid: All-Natural Selection

Sliquid started as a quest by company owner Dean Elliott to find a personal lubricant that could be used by his wife, who was troubled by sensitivity to glycerin and other elements usually found in commercial personal lubes.

The company was started in 2002, and spent more than a year and a half researching formulas, clearing trademarks and test marketing.

A lot of our customers are men — not just gay men, but men — and we were packaging our product with a girly face on the label. The men didn’t like it. We repackaged the line with more-masculine packaging and call it “Dude Lube” — same product.

“We were on the shelves in January 2004,” Elliott told XBIZ. “We knew going in that we had to be more than just a cool name and a cool logo. We needed to create a major point of difference for the health-conscious consumer. We formulated our lubes from day one, every single variation, to be glycerin and glycol free. After that we introduced newer-school preservatives, so we got rid of the parabens after the first two years. By 2006, we had a newer, gentler preservative, so we were the first to be glycerin and paraben free in the full line. Our No. 1 seller is still Sliquid H2O. It’s the cleanest, the greenest, the purest, the least amount of stuff in it — people love it.”

The natural ingredients in Sliquid make the lube perishable, even with the preservative. “Because it’s all natural, the meter is running,” Elliott said. “It’ll go 24 months, and some of the line will go as long as 30 months, but we tell people to use it within two years.”

The preservative elements, potassium sorbate and citric acid, primarily prevent the growth of mold “like little sea monkeys,” according to Elliott, and the citric acid also serves as a pH buffer, keeping the product at a neutral 6.

The Organics line is made with organic botanical material. “We have a proprietary blend of ingredients,” Elliott said. “The USDA signs off on them, and we infuse that into our lubes. Some of the ingredients are anti-inflammatory, some are soothing, some are restorative for tissue — they all have their benefits. The folks that love the Organics want to have those benefits.”

Elliott told XBIZ that representatives spend a lot of time on the road, servicing accounts and getting feedback from sales associates in stores.

“We get a lot of ideas from them,” Elliott said. “A lot of our customers are men — not just gay men, but men — and we were packaging our product with a girl-y face on the label. The men didn’t like it. We repackaged the line with moremasculine packaging and call it ‘Dude Lube’ — same product.”

This fall, Sliquid will be launching new massage oils with certified organic shea butter and mango butter, plus flax, green tea, hibiscus and sunflower seed, in three fragrances and unscented.

For more information, visit Sliquid.com, SliquidOrganics.com and DudeLube.com.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

Why BDSM Furniture and Sex Machines Make an Ideal Match

For BDSM enthusiasts and curious newbies alike, a big part of the fun is discovering and exploring exciting new sensations and scenarios. One way to level up is by combining or layering pleasures you already enjoy, and one surefire way to do that is with BDSM furniture.

Rebecca Weinberg ·
opinion

Tips for Boosting Ecommerce Revenue With Behavioral Insights

At our marketing agency, we focus on using real data to make better decisions for our clients. We believe every action a visitor takes on a website can tell us something important. This helps us shape our strategies and assist our clients in turning casual website visitors into loyal customers.

Lauren Bailey ·
opinion

A Look at the Do's and Don'ts of Gift-With-Purchase Promos

Imagine you’re at a store, deciding between two products with similar packaging, features and pricing. You’re not predisposed toward either brand and you haven’t seen any reviews — but one of them offers, “Free gift with purchase!” Does that win you over?

Vanessa Rose ·
opinion

Tips for Navigating a Completely Remote Job in Sexual Wellness

Anyone working in the sexual wellness and pleasure sector has at some point had to deal with issues like bias against the industry, as well as limited marketing and advertising options.

Bryony Lees ·
trends

Meet the 2024 Class of Up-and-Coming Pleasure Brands to Watch

With each new year that rolls in, new pleasure brands emerge, and 2024 is no exception. Already this year, a slew of new entrants are rapidly gaining traction and recognition via social media, among retailers and distributors — and most importantly, end consumers.

profile

WIA Profile: Sarah Franson

When you do what you love, they say, you’ll never work a day in your life — and when your job involves educating the masses about sex toys, it’s hard not to love what you do.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Popsi Lingerie CEO Sam Golshan Discusses Brand's Growth, Mission

Lingerie: a sexy French word for an alluring little something to spark things up in the bedroom, teasingly wear out to clubs, dress up in to celebrate a special occasion or just wear under everyday clothes to feel excited and desirable.

Kim Airs ·
profile

Honey Play Box's Joreail Armstrong Reflects on Company's Growth

Today, Armstrong serves as business development manager for boutique sex toy brand Honey Play Box, but he began his role there as a one-man marketing department, assisting CEO Shirley Wang with nearly every aspect of launching the brand.

Sofia Barrett-Ibarria ·
opinion

How Awareness Revolutionized Materials Used in Pleasure Products

Today’s manufacturers and consumers are material-savvy, giving rise to pleasure products that are safe to use, beautiful to look at, high-quality and even environmentally responsible.

Eric Lee ·
opinion

How Sex-Ed Lays the Groundwork for Well-Informed Shopping

We often do some research before making purchases, whether by delving into a company’s background, exploring specific products or simply making sure we understand how to use something before we buy it.

Nathan Hammerle ·
Show More