What if we told you that condoms which are the most sought after method of birth control is terrible for your vaginal health, and your health in general. This shouldn't come as a surprise because all the advertisements focus on "enhanced pleasure" instead of educating the masses about contraception, safe sex, and most importantly, the ingredients a condom is laced with.
To put things into perspective—condom companies use chemicals like nitrosamine, which is carcinogenic in nature and is linked to tumour growth, spermicides, that can increase the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and Benzocaine, a local aesthetic that's been linked to hormonal imbalance. They also have casein which is a milk protein that can affect people with lactose intolerance. To add to this, flavoured condoms come chalk-full of sugar molecules and parabens that cause urinary tract infections in women.
Thankfully, Komal Baldwa, founder of Hyderabad-based condom brand Bleü realised that there had to be an alternative, and India's first non-toxic, vegan male condoms were born. Bleü condoms advertise healthy pleasure while being fully transparent in its ingredients. Not only is it free of all of the above mentioned nasties, it is also sustainable and made using ethically-derived recyclable latex from pesticide-free forests. These hypoallergenic condoms do not contain any harsh chemicals in the lubrication liquid nor carcinogenic agents in the rubber. Casein removal makes these condoms vegan and lactose-intolerance-friendly. Bleü further uses no plastic in their packaging, and offers employment to women.
They retail three variants of condoms—dotted, ultra-thin, and their newly launched, spiral which have meticulously designed bulges that aid in pleasure. Priced at INR 249 (for a pack of 8), they also offer discreet delivery which save you a trip to the pharmacy.