How CBD lube is helping to empower people of all sexualities in the bedroom

Words: Markus Bidaux

Lockdown has been unique for all of us. Some of us binged TV, others took up knitting, while others spent days training lockdown puppies to behave.

In the Attitude Sex & Sexuality issue – out now to download and to order globally – filmmaker and event organiser Samuel Douek reveals how he used his downtime to launch a positively queer sexual wellness brand, Howl.

Their first product, a CBD-infused anal lubricant, hit the digital shelves in December. CBD, or cannabidiol, is derived from the marijuana plant, but does not contain the illegal (in the UK at least) THC compound that gets you high.

Here, Samuel explains why we should be using CBD for our bedroom antics, and the importance of breaking down sexual taboos…

“I got approached by some friends of mine who are in the cannabis industry and we decided to launch Howl, a disruptive sexual wellness brand”, he tells us.

Samuel Douek founded Howl to ‘disrupt’ the sexual wellness industry (Photography: Francisco Gomez de Villaboa)

“The reason why lube and CBD was our first port of call is because my experience with lubes was just nothing remarkable, I didn’t have a brand that I really liked. I found a lot of brands very dated, boring or uninspiring — nothing really mirrored the liberal society that we live in today.”

Explaining why CBD lube has become an unlikely hit among customers, Samuel continues: “CBD is anti-inflammatory and has relaxing properties that calm nerves, particularly within lubricants — it enhances orgasms.

“CBD in anal lube is perfect, because a lot of people who are having anal sex find it uncomfortable or intimidating, and CBD helps to relax you and improve your anal sex escapades.”

The lubricant isn’t just being marketed towards LGBTQ people, either.

“The driving force is us wanting to have a conversation about anal sex, not just for queer men, but for straight men who are interested in pegging, or women who love the idea of anal sex but are too intimidated because there isn’t a conversation around it to try it,” Samuel says.

Image: Howl

“I think that we should never shy away from having a conversation about that because it’s ridiculous that it exists as a taboo considering so many people engage with it and enjoy it.

“The British public are so British, infamously so, but I would say, behind closed doors, there’s definitely an adventurousness which is seldom discussed in public.

“We really want to secure our place in industry as a sexual wellness brand, which means loads of new CBD products, sex products and toys, and merchandise to enhance your experience.

“We’ve got a lot of exciting projects in the pipeline, so definitely watch this space.”

Read the full feature in the Attitude Sex & Sexuality issue, out now to download and to order globally.

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