The shower head is reinvented to reclaim its function as a sex toy

Recent years have brought a lot of discussion of female masturbation, largely thanks to the sex toy industry. But does that conversation really have to do with how women masturbate? “I remember that I started masturbating in high school, because one of my roommates told me that she had seen a movie in which they masturbated with the shower head. The next day, all of our friends tried it. It didn’t happen then, but my first orgasm wasn’t with a man. It was with the shower head,” says 38-year-old Sofía.

Sexologist Ana Lombardía says that when her clients talk about masturbation, many of them say they masturbate in the shower. “It’s often also because of having a space and time for intimacy, to be alone, to give ourselves pleasure.” Although, without a doubt, they also do so because many women start their masturbation journey in the shower. “They are very early ways of masturbating. Often women start as little girls with a pillow or a stuffed animal. Many discover that the shower stream is pleasurable, and they start to stimulate themselves that way, without having an adult perspective of masturbation, just pleasure for pleasure’s sake.”

The union of shower and sex toy

Now, the sex toy company Womanizer has attempted to join these two concepts: the casual pleasure of the shower head and the intention of masturbating with a sex toy. The result is the Womanizer Wave, the first shower head created specifically for masturbation, which the company designed in collaboration with the premium bath products manufacturer Hansgrohe.

Why? Because data suggests that masturbation in the shower was a need left unattended by the sex toy industry. The company surveyed 14,957 participants in 11 countries. According to their data, seven out of every 10 women in the world (68%) have masturbated in the shower or bath. 55% say that the first time was before they turned 18.

Creating a shower head for masturbation seemed like a simple and obvious idea, although it turned out to be more complex. The process of creating the gadget lasted more than three years. The technicians at Womanizer say that the challenge was to create a product that satisfied the majority of its users. “Masturbation is always a very individual experience, so finding the functionality to satisfy all different kinds of needs was definitely a challenge.” To do so, they created three kinds of streams that can be easily changed and intensified.

Womanizer Wave has three stimulation mods: Pleasure Jet, with constant, rhythmic stimulation; Pleasure Whirl, with more sensual movement; and Powder Rain, with a smooth and calming shower experience, all in an ergonomic design created to adapt to the body’s anatomy.

In addition to pleasure, the creators also researched more technical elements. “We focused on creating a product that was easy to clean and maintain, taking into account the challenges associated with exposure to water. Overcoming those obstacles required an extensive study, creation of prototypes and iterative improvements,” the creators say.

Defeating myths about female masturbation

The company says that, of the panel that tested the Womanizer Wave, 86% used it to de-stress, 80% said it improved their mood and 87% had an orgasm. Womanizer supports the idea that sex toys are increasingly linked not just to sexuality, but to general wellness. “While sex toys have traditionally been perceived only as sexual aids, there is recognition of their growing potential to improve general wellness and promote sexual health. The industry is evolving towards a broader perspective on them.” It’s almost a return to the origin of vibrators, which were originally advertised in magazines as women’s health massagers.

There is another interesting idea behind the new device. As already occurred with the famous suction toys, we are again faced with a sex toy that provides satisfaction with external stimulation, without recurring to penetration and moving away from dildos and vibrators that are shaped like penises.

“Returning to the idea of early masturbation, it is clear that we first find pleasure stimulating the vulva and clitoris, not the vagina. In reality, that more adult stimulation has more to do with the construction of sexuality around heterosexuality, penetration, etc., but not with that basic pleasure that naturally occurs,” says sexologist Ana Lombardía.

If masturbating in the shower is so common, why has it been left out of the conversation until now? “The fact that this kind of masturbation begins when we are young, and in a casual way, means that it is often treated as something hidden. That’s why when we keep doing it as adults it seems to have a different connotation, and maybe that’s why it’s not discussed,” Lombardía reflects.

The sexologist recalls that, though this kind of stimulation is recommended for physical and mental wellness, it is important to remember that anything that involves water requires special care for the vulva and the vagina. “The use of water has to be external, on the vulva, never introduced into the vagina. It is not necessary to use soap, as washing the vulva with water tends to be enough, unless a health professional has given a specific recommendation,” she concludes.

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