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Self-Care Down There: From Menstrual Cups and Moisturizers to Body Positivity and Brazilian Wax, a Guide to Your Vagina's Well-Being
Take control of your vaginal health and bring your own standards of beauty to your intimate parts with this book offering frank, practical, and accurate beauty and wellness advice for the vagina and surrounding area.
Get the lowdown on how to take care of your nether regions with this fun and frank guide focused on helping you maintain your private parts. Covering everything from everyday cleanliness to internal and external safe health advice as well as tips regarding the groom-or-not-to-groom debate and sex-friendly good habits to practice, Self-Care Down There will help you keep your private parts in tip-top shape while expressing the true you!
Founder and CEO of IM With Periods and menstrual cycle charting coach Taqdir Kaur Bhandal has dedicated her career to offering wellness advice to women. Whether it’s period charts or sustainable period products, Self-Care Down There is an essential and practical guide to feminine care and the wellbeing of all genders.
Get the lowdown on how to take care of your nether regions with this fun and frank guide focused on helping you maintain your private parts. Covering everything from everyday cleanliness to internal and external safe health advice as well as tips regarding the groom-or-not-to-groom debate and sex-friendly good habits to practice, Self-Care Down There will help you keep your private parts in tip-top shape while expressing the true you!
Founder and CEO of IM With Periods and menstrual cycle charting coach Taqdir Kaur Bhandal has dedicated her career to offering wellness advice to women. Whether it’s period charts or sustainable period products, Self-Care Down There is an essential and practical guide to feminine care and the wellbeing of all genders.
- GenresNonfictionHealthFeminism
192 pages, Paperback
Published February 4, 2020
9 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 19, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This would be a good book for young women who want a pretty basic understanding of pelvic health. It was a bit too "spiritual-y" for my taste but overall, has good information.
This would be a good book for young women who want a pretty basic understanding of pelvic health. It was a bit too "spiritual-y" for my taste but overall, has good information.
February 20, 2020
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This book sounded fantastic and did have some great information in it that is worth a read but some of it was abit too spiritual for me and I wasn't sure what to make of these parts as they just weren't connecting to me. However if you are a very spiritual person you will probably feel very differently.
The book is split into 5 parts and each part is focused on a different topic relating to the vagina.
This book sounded fantastic and did have some great information in it that is worth a read but some of it was abit too spiritual for me and I wasn't sure what to make of these parts as they just weren't connecting to me. However if you are a very spiritual person you will probably feel very differently.
The book is split into 5 parts and each part is focused on a different topic relating to the vagina.
February 5, 2020
Self-Care Down There: From Menstrual Cups and Moisturizers to Body Positivity and Brazilian Wax, a Guide to Your Vagina’s Well-Being is written by Taq Kaur Bhandal, who happens to live in my neck of the woods.
I’m all about embracing our bodies and getting to know them and how they work, so I went in expecting to enjoy this book. It didn’t quite go as planned.
The book is divided into five different sections: getting to know your garden, savvy self-care, the wisdom of menstrual cycles, getting wet and wild, the modern-day vagina. For the most part, each page covers a subtopic, and there’s a box at the bottom of the page dedicated to sacred self-care, i.e. ways to practice self-care with regards to that particular topic.
From the book’s description, I wasn’t prepared for the woo-woo factor, for lack of a better term, that made an early appearance in the book. I’m pretty anti-New Age in general, so being told that my vagina is a spiritual energy centre connecting me to the earth didn’t really go over so well.
There was a mix of sensible and somewhat out-there suggestions. For example, the useful bits of advice on preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) were accompanied by the suggestion that you create an affirmation for the urethra to practice daily. The harms of douching were discussed, which is great, and then along came the idea of steaming your vagina. And yes, that’s pretty much what it sounds like.
The book encourages the reader to drink lots of water. Great suggestion, but this was accompanied by a rather odd explanation that the hydrogen in water helps to acidify the vagina; the actual explanation for the low pH in the vagina relates to Lactobacillus bacteria producing lactic acid when they metabolize sugars.
Where the book really lost me was with the hormonal contraceptive-bashing. This wasn’t just mentioned once or twice; it was a recurring theme emphasized throughout the book. Birth control pills and other hormonal methods were presented as factory-made cyborg hormones that give you cyborg ovaries and put you into cyborg menopause, which can disrupt your whole life, including your spiritual health.
While these types of birth control methods are far from perfect, and they can unquestionably cause side effects, they are a choice made by a whole lot of women. If the book is supposed to be about empowering women, slamming a method preferred by many women probably isn’t helpful.
The book also covers topics like pubic hair maintenance, period products, sex, and masturbation. Menstrual periods are explored, and the author suggests making a vision board for your menstrual cycle. I think I’ll skip that.
So, clearly this book wasn’t a great fit for me; I think it’s most likely to appeal to people who are already New-Age-inclined.
I received a reviewer copy of this book from www.netgalley.com.
I’m all about embracing our bodies and getting to know them and how they work, so I went in expecting to enjoy this book. It didn’t quite go as planned.
The book is divided into five different sections: getting to know your garden, savvy self-care, the wisdom of menstrual cycles, getting wet and wild, the modern-day vagina. For the most part, each page covers a subtopic, and there’s a box at the bottom of the page dedicated to sacred self-care, i.e. ways to practice self-care with regards to that particular topic.
From the book’s description, I wasn’t prepared for the woo-woo factor, for lack of a better term, that made an early appearance in the book. I’m pretty anti-New Age in general, so being told that my vagina is a spiritual energy centre connecting me to the earth didn’t really go over so well.
There was a mix of sensible and somewhat out-there suggestions. For example, the useful bits of advice on preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) were accompanied by the suggestion that you create an affirmation for the urethra to practice daily. The harms of douching were discussed, which is great, and then along came the idea of steaming your vagina. And yes, that’s pretty much what it sounds like.
The book encourages the reader to drink lots of water. Great suggestion, but this was accompanied by a rather odd explanation that the hydrogen in water helps to acidify the vagina; the actual explanation for the low pH in the vagina relates to Lactobacillus bacteria producing lactic acid when they metabolize sugars.
Where the book really lost me was with the hormonal contraceptive-bashing. This wasn’t just mentioned once or twice; it was a recurring theme emphasized throughout the book. Birth control pills and other hormonal methods were presented as factory-made cyborg hormones that give you cyborg ovaries and put you into cyborg menopause, which can disrupt your whole life, including your spiritual health.
While these types of birth control methods are far from perfect, and they can unquestionably cause side effects, they are a choice made by a whole lot of women. If the book is supposed to be about empowering women, slamming a method preferred by many women probably isn’t helpful.
The book also covers topics like pubic hair maintenance, period products, sex, and masturbation. Menstrual periods are explored, and the author suggests making a vision board for your menstrual cycle. I think I’ll skip that.
So, clearly this book wasn’t a great fit for me; I think it’s most likely to appeal to people who are already New-Age-inclined.
I received a reviewer copy of this book from www.netgalley.com.
June 15, 2021
This book is the lifetime of a vagina summed up in bite sized pieces of info, with body affirming language and encouragement to explore and nourish our bodies, specifically our vaginas and pelvic areas. This is a great starting point for those looking to feel empowered in their bodies and health choices, but also feeling like they have no one to turn to. Periods, fertility, sexuality can all be very taboo topics in so many cultures & this book can help diminish some of the stigma and bring us back to our bodies. I love the ‘sacred self care’ suggestions. I love that the author provides options while empowering you to make the choice that’s best for you and your body. While there might not be a lot of depth to each topic, there is a huge breadth of areas covered. Perfect for the busy schedule most people with vaginas find themselves caught up in. Along with all the additional resources and references, a reader can find reputable sources to explore the areas they are most concerned about!
August 18, 2020
Self Care down there by Taq kaur Bhandal
is all about breaking the social taboo attached to the conversations regarding female reproductive system . Oh ! what a book this is ! I am awed by the range of topics she has chosen to include . Such topics are yet not discussed openly when there shall be no veils kept on the knowledge for wellbeing of the female gender. The secrecy on knowledge leads us towards detrimental affects.
From understanding the anatomy to how taking care and understanding our own body to open up the doors to a better emotional and mental well-being is presented here . With brief and point wise biology backed facts and very clearly printed high quality illustrations , It becomes a must read .
There are exactly 100 chapters touching wide range of topics in total five parts.
To get connected with your body is the first step . To have a clear idea of different of the inner and outer parts , How the correct
pH matters , food and drinks for intimate wellbeing , hygienic practices , oils , moisturizers , waxing down there , massages , involving in intercourse , debunking taboos about virginity , female sexuality , pleasure practices to understanding the hormonal changes , moods , menstrual cycle , using healthier and safer period sanitary stuff like pads , tampons , menstrual cups , better and side effect less birth control options , fertility windows , pregnancy stages , childbirth, menopause , choosing best swim wears to how to reaffirm your self worth .Just so many things to know .
It is a profound book,a guide towards self care not only for your physical body but for your emotional well-being too. Each topic is kept brief to the point without any unnecessary discussion.The book is absolutely filled with pictorial discription for educational purpose . It is very normal but due to conventional illogical social taboos still women feel the pressure and don't talk which leads to unhealthy practices. I truly loved authors approach for representing a work , making it easy for readers to pick it up and find a full range of topics for overall well-being of women by taking self care ! Every one must read it !
is all about breaking the social taboo attached to the conversations regarding female reproductive system . Oh ! what a book this is ! I am awed by the range of topics she has chosen to include . Such topics are yet not discussed openly when there shall be no veils kept on the knowledge for wellbeing of the female gender. The secrecy on knowledge leads us towards detrimental affects.
From understanding the anatomy to how taking care and understanding our own body to open up the doors to a better emotional and mental well-being is presented here . With brief and point wise biology backed facts and very clearly printed high quality illustrations , It becomes a must read .
There are exactly 100 chapters touching wide range of topics in total five parts.
To get connected with your body is the first step . To have a clear idea of different of the inner and outer parts , How the correct
pH matters , food and drinks for intimate wellbeing , hygienic practices , oils , moisturizers , waxing down there , massages , involving in intercourse , debunking taboos about virginity , female sexuality , pleasure practices to understanding the hormonal changes , moods , menstrual cycle , using healthier and safer period sanitary stuff like pads , tampons , menstrual cups , better and side effect less birth control options , fertility windows , pregnancy stages , childbirth, menopause , choosing best swim wears to how to reaffirm your self worth .Just so many things to know .
It is a profound book,a guide towards self care not only for your physical body but for your emotional well-being too. Each topic is kept brief to the point without any unnecessary discussion.The book is absolutely filled with pictorial discription for educational purpose . It is very normal but due to conventional illogical social taboos still women feel the pressure and don't talk which leads to unhealthy practices. I truly loved authors approach for representing a work , making it easy for readers to pick it up and find a full range of topics for overall well-being of women by taking self care ! Every one must read it !
April 6, 2020
Thank you Netgally and the author for the gifted copy
Ummm, this book was for lack of a better term "different". I assumed it was going to be more science based. Like proven facts. It in turn was quite spiritual. I'm not the intended audience for this book.
Ummm, this book was for lack of a better term "different". I assumed it was going to be more science based. Like proven facts. It in turn was quite spiritual. I'm not the intended audience for this book.
April 16, 2021
This book was not meant for me, a thirty something who is very comfortable with all things fertility and how my body works.
The chapters are very, very short. It might be a useful introduction for younger people with a vulva.
The chapters are very, very short. It might be a useful introduction for younger people with a vulva.
December 29, 2020
Some good information, pretty hippy dippy which could be hard for some people to get past, also certainly written for a younger crowd.
I needed this more when I was 18, hopefully 18 year olds find it.
I needed this more when I was 18, hopefully 18 year olds find it.
July 2, 2023
This books tried to tackle to many topics and just resulted in giving out very vague information for most of its topics. Multiple topics included the authors telling us to do more research. While I understand all bodies are different and the same advice won’t be effective for everyone there should be general patterns or at least some recommended keywords / resource the author could of included. Even including an example template for all of the different things they recommend we track would of been nice.
Also while the advice of getting used to saying the word vagina is solid advice, it feels weird reading it after one section of the book being dedicated to a vagina garden metaphor. Personally I don’t like metaphors or spiritual language when it comes to learning about women’s health topics. I think it is to flowery and weird, since no other health book really does it. For example, when I read about type 1 diabetes (which affects people differently), everything is more factual and instead of saying to do our own research it mentions different variable in life that can effects us.
Though overall this book did have some good information on it and is a good first step in learning about different topics surrounding the vagina.
Also while the advice of getting used to saying the word vagina is solid advice, it feels weird reading it after one section of the book being dedicated to a vagina garden metaphor. Personally I don’t like metaphors or spiritual language when it comes to learning about women’s health topics. I think it is to flowery and weird, since no other health book really does it. For example, when I read about type 1 diabetes (which affects people differently), everything is more factual and instead of saying to do our own research it mentions different variable in life that can effects us.
Though overall this book did have some good information on it and is a good first step in learning about different topics surrounding the vagina.
April 3, 2023
i had to read this book for my women's health class, and i think this was the best one i could've picked. i'm a very spiritual person already, so the fact that this book centers around spirituality and connections to the earth was right up my ally. while this was something i had to pick up for class, i'm really glad that i went with this one. i was surprised to have learned as much as i did. definitely recommend this to anyone that was assigned female at birth!
July 10, 2022
Uncomfortable topics really but ones worthy of discussion. I learned something though much of the content didn't apply to me because I had a hysterectomy. I think this would be a good book for a mother to give her daughter in the mid to late teens.
January 28, 2020
Covers a lot of vaginal health and daily life issues. Would make a good book for a young girl just starting life into womanhood (just be aware it talks of sex, a lot, LOL, so if the girl doesn't know that yet, this could be a bit jarring)
I did feel a bit 'left wanting' with this as, though it delves into a lot of how we as women can and should come to know about our bodies down there, I felt the author could've gone deeper. She talks a lot of 'ancient wisdom passed on by your ancestors, etc.' but I wanted to know more about this ancient wisdom - I might be reading this book to find out things I don't know because it's not my culture or my geographical purview to know the immense knowledge women have been passing on through generations.
All in all, felt very much a 'primer' and I would've wanted to cover more ground regarding what to do and how/why do it for vaginal and sexual/reproductive health
I did feel a bit 'left wanting' with this as, though it delves into a lot of how we as women can and should come to know about our bodies down there, I felt the author could've gone deeper. She talks a lot of 'ancient wisdom passed on by your ancestors, etc.' but I wanted to know more about this ancient wisdom - I might be reading this book to find out things I don't know because it's not my culture or my geographical purview to know the immense knowledge women have been passing on through generations.
All in all, felt very much a 'primer' and I would've wanted to cover more ground regarding what to do and how/why do it for vaginal and sexual/reproductive health
February 4, 2020
This book is a self help book on discovering your body.I would say it is geared more towards a young person who wants to know more but doesn’t know where to start.Its a tad bit on the spiritual side.Descriptions are more flowery than clinical
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC
January 5, 2020
Very interesting read!
This is not a book for people who are looking for hardcore scientific facts, it's very much about getting in touch with your body and learning about some of the most sensitive parts of yourself, it is about letting go of thoughts of shame surronding your body, and instead learning to love every part of yourself.
"Self-Care Down There" covers everything you could possibly think of such as anatomy, a deep dive into hygiene and lifestyle, menstruation, sexual pleasure, and vaginal self-care trends.
If you want to get in touch with your womanhood, or feel more comfortable with your body i would strongly suggest this book, although, i would be careful as i would with any informational source and do your own research before following any tips that may affect your physical health.
This is not a book for people who are looking for hardcore scientific facts, it's very much about getting in touch with your body and learning about some of the most sensitive parts of yourself, it is about letting go of thoughts of shame surronding your body, and instead learning to love every part of yourself.
"Self-Care Down There" covers everything you could possibly think of such as anatomy, a deep dive into hygiene and lifestyle, menstruation, sexual pleasure, and vaginal self-care trends.
If you want to get in touch with your womanhood, or feel more comfortable with your body i would strongly suggest this book, although, i would be careful as i would with any informational source and do your own research before following any tips that may affect your physical health.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews