sitre is all about being serious about pleasure. Co-founder Julie Herskin shares challenges and market opportunities, and welcome industry peers to come and join the sector.
sitre launched in 2021 with a firm belief that the world was going to be ready for a new chapter. A lot has happened since.
– We wanted to make sex feel like wellness—something you do to take care of yourself. Not hidden away in the dodgy corners, but part of a wellness lifestyle, even overlapping with design and fashion. When we launched, that wasn’t easy. Meta and the online world were—and still are—nervous about sex, and in the US, which once led the sex wellness movement, some frontrunners have even pulled back, Herskin shares. She continues:
– It should go the other way. It should be that we are starting to think more about our whole well-being. And a lot has happened since we launched, especially just in the last year, where people have really started thinking more about mental health, how can I not just look good but be good for myself, and that’s what we’re all about.
– Intimacy has often been portrayed as something physical—but it happens as much in your mind as it does in your body. That’s why our products are designed from a holistic perspective, making you feel more confident and present.
How is the Nordic market for sex wellness compared to other places?
– People often assume Denmark is very liberal because of things like nude winter bathing, but when we launched, intimacy wasn’t really talked about in press or retail. We’ve worked hard to shape that conversation. Luckily, other brands launched around the same time, and together we’ve helped put intimacy on the agenda. Today, it’s something you see in media, in press, in retail. That shift feels important and very necessary.
Why do you think that is?
– A mix of things. Generally, people are becoming more health-conscious and more open to holistic perspectives. And a wave of brands, including us, launched around COVID, which helped drive that conversation forward. You can see the change in stores too: three years ago, people didn’t ask any questions. Today, customers are informed and curious—they’ll take a product off the shelf and immediately ask, ’Is this the one that does this or that?’ That’s a huge shift.
sitre’s range includes certain hero ingredients as well as a black list with things, such as glycerin, perfume, and sugars, to never be used in the products that are meant for the intimate areas.
– It’s really important not to have any ingredients that can trigger any hormonal imbalances, allergic reactions, or even yeast infections. The hero ingredients are very dependent on the product and its function. For example, we make sure that we use really rich oils; we want them to do good but also be really good for massage. We really think about textures and how we can create the ideal ones. For instance, argan oil is an oil that’s really good for staying on the skin, not feeling greasy, and doing really good at the same time, Herskin shares. She continues:
– Our best seller is our Pleasure Booster, the CBD-infused oil. CBD is quite magical when you use it intimately. The skin in the intimate area is the thinnest on the entire body, so it gets quicker absorbed by the blood. When CBD gets absorbed by the blood, it increases blood flow, and that can increase sensitivity and create a heated feeling. We even have people who use it for intimate pain. For example, after giving birth, you’re feeling everything is tensing up. But it also just creates a deeper and more amazing orgasm. It’s a win-win in all aspects.
How have you followed the general rise of wellness in beauty and personal care?
– The wellness shift has opened so many doors for us. It allows intimacy to enter spaces it wasn’t welcome before. For example, at our events we’ll combine a grounding meditation with our massage candle and a yoga session. Framing intimacy in that way helps people see it from a new perspective—less ’scary’ or taboo, and more natural. Instead of a clinical or vulgar conversation, it becomes one about self-love, presence, and connection—which is what intimacy really is. Most of us spend more time checking in with others than asking ourselves, What do I feel right now? Intimacy brings us back to that question, and wellness has given us the language to have it openly.
Will this sex and wellness conversation continue, you think?
– Absolutely. Even in the past months, we’ve felt a difference. It’s becoming more normal, more open, and easier to talk about. Beauty and lifestyle stores are starting to embrace it too. We’re in some incredible concept stores now, and while there’s still work to do, the progress is clear. Our mission is simple: to help people feel good through intimacy.
And you think established beauty brands will also launch intimacy products?
– For sure. You’re already seeing it.
And it’s increasing awareness and removing stigmas even further, right?
– Exactly. It’s actually a good thing when people start more brands and do it. It’s hard to create that change on our own. We don’t see it as competition. We see it as, yeah, let’s do it together!
