Melanie Cristol

“Lorals are panties worn while receiving oral sex or being rimmed.”

According to Melanie Cristol, four out of five women in the US sometimes say No to cunnilingus even though they’d actually like to say yes, the reason being that they hadn’t showered that day or because they were menstruating. But Cristol’s invention, Lorals, could make such worries a thing of the past. Lorals are paper-thin latex panties that do create a barrier, but still allow for any and all sensations to be felt. In our EAN interview, the brand founder explains how the idea of Lorals originated and what we can expect from the product, that is set to launch in the upcoming months.


On your website, you describe Lorals as ”revolutionary lingerie that helps you say yes to oral sex.“ How exactly does Lorals does Lorals help women?
Melanie Cristol: Women report that oral sex leads them to orgasm 81% of the time, while intercourse leads them to orgasm 25% of the time. Yet so many women say no to oral sex, even when they really want to say yes. Lorals conducted a randomised survey of American women and found that 80% had been in this situation. More than half had said no because they hadn’t showered that day, and nearly half had said no because they were menstruating. But with oral sex being such a satisfying activity, we wanted to help women say yes whenever they got the urge.

Lorals are panties worn while receiving oral sex or being rimmed. They’re paper-thin and stretchy so that you can feel the sensations your partner is passing along, while they create a non-porous barrier — freeing women from worries or concerns so they can focus on the moment.

How did you come up with the idea for Lorals? Did you have previous experience in this field?
I thought of the idea for Lorals after a really romantic vacation. Everything about the situation was set up for a no-holds-barred incredibly intimate experience, and I was with someone I loved and trusted. But then in the moment, I found myself saying no to oral sex, even though I really wanted to say yes.

I remembered that moment for a while afterwards, and I thought about what my options had been. We could have used a dental dam, but the idea felt so unsexy, and holding it in place seemed cumbersome. I guess we could have used saran wrap, but that felt beyond insulting and uncomfortable. I wanted a product that turned me on, gave me coverage where I wanted it, and didn’t hold anything back when it came to pleasure — but research showed me that nothing like that existed. I decided there needed to be a well-designed product that helped women say yes to oral while helping them feel sexy, beautiful, and confident — whether on a fancy vacation, or in their everyday lives.
I drew from my experiences as a peer sex educator, a sexual health advocate, and a consumer products lawyer to develop Lorals.

Lorals
Lorals are latex panties for carefree oral sex

What can you tell us about the technical properties of Lorals? What are the panties made of and how did you get them to be so thin?
Lorals are made out of the same type of latex as condoms. We wanted them to look and feel like silky lingerie but be as thin and stretchy as a condom.

We spent years in R&D, working with several different manufacturers through dozens of rounds of prototypes. We eventually determined how to use the latex dipping process (also used for condoms) to make clothing items like Lorals. Our product and our process are utility-patent pending in the US, Europe, and in several other countries internationally.

Are Lorals one size fits all panties or do you offer different sizes to accommodate all body shapes?
Lorals currently fit hip sizes 34.5” to 44.5”, which corresponds to XS-XL in US lingerie sizes. We plan to expand to additional size options in the future!

To what extend does Lorals help with STD prevention?
We’ve always hoped to provide STD protection with Lorals. From the beginning, we’ve used STD-blocking materials (the same latex as condoms) and careful processes to ensure that Lorals will be able to pass the government’s many safety tests. But in order to get approved as an STD-prevention device, we need to develop a brand-new technology to test every single pair of Lorals for STD protection. We are currently conducting a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo ( http://igg.me/at/mylorals ) to raise the funds for that effort.

Once we develop the proper machines and get government approval, Lorals will provide the same protection as a dental dam, but you’ll wear them as lingerie. So, there’s nothing to hold in place, no concern about the product moving around on the body, no extra material to get caught in the giver’s nostrils — and no fear of fluid transmission. You’ll feel confident and you’ll be free to enjoy yourself.

For now, you are marketing Lorals directly to consumers. When will erotic retail shops, especially in Europe, also be able to profit from your product?
We’re excited to announce that we’re offering Lorals to distributors and retailers worldwide as part of our crowdfunding campaign! This option is available to a limited number of retailers who want to be the first to share Lorals with their community.

After the crowdfund campaign, we will determine whether to sell Lorals to retailers or on an exclusively DTC model.

You are in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign right now. Where and when will Lorals be available and what can you tell us about pricing?
Lorals will be available in August 2018. They are priced at $25 for a pack of 4.

What are your plans for the time after the campaign is finished? Will we see additional shapes and scents in the future?
Our first goal after the crowdfund is to develop an STD-protection version of Lorals. After that, we’re excited to expand to additional sizes. And then, we’ll listen to customer demand and decide whether we should prioritise different shapes, scents, colours, or other features. We would love to hear retailers’ opinions about what their customers want to see! We’re always open to chatting – please feel free to connect with us at hello@mylorals.com.