“What we’ve done is carry over our safety mantra for men,” Sliquid president and CEO Dean Elliott told XBIZ. “There used to be a lot of men buying Sliquid products but we changed our packaging so it looked very feminine and we started getting letters from men that loved Sliquid, but said, ‘Hey you forgot about us. I don’t want to buy a product that has pink and a pretty face all over it.’”
According to Elliott, the formula for Ride Silicone is essentially the same Sliquid Silver product, but has been repackaged in a new metallic gold-and-black design with contemporary touches like tribal dragons and Olde English text.
Elliott said that during product testing with focus groups, the new packaging had crossover appeal with women, and so Ride products will not be merchandised only toward the male market.
Ride H20 follows the same basic recipe as Sliquid Sassy lubricant with a slight reformulation.
“It’s a very clean, water-based formula but we thickened it with a little bit more plant cellulose,” Elliott said. “We decided to beef it up with a little more plant cellulose so it makes a great vaginal and anal gel. Again, it’s glycerin and paraben-free.”
Elliot said new products are being developed specifically for the Ride line, including a warming masturbation lubricant created specifically with men in mind.
“The masturbation formula is going to be called Ride Rub. It’ll be a warming, petroleum or oil-based formula, so not for use in sex or intercourse because you can’t use it with condoms,” Elliott. “It’s really going to be a masturbation cream.”
And adding to the Sliquid line, Elliott said they currently are developing a non-warming masturbation gel that would be similar to Sliquid Stay, a desensitizing lubricant that contains lidocaine. The new product will be called Sliquid Solo.
Until January, Sliquid has an exclusive U.S. distribution contract with Entrenue and Sliquid products are available at retailers including Freddy and Eddy’s, Babeland, Good Vibrations and Condomania.