Meet The Founders of HANX

Ever wondered who the brains are beyond your favourite condoms, sex toy or life stage supplements? Over to HANX Co-Founders, Farah Kabir, and CEO, and Dr. Sarah Welsh, Chief Product Officer, to share the real story behind building the brand…

Real Chemistry

“HANX started in 2017, but our partnership goes way back to secondary school. We actually met over a bunsen burner in a chemistry class, and have been firm friends ever since. We were inseparable all the way through to university, where despite taking different degrees, we ended up in the same city. Many shenanigans, partying with rock stars and ill-judged haircuts later, we embarked on separate careers in finance (Farah) and medicine (Sarah), but fate had a hand in bringing us back together…

The Lightbulb Moment

One lazy afternoon, we were chatting away and realised we shared a total frustration with the lack of innovation in the condom aisles. As part of her career in NHS gynaecology and obstetrics, Sarah was working in sexual health clinics. She had seen firsthand how lack of comprehensive sex education was impacting condom use, leaving lovers at risk of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy. On top of this, the mainstream products that were a go-to for most just weren’t designed for the sensitive vaginal skin. With harsh spermicides, weird sugary flavours and climax-delay chemicals, they were often the route cause of irritation, soreness and even UTIs… but no one had ever connected the dots.

Farah, who had built a successful career in investment banking, identified a major opportunity to serve women and their partners proper products and expertise that the johnny big boys just weren’t even thinking about. Why should we have to put up with irritating ingredients, a penis-centric focus on pleasure and cringe-tastic packaging? 

We decided to combine our expertise to create a brand that challenged the norms and stigma surrounding sexual wellness - underpinned with seriously vagina-friendly products. In classic startup style, we even sketched out the HANX logo on a napkin right there and then. As for the brand name? Our parents always warned not to get up to any ‘hanky panky’ on our wild teenage nights out - and this swiftly proved the roots for our moniker, HANX.

Pleasure

We went right out into the world and asked over 1,000 women what they really wanted in the bedroom to design the dream johnny. Our ultra-thin Condoms are the polar opposite of the major players. We hopped on endless airplanes and travelled from factory to factory to find a manufacturer who understood our vision for as-natural-as-possible condoms. Think no weird flavours, spermicides or tingling gels and ultra-thin, sustainably sourced latex for all the feels. Following the success of our Condoms, we teamed up with over 5,000 lovers to design their dream Lube - a super-gentle slippery partner for toys and condoms. Dr Sarah made sure our water-based formula is particularly ideal for menopause, where delicate vaginal tissue thins and is more easily torn or irritated. 

In 2023, after years of emails, DMs and even whispers in our ears at events, we launched the most requested HANX product of all time. Cindy, a discreet suction toy for clitoral stimulation, is inspired by deep chats with a hardcore crew of HANX lovers, who shared their true feelings about sex toys on the market. You didn't want garish purple or red colours, you wanted a cute design and you wanted serious seduction technique, without vaginal penetration. Enter Cindy, who focuses pulsing suction and vibration for deeper, more intense clitoral orgasms. She's since sold out twice in the UK and US, has rocked many, many worlds and has been spotlighted in the press.

In fact, we’re so proud to see our products loved not just by our incredible community of pleasure seekers, but by some of the world’s top titles including Cosmopolitan, Forbes, The Times, Guardian, Marie Claire and more.

Supplements

Our vision for the business has always been evolving behind the scenes. We started with addressing shortcomings when it comes to provisions for our pleasure and sexual wellness, but are on a mission to connect all the major stages of women's health. For too long, periods, pregnancy and perimenopause have been siloed or looked at in isolation, where we believe a holistic approach should be taken. From first time to your first child, into the menopause and beyond, we want to be your continuous support all the way through.

In line with this exciting evolution, we expanded our product line to include three natural, nutritionist-approved supplements. Pregnancy Support is inspired by Sarah's own journey to motherhood and is formulated with essential ingredients for conception, pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Menopause Support features key ingredients for this transitional stage including:

• Vitamin B12 which contributes to a normal metabolism
• Vitamin B6 to help regulate hormonal activity
• Pantothenic acid to help reduce fatigue

We've not forgotten our roots in the bedroom. With over 70% of our community experiencing libido dips, we developed a natural, powder-based supplement, Libido Lift, which can be mixed into drinks, smoothies and cocktails for a cheeky desire boost pre-sex. With science-backed ingredients including Maca Root Powder, it's a big favourite for our menopausal friends.

Intimate Care

Dr Sarah's medical background also inspired us to launch a pioneering additional service. In the heart of COVID lockdowns, we saw how lack of access to essential GP services was impacting our community. We hunkered down, built the tech and partnered with our trusted pharmacy partner to tackle this. We now offer gynae-backed, safe and effective treatments and relief for some of the most common vaginal ailments: Thrush, Cystitis and Bacterial Vaginosis. Following a digital health consultation with a prescribing pharmacist, eligible patients can receive same-day dispatch and discreet packaging of safe and effective treatments (if suitable) - with extra guidance and resources, too.

Condoms aren't everyone's choice. We soon proudly added hormonal contraception on subscription to the offering, giving our community convenience and greater choice in their contraceptive journey, whether they were looking to protect against unplanned pregnancy, manage heavy periods or acne.

One key element of contraceptive care we knew wanted to revolutionise? The sweaty, watching-the-clock hurry to get hold of the pill. Yes, it has to be taken within 3-5 days after sexual intercourse to avoid pregnancy - but the morning after pill has a shelf life of up to three years**. So, why are we forced to break Olympic world records to get to a chemist, GP or sexual health clinic in just a few hours/days? Whether you’re navigating a condom slipping off, contraception fail or an unprotected sex situation, it’s a high stress situation that doesn’t need additional pressure.

Our community back this, with 74% stating that they want to be able to keep the morning after pill on hand as a backup option at home, primarily to avoid a time-pressured trip to access the pill (46%) and secondly, to be prepared just in case (43%). 

By offering the morning after pill in a discreet and convenient manner, we aim to make it easier to access emergency contraception when you need it - or to keep it on hand for future use. Find out more.
 

The Journey

We’re not just about digital love. Since we launched, we knew we had to get our products in front of real customers, in real life - and that meant teaming up with the UK’s most loved retailers. In a category dominated by one major player, pitching in a condom challenger brand wasn’t the easiest task. In fact, it took endless emails, many calls and even years to get our foot in the door. However, we’ve been lucky to find champions behind the scenes at each retailer who saw our vision not just for a sensitive sex care, but our broader plan to connect the major life stages of women’s health.

After getting the incredible team at Boots on board, we’ve now expanded into over 2,000 high street stores, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco and WHSmith travel stores. Find your local stockist here. We’re even going global! Following major demand, we recently launched in the US and have some pretty exciting plans for further global expansion to follow…

Tackling Taboos

We're ultra-passionate about championing a blush-free, sex-positive and open attitude to body talk. Just ask Sarah: she really has seen it all in her gynaecology career and can confirm that you're never the first person to experience something 'embarassing'. Open and honest conversations about everything from vaginal discharge to mismatched libidos to perimenopause symptoms are essential to empower each and every one of us to make informed choices about our bodies. 

From putting the common, but deeply stigmatised, vaginal health condition vaginismus onto billboards around the UK, to breaking down NSFW topics on our Naked Truths blog, to hosting in-real-life sex education for adults and intimate digital deep dives into post-partum recovery, our events series is one of the best parts of building HANX. Not only is it an opportunity to tackle myths, dispel misconceptions and bust shame, but it’s a chance to meet the amazing people who have supported us from the start of the business - and are joining us along the ride, too!

The Future

Over the last seven years, we’ve been up close and personal to suppot you with sexual health and wellness, pregnancy, menopause.
At every life stage we’ve addressed and with each product we've created, we’ve heard honest thoughts and feedback from our community about their experiences with weight-related conditions.
From libido fluctuations to menstrual cycle irregularities, weight can impact our broader health - and women especially can need a hand when navigating conditions such as PCOS and menopause.

We’re so excited to take a step forward in our vision to connect every life stage, with the introduction of a new weight management programme via HANX. Combining clinically proven GLP-1 medication, alongside expert-led nutrition and movement guides, it’s designed to set you up to successfully meet your health goals - for the longterm. Find out more.

Want more?

• Why is raising investment for a sexual wellness business so difficult? Read Secrets of a SexTech Founder.
• New to HANX? Try us for size with our Pleasure Starter Pack with beginner-sized versions of our most-loved bedroom essentials.