Modern Sensuality
Community Campaign
As part of our Modern Sensuality study, we surveyed over 1500 women around the world, asking how they express their sensuality, sexuality, and fulfil their desires, addressing the gaps in public understanding of women today. We also asked 17 women to star in our campaign, a cast of Bluebella community members and influential women, including author and body activist Charli Howard, British icon and fashion designer Pearl Lowe, and NellyLondon, a content creator and body positivity advocate, who all speak openly and intimately about their personal experiences of sensuality, sexuality and desire, while wearing Bluebella lingerie.
Hear what they had to say and delve into the data, with results from our pioneering global survey.
The single most powerful finding from the survey is that the frequency of buying lingerie is directly and significantly linked to higher scores of sexual satisfaction and pleasure, in both partnered sex and self-pleasure. Lingerie is no longer just an item of clothing; it is an investment in self-worth and a tool for creating the sensual atmosphere necessary for fulfilment.*
Findings from the survey and community casting will remain publicly available. If you’re a researcher, student or simply curious, find out more here.
The Top 3 Motivations For Wearing Lingerie Are:
34.5%
As an act of self-love
and feeling good
23.0%
Boosting confidence
and self-esteem
17.7%
For a romantic or
intimate occasion
The Top 3 Motivations For Wearing Lingerie Are:
34.5%
As an act of
self-love and
feeling good
23.0%
Boosting
confidence and
self-esteem
17.7%
For a romantic
or intimate
occasion
Women Aged 50+ Are The Most
Active Lingerie Shoppers
Contrary to the stereotype that sensuality peaks in youth, the data proves that women in their 50s are experiencing the highest levels of sexual pleasure. They also purchase lingerie the most, with some purchasing monthly.
LGBTQ+ Community Are Wearing
Lingerie For Self-Expression And Style
While heterosexual customers prefer a quarterly cycle, LGBTQ+ customers tend to purchase lingerie in monthly cycles. The reason is marked more as an expression of personal style, a celebration of their bodies, and they reported much lower scores in wearing lingerie for romantic occasions.
Survey participants said:
"I used to only wear lingerie for my partners, but now I wear it for myself. To embrace my sensuality."
Sensuality
When Do Women Feel Most Sensual?
The combined evidence revealed that lingerie is a powerful component of sensual fulfilment. When survey participants were asked: ‘When do you feel sensual?’ 67.6% answered: ‘when using or wearing appealing textures, like soft clothing or silk sheets’. However, the demands of modern life: work, stress, and family, deplete the mental energy, time, and privacy required for sensual and sexual exploration.
Creating a sensual atmosphere is integral to make space for fantasy. Survey participants described how wearing lingerie and “sexy outfits”, plays a key role in transforming their state of mind, marking a clear transition from the ordinary world to a sensual one.
Sexuality
The results shows a clear rise in sexual pleasure that corresponds directly with buying and wearing lingerie frequently. Based on a 1-6 scale (with 6 being the highest pleasure score), the data revealed that those who bought lingerie monthly had a 5.45 mean score for partnered sex and masturbation. When discussing sexual pleasure, most women reported that burnout and high stress levels had a negative impact on their experience — but interestingly, a few women also pointed out that sex and sexual pleasure served as a tool for them to relieve stress in their lives.
“For so long, women have been objects in terms of desire and haven't been given much space or ability to reclaim or celebrate their sexuality for themselves. In the past, and especially in my twenties, I think I viewed my body from an outsider's lens and what I hoped would make me look sexy to other people, whereas now I put my own desires and feelings into the forefront and don't feel guilty or selfish for doing so.” - Charli Howard
Phases Of Womanhood Impact Pleasure Scores
Key life experiences impacting sexual pleasure include:
963
(52.4%)
Stress and/or burnout
819
(44.6%)
Body changes
939
(51.1%)
Getting older
941
(51.2%)
Relationship changes
Phases Of Womanhood Impact Pleasure Scores
Key life experiences impacting sexual pleasure include:
963
(52.4%)
Stress and/or
burnout
819
(44.6%)
Body
changes
939
(51.1%)
Getting
older
941
(51.2%)
Relationship
changes
Motherhood and the Return to Sensuality and Confidence
The time during pregnancy and immediately after childbirth is when many women prioritise their parenting commitments over the way they express their sensual selves. One survey participant described: "Only in my late 30’s did I realise the power lingerie had to boost my confidence and make me feel beautiful after a long period of hate towards a body that changed so much since becoming a mum." Participants with children are 5% more likely to buy lingerie monthly, and 5.5% more likely to buy quarterly, than women without children, suggesting women have a strong impulse to reclaim their sensuality and sexuality after an intentional break to raise a child.
“Pregnancy has shifted my relationship with my sensuality in a way I didn't expect. It's no longer about perfection or presentation, it's about connection and empowerment to myself, to this little life growing inside me and to the woman I'm still becoming.” - Tyler
Desire
What really empowers a woman to pursue a sexual fantasy and what stops her cold?
We dove deep into what empowers women, what their barriers are, and analysed the meaning behind these experiences, revealing that fulfilling a fantasy isn't just a physical act — it's a deeply felt negotiation of personal safety, self-worth, and the pressure of everyday life.
Confidence Drives Experimentation
Increased self-assurance over time translates into a more adventurous, playful, and expressive approach to lingerie. One survey participant noted:
"I've gotten bolder and more playful with my lingerie choices," and "The older I get, the more comfortable I am in my own skin. Wearing lingerie brings me even more confidence," plus "I’m more confident expressing my sexiness for the love of myself."
The Power Of A Partner
Another significant factor is the partner as a non-judgmental mirror. Empowerment flows from trust, enthusiastic support, and open communication. The partner is a facilitator when they actively validate the fantasy. One survey participant said:
“When I know there’s going to be a positive, enthusiastic response from my partner. Seeing that it is equally a turn on,” and “When I feel fully comfortable and accepted, it’s much easier to explore and be open about what I want.”
Women Want Quality Because They Deserve It
When the participants expanded on their answers, it revealed a new trend: a shift toward spending more on lingerie, quality, luxury fabrics, and better fit, viewing it as a deserved investment in oneself.
There are no significant differences in lingerie purchasing frequency based on income, relationship status, and clothing size. Clothing size and income is not significantly correlated with buying frequency or pleasure scores. Women are prioritising quality and fit and buying lingerie when they want to. This theme highlights the shift toward spending more on quality, luxury fabrics, and better fit, viewing it as a deserved investment in self.
“One of the ways that I've found that really brings me a lot of joy is adorning myself with really beautiful lingerie. I think it delights so many of the senses…I like to see it on myself. I love to see a partner's face light up when they see it on me too.” - Becca
Conclusion
The combined evidence is overwhelming: Lingerie is a powerful, non-negotiable component of modern self-care and sensual fulfilment. The positive impact of buying lingerie shows:
You are investing
in confidence.
The data proves the ritual of purchasing and wearing lingerie is related to higher pleasure and deeper satisfaction.
You are reclaiming
your body.
For mothers, divorcees, and women celebrating milestones, this purchase is a tangible act of self-reclamation.
You are seeking high
quality and fit.
The data validates a shift toward spending more on quality, luxury fabrics, and better fit, viewing it as a deserved investment in oneself.
At its core, Bluebella wants to inspire women to embrace their sensuality without judgment. By sharing these insights, we hope to empower women to celebrate who they are, their desires, and be unapologetically themselves every day.
Conclusion
The combined evidence is overwhelming: Lingerie is a powerful, non-negotiable component of modern self-care and sensual fulfilment. The positive impact of buying lingerie shows:
You are investing in confidence.
The data proves the ritual of purchasing and wearing lingerie is related to higher pleasure and deeper satisfaction.
You are reclaiming your body.
For mothers, divorcees, and women celebrating milestones, this purchase is a tangible act of self-reclamation.
You are seeking high quality and fit.
The data validates a shift toward spending more on quality, luxury fabrics, and better fit, viewing it as a deserved investment in oneself.
At its core, Bluebella wants to inspire women to embrace their sensuality without judgment. By sharing these insights, we hope to empower women to celebrate who they are, their desires, and be unapologetically themselves every day.
“At Bluebella, we have always believed lingerie should be a form of self-expression, not performance. With this campaign, we want to open up an intelligent and honest conversation around sensuality, sexuality and desire, one that moves away from the male gaze and celebrates how women define these experiences for themselves. By centring women’s voices and making the data openly accessible, we hope to create a resource that not only empowers our community but also supports wider learning and research for years to come.” - Founder and CEO, Emily Bendell
Findings from the survey and community casting will remain publicly available. If you’re a researcher, student or simply curious, find out more here.