Necessity is the mother of invention. It can also be a mother when it’s necessary for soldiers to seek sexual relief far from the comforts of home.
Scott Fraser, founder of Empowered Products, was a platoon commander in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Gulf War in 1994, and it was part of his mission to help keep up morale among the troops.
“It was during these long, hot and intense days in the desert, away from loved ones, that Fraser and his fellow soldiers found that the synthetic makeup of CLP (Clean Lubricate Protect)—the liquid that keeps firearms and other weapons clean and firing accurately—was also the perfect personal lubricant when relief, better known as masturbation, was necessary to liberate stress,” said Mason Nance, marketing manager for Empowered Products.
Fraser’s platoon, Nance explained, “had just come from the Philippines, where his men had access to alcohol, women and other vices, to the Gulf, where all of these things were forbidden. Realizing he had problem on his hands—i.e., no outlet for his men—he set up what was called the ‘Whack Shack.’ This is where men could use their military-issued CLP to relieve themselves.”
Once he was back home, Fraser would attend Marine Corps reunions and tell his war buddies he planned to start a company that manufactured lubricants like those they used on their guns.
“Knowing the CLP would be the perfect personal lubricant because of its long-lasting properties, Fraser realized that by changing the ingredients to a hypoallergenic and user-friendly solution, it would make the ideal product on the market for heightening sexual pleasure,” Nance said. “Working closely with chemists to come up with precisely the right look and feel, in 2003, Fraser and his team formulated a new and highly improved Gun Oil that is silicone based, condom safe, and hypoallergenic. The formula was also fortified with vitamin E and aloe vera for additional health benefits of healing, restoring and conditioning the skin.”
Using the moniker Gun Oil, and playing on the fantasy of hot military men releasing their sexual tensions, the lubricant became an instant hit in the gay community.
Shortly thereafter Fraser introduced Jack Jelly Masturbation Jelly, and in spring 2004 the Empowered Products team began selling and promoting these lubricants at gay pride events around the country.
Based on the success of their male-oriented products, Empowered Products launched Pink Silicone for Women in summer 2005. The lubricant was formulated and designed specifically for women.
“We realized that there was a niche in the market that needed to be filled. Pink was formulated and designed specifically for women,” Nance said. “At first glance, you will instantly be attracted by Pink’s packaging. Each brand in the Pink Line is beautifully captured in a feminine frosted plastic bottle, designed to fit perfectly in the palm of the hand. The leak-proof bottle is also equipped with a turn-lock pump and protective over-cap for added convenience. The 1.7-ounce and 3.3-ounce sizes are TSA compliant and are perfect for traveling.”
Pink Silicone is also the only premium lubricant on the market available in a glass bottle, Nance added. The 4-ounce glass bottle with pump is highly stylized, with contemporary graphic elements.
“Luxurious perfume sprays found in chic ateliers inspired the look,” he said. “Empowered Products designed the dispenser to fit securely into a smaller hand. The elegance of the bottles leaves women feeling comfortable enough to leave Pink products out in the open without undue embarrassment.”
Empowered Products is a company made up of individuals who are experts in their own areas and who perform at their highest level, allowing the company to achieve greater success, Nance noted. In turn, Empowered Products have made its reputation in the pleasure products industry by focusing not only on educating customers about its products but also about personal lubricants in general.
And the Empowered team is not about to stop anytime soon.
“We are planning to expand our products line in the very near future,” Nance noted.
For more information, visit EmpoweredProducts.com.
This article ran in the November 2010 issue of AVN magazine.
