Bringing the Dream to Life: The Story Behind Amalfi Scrub

By: Alejandro Gimenez, Founder

Amalfi Scrub is our second best-selling scrub, after our famous Hot Coffee Scrub. It was released in 2021, a turning point for the company. At that time, we only had one scent in our core collection, and I was struggling to create another one.

We were looking for a way to introduce more sophisticated scents beyond our limited edition Chocolate and Vanilla scrubs. While fun, these scents didn't align with my vision for the brand's future. There are a few thousand Vanilla and Chocolate fans who might disagree. We do bring those scrubs back occasionally.

I believe that intimacy products, when done well, become invisible. Our products should blend into the background, enhancing rather than overwhelming or distracting. We want a lingering scent grounded in natural ingredients, avoiding synthetic smells. For a scrub, it should be sweet and mix well with a few hours of sweat, leaving your skin sweet and delicious. The sugar certainly helps with that.

Think of it like this: if you have a date, I don't want them to think you put too much effort into it. The scent should raise eyebrows but remain subtle, barely noticeable. It's important that we create products that do not overshadow the wearer or their partner. Additionally, we avoid calling them flavors, because they are scents first.

Creating an Amalfi Scrub worthy of the name was a challenge. At the time, I was not trained in perfumery as I am now, so I relied on my instincts and trusted experts. I didn't want a fake lemon smell; most lemon products on the market smell like detergent or window spray. It had to smell like the real thing, like the photo.

Creating new scents is much easier for us now. In 2023, I began attending perfume school in Grasse, France, which is why we launched two perfumes in the past year.

Most people don’t know this, but I’ve been the sole person developing, scenting, and naming the products, sending emails, and directing—and sometimes taking—the photos myself, as is the case with this photo of Eric in Amalfi. We have a wonderful warehouse and operations staff, but everything apart from processing orders is done by me. I could hire more people, and sometimes I do hire photographers, but Studio Ready has always been a passion project first and a business second. I really enjoy it.

People ask me why I started Studio Ready, and the answer is simple. I wanted a butt scrub. As a young person starting out, I worked in advertising for a few gay adult companies and realized how much people craved solutions and answers to their sexual questions. This was back when most people were watching YouTube videos for sex advice, which was all we had.

I also realized how important hygiene is to good sex, especially for gay men, and how anxious people can get about it. Then I wondered how many guys actually scrub their butt when they shower. The old loofah works sometimes, but if you miss a spot, it can spoil the night. Thus, Hot Coffee Scrub was born—foolproof, deliciously scented, and fun to use. And your ass never felt better. We called it Studio Ready, akin to how a pornstar might use products to be studio ready. We’ve evolved since then, but you get the idea.

As for Amalfi Scrub, the story is exactly what you might expect. I had the idea for a Limoncello scrub, so naturally, I had to go to Amalfi with a nude model and photograph it. It was expensive, and we didn’t know if we would be allowed to take the photo, but we went anyway. It would have been much easier to download a photo of Amalfi or use a backdrop, but I like to make things harder for myself.

Luckily, I was nearby when I had the idea. I was abroad in Greece when I texted Eric, our model for Amalfi Scrub who lives in Spain, and told him we had to find a way to photograph him naked in Amalfi. He called me crazy, and of course, he was right. When we arrived, we had no idea what our guide’s reaction would be when Eric asked him if he could undress. Luckily for us, he didn’t kick us out of his backyard, where this was shot. Fittingly, he brought us drinks and some limoncello to celebrate. We got so lucky.

When I create advertising for a new product, I think one good image is all you need. Sex Drive, Skating in the Desert—it all starts with one photo. It can become a trademark of the product forever. You may have noticed there is no product in this photo; that's partly because we hadn’t actually made Amalfi Scrub yet. I had come up with the idea a few days before. And I’m glad we didn’t. It taught me that we are not just selling products. We are selling something else, too.

Shop Amalfi Scrub. Experience Amalfi Scrub for yourself and discover the perfect blend of sophistication and authenticity.