Kiwi-born Lisa Taylor is the founder of Wicks Intimates, a brand reshaping the absorbent underwear market by focusing on functionality and style. From periods and postpartum to light bladder leaks and everyday discharge, Lisa’s mission is to create sophisticated underwear that supports women at every stage of life. She believes lingerie should boost the wearer’s confidence, acting as a “sartorial armour” that empowers.
Lisa’s own postpartum experience revealed a gap in the market for elegant absorbent underwear. She remembers feeling disappointed by the available options. Many were either bulky or seemed “designed with teenage bodies in mind. They were practical, sure, but they lacked the elegance of lingerie.” This realisation became the driving force behind Melbourne-based Wicks Intimates.
Absorbent underwear for all stages of life
Wicks Intimates does more than make briefs. It’s a response to the needs of real women, supporting them through “life’s very common leaks — whether that’s light bladder leaks, the unpredictability of perimenopause, postpartum, or just period management,” explains Lisa.
The brand also aims to start meaningful conversations. While society has made progress in openly discussing periods, light bladder leaks (LBL) remain a taboo topic. Despite being a common experience, especially during perimenopause when hormonal changes affect pelvic floor strength and bladder control, Lisa notes that these women are often excluded from discussions about absorbent lingerie.
“LBL is still spoken about in whispers… We all know silence leads to shame, so creating space for honesty feels like a good start,” says Lisa.
The Wicks Intimates range
Wicks Intimates has developed a thoughtfully designed range of absorbent underwear to meet these diverse needs.
The absorbent briefs are available in light, moderate, and high absorbency levels, allowing women to manage periods, postpartum bleeding, and bladder leaks with confidence.
There’s also the All Day Fresh range for everyday freshness, which is especially practical for active days, travel, or ovulation, when many women experience increased natural discharge.
Lisa emphasises innovation with the All Day Fresh range: “To my knowledge, there really isn’t anything else like the All Day Fresh range on the market,” she shares, highlighting its single absorbent layer that maintains breathability without the typical waterproof barrier.
Challenging stigma through lingerie design
Beyond functionality, Wicks Intimates also redefines how women feel about their lingerie.
Lisa explains that thoughtful design can challenge stigma and transform everyday underwear into an extension of a woman’s confidence, rather than just a solution to a problem. “When absorbent lingerie looks and feels like something you’d happily choose from your drawer, it changes the whole story. It’s no longer about hiding or managing something embarrassing — it’s about wearing beautiful lingerie that also happens to support you.”
This philosophy also means rejecting outdated industry standards. Lisa points out that much of traditional lingerie has been designed with the male gaze in mind, focusing on narrow ideas of beauty. “I wanted to flip that and create a brand that puts the wearer first.”
Building beautiful and functional lingerie required overcoming preconceived notions about absorbent underwear. “There’s an assumption it has to feel bulky or made from that ghastly swimming-tog fabric… Fabric selection has been critical — everything we use is carefully considered,” Lisa admits.
How Wicks Intimates is making a difference for real-life women
The Wicks Intimates ethos has resonated deeply with customers who have shared how wearing the absorbent underwear boosted their confidence.
Lisa recalls a customer who shared that it was the first time she’d felt good about herself in years, saying the fabric and cut made her feel “a little bit sexy.”
For another customer navigating perimenopause, finding beautiful, non-daggy options “lifted the shame entirely.” Another customer described her Wicks Intimates thong as the most comfortable piece of underwear she owned and immediately purchased three more.
As for what’s next, Lisa remains inspired by her customers’ needs. “I’ve always got ideas bubbling away, but right now I’m focused on doing one thing well — making absorbent lingerie that women actually love to wear.”
Shop the Wicks Intimates range below, and discover more at wicksintimates.com.
Shop the Wicks Intimates range:
- Low absorbency briefs (shop here)
- Moderate absorbency briefs (shop here)
- High absorbency briefs (shop here)
- All Day Fresh briefs (shop here)
1. Low absorbency briefs
The Wicks Intimate Low Absorbency briefs are designed for light period flows or spotting.
Striation Thong
$52 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Obsidian black
Cut: Low-rise
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Light
2. Moderate absorbency briefs
The Wicks Intimates Moderate Absorbency briefs can absorb up to 15ml of liquid (approximately two tampons) and are suitable for medium period flows and light bladder leaks.
Elevated Essentials Brief
$52 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Obsidian black
Sizes: 2XS, XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Moderate
Swept Away Brief
$52 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Forest green
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Moderate
Emanate Brief
$63 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Slate navy
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Moderate
Engineered Brief
$52 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Moss green
Cut: Low-rise
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Moderate
Engineered Brief
$52 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Periwinkle
Cut: Low-rise
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Moderate
3. High absorbency briefs
The Wicks Intimates High Absorbency briefs can absorb up to 30ml of liquid (approximately five tampons), making them suitable for heavy period flows and light bladder leaks.
Emanate Brief
$63 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Obsidian black
Sizes: 2XS, XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Heavy
High Waisted Basic
$63 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Moss green
Cut: High-waisted
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Heavy
Valley Brief
$63 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Obsidian black
Cut: High-waisted
Sizes: 2XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Absorbency: Heavy
4. All Day Fresh briefs
The Wicks Intimates All Day Fresh briefs are designed for everyday wear and include one absorbent layer. They are ideal for natural discharge, hot weather, active days and travel.
Anything But Basic Brief
$63 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Forest Green
Sizes: 2XS, XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Striation Thong
$52 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Forest green
Cut: Low-rise
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Valley Brief
$63 at Wicks Intimates
Colour: Slate navy
Cut: High-waisted
Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (Size up for optimum comfort)
Related articles:
