It is about high time that Pinays stop being *hush hush* about sex.
Sex is still considered a taboo subject in Filipino conversations— thanks to our religious background and overall conservative culture. Even if we all know that sex is the most normal thing two consenting adults who are in love do to express their passion, there’s still so much stigma surrounding the topic of sex, especially in Pinoy culture. This can result to Filipinas being ashamed to find out what they truly like out of sex, suppressed from exploring their sexuality, missing out on the fun it’s supposed to bring.
Two brave, strong, smart Filipinas have decided to put a stop on the unnecessary misjudgment surrounding sex, so other Pinays can take more control, and actually be in charge of their sensuality.
Celebrity sisters Isabelle Daza-Zemblat and Ava Daza-Zarinato are more than just your popular it-girls. The two had seen a huge gap to be addressed regarding Pinay sensuality, and they actually put some serious hard work into providing a solid solution.
Their answer to the obvious problem? Jellytime.
Jellytime is a sexual wellness brand the two introduced to the market in 2022, which offers pleasure tools such as lubricant and sex toys presented in chic, cool packaging one would be okay to be seen holding in public. That alone has created such a huge impact on Pinay sexuality. Filipinas finally have had the option to purchase sex toys openly without shame since, as pleasure toys have become more accessible through Jellytime‘s presence in the market and social media. And with the brand’s podcast, “The Sexytime Podcast”, the sisters have helped push forward the way Filipinas talk openly about sex. Something that they want to show in the concept of the cover shoot with STYLISH.
“We wanted to play with the idea of what if—what if ‘The Sexytime Podcast’ existed in different decades? How would women have these conversations about sex, pleasure, and wellness in eras that weren’t always so open about it? The shoot is a love letter to the women before us who had to whisper about these things, while celebrating that today, we get to turn the volume all the way up,” Ava, co-founder of Jellytime and co-host of ‘The Sexytime Podcast’, shared during the STYLISH shoot interview.
“Each setup is a different decade but with the same message: us women talking to each other, learning from each other, and reclaiming their sexuality in a way that’s fun, honest, and completely theirs. Whether it’s watching themselves on a vintage TV in the ’60s, going full shock-jock with big hair and bigger mics in the ‘80s, or dialing into deep convos on a ‘90s-style split screen call, the whole point is that communication is power — and it’s always been sexy,” she added.
“Sexual wellness has never just been about sex—it’s about knowledge, agency, and feeling good in your own skin. This shoot is about showing that these conversations aren’t new, they’ve just been happening in different ways across time. We’re tapping into nostalgia because it reminds us of where we’ve been, while making it clear that today, we get to talk about sex with zero shame.”
“Visually, the shoot feels playful and kitschy because sexual wellness should be approachable. It’s not some hushed, awkward thing. It’s something we can (and should) talk about with the same excitement as we would about a great date, a new lipstick, or a wild ’90s rom-com plot twist. It’s a conversation between women that’s smart, real, and maybe a little hilarious,” Ava said.
Ready with The Jelly
Since Jellytime‘s launch in 2022, the brand has been since sold in multiple malls and mainstream wellness counters such as Watsons— something that had never been possible in the past for the Filipino market. From lube to the wand, Jellytime has been patronized well by the Filipino clientele who are rediscovering the way they do the do.
With Sunnies creative director Martine Ho in charge of the brand’s imaging, Jellytime lube and sex toys are presented in subtle packages in either nude or pastel colors— that Filipina women do not ever have to feel ashamed again whenever they feel like shopping for pleasure toys. And more than anything, these sex tools are now more accessible through Jellytime, that they do not have to turn to some scary, untrustworthy black market to get their hands on safe sex toys and lubricants.
Ava shared her vision, saying, “With Jellytime, the first thing we thought of was, ‘Let’s make a product that people are not gonna be ashamed of’. That was the first step into this. Aside from Watson counters, Jellytime lube and sex toys can be ordered online, and they could be discreetly delivered to your doorstep, and there’s no description in the label.”
“One of the things that we want to do through Jellytime is for people to be more confident about their sexuality. How do you guide your partner about the things that you like in bed if you do not even know what you want, because you haven’t explored yourself yet? We provide people the tools with Jellytime so they could understand more what they want,” Ava said.
Meanwhile, the brand’s podcast, “The Sexytime Podcast”, has covered various topics surrounding women’s sexuality, from menstruation, to pleasure, to even sex pain. Fans were writing fan mail and were finally asking important questions— a milestone the two sisters had to work hard for.
“For the longest time, we Filipinos have had such a resistance to talk openly about sex. We were even having a hard time finding a place to sell Jellytime at first, because some malls were like, ‘We’re sorry but we are a family-oriented mall’ and we were like, ‘Well, how do you think families get started?’. There are more than 100 million Filipinos, so surely Filipinos are having sex!” Belle said in jest during the cover shoot interview.
They understand where Filipinos come from though, having been raised in the same conservative environment.
“Growing up, we both went to Catholic schools, and very much we were not allowed to explore our sexuality. We couldn’t even say the words ‘masturbate’ or ‘vagina’ in high school because it was like, the biggest sin,” Belle confided.
“Because we weren’t given that environment wherein we were allowed to ask about sex, we went behind our parents’ backs. Although mom was a bit more open, because our older brother had a kid when he was only 17 years old. So my mom was hyper-aware that sex education was needed, although the way she taught us girls wasn’t as evolved as it is now,” Belle added.
The dynamics of the two sisters who are now business partners at Jellytime has definitely changed.
“I’d never really thought that my sister and I can have that kind of relationship wherein we can openly talk about sex. She’s three years younger than me. And when you’re in high school, three years is a lot of age gap. So I was in senior year, and Ava was in first year high school. So we wouldn’t really share those kinds of things with each other,” Belle narrated.
“But as time went by, especially when we were in our 20’s, we’ve grown a bond and grown closer, so she would share her experience. Although I was a little bit judgmental at first, because I was being a protective older sister,” she added. “We were hard-wired into thinking that sex is a big sin.”
Belle admitted that they had to overcome major challenges pushing the vision of Jellytime.
“When we started Jellytime, we didn’t know how to market it, because we didn’t know how to talk about sex. There was no safe space to talk about sex. That’s the reason we launched ‘The Sexytime Podcast’, because we wanted to understand the market.”
The actress and model was positively surprised at the feedback they got from launching the podcast.
“We got a barrage of engaged followers, and we were so shocked at the amount of fan mail we received within our first season. We had to hire somebody just to go through it. People were curious, and they had questions. And they never knew that they could ask about sex. I guess there was something about two Filipinas who grew up in the Philippines with the same conservative background that’s become relatable to the audience.”
“The thing is, sexuality is a part of us. All of us have genitals, butts, and breasts. So I believe we need an age-appropriate sex education, which we still do not have here in the Philippines,” Belle reiterated.
“So what we are doing with Jellytime was for people to have safe space where we can talk about sensuality without feeling shamed. Because up to now, Filipinos still feel embarrassed just talking about sex.”
“I remember in 2021, when we informed our family members that we were gonna start Jellytime, I would watch them cringe and squirm in their seats at the thought that Ava and I was gonna start Jellytime,” Belle said. “They were so uncomfortable with the idea that we were gonna talk about sex in a podcast. Like ‘oh my god, two Catholic Filipina girls are gonna talk about sex’. Like oh my god, it’s so vulgar.”
The two has proven that The Sexytime Podcast has been an educational platform.
“But with the podcast, we found key opinion leaders who were teaching us about sex, and based on medical studies. Did you know that based on medical studies, 30% of the women experience pain during sex? But nobody admits it. So if you’re a woman and experiencing pain and you’re faking it and we know because that’s what we do as women thinking we should endure the pain, then Jellytime is for you. We understand how you feel. I mean, we all watched movies growing up and saw that sex was supposed to look so passionate and pleasurable, just like in the movies. Jellytime offers a personal lubricant that allows you to have pleasure during sex, without the pain. What I’m trying to say is sometimes, Filipinas do not even know that they need and they can use a lubricant during sex. That there’s an option for them to not feel pain during sex.”
Belle cited how Jellytime has saved romantic relationships, basing on the experience of her personal circle.
“I know who among my friends have already used Jellytime, because every single time, once someone tries it, they thank us and they say that Jellytime has saved their relationship, or marriage,” Belle said.
“And then they tell us that now, they have a monthly budget for Jellytime,” Ava said, explaining that sexual pleasure tools have helped improved the intimacy of couples.
Belle also enumerated the taboo topics they’ve touched on since launching Jellytime and its podcast.
“There are so many aspects to sexual health that we do not understand, like early menopause and even puberty. We weren’t even taught how to wear napkins when we first got our first menstruation. So these are the topics that are part of the thing that we so passionately do, that we break down and shift in conversation, and push forward. We empower women with this knowledge through Jellytime and The Sexytime Podcast,” Belle said.
“Then it was like for us, it was to keep talking about sex until it is normal to hear it. The more you bring it up, the more you’d realize that actually, sex is not that big of a deal. Because we’re talking about something that people experience. Everyone does it. We’re just trying to remove the negative stigma attached to it by making it like an everyday conversation through the podcast and Jellytime platforms,” Ava added.
Embracing Girlhood
Although the two stars are hard-working girlbosses, they know the importance of slowing down and embracing their soft, feminine side, too.
Ava described her environment growing up, sharing that they were raised by strong women.
“We’re predominantly women in the family,” Ava said. “We’re the opposite of softness. Our mom’s personality alone is huge.” Their mother, actress Gloria Diaz, is a game-changer herself. Gloria was crowned Miss Universe 1969, becoming the first Filipino to hold the Miss Universe title.
“Mom comes from a family of 10 women. So there’s mom and times ten of her. And being around strong women like that, you cannot just be there and kind of snooze. You have to exert yourself as well. I think that’s what contributed to the way we are right now. Amongst friends, I am also kind of the strong one. But as I grew older, I’ve learned to embrace my womanhood, and all its facets, be it the strong or soft sides of it,” Ava shared.
“Exercise is one thing that I feel is my most feminine. You might think that exercise is so masculine, but fitness is one way that I feel like I am taking care of myself as a woman. I work out to feel strong and able to do things as a mother. Like for example, to be strong enough to hold my son and carry him for hours and not get tired. I feel like getting fit is also a good way to prepare for giving birth. Giving birth is the biggest embodiment of being a woman. You know, just having your body go through that transformation,” she added.
Belle explained that embracing her femininity and womanhood for her is very much connected to self-care.
“I embrace my femininity by allowing myself with indulgences like a body massage or a facial sesh. When I’m working everyday, I make sure to get a massage every night. I love indulging in self-care, plus it is anti-aging! I believe that taking care of yourself, especially as a woman, is a necessity especially for your sanity,” Belle said.
She also shared her insights on the softness of women.
“I think being vulnerable is a sign of strength. It could be stigmatized as weakness, but I think whatever the labels they give us women, I think it’s time that we break out of it. I wouldn’t say being shy or timid is a sign of weakness. I think (with social media), we’ve learned how to share our thoughts, and we’ve learned to understand people better. So there’s less stigma about being soft.”
Jellytime On Breaking More Barriers
Ava shared her further vision for Jellytime, and for Pinay sensuality altogether.
“Jellytime’s next phase is about expanding the conversation beyond the bedroom—because sexual wellness isn’t just about doing it, it’s about knowing it. We’re creating content that’s modern, inclusive, and actually useful—whether that’s breaking down myths, normalizing conversations around pleasure, or just giving people the tools to make informed choices about their bodies,” Ava said.
“Also, more unexpected collaborations. I love the idea of sexual wellness creeping into everyday life in ways people don’t expect—whether that’s through fashion, design, or pop culture. Imagine a world where talking about sexual health is as normal as discussing your skincare routine. That’s our goal.”
Surely, Ava and Isabelle are on the right track when it comes to empowering more Filipina women, by helping them explore and discover their own flavor of pleasure and sensuality, inspiring Pinays to be more in charge of their sexuality, encouraging them to be more comfortable with their own bodies.
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Cover Shoot Production by Jellytime and Stylish Magazine
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Tune in on April 12, 2025 at 8:00PM Manila time for “The Stylish x The Sexytime Podcast” featuring cover girls Isabel and Ava Daza on Stylish Facebook page and YouTube channel.
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