Lube is an essential product to have on hand to enhance your sexual experiences. If you haven’t tried it or want to try something new this guide is a great place to start! Lube is an affordable and easy product to bring into your sex life with a lot of benefits. I’ll take you through all the different kinds and what to look for and expect from each one. I recommend trying a few from our recommended list (below), it is important to find the right one (or more than one) for you.
What is lube and why do I need it?
Lube is an essential item to have on hand for most sexual activities, even if it isn’t required it can still heighten your experience. Some sexual activities like anal or while using sex toys it is absolutely required. Lubrication can intensify and enhance sensations of sexual activities whether solo or with others. Lube can make safe sex even safer by reducing the risk of condoms breaking due to friction, which is why condoms are often lubed. Lubrication can eliminate or greatly reduce discomfort or painful intercourse due to vaginal dryness.
With all the many uses and benefits that lube provides it is no surprise that there are so many different kinds to choose from, making the lube section a bit overwhelming for first timers. Don’t worry, I have you covered below with a breakdown of the different kinds of lubes and what they can do for you. I’ve even included our recommendations in each category. If you’re visiting our shop and feel a little overwhelmed don’t hesitate to ask one of our staff members for directions, tell them I sent you.
Different types of lube:
- Water Base
- Silicone Base
- Hybrid Base
- Oil Base
- Sensitive Skin
- Anal Lube
- Flavored Lube
- Organic Lube
- Sensation Lubes
Water Based Lubricant
Water based lube is the most common and probably the first lube you’ve tried or heard about. It is widely available and will not break down other materials, so it can be used with any toy and is latex safe!
Water based means the lubricant is made primarily of water and then a thickening agent like glycerin or other plant based or natural thickeners. This makes the lube very subtle and safe to use with other products and condoms. There are often a plethora of sensitive skin options in water based lubricants that can be great for anyone that is reactive to certain ingredients. I go into more detail and provide recommendations for lubricants for sensitive skin later in the Sensitive Skin section.
The biggest drawback of water based lubes is the need to reapply. Due to its base being water it is easily absorbed into the skin and can dry quicker than other lubes we will talk about. Water based also means water soluble so it won’t be helpful at all in any activities that involve water such as in the shower. It is still a step up from no lube at all, but if you’re hoping for something that stays slippery for a while there may be better options than water based lubricants.
Recommendation – Sliquid H20 & Pjur Nude
Silicone Based Lubricant
Silicone lube can be a little intimidating to begin with if you’re unfamiliar with it, but on the other side of that intimidation is my favorite kind of lube to recommend. A good silicone lube can be a miracle when you need lubrication that lasts.
Silicone based lube is made from different kinds of silicone and preservatives like Vitamin E. Silicone won’t absorb into your skin meaning it lasts longer than water based lubes. Most silicone lubes stay slick for a long time and dry without tackiness. It is safe to use with condoms, glass toys, and plastic toys. It is not recommended to use silicone lube with silicone toys because it can degrade the material over time. If you love silicone lube and want to use it with a silicone toy I would recommend putting a condom on your toy to protect it.
A drawback to silicone lube is that they can stain sheets and clothes if you’re not careful. They are best used on hard non-porous toys and not on rubber or soft toys. Silicone lube is not water soluble so it is great for the shower! However, silicone lube is also not water soluble so clean up will require soap and water or toy cleaner.
Recommendation – Uber Lube
Hybrid Based Lubricant
Hybrid lubrication is a blend of water based and silicone based lubricants that creates an extra slippery experience. The silicone and water do not mix together instead they glide against each other creating an extremely slick lubrication.
Hybrid lubes are made up of mostly a water based lubricant with the silicone based making up about 10% of the product. A hybrid lube functions like a water based lube in the way that it can be cleaned up with warm water, doesn’t stain and is safe to use with condoms. Hybrid lubes are also safe with all toys but we would recommend patch testing an area of the toy first just to make sure it doesn’t break down the material.
Hybrid lubes last longer than a water based lube but not quite as long as a silicone based lube and that might be the perfect amount for you.
If you’ve been jumping around this article and want to know more details about hybrid lubes I suggest reading the water based and silicone based sections!
Recommendation – Wicked Simply Hybrid
Oil Based Lubricant
Oil based lubricants are great for hand jobs and hand jobs only. This includes products with advertised ingredients such as natural coconut oil. Using an oil based lubricant for hand jobs can be a great for a long lasting slippery experience.
Oil based lubes are not safe for vaginal health including using coconut oil as a lubricant. There are a variety of ways that it can impact vaginal health such as trapping bacteria increasing the risk of yeast infection and possible skin reactions. Oil lubes also break down latex materials in condoms and diaphragms making them less effective at preventing STDs and pregnancy.
With all that said, oil based lubricants are great for what they are great for which is hand jobs!
Recommendation – Wicked Creme (Stroking Oil)
Sensitive Skin
If you are someone with sensitive skin it can feel risky to want to try lube, but don’t worry there are lubes made especially for those with sensitive skin. Lubes made for sensitive skin are made with less or no preservatives. Most lubes advertised for sensitive skin will not have glycerin or parabens in them.
In our recommendation below I’ve included both a water based and silicone based lube that is advertised for sensitive skin but I want to also mention that our recommendations for water based (Sliquid H20) and silicone based (Uber Lube) would be great options for sensitive skin. Sliquid H20 is made from natural ingredients and Uber Lube is made of high quality silicone and Vitamin E, which are all ingredients that rank low in risk for reactions.
If you have sensitive skin you are probably familiar with needing to try several options to find the one that works best for you. Don’t be afraid to spend some time looking at the label of lubes to make sure the ingredients don’t contain anything you know won’t work for you. Don’t get discouraged, there will be something that works for you!
Recommendation – Pjur Med Sensitive Glide & Pjur Med Soft Glide
Anal Specific Lubricants
When it comes to anal play lubrication is a requirement. Anal specific lubes are usually created to be a thicker viscosity and last longer. Anal lube is usually made in both water bases and silicone bases and are safe to use with latex (see sections above about water based and silicone based lubes for more information).
It is important that we talk about products like Anal-Ese that contain a numbing agent. We don’t recommend products that contain a numbing agent for anal because anal shouldn’t be painful. These products are usually in a cream consistency and should not be mistaken as lubricating. We would rather recommend products that include natural relaxing components like Bisabolol, chamomile, aloe, and guava extract.
Below I’ve recommended anal specific lubes by Intimate Earth with soothing ingredients but I want to note that our recommendation for silicone lube, Uber Lube, would also be a great option for anal lube. Intimate Earth Ease is a silicone based lube made with Bisabolol extract from chamomile which provides a relaxing sensation to the area that will last. Intimate Earth Soothe is a water based lubricant with natural plant derived glycerin and Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract which provides a soothing effect.
Recommendation – Intimate Earth Ease & Intimate Earth Soothe
Flavored Lube
Flavored lubes can be a fun way to spice up a variety of sexual experiences. Flavored lubes are water based and edible. They usually come in a variety of flavors so you can find the perfect taste for you. They are easy to clean up, won’t stain, and safe to use with latex.
Some drawbacks for flavored lube is they tend to get sticky and are meant to add flavor to the experience more than they are meant to provide lubrication. They also usually have glycerin and sugars in them so for the best vaginal health it is recommended to rinse off any lingering lube after use.
I’ve recommended a brand below and I would say the most popular flavor is watermelon but don’t be afraid to try a few flavors. A little tip is that flavors that are not replicating real natural flavors usually taste the best, things such as watermelon, blue raspberry or green apple. Wicked flavored lubes are made paraben and propylene glycol free and are sweetened with stevia.
Recommendation – Wicked Flavored Lubes
Organic
Organic lube utilizes ingredients that meet the criteria for organic products which includes no artificial ingredients and natural ingredients that have been grown in an environment free from prohibited growth substances. If organic ingredients are important to you then I recommend the below lube for you to try.
Organic lubes are usually water based and will function as such. They are safe with all toy materials and condom friendly. They will absorb into the skin and will not last as long as silicone lubes. They do not stain clothes or sheets and can be easily cleaned up with water.
Most Sliquid products are made with quality vegan natural ingredients and the organic line takes it a step further with all organic ingredients.
Recommendation – Liquid Organic Naturals
Sensation Lubes
Sensation lubes are made to provide additional sensations like warming or cooling to lubrication. Sensation lubes can be really fun to experiment with and provide a more heightened experience. These lubes come in either silicone based or water based with additional ingredients to create the sensation effects. The common sensations that are provided fall into two categories: warming and cooling/tingling.
Warming lubes function to bring blood to the surface of the skin and contain stimulating ingredients like cinnamon, clove, ginger, and citrus. These ingredients create a heated sensation that can increase arousal and sensitivity.
Cooling or tingling lubes also bring blood to the surface of the skin increasing sensitivity but through a different sensation. These lubes have cooling ingredients like ginger, peppermint, and menthol. The cooling effect of these ingredients can also give a tingling sensation that chills the skin and increases arousal.
These sensations can be rather intense the first time you try so we suggest starting with just a little bit at first to test it out before applying generously like you might with other lubes. Wicked sensation lubes come in both water based and silicone based. They are made of natural extracts and vegan with no animal testing. Sensuva ON (not pictured) is a brand we love to recommend for their sensation lubes because their effect seems to be more buzzing than tingling.
