The Wetter the Better: Your Guide to Choosing Lube
- Using lubrication can enhance sexual experiences, and even make them possible at all for many.
- Lubricants differ a lot in terms of ingredients, flavour, sensation, fragrance, et cetera.
- Important factors like intended use and allergies should be considered while choosing a lubricants
Introduction
Whether you are with a partner, or alone, friction during any sexual activity can cause discomfort. Beyond natural lubrication produced by genitals, adding lube can be a great way to enhance pleasure and comfort. Let’s take a closer look at personal lubricants and how you can choose the best one for yourself!
What are personal lubricants? When are they used?
A personal lubricant is a liquid or a gel, typically used to reduce friction during sexual activity and enhance pleasure.
They can be used in any partnered or solo sexual activity. This could include penetration (vaginal and anal, with genitals or hands), oral sex, masturbation, using sex toys, or even a massage.
They can be used in addition to the body’s natural lubrication, or when natural lubrication is not adequate (such as in vaginal dryness).
What are the different types of lubricants?
There are many different types of lubricant. Most commonly they are classified into three categories, based on their composition:
- Water-based lube: The primary ingredient is water. They can be used with all types of condoms and sex toys. They are a suitable option for those with sensitive skin. Re-application will be more frequent, since the body absorbs water. They are also easy to wash off.
- Silicone-based lube: The primary ingredient is silicone. They are more long lasting than water- based lubes, since the body does not absorb silicone. They can be used with all types of condoms, but cannot be used with silicone sec toys as they will degrade. They are more likely to stain sheets.
- Oil-based lube: The primary ingredient is oil. With their thick consistency, they are very long lasting. However, they are not compatible with latex and polyisoprene barriers, and can cause them to break. They are safe to use with sex toys. Since they are harder to wash off, they are likely to trap bacteria and stain sheets too.
Beyond this, lubes can differ in terms of flavour, fragrance, and sensation. Flavoured lube is mainly used for oral sex, and could cause irritation in penetration. Fragranced lubricants (like massage oils) can heighten sensory arousal. Some lubricants can provide a cool, warm, or tingling sensation for extra stimulation.
Things to keep in mind
- Be informed of the ingredients in the lubricant. Some frangrances and flavouring agents can cause itching and irritation. Glycerine in lube can cause yeast infection (Read more about lube ingredients here)
- Patch test lube before use.
- Avoid using household products like petroleum jelly, baby oil, honey, et cetera, on your genitals. They can disturb the pH balance and cause irritation.
- Be careful about how lube interacts with barriers, like condoms. Any oil-based lubricant will degrade latex and polyisoprene condoms. (Read more about condoms and lube here)
- Lube can limit sperm motility, and can also contain spermicide. Read the ingredients carefully before use.
- Too much lubrication in the condom can cause it to slip.
Conclusion
Using lube is not an indication of not being sufficiently aroused. Using additional lubrication can greatly enhance sexual experiences, and even make them possible at all for many. There’s many different options in the market, and it is important to be aware of what each of these options entails to make an informed choice. No one type of lube suits everyone, assess your needs and explore to find what suits them best!
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