There are many additives in the market that can boost your sexual pleasure and one of them is lubricants. These are such magical liquids that can double your sexual experience. But there are many types of lubes available in the market then which one to choose from? This is a very important question to ask yourself. Because there are many lubes in the market that can be harmful to you.
And the second issue, you need to select your lube as per your requirement. There are many things you need to know before you go to buy lube in the market.
While selecting a lube to buy:
- Select the type you want. (Water-based, silicon-based, Oil-based)
- Get clear on how you are going to use this lube and select the type according to that.
- Check for any harmful ingredients.
- Select a flavour you want or don’t want any flavour.
- Then look for the pricing.
- If all is good then buy it.
The above is a simple structure you need to follow while buying lubricant for sex. But I think this information is not sufficient to make a better decision. So, I will explain every little piece of information in this blog, that will help you to pick the best lube for you. In the end, I will give my best recommendations to buy a lube as per my knowledge. So, let’s start our journey… 😉
Let’s look a little into the history of lubes
Now you may be thinking why I am talking about history while you are here to know how to pick the best lube for you. Yes, the history will not help in that but it will give you confirmation that you are not going to use something new. Your ancestors are using lubes for sex for a long time. Lube has a long history.
For the first time, Olive oil was used as a sex lube in 350 BC. In 600 BC, carrageenan from seaweed was used as a lubricant due to its thinking property in Ancient China. There are even more history and history. If you want to read more about it then you can read it here.
I also don’t like history very much, so let’s get into the real thing that will help you to pick the best lube for you. I will start with the types of lubes and some important features of each of them.
Types of Lubes
The very first important thing you need to know about while buying a lube is its type. Each type of lube has its own benefits and harms. So, you need to choose wisely which suits you best.
There are mainly 3 types of lubes.
- Water-based lubes
- Silicon-based lubes
- Oil-based lubes
Note: Some websites will show some more of the lubes types but they are generally made by mixing these 3 types. These three are the base types.
1. Water-based Lubricants
The very first lube type we have is a water-based lubricant. This is the simplest, cheapest, and safest option we have. Water-based lubes are the most versatile lubes in nature. These can be used with almost every activity you can think of (even ones that involve silicone toys).
It has many other pros and cons, as do everything. So, I am mentioning them below to be easily readable.
Pros:
- Easy to wash off.
- Won’t strain your sheet.
- Cheap and readily available.
- Can be used safely on condoms (both latex and non-latex) and sex toys.
- Easy on the skin
- Reduces the risk of condom breakage.
Cons:
- Need to be reapplied often (Mostly thin in texture)
- Can’t be used for anal. (Anal need something that lasts longer)
- Can have additives so you need to check out the ingredients
- Cannot be used for shower play. (Get’s washed off easily with water)
2. Silicon-based Lubricants
Silicone-based lubes are the safest option for your body. Even better than water-based lubes because silicone is hypoallergenic, so, there is very little chance that you will get any irritation or infection with it. It has many other benefits and cons that are mentioned below.
Pros:
- Lasts significantly longer than water-based lubes.
- A bit more slippery.
- Can be used with condoms.
- Most people won’t experience any reaction because silicone is hypoallergenic.
cons:
- Need to be careful with sex toys because they can degrade your toy made of silicone.
- Not eatable because silicone does not get absorbed into the body.
3. Oil-based Lubricants
This lube is for the ones who do not love to reapply again and again. You just apply once and go for a long ride. No doubt, that an oil-based lube can double your fun but also has many risks too. All the mentioned clearly below for your convenience.
Pros:
- Lasts significantly longer than the other lubes.
- Cheap and readily available eg. oils available in your house like coconut oil (little high pH), olive oil, and vegetable oils.
Cons:
- Cannot be used with latex condoms because make it breakable.
- Can strain your sheets.
- Hard to clean up.
- Associated with a higher rate of getting an infection.
- Can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea if swallowed
Things to ask yourself before buying a lubricant
When you go to buy a lubricant you get blank if you have not cleared some important questions in your mind. These are the questions that will filter out the extra things from your mind so that you can pick the best suitable for you. Below, I have mentioned three important questions that you must ask yourself while you are going to buy lube.
1. How will you use the lube?
This is the very question you need to ask yourself before buying a lube. How are you going to use that lube? Will you use it with your partner or for solo play? Will you use it on a condom or without a condom? Or, will you use it on a sex toy? Your choice will vary through each of these questions. Each has its own specific requirement.
Lube types you can use as per the situation:
- Vaginal intercourse without a Condom): Water-based lube, Silicone-based lube, and Oil-based lube
- Vaginal Intercourse with a condom: Water-based lube, Silicone-based lube
- For Solo Play with a silicone toy: Water-based lube, Oil-based lube
- For shower fun: Silicone-based lube, Oil-based lube
- For oral sex: Water-based lube
Note: If you are highly prone to infection then don’t use Oil-based lubes because these are associated with the higher rate of infection.
2. What is the moisture texture you want?
The second question you need to ask is, what type of texture do you love to use? Do you like thick moisture or want light moisture? It is totally your choice what you like most. What you like, this can be answered by you only.
In old times if you want light moisture then you need to go with water-based lubes and if you want thick moisture then you will go for an oil-based lube. But now you can have a thick moisture lube in a water-based type. So, select one that you like to use.
3. Do you need any flavour?
The flavour is an optional thing, but it can boost your pleasurable experience. If you are going to use your lube for oral sex then I will highly recommend you go with flavoured lube. But if you are going to use it for intercourse then the flavour is just an optional preference.
Ingredients to avoid while selecting a lube
Other than asking the above question there are also some ingredients you need to be extra careful about. These are the ingredients that you need to avoid. All the ingredients listed below can have some harm on you, so always check the ingredients while buying a lubricant.
1. Parabens
- Used to extend the life of an ingredient. (Work as a preservative)
- May be linked to endocrine disruption.
- Can cause fertility problems.
- Very irritating to the skin.
2. Nonoxynol 9
- It is a spermicide which is actually designed to kill all microbes.
- Can kill both good and bad bacteria in your vagina.
- Higher risk of getting other types of infections.
3. Petroleum or petroleum-based ingredients
- Don’t use Vaseline or baby oil as a sex lube.
- Can cause pH disruptions.
- Can lead to yeast infections/ other discomforts in the vagina.
Note: For a vaginal intercourse lube you need to keep in mind that the pH of lube should match the pH of vagina i.e. 3.5 to 4.5. For anal the pH of the lubricant should be 6.
4. Glycerin
- Glycerin is a humectant which means it helps to retain moisture.
- Glycerin is a metabolic byproduct of sugar. So, a lubricant containing Glycerin can cause yeast infections.
- Can be irritating to the vaginal tissues.
5. Propylene glycol
- Propylene glycol act as a humectant, preservative, and more.
- Can cause vaginal irritation.
- Are considered safe to eat if consumed in a little portion. (Can’t eat multiple bottles per day)
6. Chlorhexidine gluconate
- This is an anti-bacterial. So, it can kill the good bacteria in your vagina.
- If you have a sensitive vagina then you can experience irritation or inflammation.
7. Cyclomethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane
- Commonly found in silicone-based lubricants.
- Can do reproductive harm and uterine cancer.
- No research has ever been conducted to examine the long-term impacts of vaginal exposure.
Our best recommended lubes to buy
The market is full of different types of lubes. The number is such high that you can easily get confused. And when it comes to finding a good and safe lube then it gets even more challenging. So, I have worked my best to select the best out of all. Below are the 4 great options you have for a great wet pleasure.
1. Sliquid H2O Original Intimate Water Based (8.5 oz.)
Regular Price: $38.99
For the first choice, I will recommend Sliquid H2O Intimate water-based lube. It is free from all harmful chemicals and is made up of some good ingredients. All Sliquid products are Glycerine Free, Paraben Free, Hypoallergenic, and made in the USA.
The best thing about Sliquid is that they keep donating to many charities. So, by buying a Sliquid product you are also doing good work.
Ingredients: Purified Water, Plant Cellulose (from Cotton), Cyamopsis (Guar Conditioners), Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
You can also look for other lubes from Sliquid here.
2. Lovehoney Enjoy Water-Based Lubricant (8.5 oz)
Regular Price: $34.99
If you have ever bought any sex product from the internet and researched a bit then you better know how big Lovehoney is as a brand. They make a hell a lot of sex products. And thus they have a great line of sex lubes that are damn good in quality.
This lube suggested above is one of them that is a great multipurpose option. You must give it a try,.
You can try other Lubes from Lovehoney here.
3. Wicked Aqua Sensual Care Water Based (4 oz.)
Regular Price: $17.99
AQUA is fragrance-free, paraben-free, latex friendly, long lasting, never sticky, and a vegan water-based lubricant. As per the user rating, Wicked Aqua sensual care is one of the best water-based lubricants. I haven’t seen anyone commenting about irritation on this lube. Actually, the product reviews are awesome. But why am I talking about the review of other real users of this product?
Because this product contains two ingredients (Propylene Glycol, Glycerin) that are suggested to ignore. We recommend that you don’t buy a lube that contains these ingredients. But this lube contains it in a very small amount so none of the users faced any irritation with it. If you want then you can give it a try too.
Ingredients: Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Cellulose Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
If you want to try other products from Wicked then you can try them here. They got a great collection of flavored lubes.
4. Pjur ORIGINAL Silicone (3.4 oz.)
Regular Price: $50.99
As you have already guessed that it is a silicone-based lubricant. Silicone-based lubes are also one of the great options you have if you are not planning to use them on a sex toy. If you are looking for a thick vaginal sex lube then this is a great option.
Finalizing:
So, hope you got detailed information about the lubes. With this information, you can select the best lube for yourself. The products suggested above are having affiliate links. That means I will get small support when you buy one. But this will not cost you any extra penny.
So, wish you a great pleasing moment. Let me know, how was your experience with the lube in the comment. 😉
