Article: How to Choose Your Lube
How to Choose Your Lube
Lube, which is short for “personal lubricant”, has long been associated with vaginal dryness and menopausal women. It’s a pre-conceived idea we need to shake as lube is a great tool that can be used to enhance your sex sessions. “We live in a society where a self-lubricating vulva and vagina is celebrated and one that does not is shamed,” said Ms. Brown, a sex coach, to the New York Times. “If you don’t have a Super Soaker between your legs, that’s actually completely normal and fine and a common experience.”
When applied to the genitals or sex toys, lube reduces friction and irritation, makes the skin smoother and enhances pleasure during partnered sex or masturbation. In other words, lube makes sex a whole lot better for everyone, no matter your gender, your age, or your stage in life!
Photo credit Shutterstock / Iryna Inshyna
There are different types of lubes and many options on the market (water, silicone, or oil-based, flavored vs unflavored, natural vs organic, CBD-enhanced, etc.), which can get overwhelming and confusing. Basically, you need to choose a lube depending on what you use it for and what you use it with, as some types are not compatible with sex toys and others not compatible with condoms. I’ve summed up the pros and cons of the main categories of lubes below.
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Types of Lubes |
Pros |
Cons |
|
Water-based |
· Compatible with most condoms and sex toys · Wipes off easily · The kind that mimics the most the natural lubrication of the body |
· Can dry up more quickly, may need to be re-applied · Can get sticky · Some contain preservatives that may irritate the skin for people with skin sensitivities or allergies |
|
Silicone-based |
· Slippery and long-lasting · Compatible with most condoms · Hypoallergenic and non-irritating · Good for shower sex |
· Harder to clean (needs soap) · Can damage silicone sex toys (causing them to rip where bacteria can get into) |
|
Oil-based |
· Long-lasting (the longest) |
· Not compatible with latex and polyisoprene condoms · Can stain sheets and clothes |
|
Ingredients to avoid (these ingredients may cause irritation, inflammation, or infections) |
capsaicin, chlorhexidine gluconate, lidocaine, menthol, nonoxynol-9, polyquaternium-7, -10, or -15, glycerin, petroleum, propylene glycol, glycerol, glycols, alcohol, parabens, phthalates, fragrances, sugars, artificial flavors, sparkles
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Natural vs Organic Lubes
Natural lubes refer to lubes made with plant-based and mineral-based ingredients, while organic lubes are made with ingredients sourced from organic farming practices, meaning free of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Not all natural lubes are organic, while all organic lubes are 100% natural. Simply put, organic lubes are made from certified ingredients, while natural ones are not. If you’re concerned about using a product that contains synthetic ingredients, you should look for a lubricant that has both natural and a small number of ingredients on their list.
CBD-Enhanced Lubes
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in the cannabis plant. It doesn’t cause the “high” associated with marijuana use. Many personal lubricants on the market now include CBD as an ingredient. While there have been few studies investigating CBD and lubrication, according to the website Medicalnewstoday.com, existing research suggests that topical CBD may reduce pain and inflammation, which may help people experiencing dryness and pain during sex. Other anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD-enhanced lubes may increase blood flow and relax your muscles, hence intensifying your pleasure. However, it is important to note that CBD is not a US FDA-approved ingredient in personal lubricants.
A Word On pH Level and Osmolality
Unless you have exceptional memory and remember your middle-school chemistry class quite well, you’re probably wondering what the heck is osmolality? Osmolality is the measure of dissolved particles in a fluid. For reference, water has an osmolality of close to zero, while the vagina normally has an osmolality of around 300. If you put a lubricant with a high osmolality in the vagina, the vaginal cells will push water out of themselves in an attempt to maintain a low vaginal osmolality. So if your lube has a high osmolality, it will dry out your vagina and increase the chance of irritation, burning, and infection. The WHO recommends using a lubricant with an osmolality below 1,200, but preferably below 380. As for pH level, which is the measure of how acidic the lubricant is, it should be around the normal pH level of the vagina, which is around 3.5-4.5.
*No matter what type of lubricant you choose, you should test it before use: place a small amount on your inner wrist and leave it for 10 minutes. If you don’t have any reaction, chances are that you are good to go.
**You should also always read the label to make sure your lube is compatible with the type of condoms and/or sex toys you are using.
For more information on lubes, here are a few interesting links:
https://www.prevention.com/sex/a45147935/water-vs-silicone-lube/#
https://www.health.com/condition/sexual-health/how-to-use-lube-for-better-sex
