But it’s ok because I don’t want to stop! Lube is one of my favorite topics because it is so helpful for so many people. It is also affordable and sexy. Helpful, affordable, and sexy. This may be the most Midwestern description of a sexual product ever written.
In this post I’ll cover the basics of lube: why you want it, the different kinds, and how to pick the right one for you. If you want to hear me seriously nerd out about lubrication and are in the mood for more information about lube than you ever thought you would need, you’ll want to check out my YouTube video on the topic:
Enough stalling, let’s talk lube.
Why do I want to use lube? No matter who you are or what kind of body you have, lube can help. You want the pleasurable kind of friction, not the “ouch, this is chafing” kind of friction. Vulvas don’t always lubricate just because you are feeling desire. Butts don’t produce their own lubrication at all. Even if you have some lubrication from your body, sometimes you just need more. When you find a lube you like, sexual activities that felt neutral-to-good before can take on new levels of pleasure. In my opinion, adding lubrication is the easiest, quickest, most affordable way to make sex more pleasurable.
What are the different kinds of lube? There are three kinds of lube. Water based, oil based, and silicone based. Check the ingredients label to see what kind you have. Here is a quick pro & con list for each:
Water Based Pros: Easiest to find at a store near you, won’t ruin anything so you can use it with anything (latex safer sex supplies, toys, etc).
Water Based Cons: May include ingredients that can be irritating or lead to yeast infections, becomes sticky after a while and you will need to re-apply.
Silicone Based Pros: Seems like these stay slick forever. Come in thin liquids and thicker gels for when you need more cushion. Much less likely to contain irritating ingredients.
Silicone Based Cons: Some kinds of silicone lube will stick to some silicone toys. You’ll have to do a spot test in an inconspicuous area to see.
Oil Based Pros: Many people like the smooth, silky feel of these. They stay slick for a long time and provide extra cushion.
Oil Based Cons: Can weaken and/or break latex safer sex supplies. May irritate vulvas (we really need more studies on this).
How can you pick the right lube for you? You’ll want to be thinking about what kinds of lube work well for the body parts, scenarios, safer sex supplies, and toys involved. Which sometimes means you’ll want to have more than one kind on hand based on what you are planning to do. If you feel overwhelmed with choices, I would say start with silicone as it works well for most scenarios. Just be careful about using it with toys because if it sticks to a toy, that toy will be sticky forever.
Have I got you intrigued? I hope so! If you have any questions I didn’t cover here, they are probably covered in the video above. I seriously rambled in that one.
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