Slippery Slope No More: The CMR Guide to Personal Lubricants
tl;dr Just looking for straightforward lube recommendations? Well we’ve done the research for you. Skip to the end of this blog for specific brands we love. However, if you have some time on your hands, there is some important sexual health information for you below!
c/o giphy: Image description of dog sliding down slippery walk
Choosing a personal lubricant can be dizzying with all that is available to you in the drugstore and online. That said, not all lubricants are created equal, especially when you consider the people and activities you’re getting into. The only way to know what you’re getting and what you should use is to understand what the product you’re getting does and what you need it to do.
The Basics
There are four basic kinds of lubricants: 1) Water-based lubes; 2) Silicone-based lubes; 3) Hybrid lubes; and 4) Plant oil-based lubes. Below is a breakdown of the pros and cons of each.
Water-based lubricants are designed to mimic the feel of the body’s own natural lubrication. These lubes are generally preferred because there is a wide variation of formulas, so almost every person can find a good feel and fit for their sexual preferences and sexual expression. However, such a wide variation in formulas means that there is also going to be significant variation in terms of quality… remember, not all lubes are created equal. Some water-based lubes are moisturizing and supportive of tissue health and wellbeing, and some could create irritation, burning or itching, and can even damage delicate genital tissues. We’ll get into a little science later about lubricant osmolality and why it’s important. If there is burning or itching, this typically indicates a mismatch of pH and this sensation usually subsides quickly.
Silicone-based lubricants are formulated to create a long-lasting, reliable barrier for any sexual activity. Most are lightweight, extremely slippery, and coat the surface of the skin gently to create this barrier. With this type of lube, a little goes a very long way. Silicone lubes also vary in quality but most people do not report any burning or itching sensations; because of the pharmaceutical-grade ingredients used to formulate silicone-based lubes, they are broadly considered to be hypoallergenic. Another important note about silicone lubes is that they may destroy your silicone toys, so pay close attention to the materials your sex toys are made of when using this type of lube.
Hybrid-based lubricants are a mix of two or more types of lubes, most commonly water and silicone-based lubes. There are also silicone and oil-based mixtures as well. These lubes are almost always safe for use with condoms, all sex toys, and other safe sex barriers. These lubes are less likely to cause irritation to skin and delicate genital tissues. They are long-lasting and require less frequent application.
Finally, plant oil-based lubricants are naturally slippery, contain many health benefits, are ultra-moisturizing, and create a protective friction barrier. They are a great choice for all forms of sexual expression that are enhanced by lube. However, these lubes can be challenging because they are NOT compatible with most condoms and other safe sex barriers. Also, because people vary in how long oils last and are absorbed in the body, they can cause urinary tract infections (UTI’s) or bacterial vaginal infections, so it is important to get a well-formulated product. Plant oils such as coconut, olive, grapeseed, sunflower, and sweet almond oils are also alternatives you may have around the house are clinically approved, but again, should be used with caution with safe sex barriers or vagina owners who are prone to UTI’s, BV, vaginal dryness, and genital infection.
The Devil is in the Details: Know the Ingredients!
It is a little-known fact that most lubes for sale in the US are formulated and bottled by the same handful of manufacturers. The brands may be different, but the ingredients in these lubes may be the same without you realizing. There are also some ingredients used by these companies that are harmful to genital tissues, especially for vagina owners. Lube companies will label their products to let you know that they will reduce friction and assist with sexual pleasure, but they don’t let you know what the osmolality of the product is - this is a huge problem. Because we believe science-backed information is important, here’s a quick note on what the heck osmolality is and why it matters.
Osmolality refers to how concentrated the particles in a water-based lubricant are. Your skin - including your delicate genital tissues - is trying to maintain a balance between water particles within a skin cell and the fluid (water-based lubricant, for instance) surrounding it. When your body comes into contact with a water-based lubricant, cells undergo osmosis. If the pressure and concentration of the surrounding liquid is higher than the pressure of a cell itself, your skin cells will release water to create balance. If too much water is released, the cell becomes too concentrated, causing the cell to die, as well as the surrounding network of cells. Not only does this cause skin irritation, but it can actually thin out and damage the lining of your genitals over time. YIKES.
So what are some good rules of thumb for choosing the right ingredients when you’re picking a new lube?
1) Ingredients are REQUIRED to be listed in decreasing order. Usually, the first and second ingredients make up 90-98% of a product.
2) Look for the big no no - glycerine. If this is one of the first two or three ingredients, this is probably a high-osmolality lube. Propylene glycol is also fine in small quantities but if you see it as the first or second ingredient in a product, definitely take care because this could raise a lubricant’s osmolality. It’s best to avoid these ingredients if you can.
3) Keep your old bottle of lube that wasn’t so great and make sure you note the ingredients and amounts as you compare new brands. Have a lube that worked wonders? Keep it and search for similar ingredient breakdowns. And if there are no ingredients listed online or on the product? Don’t buy it.
c/o giphy: Image description of Big Brothers celebrity talking about lube
CMR’s Sexual Health and Genital Tissue-Approved Lubes
Good Clean Love (available in water-based and water-silicone hybrid)
Sliquid (available in water-based, water-silicone hybrid, and plant oil based)
Pjur (available in water-based and silicone based)
Coconu (available in water-based and plant oil-based; all natural products)
Water-Based Lubes
Pros:
Feels natural
Easy cleanup
Widely available
Cons:
May cause irritation or burning
Dries up/absorbs – must reapply
Silicone-Based Lubes
Pros:
Long-lasting
Hypoallergenic/non irritant
Slippery, doesn’t dry easily
Cons:
Can be more expensive per ounce
Does not work with silicone toys
More cleanup involved
Hybrid-Based Lubes
Pros:
Safe to use with toys and safe sex barriers
Easy cleanup
Unlikely to cause irritation or burning
Cons:
Harder to access (found at specialty sex stores usually)
Dries up/absorbs – must reapply
Plant Oil-Based Lubes
Pros:
Moisturizing
All-natural, often organic
Widely available
Cons:
NOT for use with most safe sex barriers
Can cause UTI’s, BV, NOT for folx with chronic vaginal bacterial or yeast overgrowth concerns