Wet & Wild: Picking the Best Lube

Lubrication is the easiest way to enhance sex and can also be the most confusing. With all the choices on the market, the hunt for the right lubrication can be overwhelming and for some even embarrassing! However, picking the right lube can be easy; thousands of options can be brought down to two main different types of lube: water and silicone based.

Water Based Lube: H2- Oh Yes!

Water based lubes are a great all-purpose option for many reasons! Water based is not only sex toy compatible but is safe will all types of condoms. Edible lubes will be water based, and come in hundreds of fun flavors- from sexy go-tos like cherry and strawberry, to adventurous options like pink lemonade and blue raspberry! Because the main ingredient is water, this type of lubrication does evaporate more quickly with friction and can be sticky, but, fortunately, washes off easily with water. Our favorite water based brand is Sliquid- a hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, vegan, and affordable option.

Silicon Based Lube: Slide Right In!

Silicone lubes should be the go-to for folks with sensitive skin as silicone is hypoallergenic. On top of that, silicone lasts much longer than water based lubes do–a little goes a long way! Cleanup is still fairly easy, with soap and water. However, the big downsides of silicone is that it’s not compatible with silicone toys (when silicone lube comes in contact with silicone toys, it will begin to deteriorate the surface of the toy, creating a porous texture that is not only less aesthetically pleasing, but also much less sanitary.) Our favorite silicone based brand is Wet- inexpensive and insanely popular!

Water/Silicone Hybrids: The Best of Both Worlds!

While still unsafe with silicone toy usage, a water/silicone hybrid can be the perfect marriage of slippery fun! Both of our favorite lube brands, Sliquid and Wet, do a hybrid lube that will take your night of fun up to an 11!

What To Avoid

Now that you know how easy it is to find the right lube for your needs, let’s talk about those that should be avoided:

• Oil based lube- while oil based lube is more effective still than silicone, the downsides outweigh not having to reapply. Oil based lubes stain sheets, are difficult to clean off of your body, and increase risk of infection.
• Warming and cooling lubricants- while it may seem fun to add a little fire to your sexlife, warming, tingling, and cooling lubes may not be what you want! Even in aforementioned water based form, the “tingling” agents in these lubes can irritate your skin and disrupt the pH of your body, especially during vaginal sex. If you’re still eager to try, I recommend a spot test coupled with paying close attention to how your body reacts.

-E