Sex Toy Home > Personal Lubricants

Personal lubricants are perhaps the greatest unsung sex toy. While it’s true that lubricants can be used to solve sexual problems, like  vaginal dryness,  lube is much more than something to use only when you "need" it.

 

Why does vaginal dryness occur?

Before intimacy, the vagina receives signals from the brain to release moisture. During sexual arousal, most of the fluid comes from the walls of the vagina, much like sweating. This process is called transudation. The female hormone estrogen is an important activator in the release of vaginal fluids. Anything that disrupts estrogen production will result in an inadequate supply of lubricating fluids. The most common cause of vaginal dryness is menopause. 42% of menopausal women experience vaginal dryness.

What are the effects of vaginal dryness?

The most common complaint associated with vaginal dryness is pain during intercourse. Other effects include itching, sensitivity, irritation, tenderness, inflammation, bleeding, and pain in the vaginal area. Vaginal dryness can be easily relieved with the use of a water-soluble lubricant that acts like the body’s own fluids. One such lubricant is K-Y Brand.
 

Why Use Personal Lubricants?

Did you know? Not using a Personal Lubricant is the #1 reason condoms break. Using a quality lube can also make your experience with condoms much more enjoyable. When shopping for lubes please stay away from any lubricant that contains oil. Baby Oil, Vaseline and / or Massage Oils which will damage latex condoms. Any of the quality personal lubricants on our site like will increase the dependability of condoms by making them less susceptible to breakage.

The Best Personal Lubricants can:

    * Intensify and enhance sensations (for solo or partner sex)
    * Change the way that sex feels
    * Help you have sex longer
    * Make safer sex safer by reducing the chances that a condom will break
    * Eliminate pain associated with intercourse that comes from vaginal dryness
    * Eliminate male chafing and blisters from continued or prolong friction


Personal Lubricants: Which is right for you?

Figuring out which is the right one for you can be tricky. Here are some key things to consider when choosing a personal lubricant.
Water Based or Silicone Based Personal Lubricant
Both water based and silicone based lubricants are safe to use with condoms, and many of the products, and all of the ingredients are FDA approved. The main difference between water based and silicone based lubricants are: 

Flavored and Warming Personal Lubricants

Flavoring and warming effects don’t improve the function of a lubricant, and some people report that the lubricants with flavor dry up faster than others. If you are concerned about allergic reactions, you should avoid both flavored and warming lubricants. On the other hand, they can be a fun way to add something different to sex play, and a growing number of lubricant companies are adding flavored and warming products (one company also offers a lubricant that has a cooling effect).


Functions of Personal Lubricants
Personal lubricants are great to use for all kinds of sex play, including:

    * Vaginal penetration
    * Anal penetration
    * Sex toys
    * Masturbation or partner sex

Water based lubricant

Water-based personal lubricants are water soluble and are the most widely available personal lubricant on the market. The earliest water-based lubricants were cellulose or glycerin solutions. Lubricants containing glycerin may cause or exacerbate vaginal yeast infections in persons who are susceptible. Subsequent products have added various agents for spreading, water retention, and resistance to contamination. The viscosity of these products can be adjusted by adjusting their water content and concentration of cellulose (or another gel-forming hydrophilic ingredient). They have a tendency to dry out during use, but reapplication is often sufficient to re-activate them.

Because water-based personal lubricants absorb into the skin and evaporate they eventually will dry out leaving the residue derived from the other ingredients in the formulation. Particularly sugar (or glycerin) and other chemicals and preservatives create a sticky residue and associated sensation, often associated with an unpleasant taste and smell. Some of these water based personal lubricants require constant reapplication and leave a residue on the skin, which is however easily removed with water. Newer generation water-based lubricants are formulated with natural skin moisturizers such as carrageenan, eliminating the sticky residue post-evaporation. Carrageenan in some formulations such as Bioglide have been shown to be potent inhibitors of human papillomavirus infection in vitro.

Typical water-based lubricants are incompatible with many sex acts that occur in water (such as in a bathtub, pool, sink, or hot tub) as they can be dissolved or dispersed in water.

    * Flush out of the body, and off the body easier than silicone
    * Are more widely available
    * Are available in flavored and warming variations
    * Are less expensive
   

Silicone-based lubricants possess many unique qualities which make them very different from other personal lubricants. Silicone based personal lubricants do not absorb into the skin, instead staying on the surface of the skin to provide a durable glide. Various products have varying characteristics, quality and performance. Not all silicone-based lubricants are certified condom and latex safe so the user must always check the label and use as directed.
Silicone-based lubricants are not recommended for use with silicone-based sex toys. The lubricants dissolve the surface of the toys, making them sticky and causing them to slowly disintegrate. Pre-lubricated condoms may use a silicone lubricant and should therefore be checked before using with silicone-based sex toys. Popular brands include Swiss Navy Lubricants, Eros, ID Glide Lubricants, Gun Oil, FriXion, Sliquid Silver, Wet Platinum, Liquid Silk, Liquid Sin, Astroglide Lubricants, and Slippery Kitty Lubricants.
   
    * Contain no water, so they never dry up or evaporate
    * Require soap and water to come off the skin
    * Do not absorb in the skin
    * Are more expensive, but less is required

    * No need to re-apply during sex which mean no interruptions!

Sexual intercourse with a lube

A lubricant can be used to increase pleasure or reduce pain during sexual activity and may be used for lubricating the penis, dildo, vagina or anus before sexual intercourse. Personal lubricants are particularly useful for anal sex, vaginal intercourse when the woman experiences vaginal dryness, and vaginal intercourse when the woman's vagina is contracted. It is generally sufficient to apply a good drop of gel on the vaginal entrance; anal sex usually requires a more generous application, since the anus has less natural lubrication. There are also available combinations of personal lubricants with spermicides. Nonoxyol-9, contained in some spermicidal lubricants, can in rare cases cause irritation or other problems.

We recommend Parabens Free Lubricants

While there is still much debate about the safety of parabens, including the use of parabens in personal lubricants, some people prefer to reduce any potential risk by using lubricants that are paraben free. Regardless of any potential long term health impacts, parabens can and do cause allergic reactions for some people. If you want to avoid this possibility, you can try the paraben free water based and paraben free silicone based lubricants listed below. Of course individuals may still have reactions to lubricants even if they are paraben free and lastly ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR!