Choose the right personal lubricant for better sex

You wouldn't run a high-performance engine without any lube, so why run your high-performance body without any? If you don't use any at all, things might just grind to a halt. From anal lube to silicone lube, our guide to personal lubricant explains how to choose...

Load up the personal lubricant, ladies and gents. It's not just a health matter (anal sex without lube can be a risky business for all concerned) – it's a pleasure thing. A well-chosen lubricant can dramatically enhance your sexual experience and make you forever wonder why didn't you use it before.

Sex without lube is like driving without tyres. It's just about possible, but you won't find it terribly comfortable, you might damage some key equipment and you won't get anywhere very fast.

Even if you're the type of woman whose natural lube needs very little persuasion – in which case, we salute you – an extra lubricant can add a whole new dimension to sex, helping your skin pick up sensations and allowing you and your partner to indulge in precisely the kind of main course you want without having to spend too long on the starter.

Why lubricants are good for women

Lubricants can set the passion wheels in motion. Try water-based lube on her breasts, before licking and sucking - or silicone lube, which feels beautiful. Put a little dab on your finger before stroking her clitoris. Often vaginal lubrication doesn't find its way there before direct stimulation, so fingers tend to feel rough no matter how soft your hands are.

There are women who believe they lubricate naturally and so don't need a lube, but don't knock it before you try it. Every couple will find their love-making benefits from the use of lube.

Our Tracey Cox Supersex Love Lube is our best-selling water-based lubricant.

When lubes can help maintain a healthy, happy sex life

There are times in a woman's life - certain days within the menstrual cycle, just after childbirth, during or after the menopause - when natural lubrication needs a helping hand, and on these occasions lube provides a simple, fun and highly effective way of continuing a healthy sex life. Stress, tiredness, some over-the-counter drugs and the pill can also contribute to a drier than normal vagina.

Intercourse at these times (without using lube) can lead to tiny tears in the vagina which are sore and leave it vulnerable to infection. Tiny tears in the anus can be even more of a problem - so if that is your preference, lubricate, lubricate, lubricate!

But I mainly use my toys for masturbation

Lubricants, oils and lotions are most commonly used to slick up solo sex. Use lube during masturbation and you'll find your sex toys slip and slide, and your skin soaks up their touch even better than before. Just make sure your chosen lube won't mess with your toy!

Some lubes, like Liquid Silk, are formulated specially for use with sex toys.

 

How will I know if my lube is safe for my sex toys?

In short, oil-based lubricant will rot latex condoms and play havoc with your jelly toys; silicone lube will make a right mess of your silicone toys; and water-based lube goes well with just about everything, and is second to none for solo play – though you may find it too thin for extended couple play and certainly for anal penetration.

Your kitchen is full of gloop that you may have tried, or considered using as a lube, but the household approach is not really the way to go. Good ol' Vaseline is fine for slicking up your solo clitoral adventures, but when vaginas and condoms are involved it's not advised – Vaseline, like cooking oil, is an excellent carrier of yeast infection, vaginal acne and latex terror. Allow us to explain... 

Oil-based lube

Some anal lubes are petroleum or petrolatum-based, which gives them a thick, rich texture that enhances your sensitivity and provides extremely cushioned friction. Great, but, well, there are many "buts" when it comes to oil-based lube (no pun intended). Oil destroys latex on contact, which means you can't use it with condoms or diaphragms, and it stains fabric, so it'll look like you've been scoffing chips in bed.

Petroleum can irritate the vagina, so keep that Vaseline away from your love canal. Despite all this, oil-based lubes are the most commonly used kind of lubrication, probably because baby oil and Vaseline are so easy to come by in your local Asda. But we prefer to play it safe and keep her oil lube for clitoral masturbation and anal play with latex-free condoms. 

Water-based lube

Ah, that's more like it. Water-based lubes like the classic KY Jelly or the snazzier ID range are the most versatile lubricants, though you may find them a bit thin for anal penetration. However, their light, natural feel is (G-)spot-on for vaginal play, and they won't rot your condom – or your vagina. Neither will they stain your bedsheets, mess with your barrier contraception or - and this is of great importance - warp the surface of your faithful vibrator.

The only downside with water-based lubes is that you may need to use quite a lot during prolonged sessions. 

Flavoured lubes

Water-based lubricants with a twist. Wonderful for oral sex, they can make foreplay great fun and tasty, too. Make sure the lubricant you choose does not contain sugar as this can cause yeast infections in women. The world's top-selling flavoured lubricants, ID Juicy Lubes come in twelve flavours, so there should be one that takes your fancy! You can even get them in mix packs of 10, so suck 'em and see! ID Juicy lubes are non-staining and as they contain no sugar are calorie-free!

Silicone-based lube

Yet again, silicone gives us the best of both worlds: the highly arousing slick feel of oil plus the safety-first advantages of water-based lube. Don't you just love this stuff? As with vibes and dildos, silicone lubes like the gorgeous Silicone Luxury Lube are slightly more expensive, but they're worth every penny, not least because a small drop goes a very long way.
Silicone lube is even waterproof, so next time you're off on holiday pack some silicone lubes along with your factor 25 and get busy in the pool. One note of caution: silicone lubes and silicone toys don't mix. Oh, and watch out for the pool attendant.

Silicone will not harm latex and is perfectly safe for internal use as silicone molecules are too big to enter the body through the skin or body linings.

Warming lubes

Fast becoming a must-have in every bedside cabinet, warming lubes are a fun and easy way to spice up your sex life.

 They're water-based lubes that contain special ingredients that feel warm on the skin - and get even warmer when you start rubbing or blowing.