How To Choose Personal Lubricants & Massage Oils

Ode To Lube!
Let's face it... personal lubricants make everything feel so good! Whether you are using a sex toy or grinding up against your lover(s) you can always have more fun when you use it.

Lubricants make sex toys and sex play not only feel better, but also more safe. Think about what happens when you're having sex: the body creates natural lubrication so you and your partner don't hurt each other with too much friction. While your body can make a lot of it (especially with female ejaculation) the kind of "slickness" that lubricants provide can be very hot!

The same logic applies to using toys, either with a partner or during solo play. Really, I don't think there's such thing as too much lubrication. Even if you lubricate naturally, a dab of extra lubricant on your toy or a body part is a highly recommended addition. It's better to be safe and slippery than sorry and sore!

Pick the Right Lube

Lubricants come in three basic formulations: water-based lube, which is the most common and most versatile, silicone-based lube, which is similar to water-based lube but waterproof, and petroleum-based lube, which is great for anal play.

Flavored Lubricants

Flavored lubricants are great for oral sex and we highly recommend them. There are a lot of them that taste like cough syrup and our staff and customers agree that there are only a few that taste like real fruit and our favorites are the Wet & ForPlay flavored lubricants.

We also carry a less tasty flavored lubricant called O'My as it is low in sugar making them ideal for women who are prone to yeast infections.

See our flavored lubricant reviews to see what we REALLY think about the different brands.

Water-based lubes, such as Astroglide may be used on virtually any body part, vibrator, masturbation sleeve, erection ring or dildo. An exception may be toys for anal play, as you may want a lubricant that also contains a desensitizer -- this is purely preference, of course.

The greatest advantage of water-based lube is the easy cleanup: You simply rinse off the toy with warm water, and voila! The lube is gone! However, this "no muss, no fuss" quotient also has a down side -- if you like to use waterproof toys (during a bath, in a hot tub, what have you), a water-based lubricant will rinse right off -- which really defeats the whole purpose of using lube!

You definitely want to use a water-based lube with anything made of silicone. A silicone lube used on a silicone toy will destroy the toy. Silicone lubricants should not be used on silicone solids because the lube will actually start to dissolve the solid! So stick with a water-based lube for your premium silicone toys, and use silicone lube for the purpose for which it was intended!

Silicone lubes are the perfect choice for sensual fun in the water. If you love your waterproof toys (or just love having sex in the water), you and a silicone lubricant will be lifetime companions! Of course, a silicone-based lube is not as readily available at your corner drugstore as a water-based lube, but fortunately, you can get plenty here through our site!

Another "pro" for silicone lubricant is that it lasts longer and can be easily revived after a lengthy encounter with your favorite vibrating friend, just by adding a little water or saliva to it. Silicone lubes never really get absorbed or evaporate the way a water-based lube may. On the other hand, this also means that getting your toys (and yourself) clean will take a little more effort, but it certainly doesn't need to be sandblasted off. A good soapy wash should do the trick and that can be fun in itself!

Petroleum-based lube should really only be used with non-latex anal toys or for male masturbation. These lubes are great for anal play because they're generally thicker than other types of lubricant, making entry easier. A good one to try is Anal Eze as it's petroleum-based and also contains a desensitizer.

Do not use a petroleum-based lube with anything made of latex -� toys, condoms, or other products -� as the petroleum will destroy the latex on contact. Petroleum also tends to irritate a woman's vagina, so we don't recommended this type of lubricant for intercourse or for use with any sort of vibrator or dildo intended for vaginal penetration.

Now that you've taken a closer look at lube, you're probably wondering about the best way to apply it. Again, this is really personal preference, but here are our tips for the easiest and least-messy way.

Simply pour a small amount -- about the size of a dime -- onto your fingers and then spread it on your toy and yourself.
Rub your fingers over the head and down the shaft if it's a vibrator, masturbation sleeve, erection ring or dildo. Be sure to lube any other clitoral or anal stimulators on your toy, as well.
Rub the lubricant onto your sex toy so that it's slick, but not dripping. Be careful -- you don't want to rub so much that the lubricant is absorbed in your hand, leaving the toy high and dry!
If you are male and using a masturbation sleeve, you'll want to apply lube to your fingers and then slide them around the entrance and down the inside of the sleeve. Since most sleeves have a small hole in the other end, you probably don't want to just pour the lube into it -- you can always add more if you need to.
If you or your toy become dry during use, simply add more lube.

How Much is Enough?

You also don't want to "over apply" or "over rub" the lubricant, particularly on a toy. The amount of lube you use is a personal preference. The general rule of thumb is that if it doesn't slide in comfortably, you probably need more lubricant! Some people like their toys as lubricated as possible, while others enjoy only enough lubrication to reduce friction to a point of comfort. We recommend that if you're experimenting with a toy or lubricant for the first time, try starting with an amount about the size of a dime and keep adding lube until you're happy. You'll figure out how much you like soon enough!

Much like massage oils, if you're lubing yourself or a lover's body part, do not pour the lube directly from the bottle onto bare skin! Pour the lubricant into the palm of your hand and warm it to body temperature before applying it to warm skin. This rule also applies using lubricant on your toys. After all, you wouldn't want to get a chill because you applied a cold lubricant to your favorite dildo!

If you're sharing a toy with your partner, such as a vibrating erection ring, just lube everything! Well, actually, be sure to lubricate the penis it will be on, any stimulating pieces on the ring (bullet, animal-shaped head, what have you) and the person receiving the action. Of course, you don't need to lubricate the entire person (unless you want to and especially if it's flavored lubricant so you can lick it off them!), just the receiving sexual organ!

Go Out There & Lube Up!
Lubes are manufactured in many, many different consistencies, colors, even flavors -- it's best to experiment and find the right one for you. Think about what you want most in a lubricant, if you have any sensitivities (flavored lube can sometimes cause yeast infections), and what you'll mainly be using it for -- solo sex, toy fun, a combination of sex toys and your partner, water shenanigans? If you're intrigued by something, try a sample (if possible) or buy the smallest bottle that's offered, so you can discover your favorite without spending a ton of money.