Lubricants 101

What are lubricants? Lubricants are silky smooth pleasures…. Any solution - oil or water based that helps increase motion and cut down on friction can be considered a lubricant.

Why Do We Need Lubricants?
Everybody at some time is going to need a little lubricant at some point during the course of sexual activities. Some women may think that if they aren't "wet," they aren't aroused enough - or there's something wrong with them. Not true! There are times that the body just does not generate enough vaginal fluid and many things can affect this - time of the month, stress, recent child birth, antihistamines, decongestants, menopause, antidepressants and cardiac agents. All of these things can contribute to vaginal dryness. This is when lubrication can make sexual experiences more pleasurable.

In this age of safer sex the use of a lubricant on the inside of a condom can make the sensations delivered to the penis much stronger.  If you are using adult sexual aids you should consider a lubricant because of the dryness of the materials that adult toys are made from. For anyone engaging in any kind of anal sex a lubricant is a must! Without lubrication severe damage can occur with anal play.  Some lubricants can be harmful and some just don't work as well as others, you need to explore and find what works best for you.

For those who enjoy sensual touching and foreplay massage oils, lotions and warming oils are wonderful, however they are not ideal for lubrication. They can irritate the vaginal/anal walls and cause burning, itching and infections to some.

Lubricants

• Petroleum-based: Made from petroleum jelly, mineral oil or petrolatum, petroleum-based lubes are the most commonly used type of lubrication. Different types include Vaseline products and baby oil. Things like Vaseline and baby oil are petroleum based. The first problem is that they leave a coating on the vaginal wall that is very hard to get rid of - thus increasing the chance of bacteria and other infections. Second, they destroy latex - practically on contact - they should never be used with condoms (male or female), diaphragms, cervical caps, latex condoms, dental dams, gloves, cervical caps, sponges, as well as the protective coatings around some IUDs and any sexual device made of latex. Petroleum-based lubes stain fabric and can be difficult to wash out. If petroleum based lubes is the only lubricant you like just keep in mind its limitations.
• Oil-based: Usually made from natural products, such as vegetable oils, nut oils, Crisco and butter, oil-based lubes tend to stain fabrics and can be difficult to wash off, but they are safe for use in the vagina. Oil-based lubes also destroy latex, so they should never be used with condoms (male or female), diaphragms, cervical caps, latex condoms, dental dams, gloves, cervical caps, sponges, etc . Oil-based lubricants work well for anal sex, vaginal intercourse, male and female masturbation.
• Water Based: The best all-purpose lubricants are water-based and especially formulated to be non-irritating. Water-Based lubes use two main ingredients: Water and Glycerin. Available in both flavored and unflavored mixtures, most unflavored lubes still taste slightly sweet. Some flavored lubricants are for external use only and should not be used inside the vaginal tract. If you intend to use flavored lubricants during intercourse, read the ingredients to see if it contains sugar. Sugar can cause infections inside the vaginal tract. Water-based lubes do not stain, are safe for use with latex and all other birth control methods, and rarely cause irritation. While they often dry out during extended sex. To revive water-based lubes give the area a spritz of water. Because of their versatility and effectiveness, water-based lubes are the most recommended lubricant by medical professionals, sex therapists, and experienced couples.
• Silicone-based: Similar to water-based lubes with one notable difference: they are completely waterproof, making them ideal for underwater use. Silicone will not harm latex or other birth control methods. While they make a great body lubricant they also appear to cause damage to some silicone adult toys so your best choice if you are using any silicone products is to stick with water-based lubricants. Silicone-Based lubes are excellent to use because they do not dry up like Water-Based lubes do.  Silicone-based lubes are a bit harder to clean up, but a little extra soap and water does the trick.

Whether you decide to try petroleum, oil, water or silicone-based lubricants, keep in mind while having protected sex not all lubricants will work with birth control methods. Try a few different kits with your lover so the two of you can experiment with different flavors, consistencies and textures. If you don't find a lube you like right away, don't panic: there are many different kinds out there for you to try and experiment with.