Lubricant – an introduction

The four kinds

There are four kinds: water-based lubricant, silicone-based, a hybrid of water and silicone, and oil-based.

Water-based

Water-based lubricant is the all-rounder and highly recommended for everyday use. It works very well with latex condoms and most silicone toys. It also washes off easily with water and does not stick to the sheets.

A disadvantage worth mentioning is that it soaks in very quickly, so on a longer session you have to reapply. It can also irritate the vagina for some women. It does not hold up in the shower either.

For everyday use it is, in most cases, highly recommended.

Silicone-based

Silicone-based lubricants shine where water-based lubricants fail. The advantages here are how long they last. The body also does not absorb them, and they hold up under water.

Disadvantages worth mentioning: these lubricants attack silicone toys and, over time, make the surface dull and porous. They also soak into fabric and only come off the skin with soap.

Silicone-based lubricants are therefore very well suited to longer sessions and anal sex.

Hybrid lubricants

As the name says, hybrid lubricants are a mix of a water base and a silicone base. The advantages are that they last longer than purely water-based lubricants, but wash off more easily than pure silicone. They are also usually condom-safe.

The disadvantage is that they cannot be assigned to one clear category. Not every formula is toy-safe either. They are usually more expensive as well, and you first have to try how long individual products last.

Hybrid lubricants are therefore a workable compromise for many people when water-based lubricants get used up too quickly.

Oil-based

Oil-based lubricants have the advantage of lasting a very long time and feeling like a massage on the skin. They have the disadvantage, though, of destroying latex condoms and making many toys swell and turn sticky. Oil-based lubricants soak heavily into the sheets and can throw off the vaginal environment.

They are especially recommended for a massage or for anal sex. For use with toys or condoms they are the worst choice.

Using lubricant

Lubricant is especially useful for anal sex, for using toys, and with latex condoms, as mentioned at the start. A tip worth trying is a handjob for him, or fingering her (especially her clitoris). Just give it a try and use it at the start of foreplay, before you move on to toys or anal sex.