Kate Sloan's Guide to the Best Lubes for Anything You Want to Do

By: Kate Sloan, Guest Blogger

There are so many different kinds of lube on the market, and so many fun things you can do with them! Here are some of the most common sex acts, and the best types of lube to use for each...

Anal sex: a thick water-based lube, like Sliquid Sassy. Thick lubes last for longer without needing to be reapplied or remoistened, and they’re also likelier to stay where you put them instead of dripping all over the place. Water-based lube is the only choice if you’re planning on using any silicone toys as part of your play or warm-up, like a butt plug or anal beads. If not, you could go with a silicone-based lube instead; some people like silicone-based better for anal because it lasts longer and has an oily, silky texture.

Vaginal sex: a water-based lube on the thinner side, like Blossom Organics. These lubes most closely resemble natural vaginal lubrication, and if you start to get wet naturally, your lubrication will mix with the lube nicely and make it last longer. If you and your partner don’t use condoms, because you’re fluid-bonded and not worried about pregnancy, you can use an oil-based lube instead; just make sure it’s made of vagina-safe oils (i.e. not petroleum!).

Handjobs or fingering: silicone-based lube, like Pjur. These lubes have the silkiness of a massage oil but are safe to use on genitals, unlike many actual oils on the market. They stay slick for a long time, so they’re perfect for the slow build of teasing manual play. However, if you plan on getting your mouth involved after a while, you’ll want to use a tasteless water-based lube instead; silicone lube tastes horrible!

Oral sex: flavored lube, like Sliquid Swirl. You don’t really need a lube for oral sex, unless one of you has a dry mouth or just finds lube makes things more comfortable. It can also help if the receiver feels insecure about their taste or smell – although copious compliments help with that too! You should avoid flavored lubes if you’re very prone to vaginal infection, as the sweeteners can cause irritation for some folks – but if you just use a little, and only on the external parts of your genitals, you’ll probably be okay.

Using silicone toys: a water-based lube, like Sliquid Sea. Silicone lubes can damage the surface of silicone toys, so water-based is the way to go. If you don’t like how quickly water-based lubes dry up, just remember that you can add a little water (rather than applying more lube) to re-hydrate the lube that’s already there.

Using non-silicone toys: an oil-based or silicone-based lube, or a water/silicone hybrid. If you’re using toy materials like glass or metal, you can use whatever kind of lube you like best; the sky’s the limit!

What types of lube are your favorites?