The vagina lubricates itself when a woman is aroused. This makes a sex session painless and pleasurable. Sexual intercourse without lubrication – natural, homemade, or store-bought – is bound to be painful when it damages the vaginal lining. And without sufficient lubrication, it always does.
To discuss the benefits of lubricants, artificial lubes reduce friction during penetration, enhance arousal, increase sexual pleasure, and keep your vaginal skin soft. What’s more, it also plays an important role in preventing you from experiencing a burning sensation, itching, chafing, and other reasons for discomfort. These lubricants are readily available online and at drugstores.
Let’s dig in and discuss the types of lube, their pros and cons, how to apply a lube, and much more.
When Should You Use A Lubricant?
The production of natural lubrication during sex or vaginal dryness may fall among women as a result of:
- Hormonal changes
- Ageing
- Certain medications like antidepressants
- Use of hormonal birth control
- Dehydrated
- Smoke
- Breastfeed
- Perimenopausal or menopausal
- Undergoing chemotherapy
- Have an autoimmune disorder like Sjögren syndrome
If you are experiencing or have been diagnosed with any of the above, a lubricant will be of great use in making intercourse a pleasuring experience for you.
4 Things You Should Know About Natural Lubrication During Sex
There are a host of natural oil-based lubricants that are available in the market nowadays.
- They are either organic or vegan in nature, and devoid of harmful chemicals like parabens, one of the well-known preservatives that is known to have serious health risks.
- The materials used in such cases aren’t only safe for your vagina but environment-friendly too.
- All-natural lubricants have a comparatively shorter shelf-life than store-back varieties.
- They also cost more than the traditional ones but they are totally worth it.
3 Types Of Lubricants
There are 3 types of lubricants used during sex. Let’s take a look at them here:
1. Water-Based Lubricant
The most common type of artificial lubricants, the water-based ones, are avai;able in distinctive types – the one with glycerin and the other one without it.
2. Silicon-Based Lubricant
The silicon-based lubes are tasteless and odourless. They feel smooth and slippery during oral sex.
3. Oil-Based Lubricants
There are two-types of oil-based lubes – natural and synthetic. The natural variety usually comprises coconut oil or butter while the synthetic ones contain vaseline or mineral oil.
How To Choose The Right Lubricant?
Opinions and preferences differ and the same can be said about vaginal lubes as well. What suits you may not be the same for everyone else. So, here are the pros and cons of the 3 types of lubes, so you can make your preferred choice.
1. Water-Based Lubricant
- The one with glycerin generally tastes a little sweet, although they tend to dry out easily due to their sugar content. As a result, they make the vagina prone to yeast infections.
- Both these types can be used with a condom and are super affordable.
- The lubes without glycerin have a lower probability of causing vaginal irritations.
- The non-glycerine water-based condoms may be a little bitter in taste but they have a longer shelf-life.
- Despite the taste, the glycerin-free variety is a much-preferred choice if you like to switch between penetrative and oral sex.
- If you’re prone to yeast infections, stay away from the glycerin-laden lubes. They tend to destroy good bacteria in your vagina, leading to the development of infections.
- Stick to the water-based ones if you want to use a sex toy.
- Both can become sticky with time.
- If you’re going for some action under the shower, choose a silicone-based lube instead of a water-based one since the latter is likely to wash off with the flow of water.
2. Silicone-Based Lubricant
- These lubes last the longest as compared to its counterparts – water-based and oil-based lubes.
- There is also on need for them to be reapplied, unlike water-based lubes.
- They are safe for use along with latex condoms.
- They are hypoallergenic, that is, it is quite unlikely that you’ll be allergic to them.
- They are also a safe option for sex under the shower because they are effective even under water.
- On the flip side, being long lasting has its cons – it is often difficult to wash them off. Hence, you may have to wash it off with water and a mild soap.
- These lubes are best not paired with silicone sex toys because they can break down, leading to them becoming sticky and gross.
3. Oil-Based Lubricant
- Natural oil-based lubes made from coconut, olive, vegetable, or avocado are a great choice for vaginal massages and as a lubricant during sex as well.
- They are vagina-friendly and also safe to eat.
- Synthetic oil-based lubes like body motions and creams are a safe choice for external masturbation and not for penetrative sex.
- They are super affordable.
- It is advisable that you try out a water-based lube first because toil-based varieties can irritate the skin of your vagina and also stain your clothes.
- Both natural and synthetic oil-based lubes can mess with latex condoms and also lead to condom failure.
- Synthetic ones are more difficult to clean as compared to the natural oil-based lubes and may also cause vaginal infections.
2 Additional Tips To Choosing A Lubricant Correctly
- How to use a lube? If you’re planning a family, buy lubes that are “sperm friendly” or “fertility friendly” printed on its packaging.
- If your sex toy(s) are made of silicone, avoid silicone-based lubes because they can break down its rubber over time.
How To Use A Lube Correctly?
- Warm up the lube with the natural heat of your palms before applying it.
- Make it an integral part of your foreplay for better arousal.
- Lie down on a tower to prevent your bed linen from getting stained.
- Use it right before penetrative sex or while you’re flying solo.
- Wondering how much lube to use? Make sure you’re applying enough of your lube on your vagina and vulva for sex to be a pleasurable experience for you.
- Apply it on your partner’s penis or on your sex toy before penetration.
Amidst the plethora of vaginal lubricants that are easily available online and in pharmacies, you might feel spoilt of choice, not being sure of which one to buy. And deciding on the ones that are not suitable for you will most definitely lead to a lot of confusion. However, the above guide on the types of lubes, their pros and cons, and how to apply a lube must have given you a clear understanding of the one or ones that are best suited for your unique needs. So, go on and invest in the one that comes closest to what you’re looking for and make sex a memorable experience for yourself and your partner.
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