Beginners Guide to Lubricants

We get asked this a lot. People want to know if baby oil, petroleum jelly or massage oils are safe to use as sexual lubricants. The short answer is no. Not even a little bit! Firstly, it can degrade the latex structure of condoms, which could affect the strength and structure of the condoms, or result in the condom breaking. Secondly, these products can upset the natural Ph balance of your body, increasing the chance of infection. There are some exceptions, but in general, it's not as safe. We suggest: Use the right lubricant instead!

Definitely use water-based lubricant if you're using different toys. Silicone breaks down silicone, so if you use a silicone-based lubricant with your silicone toy, it can harm the surface of your toy. Water-based lubricant is definitely the best lube for sex toys that are soft. If you are using glass or steel toys, it's safe to use any lube that you like.

Yes, they often do! Flavoured lubes are a great way to add an extra element of play to oral sex, but they do contain sugar. Sorry! But worry not about your sugar diet - just make sure you are not prone to yeast infections - as sugar promotes yeast growth. Glycerin can have the same effect, so either make sure you wash properly afterwards or stick to a normal lubricant for intercourse. Keep the flavoured lube for oral sex experiences!

The anus and rectum are not self-lubricating, which means that for anal sex to be comfortable and pleasurable, a lubricant is required. While you could use any lube, anal lube is specifically designed to be thicker (as the skin in the rectum and anus is thinner), so it offers more protection and lasts longer. It eliminates friction and dryness and moistens the surrounding tissue to allow for comfy stretching. Oh, and it makes the use of condoms safer too. Win win win, all round!

Products like coconut oil (and others) can be used as effective lubricants, but we wouldn't suggest it, because coconut oil can disrupt your vagina's pH balance. This could lead to yeast infections, etc. People often get confused because the natural products (like coconut oil) are said to be "antibacterial" or "anti-fungal" which sounds great! However, this isn't good for your vagina. Also - many of these products contain food-grade stabilisers, which aren't always good for your private bits! They can also stain bed-linen. Get the right stuff

Delay sprays or lubricants are used by men to help them last longer. These products contain a special ingredient called benzocaine. Benzocaine is commonly found in over-the-counter creams used to treat pain, because it has a mild numbing effect that assists men who battle with premature ejaculation. We suggest that you use these lubricants with a condom, otherwise your partner may also experience numbing effects.

We would recommend so. Did you know that warming lubes usually contain capsaicin - the same thing found in peppers! Of course, the amount used in lubricants is so very tiny, that it barely registers in the same way. It's just enough to warm your bits! Women can be more sensitive to this than men, so try out a small amount first to see how your body likes it. Cooling lubricants contain mint or menthol - again in very small quantities. And again, women can be more sensitive to this than men. Try them out to see how your body responds.