Lubes & Safer Sex

• Differences Among Lubes
• Ingredients: N-9, Glycerin, and Natural Ingredients
• Thick vs. Thin
• Staying Slick
• Silicone Lubes
• Is Silicone Safe?
• Flavor: Taste-Free, Sweet, or Fruity
• Spit

What are the differences among all these lubes?

Because lubes differ in their ingredients, thickness, taste, and longevity, we'll give you the lowdown on our lubes to help you choose the right ones for you. Oil-based products are not compatible with latex (only water-based lubes and silicone-based lubes are latex-compatible) so if you are playing safe, don't use Crisco, baby oil, Vaseline, etc. Oils can also contribute to imbalance/infection when used vaginally. Water-based and silicone-based lubes are safe with latex, and are the only type we sell. Silicone lubes will damage silicone and cyberskin toys, so cap dildos made from those materials with condoms if you want to use silicone lubes with them. If you can't decide which you'd prefer, or want to try a few different types of lube, check out our Lube Sampler Pack.

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Ingredients: Why do some lubes feel irritating?

The two ingredients that most commonly cause irritation are Nonoxynol-9 and glycerin. Nonoxynol-9 is a popular contraceptive gel ingredient. N-9 lubes, however, don't contain a high enough concentration to prevent pregnancy. The detergent-like compound has been shown to kill HIV in the laboratory, so it's been touted as protective against HIV. The problem is that it can cause tiny micro-tears in the mucous membranes of the vagina and anus, so instead of protecting people from HIV, lubes with N-9 can actually create a greater risk for the transmission of HIV. We don't sell lubes or condoms with Nonoxynol-9.

Glycerin is a form of sugar. It's what makes some lubes taste sweet. Some women find that using glycerin in their vagina is an open invitation to a yeast infection. If that's true for you, or if you're generally prone to yeast infections, stick with glycerin-free lubes such as BabeLube and Sliquid H20.

I want a natural lube — which ones have the fewest chemical preservatives?
Babeland Naturals Organic lube and Sliquid Organics Naturalare both natural, organic, paraben-free, glycerin-free, and cruelty-free.

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Thick vs. Thin

Many people prefer thicker lubes for anal play and thinner lubes for vaginal play. Astroglide, an extremely popular lube, is on the thinner side. In fact, many Astroglide fans say it feels similar to natural vaginal fluids (plus, it sports a nifty glow-in-the-dark label!). BabeLube is a bit thicker than Astroglide, while also being taste-free, great for sensitive folks, and not sticky. If you're looking for a lube that doesn't get sticky or tacky, Liquid Silk has a creamy formulation that moisturizes lightly as it evaporates. Silicone-based lubes are also popular for anal play, as they stay slick longer and also are not sticky or tacky; BabeLube Silicone does the trick every time.

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Staying slick: which lubes don't dry out quickly?

Slick is the trick! Liquid Silk is a popular water-based lube because of its moisturizer-like consistency. It is white-ish in color and is neither sticky nor tacky. Furthermore, it's glycerin-free and long-lasting. Silicone lubes, like BabeLube Silicone, will stay slick for what feels like forever.

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Silicone lubes

If you are looking for a lube that won't dry out for a long time, try BabeLube Silicone. Silicone lubes feel like oil, but are latex-compatible. They stay slick in water (hot tub, anyone?) and are great for anal sex. Silicone lube doesn't wash away unless you use soap and water. Don't use silicone lubes on silicone or cyberskin dildos, unless you want to see your dildo melt — cover such toys with a condom before you use them with a silicone-based lube.

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What's the scoop on safety?

If silicone breast implants are dangerous, wouldn't silicone lubes also be dangerous?
Breast implants become dangerous when they break and the silicone leaks into the bloodstream. Silicone lubes only contain a fraction of the silicone contained in medical implants, and don't pass into the bloodstream.

Why do you say not to use silicone lube with silicone toys?
Use a condom when playing with silicone lube and silicone toys to avoid a chemical reaction between the two that will cause your sex toy to change shape (and not in a good way).

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Which lube is taste-free?

BabeLube is flavorless, odorless, and not sticky. Sliquid H20 is thin, slick, and also has no taste.

Got anything fruit-flavored?
We sure do! Our top flavored lubes are glycerin-free, so they're great for vaginal sex. BabeLicious Flavored Lube comes in four subtle flavors, for an added hit of fruit-flavored sweetness during oral sex.

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Why can't I just use spit?

While spit is cheap, and you may have seen non-stop spit-fests in porn movies, the reality is that spit dries out pretty quickly and can leave genitals feeling even drier afterwards. If someone has oral herpes, using spit as lube poses a threat of infection to your partner.

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