Guide · Lubricants
Water-based lubricant is the safest all-purpose choice: it works with all condoms and all sex toys and is washed off with water. Silicone-based lasts longer and works well for anal use and in water, but it can damage silicone sex toys. Oil-based should never be used with latex or polyisoprene condoms.
Choose a lubricant based on three questions: do you use a condom, do you use sex toys made of silicone, and is it for vaginal or anal use?
Water-based fits in almost all situations. It is compatible with latex condoms, doesn’t damage any toys, and rinses off with water. The downside is that it dries out and may need to be topped up.
Silicone-based is more long-lasting and glides more, doesn’t dry out, and tolerates water. It works with latex condoms but can damage the surface of silicone sex toys, and it needs soap to be washed off.
Oil-based—such as massage oil, coconut oil, or petroleum jelly—weakens latex and polyisoprene condoms and should not be used with them.
A water-based lubricant consists mostly of water, thickened with, for example, cellulose or guar, and often with a humectant such as glycerin. Because it contains water, it also needs to be preserved, with substances such as phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, or potassium sorbate.
It’s the only type of lubricant you can use with all sex toys without reservations, and the easiest to wash out of both skin and fabric.Pjur Aqua is one of the few where the manufacturer explicitly approves both latex and polyisoprene condoms and sex toys.JOYDIVISION AQUAglide Neutral explicitly states that the gel works with silicone toys and publishes a pH of 4.6–5.2.
Silicone lubricants consist of silicone oils such as dimethicone and dimethiconol, without water. That’s why it doesn’t dry out, lasts longer per drop, and isn’t washed away by water — which makes it popular for anal sex, longer sessions, and sex in the shower or bath. Because it has no water, no preservatives are needed.
The downside applies to sex toys. Silicone lubricants can damage the surface of silicone toys, and the manufacturers handle it differently: Eros Classic Silicone Bodyglideis according to the manufacturer not to be used with silicone toys at all, while pjur advises you to first test it on a small area. Toys made of glass, metal, and hard plastic are not affected. Silicone lube needs soap to be washed off and can leave stains on textiles, and it makes floors in showers and bathtubs slippery.
Silicone oil is not considered oil-based in condom-related contexts. Both Eros Classic and Pjur Womanare, according to the manufacturers, compatible with latex condoms. Polyisoprene in particular — the material in most latex-free condoms — however, is not certified for either of them.
Oils and fats—baby oil, petroleum jelly, coconut oil, cooking oil, and body lotion—weaken latex condoms. WHO’s advice about lubricants lists them as products that should not be used with latex, and states that polyisoprene is equally sensitive. The UK healthcare system NHS gives the same advice: use water- or silicone-based lubricant with latex condoms, never oil-based.
Without a condom, oil is primarily a matter of practicality: it’s hard to wash off, leaves stains, and gets into toys with chambers and textures, for example masturbators. If you use condoms as contraception or protection against sexually transmitted infections, oil is therefore the wrong choice.
Hybrid lubricants mix a water base with a smaller amount of silicone or other oil-like substances and provide a creamier feel. They generally can’t be considered either one or the other—read the manufacturer’s guidance for condoms and toys for that specific product.
Latex condoms: water- and silicone-based lubricants work; oil-based does not.
Latex-free condoms: most are made of polyisoprene, which, according to WHO’s advice, is as sensitive to oil as latex. It’s unusual for lubricant manufacturers to mention polyisoprene—Pjur Aqua is an exception. The condom’s own packaging is the safest source.
Lubricant on a condom doesn’t just make sex more comfortable. During anal sex, where the body doesn’t produce its own lubrication, it’s part of the protection: WHO’s advice points out that extra lubricant reduces the risk of the condom breaking.
The rule of thumb is simple: water-based for silicone sex toys, optional for glass and metal. Toys with electronics often have their own instructions in the manual—for example, We-Vibe advises against silicone- and alcohol-based lubricants for its vibrators.
Masturbators made of TPE or similar soft materials often have even stricter requirements. Fleshlight specifies only water-based lubricant for its sleeves. Oil and silicone get into the texture and are difficult to rinse out.
Glycerin is a common humectant in water-based lubricants. Pjur states in its FAQ that glycerin and glycols can act as a source of nourishment for yeast fungus, and recommends glycerin-free products for recurring fungal issues and dryness. If you don’t have these problems, glycerin itself isn’t an issue.
Parabens are preservatives. A water-based lubricant must be conserved in some way, so paraben-free only means that another ingredient does the job. WHO’s guidance notes that preservatives can cause irritation in some people — if you’re sensitive, choose a short ingredient list.
pH: WHO’s guidance lists around pH 4.5 for vaginal use and 5.5–7 for anal use, and advises against lubricants with a pH above 7. Few manufacturers publish the value; Swede prints 4.5 on Woman Sensitive and Joydivision states 4.6–5.2.
Osmolality measures how concentrated a water-based lubricant is. A highly concentrated lubricant draws water from the cells of the mucous membrane. WHO states that a lubricant should preferably be below 380 mOsm/kg and, as a temporary upper limit, below 1,200, while most commercial lubricants are in the range of 2,000–6,000. What primarily drives the value up is glycerin and other glycols. Almost no manufacturers publish osmolality, so in practice the ingredient list is what you can read: glycols high up on the list usually means higher osmolality. For silicone lubricant without water, neither pH nor osmolality is applicable.
With condoms and sex toys: water-based. For anal sex: silicone-based if you don’t use silicone toys, otherwise a thicker water-based one and plenty of reapplication. In the shower and bath: silicone-based. For dryness or recurring fungal issues: a glycerin-free water-based lubricant. With a masturbator: the lubricant the manufacturer specifies, usually water-based.
The lubricants that have been reviewed against the manufacturers’ ingredient lists, labels, and certificates are ranked in best lubricant in the test. How the review is carried out is described under this is how we review. Want to know how to take care of the toys afterward? Read how you clean sex toys.
