Pjur Aqua 100 ml: review

Pjur Aqua 100 ml at a glance

Pjur Aqua is a water-based lubricant from the German pjur. This review applies exclusively to the 100 ml variant with EAN 827160100278, which the manufacturer itself links to item number 10340-01.

What sets Pjur Aqua apart from many lubricants in the same price range is the documentation. The manufacturer publishes a complete ingredient list of seven ingredients; the bottle bears CE marking with the number of a notified body — 0482 — and the label has a durability symbol after opening marked 6M. The product is sold as a medical device, not as cosmetics. What the manufacturer does not publish, however, are the two values that say the most about how a water-based lubricant relates to mucous membranes: pH and osmolality.

In this market, the bottle is sold by pjur and Sinful.

Four sizes, four EANs — which one applies here?

Pjur Aqua comes in four sizes. The variant table in pjur’s own store links 30 ml to EAN 0827160100261, 100 ml to EAN 0827160100278, 250 ml to EAN 0827160100285, and 500 ml to EAN 0827160100292. The leading zero is just filler for 13 digits; in the store feeds, the same number as 827160100278 is shown. The manufacturer’s image of the back of the bottle shows the same barcode printed on the label, together with the REF number 10340-01.

It’s worth keeping them separate, because pjur sells the same product under other numbers in other markets. The U.S. retailer WorldCondoms lists pjur Aqua 3.4 fl oz — meaning 100 ml — with the barcode 827160110086, and 8.5 fl oz with 827160110093. So if you search for the barcode in a foreign store, you can find the same lubricant under another number. For the 100 ml variant, it’s 827160100278, and that is the number all six stores in the table have in their flows.

The bottle’s appearance has also been changed. The manufacturer publishes a comparison image of the old and the new design, along with the message that buyers can get either one for a limited time. That explains why the product images in stores sometimes show the older bottle with blue AQUA text instead of the new one with a yellow logo. The volume and the EAN number are the same.

Is Pjur Aqua a medical device?

Yes. The back of the label bears the CE mark with the number 0482 and the symbol MD, which, according to the manufacturer’s symbol explanation, means that it is a medical device under EU Regulation 2017/745. The number 0482 belongs to DNV MEDCERT GmbH in Hamburg, which is the notified body that has issued pjur’s MDR certificate.

The certificate, which pjur publishes as a PDF, has the number 7250GB448240806 and applies from August 6, 2024 to May 15, 2027. It covers class IIb products in two groups: EMDN U0803, with the stated purpose “lubricant for vaginal dryness and/or as an accessory when used with condoms,” and EMDN M9002, with the purpose of preventing anal fissures and reducing the risk that the condom will break. The label’s English text describes Aqua as “water-based personal lubricant to relieve vaginal dryness” and “suitable for use with condoms” — meaning exactly the wording of the first group.

One nuance is important to get right: the certificate names no individual products. This applies to pjur’s quality management system for product groups, and the link to Aqua specifically runs via CE 0482 on the label. This is the normal order of products in class IIb, and it provides clearer traceability than a lubricant sold as cosmetics — but it does not mean that any authority has measured pH or osmolality and published the values.

Pjur places a lot of emphasis on the classification itself. On its quality page, the manufacturer states that lubricants that are introduced into the body fall under class IIb and that, from 2024, manufacturers must meet MDR requirements in order to continue selling products as lubricants. Pjur writes that the company belongs to the first and few lubricant manufacturers with MDR certification — a claim that is the manufacturer’s own description of the market and cannot be verified in the certificate.

The ingredients: seven substances, according to the manufacturer

Pjur’s product page and the label on the back of the bottle show the same ingredient list, in INCI names and in descending order: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, and Citric Acid. On the product page, there is also information that is not on the label: that hydroxyethylcellulose occurs in a concentration under 3 mg/ml (<3 mg/ml).

It is a short and readable list. It contains no oil, no fat, no perfume, and no added flavorings—the last is stated explicitly by the manufacturer (“Made without perfume or added flavours”). It contains no parabens. And it contains a preservative, phenoxyethanol, which is expected: WHO/UNFPA/FHI360’s advice on lubricants states that water-based lubricants must contain preservatives to prevent microbial growth, and mentions phenoxyethanol among the common alternatives to parabens.

What does each ingredient do?

Aqua is water and carries the whole product. Glycerin and Ethoxydiglycol are in second and third place. Pjur writes in its FAQ that glycols and glycerin are used in water-based lubricants, that they affect osmolarity, and that the amount is therefore kept under a certain threshold value. Which threshold value, and how high the concentration is in Aqua, is not published.

Phenoxyethanol is the preservative. Pjur mentions the substance itself in its FAQ as one of the preservatives that people with allergies or sensitivities may need to avoid, and in that case refers to silicone-based or preservative-free water-based products in its own range.

Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride and Hydroxyethylcellulose are the two thickening agents that give the gel its consistency—the first a modified guar derivative, the second a cellulose derivative. Citric Acid, citric acid, is normally used to adjust pH. That it is included says that the manufacturer controls the acidity level, but not to what value.

The guar derivative deserves its own comment. The name, with “trimonium chloride,” shows that it is a cationic, quaternary-modified guar. The WHO note advises purchasers to specifically avoid polyquaternium-15 and maybe polyquaternary compounds in general, pending more knowledge about their effect. No ingredient in Aqua is named polyquaternium, and neither the WHO note nor Pjur says anything about whether this particular guar derivative is covered by the precautionary advice. What can be established is that the question is open—not that the ingredient is problematic.

Two ingredient lists in circulation

The most interesting find in the review of the shops is that two of them publish a different ingredient list than the manufacturer. Both list ten ingredients: water, glycerin, ethoxydiglycol, hydroxypropylguar hydroxypropyltrimoniumchloride, hydroxyethylcellulose, citric acid, propylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone. Phenoxyethanol is missing from that list.

Other shops, on the other hand, reproduce exactly the manufacturer’s current list with phenoxyethanol as a preservative. Two shops publish no ingredient list at all.

The difference is not cosmetic. That ingredient list contains the preservatives methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone. Methylisothiazolinone is a substance the EU has restricted in cosmetics: according to Regulation 2016/1198, the scientific committee for consumer safety assessed that 100 ppm was not safe with regard to sensitization, and since 12 February 2017 the substance in cosmetic products may only be used in products that are rinsed off. Lubricants are medical devices and not cosmetics, so the rule does not apply directly — but it explains why these substances are a relevant piece of information for someone who knows that they react to them.

The reasonable interpretation is that the shops’ list is an older version of the recipe that has been included in the product text, but pjur publishes no history of the recipe and no information about when it was changed. The manufacturer’s current list applies. The shop page also contains a built-in contradiction: the same page that states methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone describes the formula as free from “unnecessary preservatives.” If you’re sensitive to isotiazolinones, the ingredient list on the bottle you actually receive is the only safe check — and since the manufacturer states that both old and new packaging may be delivered for some time to come, that check is worth doing.

Does Pjur Aqua contain glycerin and parabens?

Glycerin: yes, as the second ingredient. Parabens: no, neither in the manufacturer’s list nor in the older list that two shops reproduce. For most people, glycerin is an uncontroversial humectant, but pjur itself writes in its FAQ that glycerin and glycols can function as nutrition for Candida albicans, and it recommends silicone-based, preservative-free lubricants for women with recurring fungal infections and for women with diabetes. For vaginal dryness, the manufacturer recommends silicone-based products or water-based ones without glycerin and glycols.

It’s an unusually direct recommendation from a manufacturer, and it’s relevant specifically for Aqua. The label describes the product as a lubricant to relieve vaginal dryness, while the manufacturer’s own FAQ points it out as being intended for people who experience vaginal dryness and are bothered by products without glycerin and glycol. Aqua contains both. So someone who buys a lubricant mainly because of dryness has the manufacturer’s own support for choosing another product in the range.

pH and osmolality: the manufacturer does not publish

Pjur does not publish either the pH value or osmolarity for Aqua. None of the values are listed on the product page, on the label, in the Swedish instructions for use, or in the manufacturer’s FAQ. None of the two shops we list for this market (pjur and Sinful) publishes either of them either.

It’s a gap shared with most lubricants on the market, but it’s noteworthy here for two reasons. The first is that pjur itself addresses osmolarity as a concept in its FAQ and explains that the amount of glycerin and glycols is kept below a threshold value so that the osmolarity is suitable. So the manufacturer knows that the value matters, but it doesn’t disclose it. The second is that the product is CE-marked as a medical device in class IIb—a classification that means the manufacturer has technical documentation that is reviewed by a notified body, but that does not require the values to be published for consumers.

What WHO’s guidance says

The most cited reference for these two values is WHO/UNFPA/FHI360’s guidance on lubricants for use with condoms from 2012. It’s written for procurement organizations, not for consumers, but it’s still the best benchmark available.

On pH, the note says that the pH of a healthy vagina normally lies between 3.8 and 4.5, and that a lubricant intended primarily for vaginal use should have a pH of around 4.5. For lubricants used primarily anally, or where it’s not possible to determine the use, a pH of 5.5–7 is recommended. Lubricants with a pH above 7 are not recommended.

On osmolality, the note says that vaginal secretions normally are 260–290 mOsm/kg and semen 250–380 mOsm/kg, that a lubricant ideally should not exceed 380 mOsm/kg, and that most commercial lubricants are 2,000–6,000 mOsm/kg. As an interim limit, a maximum of 1,200 mOsm/kg is recommended. The note links the value directly to the recipe: to stay under 1,200 mOsm/kg, the glycerol content should not exceed 9.9 weight percent and the propylene glycol content should not exceed 8.3 weight percent, and when blending glycols, the total glycol content should be kept below roughly 8.3 weight percent.

Pjur Aqua contains glycerin and ethoxy diglycol, but the concentrations are not published. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate where the product falls in relation to the WHO’s limits, and it is not possible to determine whether it is close to 380, close to 1,200, or in the range 2,000–6,000. The only thing that can be said based on the sources is that glycerin is second on the ingredient list, directly after water, and that the manufacturer itself states that the concentration is kept below a threshold value.

Who should choose something else?

The manufacturer’s own FAQ provides clearer guidance than most store texts. Pjur recommends silicone-based, preservative-free lubricants for the person who has recurring yeast infections or diabetes, and silicone-based or glycerin- and glycol-free water-based lubricants for vaginal dryness. For the person who is allergic or sensitive to preservatives, pjur recommends either silicone-based products without preservatives or the water-based alternatives pjur with Sensitive and pjur Woman Nude, which, according to the manufacturer, are free from preservatives, glycerin, and parabens.

Conversely, Aqua is not a problem according to the manufacturer’s own description for those who do not belong to those groups: pjur states that skin compatibility has been dermatologically tested, that biological compatibility has been tested by external laboratories, and that the product is intended for daily use. The warning text is the standard text pjur uses for all intimate lubricating gels: avoid contact with eyes and irritated skin or mucous membranes, consult a doctor in case of persistent irritation, store out of reach of children. Aqua is neither a contraceptive nor sperm-killing.

Condoms and sex toys

Compatibility is the part of the specification where Pjur Aqua is documented most clearly. Both the product information and the label expressly state that the lubricant works with latex and polyisoprene condoms, and the label says that it is suitable for sex toys.

Can you use Pjur Aqua with a condom?

Yes, with latex and polyisoprene condoms, according to the manufacturer. Pjurs FAQ adds that all of pjur’s lubricants are compatible with latex condoms and have undergone the tests required, and that Aqua additionally belongs to a shorter list — together with pjur Woman Aqua, pjur Back Door Regenerating and pjur Organic Touch — which is also suitable for polyisoprene condoms. Polyisoprene is the synthetic material that most latex-free condoms are made from, so this information is relevant for the person with a latex allergy.

Polyurethane condoms are not mentioned, neither on the product information, on the label, nor in the FAQ. A water-based lubricant without oils is usually not a problem for polyurethane, but this is a conclusion about the material category and not a statement from the manufacturer.

The instructions for use are specific about how the lubricant should be used with a condom: it is applied to the outside of the condom once it is on. Condom compatibility is also what lies behind the product’s medical device purpose—the MDR certificate’s Group U0803 describes the lubricant “as an accessory when used with condoms”.

Does it work with silicone toys?

The manufacturer states that Aqua is suitable for sex toys, and pjur’s FAQ says that water-based lubricants can be used with all toys. There is no explicit information about silicone sex toys specifically on Aqua’s product page, but in the same FAQ pjur answers the question for another water-based product in the range that water-based lubricants are safe for all types of toys, including silicone.

This is the practical main difference versus silicone-based lubricants, where compatibility with silicone sex toys is a real limitation. If you use silicone toys and want to avoid having to think about it, a water-based lubricant like Aqua is the easier combination. The shop states in its product text that the lubricant is suitable for all sex toys and condoms, which matches the manufacturer’s.

The bottle, the label, and shelf life

Pjur Aqua is delivered in a 100 ml bottle. What kind of closure it has—flip-top, screw cap, or pump—the manufacturer does not state in the text, and none of the shops does either. The manufacturer does not publish the bottle’s dimensions and weight, and while two shops list them, they contradict each other: one states 80 grams and another 120 grams, with dimensions of 35 × 35 × 145 millimeters. Both are shop claims, and the 40-gram difference for the same volume suggests that at least one of them has not been weighed.

The label, however, is unusually informative. In addition to the ingredient list and the CE marking, it bears the REF number 10340-01, the German pharmacy number PZN 00791148, the manufacturer’s name and address in Wasserbillig in Luxembourg, and the text “Made in Germany”. In its FAQ, pjur writes that all products are manufactured and filled in Germany, while legally, the manufacturer is the Luxembourg company.

The instructions for use on the label are in German, English, Dutch, French, and Spanish — but not in Swedish. Instead, the Swedish text is found on the manufacturer’s separate product information page, which the label’s information symbol with the address pjur.com refers to.

How long does Pjur Aqua last after opening?

The label bears the PAO symbol—a jar that has been opened—marked 6M, i.e. six months. The manufacturer’s symbol explanation defines the symbol as the period during which the product can be used safely after it has been opened for the first time. In addition, the label states “Store at room temperature” and includes a symbol to protect the product from sunlight.

Six months is a short shelf life for a lubricant, and it’s worth keeping in mind. Someone who buys 100 ml and uses a smaller amount at a time can still have a large part of the bottle left after half a year. It also affects the choice between the sizes: the manufacturer’s list price is 139.50 euro per liter for 100 ml and 131.80 euro per liter for 250 ml, a difference of just under six percent. With the same shelf life after opening, there’s therefore a bit to gain from the larger bottle for someone who doesn’t manage to use it up in time.

How do you remove it?

With water. The manufacturer writes that water-based lubricants are absorbed mostly by the top layer of skin, and that anyone who applied too much just needs to rinse it off with lukewarm water. No soap is required, according to the manufacturer. It’s a practical advantage compared with silicone-based lubricants, where pjur itself writes that stains on textiles don’t come out in a single wash.

Two safety details from the label belong here. There’s an explicit slip warning for smooth surfaces, which is worth taking seriously in the shower and bathtub. And pjur writes in its FAQ that the lubricants are safe to swallow in small quantities, but that larger amounts can have a laxative effect.

Pjur Aqua compared with the alternatives

Four comparisons are relevant: against a water-based lubricant in the same size and at the same price, against the cheapest water-based alternative in the catalog, against a glycerin-free alternative, and against a neutral water-based lubricant in a larger bottle. All prices are the lowest in-stock prices from the retailers’ product flows on September 12, 2026.

Against Fleshlube Water 100 ml

Fleshlube Water is sold in the same volume, 100 ml. Pjur Aqua is sold in this market by pjur and Sinful. The choice between them comes down to what documentation exists for each product—and there is Pjur Aqua’s published ingredient list, explicit polyisoprene compatibility, and CE marking with a notified body, which is the benchmark the other product can be measured against.

Against EasyGlide Waterbased 150 ml

Pjur Aqua is sold by pjur and Sinful. That’s the biggest single objection to Aqua: it may not be the first choice for price-sensitive shoppers.

Against Swede Original Woman Sensitive 120 ml

Swede Original Woman Sensitive is marketed as glycerin-free. The comparison is relevant for one single reason: pjur itself recommends lubricants without glycerin and glycol for people with vaginal dryness, and Aqua contains both glycerin and ethoxydiglycol. For that buyer, the ingredient difference is the point.

Versus Joydivision Aquaglide Neutral 200 ml

Joydivision Aquaglide Neutral is sold in 200 ml. With Aqua’s six months’ shelf life after opening in mind, a larger bottle is not automatically an advantage—it also needs to be used.

Within pjur’s own range, it’s also worth noting the difference versus the silicone-based pjur Woman (250 ml). Aqua is offered as the alternative from the same manufacturer, and the manufacturer’s own FAQ describes the silicone-based lubricants as free from preservatives.

Pjur Aqua 100 ml is sold by pjur and Sinful in this market.

pjur and Sinful both sell Pjur Aqua 100 ml with EAN 827160100278 in the store table.

In our shop data for this market, Pjur Aqua 100 ml is sold by pjur and Sinful.

The manufacturer’s own list price is 13.95 euro for 100 ml. In this market, the bottle is sold by pjur and Sinful.

In this market, Pjur Aqua 100 ml is sold by pjur and Sinful. We do have price data to compare listings.

When the stores contradict each other

The review of the store pages resulted in four clashes worth reporting.

The first and most important concerns the product page. The product page is called "Pjur Basic – water-based lubricant 100 ml", and the product text describes a "pjur Basic Aqua". Pjur Basic is a separate product — WorldCondom’s product data lists pjur Basic Water Based 100 ml with the barcode 827160112080, not 827160100278. At the same time, the product image shows an Aqua bottle in an older design, and in the product flow the item is listed under Aqua’s EAN. Because it’s not possible to determine which of the two products an order from the page actually delivers, the listing is not included in the store table.

The second concerns the ingredients. As described above, the ingredient list includes propylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, methylchloroisothiazolinone, and methylisothiazolinone, while the manufacturer lists phenoxyethanol as a preservative. The manufacturer’s list applies.

The third concerns the weight: one listing states 80 grams and another states 120 grams for the same 100 ml bottle. The manufacturer states no weight at all.

The fourth concerns two product pages with the same EAN 827160100278: "Pjur Aqua Water Based Lubricant 100 ml" and "Pjur Aqua Super Slippery 100 ml Naturel". "Super slippery" is the text printed on the bottle itself, so both pages refer to the same product.

Who is Pjur Aqua for — and who is it not for?

It’s right for you if you want a water-based lubricant with documentation you can verify: a complete ingredient list from the manufacturer, CE marking with a notified body, explicit compatibility with both latex and polyisoprene condoms, and a clear statement that it works with sex toys. It’s for you who uses silicone toys and wants to avoid having to think about the material question, and you who want to be able to rinse the lubricant off with just water.

It’s also for you who shop at the stores in this market. In our data, Pjur Aqua 100 ml is available from pjur for €13.95, in stock, and from Sinful for £7.79, out of stock.

It doesn’t suit you who have recurring yeast infections, diabetes, or issues with vaginal dryness — not according to us, but according to the manufacturer’s own FAQ, which in those cases recommends silicone-based or products that are free of glycerin and glycol. It doesn’t suit you who want to know pH and osmolality before you buy, because none of the values are published. It doesn’t suit you who react to phenoxyethanol, and it also doesn’t suit you who react to isothiazolinones without first checking the label on the exact bottle you receive. And it suits you worse if you use a little lubricant only rarely: six months of shelf life after opening means that part of the bottle may need to be thrown away.

Complaints, right of withdrawal, and the hygiene exception

No voluntary manufacturer warranty states that pjur does not apply, and that’s normal for a consumable product. What applies are your statutory rights in the EU/EEA. In the EU and EEA, consumers buying online generally have a 14-day right of withdrawal, starting when the goods are received. Under EU rules, sealed goods that are not suitable for return for health or hygiene reasons are exempt from the right of withdrawal once unsealed. In the EU, the seller is liable for defects that exist at delivery and appear within at least 2 years (the legal guarantee)—for example, a bottle that leaks during delivery or a seal that doesn’t work. However, normal use and a product that has passed its shelf life after opening is not a fault with the product.

For distance purchases in the EU/EEA, consumers generally have a 14-day right of withdrawal, starting when the goods are received. Under EU rules, sealed goods that are not suitable for return for health or hygiene reasons are exempt from the right of withdrawal once unsealed. An opened lubricant typically falls into that category. You can normally withdraw an unopened bottle; an opened one probably not.

The key question is whether the product is sealed and suitable for return for health or hygiene reasons: once the seal is broken, the right of withdrawal generally does not apply.