RFSU Velvet Lube 40 ml: review

RFSU Velvet Lube at a glance

RFSU Velvet Lube is a silicone-based lubricant in a 40 ml tube from Swedish RFSU. The manufacturer calls the product “Velvet Lube – for silken-smooth feel that lasts a long time” and describes it as 100 percent silicone-based, fragrance-free, pH-neutral, gynecologically tested, and vegan, with certification from The Vegan Society. This review applies exclusively to the 40 ml tube with EAN 7310571600121.

The most noteworthy thing about the product is how short the ingredient list is. RFSU lists two ingredients — Dimethicone and Dimethiconol — and nothing else. No water, no glycerin, no glycols, no preservatives, no fragrance, and no aroma. The same two ingredients are printed on the back of the tube, are reproduced by all three pharmacies that sell it, and are repeated in RFSU’s own safety data sheet.

In this market, the tube is sold (we don’t have price data for this market). The rest of the review is about what the two ingredients mean, what the manufacturer publishes and does not publish, and where the documentation contradicts itself.

Which variant applies to the review?

Velvet Lube is available in this comparison in a single size, 40 ml. RFSU’s product page states no other volume. The EAN number is verified in four ways: the barcode on the back of the tube in RFSU’s own product image is read as 7 310571 600121, and Apoteket, Apotea, and Kronans Apotek publish the same number for the 40 ml tube. Another store also lists 7310571600121 in its specification box. All five stores list 40 ml for this product, and none list any other size under the same product.

RFSU does not publish the EAN number on its own product page, either in the text or in the page’s structured data. The connection between the product page and the barcode goes via the manufacturer’s image of the package, where the barcode, the 40 ml volume, and the ingredient list are visible on the same label.

Who manufactures Velvet Lube?

The label states RFSU AB, Färögatan 33, 164 51 Kista. The safety data sheet has the same address and lists RFSU AB as the party providing the data sheet. So RFSU remains as the sender all the way from the product page to the label and the data sheet.

Ingredients: dimethicone and dimethiconol — nothing else

The ingredient list is the most useful piece of information in the entire specification, and it is published in four places that match: RFSU’s Swedish and English product pages, the label, and the safety data sheet, where it says "Contents according to INCI names on the label: Dimethicone, Dimethiconol". Apoteket, Apotea, and Kronans Apotek reproduce exactly the same two names.

What do dimethicone and dimethiconol mean?

Both are INCI names, meaning the standardized ingredient names used on cosmetic products in the EU. Dimethicone is polydimethylsiloxane, the most common silicone liquid in cosmetics. Dimethiconol is a closely related silicone polymer. Together, they make up the entire formulation — this is what RFSU means by "100 % silicone-based".

The order in the list also says something. The EU’s Cosmetics Regulation requires the ingredient list to be compiled in descending order by weight, where only components under one percent may be listed in any order. That dimethicone comes first therefore means that it is the main ingredient. RFSU does not publish how the distribution looks in percentages, and the safety data sheet’s composition table is blank because the product does not contain any substances that are subject to disclosure requirements.

Polydimethylsiloxane is not an unusual choice. The guidance from WHO, UNFPA, and FHI360 on lubricants for condom use states that silicone oils of this type are the most common lubricants that condom manufacturers themselves apply to condoms during manufacturing, and it describes silicone fluids as inert and with minimal effect on the latex film’s properties. WHO’s and UNFPA’s later procurement specification for lubricants requires that a silicone lubricant contains at least 30 percent polydimethylsiloxane. Velvet Lube, as stated on the label, is precisely the type of product that the specification describes.

Does Velvet Lube contain glycerin, parabens, or perfume?

No, according to the ingredient list. With two ingredients declared, there is no room for glycerin, propylene glycol, parabens, phenoxyethanol, or perfume—the cosmetics regulation requires that perfume be listed using the word “parfum” or “aroma,” and nothing like that is on the label. RFSU also explicitly states “perfume free” on the tube, and the safety data sheet describes the scent as “without perfume.”

The absence of preservatives is not a shortcoming; it is a consequence of the base. WHO’s and UNFPA’s specification requires preservatives for water-based lubricants, because water is what makes microbial growth possible. For silicone lubricants, there is no corresponding requirement in the specification. A water-free lubricant with two silicones simply does not need to be preserved in the same way as a water-based gel.

The absence of glycerin and glycols is also the information that makes the osmolality issue irrelevant for this particular product—more about that below.

What the safety data sheet shows

RFSU has prepared a safety data sheet for Velvet Lube, and Apoteket links to it from its product page. The document is version 1, issued on 2025-09-15, and states formula No. 7275. It’s unusual for a lubricant manufacturer to publish such a document at all, and it contains several details that the product page lacks.

The product is not classified as hazardous under the CLP regulation and has no hazard pictograms, signal words, or hazard statements. The physical state is listed as gel, the color as transparent, and the product as not soluble in water. The ingredients do not meet the criteria for PBT or vPvB, that is, substances that are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. According to the data sheet, in case of eye contact the gel may cause temporary mild irritation and blurred vision. In case of skin contact, the advice states: “Wash the skin with soap and water”.

Two rows in the datasheet are worth highlighting in particular. The first is that the pH value is stated as “Not measured”, which is covered in the next section. The second is that the datasheet, under possible effects on skin contact, says that the product “can feel a little sticky if you get a lot on the skin,” while RFSU’s English product page promises that the formula does not become sticky. The two claims do not rule each other out—one applies to a normal amount, the other to an overdose—but the datasheet is more cautious of the two sources.

pH and osmolality: that’s why the numbers don’t fit a silicone lubricant

For water-based lubricants, pH and osmolality are the two most important figures to look for. The WHO/UNFPA/FHI360 advice from 2012 states that healthy vaginal pH normally lies between 3.8 and 4.5, that a lubricant for vaginal use should preferably be around 4.5, and one for rectal use between 5.5 and 7. For osmolality, the same document states that the value should preferably not exceed 380 mOsm/kg and, for now, at most 1,200 mOsm/kg, because lubricants with high osmolality can damage the surface layer of the mucous membrane.

Is Velvet Lube pH-neutral?

RFSU writes “fragrance-free and pH-neutral” on the product page and repeats it in its FAQ. However, the Safety Data Sheet from the same manufacturer lists the pH value as “Not measured”. It’s a contradiction between two RFSU documents, and both are presented here.

The contradiction has a reasonable explanation. pH is a measure of hydrogen ion activity in an aqueous solution, and a product that, according to the datasheet, consists of two silicones and is not soluble in water has no pH value in the real sense that there is something to measure. WHO’s and UNFPA’s procurement specification reflects the same thing: the requirement for pH between 5.0 and 7.0 explicitly applies to water-based lubricants, and for silicone lubricants only a viscosity requirement is given. “pH-neutral” should therefore be read to mean that the product does not add anything that affects the mucous membrane’s pH—not as a measured number. RFSU does not publish any numeric value, and there is nothing to relate to the WHO ranges.

What is osmolality—and why is the value missing?

Osmolality indicates how many dissolved particles a liquid contains per kilo of water, and it determines which direction water moves between the lubricant and the mucous membrane. The WHO guidance states that vaginal secretions normally lie at 260–290 mOsm/kg and semen at 250–380 mOsm/kg, while most commercial lubricants are at 2,000–6,000 mOsm/kg.

The same document points out the cause: it is above all the content of glycols — glycerol and propylene glycol — that drives up osmolality, and to keep it below 1,200 mOsm/kg, the glycerol content should stay under 9.9 weight percent and the propylene glycol under 8.3. Velvet Lube contains neither water nor glycols, and RFSU publishes no osmolality value. Osmolality is defined per kilogram of water, and in a water-free silicone lube there is no water to dissolve particles in. The procurement specification therefore only sets the osmolality requirement for water-based lubricants.

What can therefore be established is that the risk the osmolality discussion is about — that a glycol-rich lubricant draws water out of the mucous membrane — does not apply to a formulation without glycols. That doesn’t make silicone lube risk-free in general. The WHO guidance itself points out that silicone liquids are expected to be safe and effective as lubricants, but that there are no published clinical studies of that specific use, especially with latex condoms during anal sex.

Condoms, sex toys, and water: what Velvet Lube works with

Compatibility is the practical downside of choosing a pure silicone lube. The manufacturer states three things: the product is safe with condoms, it should not be used with silicone sex toys, and it is water-resistant enough for showers and baths.

Yes, according to the manufacturer.

Yes, according to the manufacturer. RFSU writes "safe to use with condoms" in the product information and, in its FAQ, answers that the product is "fully compatible with all types of condoms". The tube’s Swedish back-label text says "can be used with or without a condom". One store’s product text specifies that this applies to condoms "including latex" — a store claim, but it matches the manufacturer’s broader wording.

The WHO/UNFPA/FHI360 guidance gives the same picture from an independent perspective. It states that silicone-oil-based lubricants are compatible with natural rubber latex condoms, that almost all lubricants can be used with polyurethane condoms, and that oil-based lubricants — baby oil, petroleum jelly, coconut oil, body lotion — make latex condoms weaker. The guidance specifically warns that polyisoprene condoms are as sensitive to oil-based lubricants as latex condoms are. Silicone oil is not oil-based in that sense, and RFSU provides no reservations for any condom material.

What is not published is a result. RFSU does not refer to any standard for condom compatibility, and WHO’s guidance notes that, at the time the document was written, the ISO working group for test methods had not yet reached a generally accepted method. Compatibility therefore rests on the manufacturer’s responsibility and on the silicone oil’s known properties, not on a published protocol. Velvet Lube is also not a contraceptive—one shop notes in its product text that anyone trying to get pregnant should choose another lubricant, but RFSU publishes no information about sperm friendliness in any direction.

Can you use Velvet Lube with silicone sex toys?

No, according to the manufacturer. RFSU expressly advises against using Velvet Lube with silicone sex toys, arguing that the material can be affected or damaged, and recommends a water-based lubricant instead for silicone sex toys. The same advice is also stated on RFSU’s category page for silicone-based lubricants, where the manufacturer writes that it can damage the material and affect the product’s service life.

That’s a significant limitation, since a large part of today’s sex toys are made of silicone. Store information fills in the gap the other way around with the claim that metal, glass, and hard plastic “usually work great” with silicone-based lubricant. It’s a reasonable generalization, but there is no information from RFSU. Anyone with toys made of unknown material should rely on the manufacturer’s advice and not on the store text.

Water resistance—and what it means for cleaning

RFSU describes the product as water-resistant and writes that it works in both the shower and the bath. The safety data sheet provides the chemical explanation: the gel is not soluble in water. That is the property that distinguishes silicone lubricant from water-based lubricant, and it has two sides.

The advantage is that the lubricant isn’t rinsed away by water and doesn’t dry in. The disadvantage is that it also can’t be rinsed away with just water. The safety data sheet lists “Wash the skin with soap and water” as the measure in case of skin contact, and pjur gives the same advice for its silicone lubricant pjur Woman: mild soap and water. Retailer information also points out that silicone can soak into fabric and recommends wiping off any excess right away. pjur warns about slip hazards on smooth surfaces for its silicone lubricant. RFSU doesn’t mention the risk for Velvet Lube, but it follows from the same property: a silicone lubricant that ends up on tile or in a bathtub is not rinsed away with water.

Cosmetic product or medical device?

Lubricants can be sold either as cosmetic products or as medical devices. WHO guidance states that lubricants in Europe are classified as medical devices of class I or IIa depending on what the manufacturer claims about them. The question determines which regulatory framework the product follows and what documentation exists.

For Velvet Lube, all available information points in the same direction. The safety data sheet states that a cosmetic safety report, CPSR, has been prepared according to the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. The label has an ingredient list with INCI names preceded by the word “Ingredients” and the sustainability symbol after opening—both are, according to Läkemedelsverket, typical characteristics of cosmetic products. On the manufacturer’s image of the back of the tube, there is no CE marking, which, according to the same authority, is the sign showing that a product is a medical device. RFSU also does not state any class and no notified body.

This means that Velvet Lube, as far as it can be determined from the manufacturer’s own documents, is a cosmetic product. It is not worse or better in itself, but it explains why there is no technical documentation of the kind that a medical device has. It is also worth noting that RFSU’s English product page describes use “to relieve dryness and discomfort”, and that the Swedish page mentions the product as a softening alternative for dryness in mucous membranes. Anyone using a lubricant for medical reasons—dryness associated with menopause, breastfeeding, or treatment—may need a product with medical-device documentation, and should then ask at a pharmacy.

“Gynecologically tested” is printed on the tube, and “dermatologically tested” on the product page, and another retailer writes “clinically tested.” For neither of the two tests does RFSU publish the study setup, number of participants, or results. The claims are reproduced here as the manufacturer states them, without it being possible to say what they mean in numbers.

Packaging and shelf life: 40 ml, tube and 6M

Velvet Lube is delivered in a tube that sits on the lid; RFSU’s product images show a brown and light gray tube with a light gray lid at the bottom. RFSU does not say in text how the lid is opened. The tube contains 40 ml. One shop states the packaging dimensions as 10.20 × 5.50 × 3.60 centimeters and the weight as 0.05 kilograms, which are store details; RFSU publishes no dimensions.

RFSU states that the packaging is made of 50 percent recycled plastic. The label specifies the detail: "50% recycled plastic (cap excluded)". The recycled portion therefore applies to the tube but not the cap—an important nuance that the product page doesn’t mention. According to RFSU, the tube should be sorted as hard plastic packaging, and the safety data sheet states that small amounts of remaining gel can be put in household waste and that the tube should be recycled as plastic packaging.

How long does Velvet Lube last after opening?

Six months, according to the manufacturer. RFSU writes "shelf life: 6 months after opening" on the product page, and the label bears the PAO symbol—an open jar—with the text 6M. Other shops repeat the same information.

The symbol has a legal meaning. Under Article 19 of the Cosmetics Regulation, a cosmetic product doesn’t need to state a best-before date if its shelf life exceeds 30 months; instead, it must state how long the product is safe to use after opening, using exactly this symbol. That the tube bears the symbol and no best-before date is visible in the label image therefore suggests that the unopened shelf life is longer than 30 months, but RFSU does not publish an exact figure for it.

Six months is short for a lubricant without water and preservatives, and it’s the information that affects the economy the most. In other words, a 40 ml tube should be used up within half a year. RFSU states that it’s enough with a very small amount, but neither it nor other product data publishes how many uses a tube corresponds to. Someone who uses lubricant rarely is unlikely to throw away a half-full tube; someone who uses it often gets packaging that runs out quickly.

Storage

RFSU states that the tube should be stored at room temperature, at most 25 °C, protected from direct sunlight, and that freezing should be avoided. The safety data sheet adds that the product should be stored sealed in its original packaging in a dry and cool place, out of reach of children. That’s standard advice for a cosmetic product, but the 25 °C limit is worth noting for anyone storing lubricant in a car, a bathroom with underfloor heating, or a bag in the sun.

RFSU Velvet Lube compared with other silicone lubricants

Two silicone lubricants in the same price comparison are relevant to compare with Velvet Lube: Eros Classic Silicone Bodyglide in 100 ml and pjur Woman in 250 ml. Both appear in the same product listings and with the same price comparison date, September 12, 2026.

Against Eros Classic Silicone Bodyglide 100 ml

Eros Classic Silicone Bodyglide from the German Megasol was included in the price check against Velvet Lube for the 100 ml and 40 ml sizes.

Megasol describes the product as a formulation in "100% EROS premium silicone quality" and sells it in eight sizes from 2 to 1,000 ml. Megasol does not publish an ingredient list on its overview page for silicone lubricants, which makes an ingredient comparison impossible using the manufacturer as a source. On the documentation page, Velvet Lube is therefore clearly better: two ingredients, published by the manufacturer and printed on the packaging, plus a safety data sheet.

pjur Woman 250 ml

pjur Woman and Velvet Lube are listed at different prices by online sellers, which changes the per-milliliter cost.

Here you can find an ingredient list to compare. pjur lists Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone and Dimethiconol, "Total 100% Silicone". That means two of the three ingredients are the same as in Velvet Lube. The difference is cyclopentasiloxane, which is the INCI name for the cyclic siloxane D5. Kemikalieinspektionen describes D5 as very difficult to break down and very bioaccumulative, and the substance is limited under Reach to less than 0.1 weight percent: in cosmetic products that are washed off from 1 February 2020, and in other cosmetic products from 7 June 2027. This says nothing about the safety of pjur Woman for the user — the limitation is justified by environmental reasons — but it is a concrete difference in the formulation, and Velvet Lube contains no cyclic siloxane.

Otherwise, the two products are the same in what can be compared: both are stated to be compatible with latex condoms, both are free from preservatives, and both are washed off with soap and water according to the respective manufacturer. The most obvious difference after price is the packaging: 250 ml versus 40 ml, where the smaller tube is easier to take with you but has an opened shelf life of six months to keep in mind.

What is the difference between silicone-based and water-based lubricant?

The difference is the base, and it controls almost everything else. A water-based lubricant consists mostly of water with thickening agents, humectants such as glycerin or propylene glycol, and preservatives. It’s easy to rinse off, works with silicone sex toys, and can have a pH and an osmolality that can be measured and compared against WHO’s recommendations. The downside is that the water evaporates and is absorbed, so the lubricant needs to be topped up.

A silicone-based lubricant that Velvet Lube contains no water. RFSU writes that silicone is not absorbed by the skin and therefore provides a glide that lasts significantly longer, and that it is water-resistant. The price you pay is that it doesn’t work with silicone sex toys, that it requires soap to be washed off, and that it can get caught in textiles. RFSU writes on its category page that silicone-based lubricants are often preferred for anal sex, because the anus lacks its own lubricant. Hybrid lubricants, such as RFSU’s own Magic Lube, combine the two bases.

No price data is available in our listings for this product in this market.

This product with EAN 7310571600121 is sold in this market.

We don’t have price data for RFSU Velvet Lube 40 ml in this market, so we can’t compare per-volume pricing with other lubricants.

In this market, we don’t have price data for Velvet Lube.

The same tube at the pharmacy

Pharmacy prices are not in the price-comparison table, because they don’t come from the same product feeds.

Who is Velvet Lube for—and who is it not for?

Velvet Lube is for you if you want a silicone lubricant with the shortest possible ingredient list. Two silicones, no fragrance, no glycerin, no glycols, no preservatives, and no cyclic siloxane—an unusually clean declaration, and it is published by the manufacturer on the packaging, on the product page, and in a safety data sheet. It also suits you if you want a glide that, according to the manufacturer, works with all types of condoms and in the shower or bath.

It suits you if you want a small package—for a trip, a bag, or to try silicone lube for the first time without buying a large bottle.

Velvet Lube is not for you if you use silicone sex toys. RFSU expressly advises against it, and there is no way around that limitation. It’s not for you if you use lube infrequently, because, according to the manufacturer, an opened tube lasts for six months. And it’s not for you if you’re looking for a lube with medical-device documentation for treatment of dryness—Velvet Lube has, according to the manufacturer’s own safety data sheet, been assessed under the cosmetics regulation.

Complaints, right of withdrawal, and the hygiene exemption

There is no guarantee in the strict sense for a lube, and RFSU states none. What applies are your statutory rights. Under EU rules, the seller is liable for defects that exist at delivery and appear within at least 2 years (the legal guarantee).

When buying online, consumers in the EU and EEA 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 tube of lube typically falls within that description—an unopened one does not.

Some online stores publish their own return terms that are worth knowing—especially for opened hygiene products. 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.