Not sure which kind of Lubricant to try? Here is a breakdown of the three main types.

Lube 101

Not all lubricants are created equally, and not everyone falls in love with the same type of lubricant. No need to fret - there are numerous lubes available today so you're practically guaranteed to find your match sooner or later.

There are three main categories of lubricants: water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based.

Water-based lubes are the most popular, and have been around the longest. Most of us have used this type of lubricant before, and many of us had our first lube experiences with water-based lubricants. They come in a wide variety of flavored, unflavored, thick, and thin, and since the ingredients closely mimic the contents of the human body (being that they contain mostly water), water-based lubricants are the most natural and healthy choice for the vagina. There are many high quality water-based lubes on the market today - check out our section on lubricants to see some of the most popular. The main disadvantage of water-based lubes is that they can get sticky after awhile. There's no need to reapply more lube in this situation though; stickiness can be easily remedied by adding a little water or saliva to the area.

Silicone lubricants have been gaining popularity because they are impressively long lasting and smooth. Since they aren't absorbed into the skin they never become sticky; plus they're waterproof. They have a slightly thicker consistency than water-based formulas, and they're compatible with condoms to boot. The drawback with silicone is cleanup afterwards. Soap and water will clean off the skin, and natural body processes will wash out the anus, but getting it out of your vagina is another story. It's practically impossible to get all the lubricant cleaned out from your vagina. Another caveat to silicone lubricants is that many aren't compatible with silicone toys. To see more on lube interactions, click here.

Oil-based lubes should be used solely for male masturbation. Just like it's not good to clog the pores on your face, it's certainly not recommended to clog the pores in your vagina. Using oil-based lubricants for female penetration can lead to vaginal infections, so ladies steer clear of the Crisco. If you still want to use oil-based lubes for penetration, at least be aware that all oil-based lubricants will destroy the latex in condoms.

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