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Amanda Chatel Jaina Grey
Gear
For the most sensitive parts of the human body, friction is the enemy. Here's how to keep it at bay with our favorite lubes made of water, silicone, or natural oil.
All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
Best Water-Based Lube
Lelo Personal Moisturizer Water-Based Lube
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Best Silicone-Based Lube
Maude Shine Silicone Lube
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Best Natural Oil-Based Lube
Coconu Oil-Based Lube
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The Best Lube for Special Occasions
Kindred Black Gamine of Greenwich Village Personal Lube
Read more4
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I'LL SCREAM IT from the mountaintops as often as I have to: Everyone should have a bottle of lube at home! Whether you prefer to get it on in your bedroom, on the kitchen floor, or bent over the couch, lube should always be within reach and ready. Lube is a sexually active person’s best friend and not only helps prevent friction during penetration, which can lead to micro-tears and chafing, but can also take your oral sex game to new heights. We've tried several kinds, from silicone to oil to water—these are the best lubes we've tested.
Be sure to check out our many other sex guides, including the Best Sex Toys, Best Condoms, Best Vibrators, Best Clitoral Suction Toys, and Best Sex Machines.
Updated October 2024: We added the Lelo Personal Moisturizer, Dame Aloe, Bijoux Indiscrets Massage Drops, and Playground Pillow Talk.
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Lube Types: Silicone, Water, and Natural Oil
Photograph: Dame
There are three kinds of lubes to be aware of: Water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based.
Water-based lubes are by far the most common because of their compatibility with silicone toys and latex condoms. These lubes also tend to be the most affordable—they’re water-based, after all—so you’re going to find them both online and in sex shops easily. High-quality water-based lubes may as well be called aloe-based lubes because Aloe barbadensis leaf gel is the primary thickener in almost all of them. This substance provides a high degree of slickness without leaving behind a sticky residue. (Sometimes a mushroom extract is also used to help achieve a silky-smooth texture.) However, not all water-based lubes are made equal, and some might feel sticky. They have a bad habit of getting absorbed by the skin quickly, so they need to be reapplied more frequently than other lubes. In other words, finding your favorite requires a bit of trial and error. Still, they're body-safe, toy-safe, and won’t mess with the integrity of a latex condom, so they're by far the most no-fuss option.
Silicone lubes, on the other hand, are oil-based and they provide a much higher degree of friction reduction and last longer because they're not as readily absorbed by the skin. Because they are oil-based, you have to be careful not to stain your sheets or clothes when using them. Additionally, silicone lubes can degrade silicone toys over time, so it's best to keep most of your toys away from silicone lube (though glass and stainless steel toys and silicone lube get along great).
Natural oil-based lubes are becoming more common, and they typically use plant oils like coconut oil or avocado oil to provide lubrication. The upside of these is that they play nicely with silicone toys and won't degrade them like silicone-based lubes will, and because they're made from natural oils, they usually smell pretty good. The downside is that they're a little more finicky and don't provide as much lubrication as silicone-based lubes. Oil-based lubes also can’t be used with latex condoms and can leave behind one heck of a stain on your sheets.
How to Test a Lube's Consistency
Just about every sex shop has a couple of tester lubes available. Like the makeup testers at Ulta or Sephora, they're there so you can get an idea if it's the right pick for you.
The way I usually do this is what I call the thumb test. Squirt a little droplet onto your thumb and rub it between your thumb and index or middle finger. You're trying to get a sense of how the lube feels when it rubs out a bit. If you can feel the texture of your thumbprint, it's a pretty thin lube, which will give you a more tactile feel. If it feels like the lube makes a bit of a cushion between your fingertips, it's a thicker and, in my experience, slicker lube offering less friction. If it gets sticky or dry relatively quickly, then that should be a hard pass. Applying and reapplying lube shouldn’t be the star of the show, so don’t let it be.
Best Water-Based Lube
Photograph: Lelo
Lelo
Personal Moisturizer Water-Based Lube
Without a doubt, the best water-based lube on the market hails from a company that makes many of our favorite sex toys. Like with all of Lelo’s products, you’re going to pay a little bit more, but when we’re talking about something you not only put on your body but in it, the extra few dollars are worth it. From a texture standpoint, Lelo is far superior to many of its fellow water-based lubes, because it stands the test of time. While other personal lubricants of this nature get sticky or tacky fairly quickly, Lelo's formula simply doesn’t.
Instead, it retains its silky smoothness past foreplay and into the main course. It’s also pH-balanced to match your skin and is free of parabens and glycerine, meaning if you or your partner are usually sensitive to lube, Lelo’s Personal Moisturizer might be the one that works for you.
Best Silicone-Based Lube
Photograph: Maude
Maude Shine Silicone Lube
Silicone lubes come in a wide variety of consistencies. Some are thinner and feel more tactile but don't last very long. Others are a bit thick and kind of gloopy. Maude's Shine Silicone lube is right in the sweet spot. It's viscous, coming out almost like a gel, but smoothes right down into a silky sheen. It lasts for a long time, but it leaves you feeling soft rather than greasy. It's even pretty good for preventing thigh chafing when you're walking around in a skirt or dress.
Best Natural Oil-Based Lube
Photograph: Coconu
Coconu Oil-Based Lube
The Coconu oil-based lube uses coconut oil to keep things nice and slick. It's more stabilized than the coconut oil in your pantry, so it doesn't solidify as easily. During testing, I left it outside overnight and it stayed liquid. Your mileage may vary if you live in a climate colder than the US Pacific Northwest, though.
On the skin, it feels light and never sticky. It just glides right on and never gets thick enough to inhibit sensation. Because it's coconut oil-based, it works great with silicone toys. It provides slightly less overall slickness than a silicone-based lube, but still more of a long-lasting lubrication than a water-based lube. Plus, it leaves you nice and moisturized. You can even use a bit as a moisturizer in a pinch.
The Best Lube for Special Occasions
Photograph: Kindred Black
Kindred Black Gamine of Greenwich Village Personal Lube
Kindred Black's Gamine of Greenwich Village is a lube that evokes the ephemeral. The “gamine” in its name is old-timey slang for someone who possesses a gender-bending kind of playful, teasing sensuality. It's a good name. The smell of it conjures images of timeless, sexually liberated flirtation. It's feminine and masculine and neither. It feels like it comes from a different century, maybe even from a different world.
It's coconut oil-based and comes in a hand-blown glass vial. It has a cork stopper coated in wax, with a separate hand-blown glass dropper for application. Everything about this lube makes using it feel like a special occasion. A ritual to be performed under moonlight. It's scented with apricot oil and feels like liquid silk on the skin. I never thought I'd recommend a $125 lube, but this carefully crafted alchemy is worth every cent.
Best Grocery Store Water-Based Lube
Photograph: Good Clean Love
Good Clean Love Almost Naked Water-Based Lube
Premium lubes can get expensive, and it's important to offer approachable alternatives that might be easier to get than some of the pricier picks on this list. Good Clean Love's H2O water-based lube provides nearly everything I like about our top pick. It's a nice consistency, almost like nice hand sanitizer, and rubs out into a slick sheen that gives you a good amount of slip-and-slide without absorbing into your skin too quickly. My only complaint is it can leave you a little bit sticky, but it washes off nicely with plain water (or a damp paper towel). Good Clean Love's products are carried at major grocery chains, so chances are no matter where you are, you can get your hands on it.
Best for Bath Time or Shower
Photograph: Uberlube
Uberlube Silicone Lube
Uberlube is a premium lube widely available online and in sex shops. It's also a luxurious little thing; it comes in a crystal-clear borosilicate glass bottle that feels like you're treating yourself or your partners to an elevated experience.
It's a great silicone lube, but where it shines is in the bathtub or during shower sex. As much as having sex in the water always seems like a good idea, the water washes away the vagina’s natural lubrication, leading to vaginal dryness, which can make penetration feel uncomfortable. Not only are silicone lubes pretty water resistant, making them great for use underwater, but they can also be a great substitute when natural lubrication takes its leave. If you squirt some on your hand and submerge your hand, it stays put. It doesn't float away and doesn't get diluted—important criteria when combining self-pleasure or partnered sex with water.
An Upgraded Silicone Lube
Photograph: Sliquid
Sliquid Silver Silicone-Based Lube
Sliquid is a tried-and-true brand you'll find on the shelves of just about every sex shop in the world (yep, it's a global brand!), and Sliquid Silver is one of the best silicone lubes we've tested. Honestly, someone you know probably has some Sliquid lube sitting in a nightstand drawer somewhere. It's ubiquitous and for good reason. Sliquid Silver lasts a long time, rubs to a smooth, tactile finish, and washes off clean with soap and water. It’s also great for anal play because it’s thick enough to prevent unwanted friction, but thin enough to feel natural.
For a More Tactile Feel
Photograph: Dame
Dame
Aloe Water-Based Lube
Dame’s Aloe Lube (formerly called Alu) is water-based. It's a good pick if you like a more tactile water-based lube. By that, I mean it's thinner so you can feel more texture between your fingertips, and you get a little bit of (good) friction, but you might have to reapply it more frequently. It dries nice and smooth and won't leave you feeling sticky. If you try Aloe Lube and love it but find your fingers get a bit too slippery when trying to use the bottle, then you can get Dame’s silicone grip made specifically for this bottle—a clever little invention.
Most Viscous Silicone Lube
Photograph: Gun Oil
Gun Oil Lube
Despite the name, this really is a lube for sex. It's a silicone lube with a reputation and a lot of die-hard fans in the queer community. After spending some time with it, I can confirm that, per drop, it lasts a little longer than most of the other silicone lubes I've tried. It also comes out of the bottle in thicker drops than other lubes—it's closer in viscosity to a water-based lube, which was a pleasant surprise. Silicone lubes can sometimes feel a little thin, but Gun Oil maintains a slick, frictionless texture no matter how long you use it.
Part Massage Balm, Part Lube
Photograph: Bijoux Indiscrets
Bijoux Indiscrets Revitalizing Intimate Massage Drops
Bijoux Indiscrets Revitalizing Intimate Massage Drops have become one of my go-to products because they just feel so good against my skin. I love to use the drops on myself after a long shower, just as much as I love to use them when giving my partner a massage. The drops have a texture that’s the perfect level of lightness so you don’t feel like you need to rush things before it’s all absorbed. Whether you’re engaging in solo sex or partnered, it’s a great component to moisten things up in a long-lasting and non-sticky way. It also contains SyriCalm, which was specifically created to soothe sensitive skin.
Best for Oral Sex
Photograph: Playground
Playground Pillow Talk Water-Based Lube
I tend to stay away from any lube that has a smell or taste, but something about Pillow Talk forces my saliva glands into overdrive with just a quick whiff. This ultra-silky lube has the faintest hint of rose and cream which makes getting it on the sheets or pillows—hence the name, I’m assuming—a delight instead of a hassle. It’s this essence that makes it a great complement to any oral sex session. Not everyone is a fan of giving (or receiving, for that matter) oral sex, and that’s more than OK. But if you have something within reach that enhances the experience for both involved in different ways, then that’s what they call a win-win.
Honorable Mentions
Photograph: Ycosmetics
Other Good Lubes
Over the years we've tested dozens of different lubes, and some of them are pretty good if not exactly the best in any particular category. For those, we have this section, our Honorable Mentions.
#LubeLife Water-Based Lube for $10: I’ve been a fan of #LubeLife for a while. It's a reliable brand with water-based lubes thick enough for any kind of sexual play. The company recently added a new product to its line of lubes and it’s equal parts light and refreshing. It has the same texture that stays smooth and slick longer than other brands and, like all their other lubes, it’s one of the best bargains out there. If you’re tight on cash but want a lube that makes you feel luxurious and spoiled, this is the lube to get.
Dame Arousal Serum for $23: I'm not a huge fan of warming or tingling lubes and have yet to try one that makes me a true believer. But Dame's Arousal Serum comes close. This is a warming, tingling, water-based lube that uses peppermint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and ginger oil to provide some extra sensation during sex. If you have sensitive skin, I'd leave these products alone, but if you don't and want to try a stimulating lube, this is the one I'd recommend. Try it on a non-genital area first to ensure you know how your skin will react.
Ycosmetics Lip Lube Love for $29: This is an unusual lube. It provides silky, slick lubrication with a pleasantly mid-weight viscosity, but it has a few other tricks as well. It's designed to moisturize your most intimate areas even as it provides lubrication, on top of that, it's such a good moisturizer it also works as a lip moisturizer. Your upper lips this time, the ones on your face. Make sure you only use a single drop though, any more and your lips get very slippery, less in a sexy way and more in an “I just ate a plate of ribs” kind of way.
Coconu Water-Based Lube for $27: This is a great water-based lube that provides lasting lubrication without leaving you sticky. Plus, it's made from coconut water, so it has a nice, mild fragrance.
Maude Shine Water-Based Lube for $25: This used to be our top pick. It offers a silky-smooth texture, though it's on the thicker side for a water-based lube. Thicker water-based lubes typically last longer between applications. Using the thumb test, this lube gives you a slick but smooth cushion between your fingertips, which is a good indicator that it's going to keep things nice and slick.
Amanda Chatel is a sexual health and wellness writer with more than a decade of experience. She was the sex and relationships writer for Bustle for seven years. In addition to WIRED, Amanda has written for Vogue, Glamour, Shape, Self, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Teen Vogue, and more. She has ... Read more
Contributor
Jaina Rodriguez Grey was a product writer and reviewer for WIRED who covered coffee, sex tech, and gaming. Previously, she was a legal researcher for Thomson Reuters and a tech reporter for Digital Trends. ... Read more
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