Permit us to be blunt: Good sex almost always includes a proper lubricant. It's absolutely vital for long, hot sessions or any backdoor action. And any man who knows the pleasure of great sex has a bottle of lube in his nightstand. But which is the right one to have on hand?
Buying lube can be tricky, as they all seem to promise the same thing. Especially if all you're used to is the stuff being sold at the drugstore where you buy your condoms. But think of lube like underwear. The bargain stuff is fine, it gets the job done, but quality underwear is better in a myriad of ways, right? It looks better and you feel better in it. Herewith, the best lubes for all sorts of situations. Try a few and we guarantee your sex life will improve and your sex partners will thank you—one way or another.
The Best Lubes
The Best
Silicone-Based Lube
Silicone-based lubes are regarded as some of the best sexual lubrication because a little goes a long way and you don't have to keep reapplying during long sessions. Überlube, as the name implies, is the gold standard due to its silky texture and luxurious packaging. Instead of just being slippery, this is designed to "transfer sensation while reducing friction."
$18 by Überlube
The Best
Water-Based Lube
Nécessaire, the modern unisex body care company, makes a clean sex gel from distilled deionized water without any unwanted chemicals, that promises pleasure and plenty of glide without the usual stickiness or staining. It also has aloe and hyaluronic acid to maintain your body's natural moisture and pH balance.
$20 by Nécessaire
For All-Natural Fun
This is the Goop of lubricants, if you will. The 100% natural aloe-based lubricant is organic, pH-balanced and free of glycerin and parabens. Formulated with hemp, green tea and oat kernel extract, this is gentle yet extremely hydrating. It's also latex-friendly and safe to use when trying to conceive. Another benefit is that it doesn't get sticky and is easy to wash away with just a little warm water.
$25 by Maude
So Good
You Can Eat It
We get it. If the sex is good, your mouth should end up in places where there might've been lube. This one is coconut oil-based, which means it's not latex condom-safe, but if you're in a monogamous relationship in which all partners have been tested, it can have some real advantages. One being the taste. This one contains stevia for sweetness and vanilla extract for flavor. The other benefit is that there's virtually no cleanup, as it just moisturizes into your skin.
$23.74 by Woo More Play
For Anal Play
Is the bullet-themed packaging a bit aggressive and over-the-top? Perhaps. But this lube is extremely popular with both men and women when it comes to anal sex because of its proprietary, three-molecule silicone blend is ultra-concentrated—meaning it's incredibly slick, and long lasting. This stuff won't breakdown or dry out, and because it's formulated with Vitamin E, it protects and restores delicate tissue.
$16.91 by Gun Oil
How to Clean Lube Stains
Most water-based lubes (and bodily fluids) will wash out with a regular laundry cycle. Silicone-based lubes leave behind grease stains which require a serious pre-treater before washing and drying. Soilove is a heavy-duty stain remover that's excolumnsent at removing silicone.
Soilove stain remover, $10.99 at Amazon