21 best lubes for sex and masturbation that won't upset the pH-balance of your vagina, according to an expert
Lube is a game-changer when it comes to sex and masturbation, hence why “where to buy lube” is a hugely popular Google search. In 2023, it's common knowledge that women are taking their sexual pleasure into their own hands – and introducing personal lubricant into their sexual wellness routines is a big part of that. For a multitude of reasons.
Whether you’re looking for condom-safe lube, the best lube for sensitive skin, the best water-based lube or organic lube, there’s no better time than right now to experiment. But not all lubes are created equal. If your bedside table lube collection is currently population zero, our guide to the best lube should help to settle on the best lube for you. Here’s everything you need to know, plus GLAMOUR’s edit of the best lubricants that money can buy. Tried and tested, of course…
Why is it good to use lube during sex? | What are the different types of lube? | What type of lube lasts the longest? | Can you use lube with condoms? | Does lube give you thrush? | Are tingling lubes worth it? | Our full reviews.
In a rush? Best lube 2023 at a glance:
- Best lubricant overall: LELO Personal Moisturising Lubricant, £12.90, Sephora
- Best water based lubricant: Slip N' Slide Silky Water-Based Lubricant, £9.99, Bondara
- Best oil-based lubricant: My Viv Oil-Based Lubricant, £10, Beauty Bay
- Best organic lubricant: Maude Shine Lube 4 oz., £16, Beauty Bay
- Best silicone lubricant: Pjur Original Silicone Lube, £19.99, Lovehoney
Why is it good to use lube during sex?
ICYMI, the best lubes can help to avoid injury and discomfort, as well as tearing (ouch). There's a plethora of reasons why you might not get as wet as you'd like on occasion – including reduced estrogen levels and stress – but the best lubes are here to banish the issue and heighten intimacy levels with your partner – or yourself – immeasurably. Consider orgasms from anal sex, penetrative sex your best vibrator a whole lot more enjoyable. (Though avoid silicone-based lubricants for encounters of the latter kind, as they can sometimes react with silicone sex toys).
Lubricants can also reduce the incidence of cystitis and UTIs. Having vigorous sex can cause the bladder to become inflamed, promoting infection.
What are the different types of lube? What lube lasts the longest?
Lube comes in a sweetshop of flavours (or none), but follow your eye before your mouth. First, look for a 'pH balanced' label on the bottle. Without this, you risk disrupting the natural bacteria in your vagina, which is like WhatsApping thrush and asking it to join. Then, pick your blend.
- Good for? Being mild, and safe to use with all sex toys and contraceptives. It's most like your natural wetness.
- Bad for? Drying out mid-use due to air exposure or the water in it being absorbed (safely) by your body. Reapply or reactivate with water.
- Good for? Stamina. Thicker than water-based, it lasts longer, so you enjoy sex for longer. It’s also the least messy.
- Bad for? Condoms. Oil-based is NOT compatible with latex condoms. Avoid oil-based substances like Vaseline and baby oil (not vagina-friendly).
- Good for? Use in water and lasting ages. A little goes a long way. It’s the slippiest.
- Bad for? Your shower floor during sex, which turns you into Bambi on ice. May also stain bed sheets, and can damage silicone sex toys, leaving them feeling tacky.
Can you use lube with condoms?
One simple rule here: latex condoms can't handle oil-based lubricants. Non-latex condoms (i.e. Durex Latex Free) are suitable with all types of lubricant, so if your chosen method of contraception is condoms, we'd recommend going latex-free.
Can lube give you thrush?
On one hand, lube is great for giving the dreaded thrush the boot. The friction during quickies or rough sex encourages heat and small grazes to the walls of the vagina. These encourage bacterial growth, leading to thrush. Cut friction and you stop micro-tears, leaving a happier V-zone.
However, artificial ingredients in some lubes were not built with crotch sanity in mind. Your vagina and clitoris are highly absorbent, so parabens, petroleum-based ingredients (found in petroleum jelly), glycerin and glucose can promote yeast infections and leave your vagina feeling itchy, sore and uncomfortable. If you're prone to sensitivity, give dyes a wide berth too, and look for natural flavourings, not artificial ones (often full of thrush-spawning sugars like glycerine or glycol).
Are tingling lubes good?
Some people love them, others hate them, but to be honest, we wouldn't recommend them. Namely because they can include substances never designed for genitals. Always try a small amount first and if you experience burning or itching, wash it off immediately.
After more sexual wellness content? Head this way for the best sex toy shops online, over here for the best massage candles for a romantic night in, massage oils, rabbit vibrators, wand vibrators, remote control vibrators and in this direction for sex toys for couples. We've also got vibrators, clitoral vibrators and sex toy sales to peruse.
Which lube is best for vaginas? Scroll for our full edit.
1. Best lubricant overall
LELO Personal Moisturising Lubricant, £21.90, Cult Beauty
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This is perhaps one of the most discrete lubricants on the market thanks to its sleek packaging. Perfect for masturbation, it's infused with aloe-vera for long-lasting moisture.
2. Best water-based lubricant
Slip N' Slide Silky Water-Based Lubricant, £9.99, Bondara
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This long-lasting formula is perfect for massages, oral sex and intercourse. It's silky-smooth with just a few drops, and is vegan-friendly.
3. Best oil-based lubricant
My Viv Oil-Based Lubricant, £10, Beauty Bay
Lube type: Oil-based lubricant.
Why we love it: Luxurious in texture, this oil-based lubricant is rich and velvety to the touch. Sure, oil-based formulas are often a little stickier than its water-based counterparts, but this lube is long-lasting, making it perfect for clitoral play. It's also a great natural moisturiser that lingers on the skin. Plus, formulated with 100% natural ingredients to be pH balanced – including hemp seed, jojoba and acai oils – it won't leave you feeling itchy and unsettled.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Feelunique discount codes.
4. Best organic aloe lube
Maude Shine Lube 4 oz., £16, Beauty Bay
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: Yes, Free People stock sexual wellness products – and good ones, at that. Made with moisturising aloe, this lube contains only 100% natural ingredients, making it a gentle, pH-balanced formula. It's free from glycerin and parabens, fragrance-free and has an easy-to-use locking pump top. Use this lube with toys and condoms, applying a small amount to the area of the body which you wish to lubricate.
5. Best silicone lubricant
Pjur Original Silicone Lube, £19.99, Lovehoney
Lube type: Silicone-based lubricant.
Why we love it: Pjur’s silicone-based Bodyglide is a sexual wellness routine staple. It's extremely long-lasting and super-concentrated for maximum pleasure, plus, it's certified condom and latex-safe. A bestseller for good reason.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Lovehoney discount codes.
6. Best 100% natural lube
Natural Lubricant, £12.99, Bondara
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: If you're on the hunt for an organic, vegan and all-natural lubricant, this is the one for you. It's free from synthetic fragrances and animal testing.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Bondara discount codes.
7. Best plant-based lubricant
Yes Organic Water-Based Lube, £7.99, Lovehoney
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: YES Organics is an award-winning plant-based range, where products are available in water and oil formulas. This water-based lube is pH balanced to avoid reactions and sensitivity.
8. Best Lovehoney lube
Lovehoney Enjoy Water-Based Lubricant 250ml, £12.99, Lovehoney
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This water-based lube, which is compatible and safe-for-use with both condoms and all sex toy materials, is Lovehoney's bestselling lubricant. The original 100ml bottle had over 600 glowing reviews - users just wanted more of it. So, the sexual wellness brand released it in the bigger, 250ml bottle you see here.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Lovehoney discount codes.
9. Best lubricant drops
DEODOC Intimate Lubricant Drops, £22, Cult Beauty
Lube type: Silicone-based lubricant.
Why we love it: Founded by a team of female doctors, including Dr. Hedieh and sister Hasti Asadi, DeoDoc strive to destigmatise sexual pleasure and feminine hygiene. These lubricant drops are FDA-approved, silicone-based and hypoallergenic, helping with counteract vaginal dryness and maximise glide. Completely free from parabens and preservatives typically found in some water-based lubricants, this silky-feeling lube won’t disrupt your vagina’s delicate balance and will drastically improve your sex life or masturbation. You're welcome.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Cult Beauty discount codes.
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10. Best lube for using with sex toys
Liquid Silk Lube, £12.99, Lovehoney
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This water-based lube comes in a handy pump bottle, and a little goes a long way. It’s famously good for using with sex toys because it's non-tacky and doesn't dry out easily.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Lovehoney discount codes.
11. Best long-lasting lubricant for staying power
Lubido Water Based Lubricant, £9.99, Bondara
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This lube boasts all the benefits of a normal water-based lubricant but with extra staying power for extended pleasure.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Bondara discount codes.
12. Best lubricant for using with condoms
Smile Makers Generous Gel, £12.95, Beauty Bay
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This water-based lube is compatible with both condoms and silicone-based vibrators and other sex toys. It's silky and smooth, easy to wash off after use and comes in a sleek and discrete bottle. From Smile Makers, we wouldn't expect anything less.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Beauty Bay discount codes.
13. Best anal lube
DAME ALU - ALOE LUBE, £15, Free People
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: Keep things natural and organic with Dame's Alu Aloe Lube, made from organically-sourced natural plant extracts and formulated to match your vagina's pH balance. Perfect for solo play or using with a partner, it contains aloe leaf extract, calming quinoa seed extract and oat kernel extract. Plus, the textured silicone lube cover hugs your bottle to keep it in your grasp.
14. Best lube for masturbation
SELF LOVE Natural Waterbased Lube, £10, Beauty Bay
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: With the vegan Self Love lubricant by Ann Summers – a water-based lube made from 100% natural ingredients – you can enjoy long-lasting pleasure and ease the comfort of intimate moments.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Beauty Bay discount codes.
15. Best lube on Amazon
Überlube Luxury Lubricant, £19.18, Amazon
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: One of the bestselling lubricants on Amazon is Überlube, a luxury lubricant designed to reduce friction and transfer sensation. It has an easy-to-use-with-one-hand pump, which dispenses the perfect amount every time, even in the dark – and it's water-friendly. So, yes: you can use it in hot tubs, pools and lakes. If you like. It also contains added Vitamin E to leave your skin feeling soft and moisturised.
Save when you shop for the best with these Amazon promo codes.
16. Best lubricant for using during pregnancy
Unbound Jelly, £18, Beauty Bay
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: Back in stock after proving super popular is this water-based lubricant. Scented with vanilla and lemon (so nice), it's made from 95% organic ingredients meaning its sensitive on the skin and safe for use during pregnancy. It's compatible with most sexual wellness products including sex toys and silicone vibrators.
Save money when you shop for the best lubes with these Beauty Bay discount codes.
17. Best lubricant vanilla
Boots Vanilla Pleasure Lubricant, £2.66, Boots
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: Boots' water-based formula which eases vaginal dryness and intimate discomfort for a more pleasurable sexual experience. It's vegan, flavoured with a touch of vanilla and suitable for both intercourse and oral sex.
You're in for a treat: check out these Boots discount codes before you shop.
18. Best vegan lube
Hanx Vegan Lubricant, £14.99, Boots
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: Keep things smooth in the bedroom with Hanx's water-based, vegan, long-lasting, naturally scented and paraben free lubricant.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these Feelunique discount codes.
19. Best arousal-boosting lubricant
WooWoo Arousal Boosting Lubricant, £6.99, Sephora
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This arousal-boosting lubricant will keep your senses stimulated. It features natural and soothing moisturisers such as macadamia oil, and Aloe Vera, and Japanese honeysuckle and geranium oil which will reduce inflammation and irritation.
20. Best lubricant to use with latex condoms
So Divine Classic Water-Based Lubricant, £6.99, LookFantastic
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This water-based lubricant is non-sticky, long-lasting and paraben free. It's made here in the UK, is compatible with both sex toys and latex condoms, and it glides smoothly over the skin, making it ideal for experimentation on your own or with a partner.
Save when you shop for the best lube with these LookFantastic discount codes.
21. Best moisturising lubricant
Durex Naturals Intimate Gel Lubricant, WAS £14.99 NOW £11.99, LoveHoney
Lube type: Water-based lubricant.
Why we love it: This lubricant from Durex is more of a moisturiser than a lube, but it works just as well. It's odourless and flavourless which means it doesn't get in the way of play, and some customers have reported that it has helped them with sex during the menopause.
Save money on your next order with these Lovehoney discount codes.
