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Apr 01, 2024

8 Best Lubes in 2023, According to Experts

By Malia Griggs Lube is the greatest. If you think you only need it to help with penetration, let us enlighten you: Lubricants can make all kinds of sex and masturbation feel even better. You can

By Malia Griggs

Lube is the greatest. If you think you only need it to help with penetration, let us enlighten you: Lubricants can make all kinds of sex and masturbation feel even better. You can reach for lube to make hand jobs extra slippery, pair it with a sex toy, or use it during anal sex, since your anus doesn’t self-lubricate. To figure out which lube to choose, here’s a quick rundown of some fabulous options—as well as expert picks.

Choose your lube based on what you want to use it for. Water-based lube is perhaps the most versatile formula, as it’s great for almost all types of sex and is compatible with most toys and condoms. It usually comes in a thin, slippery liquid or gel form. One downside is that water-based lube tends to get sticky as the water evaporates during use, so it needs frequent reapplication—you can remedy any tackiness by adding a few drops of water to refresh it. If you’re especially prone to yeast infections, make sure that your water-based lube doesn’t have glycerin in it. This ingredient is a byproduct of sugar, which may alter vaginal pH by producing an overgrowth of yeast—leading to infection.

According to the experts we spoke to, silicone-based lube is an excellent choice for anal sex and hand jobs because it’s longer-lasting than water-based and less absorbent (requiring fewer reapplications). Crucially, however, this kind of lube should never be used with silicone sex toys or condoms because it can degrade their material.

Lastly, there are oil-based lubes like coconut oil, baby oil, and petroleum jelly, which are popular because of how easily accessible and cheap they are. But oil can cause latex condoms to break—and petroleum jelly can potentially lead to vaginal infection, so if you do opt for oil, use it with a latex-free condom like this option from Skyn ($6).

Below, we’ve rounded up the best lubes according to experts and shoppers.

All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Best Overall: Slippery Stuff Gel (16 oz.)

Walmart

Amazon

Adam & Eve

Slippery Stuff is a versatile water-based gel, which is “easier to clean off than silicone-based, and much safer with toys and condoms,” Rosara Torrisi, PhD, LCSWR, MEd, an AASECT-certified sex therapist, tells SELF. Reviewers say that the lube’s gel consistency isn’t overly tacky and it’s long-lasting. Bonus: Its easy-to-use pump dispenser (“no fumbling with caps or or squeeze bottles!”) gets high praise.

Best for Beginners: Lovehoney Enjoy Water-Based Lubricant (3.4 oz.)

Lovehoney

Shoppers nod to this Lovehoney water-based lube as a solid, affordable option for anyone who wants to ease into using sex toys. “The bottle is a nice size for trying something new before taking the chance at a larger bottle,” one reviewer says. “It works for what you need it to! It doesn’t have a weird smell, doesn’t dry quickly, and isn’t sticky.”

Best for Masturbation: Maude Shine Organic (4 fl. oz.)

Maude

Sephora

Nordstrom

Maude makes my go-to vibrator and my favorite lube. Though the brand also carries a silicone-based lube, I prefer its water-based formula. Shine Organic has a slightly sticky consistency, isn’t distractingly scented, and doesn’t irritate my vagina. I use it with a vibe when I don’t want to deal with the friction of rubbing a toy against my dry vag. You can buy it in a 4 oz. easy-pump bottle or a travel-friendly 2 oz. size.

Best Silicone-Based: Überlube Silicone Lubricant (3.8 oz.)

Amazon

Anthropologie

Adam & Eve

Uberlube is a silicone-based lube that Dr. Tarrisi says is slippery and lasts a long time, so you won’t have to worry about frequent reapplication. “The consistency is perfect for anal play, as it's soft, silky, and thick,” Jenn Mason, founder and owner of sex-toy shop WinkWink, tells SELF.

Best for Sensitivity: Good Clean Love Bionude Ultra Sensitive Personal Lube (3 oz.)

Target

Walmart

If you have sensitive skin, Dr. Torrisi and Good Vibes staff expert Carol Queen, PhD, recommend Good Clean Love’s water-based, hypoallergenic lubes (as do many Amazon shoppers). “Surprisingly, it lives up to its ‘ultra sensitive’ name—and it lasts longer than other water-based ones my wife and I have used,” one reviewer wrote.

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Best Luxury Pick: Sliquid Silver Luxury Silicone Lubricant (4.2 oz.)

Lovehoney

Good Vibes

Amazon

Turn to Sliquid Silver for a velvety lube that’s perfect for exploring butt play or even giving a massage. “This is totally my favorite silicone lube—it’s not too thin, so it feels more natural to the body, and it lasts forever,” wrote one shopper. The brand makes all types of lubes (water-based, oil-based, hybrid), in case you have different needs.

Best Anal Lube: Pjur Back Door Silicone Anal Lubricant (3.4 oz.)

Lovehoney

Amazon

Walmart

Dr. Queen previously recommended this lube, which is designed for anal sex. It has a thinner consistency than other silicone-based lubes, which shoppers describe as fluid and long-lasting. “We were surprised that we only needed a few drops and that it maintains its slick lubrication without the need to reapply during our anal play,” one reviewer wrote.

Best Oil-Based: Foria Intimacy Sex Oil with CBD (112 ml.)

Nordstrom

Ulta

This is a coconut-oil-based lubricant that’s a recommendation of Megan Fleming, PhD, a psychologist and AASECT-certified sex therapist, who appreciates that it only has two ingredients: organic coconut oil and CBD. Shoppers say that the lube is long-lasting, moisturizing, and makes for an excellent massage oil. Just make sure that you don’t pair it with anything made of latex.

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.