Everything You Need to Know About Natural Lube

A quick look at the best natural lubes

• Best overall: Aloe Cadabra
• Best organic formula: Sliquid Organics Natural Lubricating Gel
• Best value: Good Clean Love Almost Naked
• Best dual purpose: AH! YES Organic Lubricant
• Best for use with condoms: Sylk Personal Lubricant
• Best splurge: Überlube Luxury Lubricant

What exactly is ‘natural’?

Some people choose natural lube so they don’t have to put harsh or possibly dangerous substances on their vaginal or anal linings.

Different people have different ideas about what counts as a natural lubricant. You might want to avoid chemicals and toxins in lubricants that you also try to avoid in food, makeup, and hair products.

For example, if you can’t say the name of an ingredient, it’s possible that your body doesn’t know how to handle it.

Experts often say to stay away from lubricants with parabens, petroleum, glycerin, and other sugars.

If a product has few ingredients and most of them are easy to say, that’s a good sign that it’s natural.

Is it the same thing as ‘organic’?

Some people don’t agree on whether or not “natural” also means “organic.”

Most people know that Organic ingredients don’t have any extra chemicals, fertilisers, or hormones added to them.

You might find lube with natural ingredients like coconut oil, which comes from a fruit that grows in nature instead of being made in a lab.

But it may not be organic coconut oil. It could be made with chemicals like pesticides that are used to grow and process coconuts.

If you want a natural and organic lube, you might want to take the extra step of finding out where the ingredients come from.

How we choose

Before making our final list of suggestions, we thought about a lot of natural lubricants. Here’s how we decided which ones to put on the list:

• Price. Our list has items at different price points so that most people can afford them.
• Ingredients. The products that made the cut use safe, natural ingredients and don’t have any chemicals or refined oils. We gave more weight to products that are less likely to cause skin irritation.
• Reviews. We read the reviews carefully to find out what real people thought of the products, not just the brand. We only included the lubes that people liked the most.
• Good brand names. We only bought from well-known brands that are known for making good products. They also had to have a good track record of taking care of customers and running a business.

Pricing guide

• $ = under $20
• $$ = $20–$25
• $$$ = over $25

Healthline’s picks for the best natural lubes

As natural lube becomes more popular, some companies are making natural products that you can buy over the counter or online.

Here are some choices to think about.

Best overall

Aloe Cadabra

• Price: $

Aloe Cadabra is made of 95% organic aloe vera, which is kind to your skin and helps it feel better.

It’s also safe to use with condoms and dental dams, so it’s a good choice if you want to avoid getting pregnant and protect yourself from STDs (STIs).

Pros

• almost 27,000 good reviews
• compatible with condoms
• It is 100% vegan, can be eaten, and doesn’t have any parabens, petroleum, or silicone in it.

Cons

• can dry out fast
• Some people think it’s sticky.

Best organic formula

Sliquid Organics Natural Lubricating Gel

• Price: $

This Natural Lubricating Gel is made with just five simple ingredients. It is organic, vegan, and doesn’t cause allergies.

It doesn’t have a taste or smell, so you don’t have to worry about it being bad to eat or irritants like fragrances.

You can also buy something that is safe to use with condoms and is made with water.

Pros

• organic ingredients
• 100% vegan
• hypoallergenic

Cons

• dries quickly
• thick consistency

Best value

Good Clean Love Almost Naked

• Price: $

Almost Naked is another vegan option. It doesn’t have any parabens, glycerin, or synthetic fragrances. It is safe to use with condoms and toys made of latex.

It does have a “nearly undetectable” scent from the lemon and vanilla, so if you want something that doesn’t smell at all, don’t get this one.

Pros

affordable
compatible with condoms

Cons

gets sticky fast and
may irritate skin that is sensitive

Best dual purpose

AH! YES Organic Lubricant

• Price: $$

All AH! YES products are certified organic and use things like aloe vera, sunflower seed oil, and vitamin E oil.

These are all made with oil. Keep in mind that latex products, like condoms, don’t work well with oil-based lube, so if you use them, choose water-based instead.

Pros

• doubles as a massage oil
• certified organic
• long lasting formula

Cons

• may feel grainy at first
• not condom safe

Best for use with condoms

Sylk Personal Lubricant

• Price: $$

Sylk is made to be very smooth and slippery without sticking to anything.

It is made from kiwi vine extract and doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals or artificial scents.

It is also made of water, so it can be used with latex toys and condoms.

Pros

condoms and sex toys that don’t contain parabens, drugs, hormones, or animal products are safe.
not sticky but smooth

Cons

expensive for the amount
may cause itching for some

Best splurge

Überlube Luxury Lubricant

• Price: $$$

Want to add a little luxury to your lubricant? Überlube is a high-end lube that is made with only four things.

It’s more expensive than the other choices, but if you have allergies or are prone to irritation, this might be the best way to avoid a reaction that makes you feel bad.

It’s safe to use with latex condoms, but not with silicone toys.

Pros

• works underwater
• no sticky residue
• won’t stain

Cons

• not for use with silicone toys
• higher price point

DIY alternatives to consider

There’s a chance you already have some natural lubes at home and don’t even need to go shopping.

But it’s important to keep in mind that oil-based lubricants may be comedogenic, which means they can clog pores. Depending on your skin type, this is something you may want to think about.

Some things around the house might work better for you than others, so keep reading to find out what you can do yourself.

Sweet almond oil

Sweet almond oil keeps skin moist and calms itchy skin.

It tastes good and smells good, so it can be used for both oral and anal sex.

This oil will also last a long time, so you won’t have to put it on too often.

One important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t use almond oil with latex condoms. This is true for all oils and lubes that contain oil. Oils can break condoms.

If you think this fits, think about Viva Naturals Sweet Almond Oil.

Virgin coconut oil

Coconut oil is a popular DIY lube choice for a good reason.

It tastes good, is good for moisturising, and will be absorbed by your skin, so you won’t be left with a mess.
Unrefined, or “virgin,” coconut oil might be your best bet if you want to use something that is 100% natural. It’s the least processed kind, and unlike refined coconut oil, it hasn’t been bleached.

You should know that coconut oil can leave stains on your sheets and clothes. Also, you shouldn’t use coconut oil on condoms.

Dr. Bronner’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is a popular choice if this sounds like the right choice for you.

Avocado oil

Getting hungry yet? Avocado oil is another choice that can make the leap Getting hungry yet? Avocado oil is another option that can go from the kitchen to the bedroom.

It’s smooth, it lasts a long time, and it doesn’t taste or smell, so it can be useful for oral play.

When it comes to how well it works, though, some people think that sweet almond oil and coconut oil are better choices than avocado oil.

Like other oils, this one shouldn’t be used if you’re wearing a condom.

If you want to try it, you can get good avocado oil at La Tourangelle.

Aloe vera

If you’ve ever used aloe vera to soothe a sunburn, you know how good it is.

As a lubricant, aloe vera keeps the skin moist and soothes itchy skin.

Since aloe vera is made of water instead of oil, it can be used with condoms.

Just be careful about aloe-based products that also have things like alcohol in them.

If you already love aloe for sun protection and want to see how it works as a lube, choose a product like Seven Minerals that is made of pure aloe vera.

Ghee

Ghee is a type of butter that has been strained and is mostly used in South Asian cooking.

It’s becoming more and more popular as an alternative to regular butter, in part because it can heal.

Ghee has healthy fatty acids and can moisturise and calm your skin. This makes it a good choice for sensitive parts of your body.

It also tastes good, which makes it perfect for oral sex.

But it could make a condom break. And since ghee is made from milk, it might not be the best choice for long-lasting play.

Because the milk solids have been taken out of ghee, it doesn’t go bad as quickly as butter and can be left out of the fridge for a while.

Still, you should wash it off right away because it could turn rancid on or in parts of your body where you don’t want anything to go rancid.

Nagaimo

Nagaimo is a type of yam that is popular in China, Japan, and Vietnam.

It is known for having a slimy, slippery texture, which makes it good as a lube to reduce friction and irritation.

Most likely, you’ll need to mix it with something else, like coconut oil, to get enough for your play. If that is the case, don’t use it with a condom.

Olive oil

Olive oil is a common alternative that you probably already have in your kitchen.

Olive oil, like other natural oils, can help add moisture and reduce friction.

But your skin can’t absorb olive oil, so if you don’t wash it off right away, it can clog your pores.

You shouldn’t use olive oil with condoms or any other latex product, including dental dams.

If this is best for you, California Olive Ranch makes a great extra virgin olive oil.

DIY alternatives to avoid

Before you get too excited about looking through your house for things you can use to make your own lube, you should know that there are some things you should never use.

Baby oil

You should stay away from lubes that are made with petroleum or mineral oil. Among these includes baby oil.

If you put baby oil in your vaginal area, it can make you more likely to get an infection like bacterial vaginosis.

It’s also hard to get off. This is a pain, but it can also be dangerous. If baby oil gets on a condom or a sex toy, it can cause the material to break down.

Petroleum jelly

If you’ve ever used Vaseline or another petroleum jelly as a moisturiser, you know that it can make your skin feel soft and smooth.

Even though it’s smooth, that doesn’t mean it’s a good lube.

One thing is that petroleum jelly is not slippery; it is greasy. This means that it stays on your skin, your sheets, and your clothes.

It’s also not safe to use with a condom.

One study also found that people who put petroleum jelly in their vaginal canal were 2.2 times more likely to get bacterial vaginosis.

Vegetable, canola, and other refined oils

You can’t just use any oil you find in the kitchen as lube.

Oils like vegetable oil and canola oil go through a lot of work to get refined and hydrogenated.

This is usually done by heating, bleaching, or using chemicals.

That’s why healthy cooking tips usually say to use extra virgin olive oil or other unrefined oils instead.

This is also a good tip when choosing what to put on your body.

What about essential oils?

Some people say that you can improve your homemade lube by adding an essential oil to give it a nice smell.

But this means you are applying essential oils internally your body, since your body eats and absorbs things that are put in the mouth, vagina, and anus.

Essential oils aren’t always regulated well enough to be used internally.

You shouldn’t take essential oils by mouth unless you have had advanced training and are certified to do so, or unless a trained professional tells you to.

Listen carefully to what a trained professional tells you to do, and always dilute essential oils by mixing them with a carrier oil like coconut.

A little goes a long way, and if you’re not careful, it’s easy to use too much. Make sure that the amount of essential oil in your mixture is less than 4 percent.

When to stop use and see a doctor

Even if a product is made from natural ingredients, that doesn’t mean it’s completely safe.

If you or your partner are allergic to an ingredient, you should avoid it.

Before you use a new lube for play, try this simple patch test if you’re not sure:

• Use soap without a scent to wash your arm. Dry off.
• Put a few drops of the lube on a small area of skin, like the inside of your elbow.
• Put a bandage on the area.
• After 24 hours, take the bandage off.

Don’t use the lube if your skin patch gets red, swollen, itchy, or blisters after you put it on.

If the reaction starts before 24 hours have passed, wash the area right away with soap and warm water.

If you keep using the lube, watch out for any side effects.

If you experience any of the following, you should see a doctor:

• difficulty breathing
• swelling, especially of the tongue, throat, or face
• hives
• rash
• itching

You should also go to the doctor if you start to feel sick yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis.

The bottom line

You probably think about what you put in your body when you eat, so why not do the same thing with the lubricant you use?

You can take care of your health, your pleasure, and the planet all at once by looking for natural, minimally processed, and sustainably sourced ingredients.