I’ve had my bottle of Aloe Cadabra Lubricant for far too long. Embarrassingly long. In fact, I lost it for quite a few months and just recently found it again. The wonderful thing is even after all this time it still works just as well as the first time I tried it. It is quite similar to the other aloe-based lube I tried and absolutely loved in feel, use, and ingredients, but it is easier and cheaper to obtain if you are in the US (you can use the discount code “TOUCH” to get free shipping on your first order).

Aloe Cadabra is mostly made up of the obvious: aloe. It’s basically organic aloe vera gel with a little bit of organic vanilla essential oil and some preservatives. Does this mean you could go out and buy aloe vera gel to the same result? Maybe. If you could find one without added nasty ingredients, which is part of the whole purpose of Aloe Cadabra and why it was created. A lot of aloe vera gels out there include things like alcohol, coloring, parabens, and probably more.

It contains no parabens or glycerin. While the additives citric acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate have been documented as having the potential for negative health effects they only come into play in large doses. They are also all natural ingredients, not man-made chemicals, and I have not experienced any irritation or negative effects from use.

I have the Tahitian Vanilla scented version, Aloe Cadabra also comes in French Lavender and Natural/Unscented. The scent is definitely noticeable but not distracting or unappealing. For the most part it tastes and smells like aloe, so mildly plant-like, but again not distracting or unappealing. It is actually kind of nice, but that might be my inner hippie talking.

I also really enjoy the feel of this lubricant. It feels slick, is quite thick and really does feel quite natural both on the fingers and the vulva. Aloe is an anti-inflammatory and naturally soothes and heals skin making this lubricant especially wonderful should you have any sort of vulval irritation such as razor burn or anything equally unpleasant.

Since it doesn’t contain glycerin it’s not sticky in the least bit. It does absorb into the skin a little bit and does need to occasionally be reapplied, but much less frequently than some of the water-based lubes I’ve tried. Since it’s fairly thick it makes a wonderful anal lube, as long as you keep in mind that it will absorb into the skin a bit and use accordingly.

Overall I really love this lube, it feels great, tastes great, doesn’t get sticky, and is very body friendly. I wish I hadn’t lost it for all those months because I definitely would have been using it that entire time, and would probably need another bottle by now!

Much thanks to Live Well Brands for sending me Aloe Cadabra Tahitian Vanilla to review!

Name: Aloe Cadabra Tahitian Vanilla

Manufacturer: Live Well Brands / Aloe Cadabra

Type: Water-based Lubricant

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: Mostly (95% organic aloe, organic vanilla essential oil)
Vegan: Yes

Ingredients: Aloe Vera gel*, xanthan, vanilla essential oil*, citric acid, potassium sorbate (food grade), sodium benzoate (food grade)
*indicates certified organic ingredient

Smell: Mostly like vanilla and aloe vera, so slightly plant-like but not at all unpleasant.
Taste: Again, like aloe vera, rather plant-like, not a strong taste at all, not unpleasant.
Sticky? Not at all! Not even a little bit!

Rating: 5 Lotuses (out of 5) – Exceptional & Recommended to Everyone Without Question

Sliquid is by far my favorite lube that I have tried. I recommend it to everyone and anyone because it is: all natural, vegan, glycerin- and paraben-free, hypoallergenic, non-staining, and the Organics line is actually 100% organic (unlike some other companies with “organics” in their name). Sliquid has even gone so far to make the bottles of the Organics line “100% recyclable, and the labels are printed on partially recycled stock.” This makes the eco-friendly hippie in me extremely happy and is just one more reason why Sliquid is awesome.

I’ve gone on before about the evils of glycerin and parabens, basically in every lube review I do, but I find it’s important to mention in case this is the first lube review of mine that you have read. If you’re already well familiar with what glycerin and parabens do feel free to skip the rest of this paragraph. Glycerin is extremely genital unfriendly. It is a sugar derivative and any sugar on or in the cunt can lead to yeast infections, especially in those prone to them. It is also used as a suppository to prevent constipation, in other words it can, well, do the opposite of constipation. Definitely not sexy. Parabens are endocrine-disrupting chemicals and can disrupt the reproductive system and are associated with a number of cancers as well as liver toxicity. There are plenty of other evil nasty chemicals in other lubes, especially commercial ones, and Sliquid lubes are happily free of them all.

The absence of glycerin also ensures that Sliquid lubes will never feel sticky, unlike many other water-based lubes. The Organics Natural version is very similar to the Organics Natural Gel which I’ve reviewed before. In fact they both have the exact same ingredients and in the same order which makes me wonder what makes the gel version thicker, some magic something that I don’t understand, probably. While the Organics Natural version is thinner than the Natural Gel that does not mean it is as thin as some other glycerin-free water-based lubes, which can be extremely runny and unappealing.

Like most water-based lubes it does need to be reapplied on occasion during longer sessions, but it also depends on what you’re using the lube for. Generally speaking I would suggest going with the Gel version if you are wanting the lube for anal play or fisting, since it is thicker and a little longer lasting, but for vaginal or vulval use the regular version works wonderfully. Generally speaking I use lube as an addition to my body’s lubrication and when used in conjunction it tends to last longer than otherwise, which is why the Gel version is better for the non-self-lubricating backdoor.

One strange thing about Sliquid lubes is if you only use a small amount and have a lot of friction going on they do this strange thing where they turn a little opaque white and, should you be rubbing the lube between your fingers, can form peaks when you take your fingers apart. This is somewhat strange and slightly reminiscent of egg whites (though all Sliquid lubes are 100% vegan so they don’t contain any eggs). I’m not really sure what causes this, and it doesn’t really affect the way the lube works, other than being just slightly odd. However, it only happens if you do not use enough lube, and I have mostly only noticed it while rubbing it between my fingers and not actually when it is in use on genitals.

Strangeness aside, I love all Sliquid lubes and recommend them to everyone I can. I think Sliquid lubes are the best lubes I’ve tried especially because they are so body-safe.

A big huge thank you to Trinity Romance for sending me Sliquid Organics Natural!

Name: Organics Natural

Manufacturer: Sliquid

Type: Water-based

Compatibility: Works with all toy types. Latex safe. Body safe.

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: Yes
Vegan: Yes

Flavored: No

Taste: Virtually none, maybe slightly aloe-like, but hardly at all.
Smell: Slightly plant or aloe-like, which makes sense because that’s the third ingredient. Not unpleasant and not overpowering.
Sticky:Not at all!

Ingredients: Purified Water, Plant Cellulose (from Cotton), Aloe Barbadensis*, Natural Tocopherols (Vitamin E), Cyamopsis (Guar Conditioners), Extracts of Hibiscus*, Flax*, Green Tea* & Sunflower Seed*, Citric Acid (Citrus Fruits), Phenoxyethanol (Rose Ether)
* Organic botanical extracts are independently certified by Quality Certification Services in compliance with the USDA National Organic Program.

Rating: 4 Lotuses (out of 5) – Very Good & Highly Recommended

I was first introduced to Yes! lube via a contest on Viviane’s Sex Carnival, in which I technically won a bottle of the water-based kind. Due to the fact I was moving at the time the bottle ended up going to my address in Salt Lake City and I told my ex-roommate Pixie that if it came there she could have it, since once I showed it to her she was ecstatic about getting some and had been thinking about buying some.

She was excited about it because of the company’s values, their mission and their ingredients, specifically the ingredients they do not include. If you think I’m an ingredient/safety nazi you should meet her. She’s quite the hippy, eats organic and basically vegan (which Yes lube is also–organic and vegan), she reads labels and makes sure nothing she owns has parabens, phthalates, DEA, basically any nasty chemical that may do harm of any sort she avoids it.

Her excitement about this lube upon reading the ingredients and going through their website should tell you enough about the product. My excitement about this lube for those same reasons but also because it is my favorite lube to date should also tell you a lot about the product.

I’ve been in search of the perfect lube recently, these two being the seventh and eighth lubes I’ve reviewed in just as many weeks, and specifically the perfect paraben- and glycerin-free lube and these are without a doubt superior to all other products I’ve tried thus far (although there are some that come in a somewhat close second).

The first thing I noticed about the water-based Yes! lube is the consistency. It’s far from the regular lube consistency, rather it reminds me of my own natural lubrication. It’s not completely smooth or watery but has more of a natural feel to it, which is something Yes intended to do.

Because it doesn’t have any harsh chemicals there’s virtually no chance of experiencing irritation, which is wonderful and the reason why I have been choosing glycerin- and paraben-free lubes in general. I have found that the more chemicals a lube has the more likely I will experience some sort of uncomfortable sensation, which is not what I want my lube to do!

The oil-based lube is absolutely wonderful for anal play, which is what I love oil-based lubes for, and has replaced our go-to anal lube because of that. The main thing to keep in mind if using oil-based lube, though, is that it erodes latex so if you want to use a condom with it you need to make sure you are using a non-latex condom otherwise it will not be safe. It can also be used as massage oil, and since it’s completely natural you don’t have to be afraid of it being rubbed into your skin or naughty bits.

Manufacturer: Yes Pure Intimacy

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: Yes
Vegan: Yes

Flavored: No (unless you count aloe vera)

Rating: 5 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Exceptional & A Must-Have

Type: Water-based Lubricant

Compatibility: Works with all toy types. Latex safe. Body safe.

Ingredients: Organic Aloe Vera, a renowned skin food; organic Flax extract which is particularly beneficial for the mucous membranes and three synergistic plant based gums – Guar, Locust Bean and Xanthan, all of which contribute to the deep velvety texture. Food quality preservatives are included and citric acid to buffer the pH. More ingredient information.

Smell: Basically like Aloe Vera, which makes sense since that is the first ingredient. It’s not very strong, either, but is very distinct. The smell lingers after the lube as well.
Taste: Again, basically like Aloe Vera, so very plant-like, natural smelling, not very strong but definitely there.
Sticky? Not a bit!

Type: Oil-based Lubricant

Compatibility: Works with all toy types. Not latex safe. Body safe.

Ingredients: Two rich organic butters – Cocoa butter and Shea butter – more skin food, which impart smoothness and body; two fine emollient oils – sweet almond oil and sunflower oil, both organic, which confer a silky texture and skin moisturising benefits; a little white organic bees wax, and lastly some Vitamin E which as well as benefiting the skin, acts as a preservative. More ingredient information.

Rating: 5 Lotuses (out of 5) – Exceptional & Recommended to Everyone Without Question

A big huge thank you to Yes! Pure Intimacy for introducing me to their wonderful lubes!

I’ve been trying to expand my experience with lube lately, but I’ve narrowed my scope of acceptable lubes to those that are glycerin- and paraben-free as glycerin plus vulvas can equal yeast, and no one wants that! Also I’ve reacted to lubes with parabens and other nasty chemicals within them, so I find it’s best to just avoid them all together.

This is one of the reasons I contacted Sliquid to see if they would be willing to let me try out some of their products. Sliquid is wonderful because all of their products are glycerin- and paraben-free! In addition to that, they have a new line, Sliquid Organics that is also (as one might imagine from the name) certified organic! I knew I needed to get my hands on some of those.

They were nice enough to send me one of their Organics line to try out, the Sliquid Organics Natural Gel which is a water-based lube unlike any other I’ve tried before. A lot of water-based lubes tend to be very runny, especially if they don’t contain glycerin which while being vag-unfriendly still has a great lube consistencey. As one would imagine due to the name including “gel” the consistency is thicker than most water-based lubes. It’s not runny at all.

The gel lube also has no taste whatsoever, and only a very slight smell. The smell is almost glue-like, or that’s the closest smell I can liken it to. However, I can only smell it when it’s right up against my nose, so when it’s in use the smell is not really noticeable due to natural body smells being more potent.

Unfortunately, it does have a tendency to absorb into the skin quicker than I would like. The more you use, of course, the longer it lasts, and when mixed with natural juices it definitely lasts longer, but without any other natural lubrication the more friction applied the thinner it gets until you are left with thin coating of lube that needs to be added to.

Due to the shortage of organic lubes out there, however, I am more than willing to reapply when needed rather than use a product with substances in it I dislike. I still think the benefits outweigh the negatives in the lube, but I realize not everyone would think the same way as I do.

In addition to all the other wonderful things, Sliquid also made their Sliquid Organics bottles “100% recyclable, and the labels are printed on partially recycled stock” which is pretty fantastic of a lube company to do! If you’re at all body-, chemical-, or environmentally-conscious I would definitely say Sliquid is the brand for you.

A big huge thank you to Sliquid for allowing me to review their Organics Natural Gel

Name: Sliquid Organics Natural Gel

Manufacturer: Sliquid

Type: Water-based

Compatibility: Works with all toy types. Latex safe. Body safe.

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: Yes
Vegan: Yes

Flavored: No

Ingredients: Purified Water, Plant Cellulose (from Cotton), Aloe Barbadensis*, Natural Tocopherols (Vitamin E), Cyamopsis (Guar Conditioners), Extracts of Hibiscus*, Flax*, Green Tea* & Sunflower Seed*, Citric Acid (Citrus Fruits), Phenoxyethanol (Rose Ether)
* Organic botanical extracts are independently certified by Quality Certification Services in compliance with the USDA National Organic Program.

Rating: 5 Lotuses (out of 5) – Exceptional & A Must-Have

The more I try different types of lube the more I realize what I like and don’t like. While I haven’t actually tried as many lubes as I would like to have a good rounded idea of everything to do with lube I have tried enough to realize that there are things which I don’t like.

I don’t like glycerin in my lubes. I find that lubes with glycerin in them tend to get sticky, not to mention glycerin (which is a type of sugar) plus vulvas very often equals yeast! I do wonder why lube companies include glycerin in their lubes at all, considering it could produce health problems in their customers (probably because they can get away with it and make a profit).

The other thing I don’t like in my lubes are parabens, even though they’re supposed to make the products safter (they’re bacteriocidal and fungicidal). I admit, I’m not as strictly anti-paraben in other substances, although I’m slowly getting to be. Parabens can cause skin irritation in a small percentage of people and are correlated to cancer. While I do know that correlation does not always equal causation, but these make me nervous nonetheless. I have had allergic reactions to lube with parabens in it, as well. So why would I want to take the risk and rub parabens into the very vulnerable tissue of my cunt? I mean, really.

Luckily, there are a small handful of companies who take the things I’ve mentioned above into consideration. One such company is Intimate Organics. Not only is it glycerin- and paraben-free, it’s also DEA-free, semi-organic, vegan, and naturally derived. What’s not to love?

One thing that irks me about the company, however, is the name. Having a company name like Intimate Organics makes me assume all of their products are going to be organic, which isn’t true. Their products are made with organic extracts, which is awesome, but the products overall are not organic. Highly disappointing. The company is trying to get in on the natural/organic products trend going on and hoping that consumers aren’t looking too closely at the lables.

Intimate Organics Hydra Lubricant is water-based, so it’s safe to use on any toy type (including silicone), and it does not get sticky. Ever. I have not ever found it to get sticky in the many times I’ve used it, and I don’t believe that it’s makeup allows it to get sticky. This is a huge plus, as sticky lube is just not fun to use at all. I mean, sticky is basically the opposite of what lube should be!

The lube is silky and smooth, wonderful to the touch, and does exactly what lube should do: enhances lubrication without adding too much or taking anything away (in my opinion, anyway, some may not be able to overlook the negative below). It also simply feels like natural juices as opposed to synthetic like many lubes.

The only negative about Intimate Organics Hydra Lubricant is that it doesn’t taste or smell very good. The taste and smell is almost glue-like, it’s difficult to describe of course. While the taste and smell are things I am able to overlook due to the other merits this may be the turning point for some of you, and that’s okay.

Once the lube is mixed with natural juices, however, the taste and smell are actually less apparent. Also, since it doesn’t get sticky you can use less of it than some water-based lubes, as I’ve noticed often the less one uses often the stickier water-based lube will become.

While I’m still not thrilled about the smell and taste I’ve gotten used to it, and the fact that it’s not only glycerin- and paraben-free but also even semi-organic just tips the scales far in it’s direction for me. I would recommend Intimate Organics Hydra Lubricant above any lubes with glycerin or parabens, but I do think there are better tasting body safe lubes out there.

Thank you very much to Tabu Toys sex toys for allowing me to review the Intimate Organics Hydra Lubricant!

Name: Hydra Lubricant

Manufacturer: Intimate Organics

Type: Water-based

Compatibility: Works with all toy types. Latex safe. Body safe.

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: No
Vegan: Yes

Ingredients: Aqua, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Methylisothiazolinone (and) Phenethyl Alcohol (and) PPG-2-Methyl Ether, Water (and) Alcohol (and) Certified Organic Lycium Barbarum (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract (and) Certified Organic Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemon Grass) Leaf/Stem Extract (and) Certified Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Extract.

Rating: 2 Lotuses (out of 5) – Okay & Indifferent