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 love pomegranate. No, seriously, I love pomegranate anything. Onyx jokes that I have a pomegranate fetish, and I kind of agree. Give me anything pomegranate and I’m happy: juice, pomosas, shampoo, lotion, perfume, etc. so when I saw that Babeland had a Pomegranate Vanilla flavored lube that is ALSO glycerin-free and paraben-free there was no way I was passing up the opportunity to review it.

Some of my pomegranate products.

I got the lube and the first thing I did was smell it, immediately I was in pomegranate heaven! The smell is divine and absolutely perfect, the first pomegranate lube I’ve ever smelled and so delicious, just like it’s name! Unfortunately, the taste leaves something to be desired as there isn’t really much of a taste at all, it’s kind of tasteless until you get a bit of a burst of after-flavor from the smell in your mouth. It’s good, though, and (delicious pomegranate flavor aside) I like it a lot better than most flavored lubes because the taste isn’t super strong or disgusting like a lot of flavored lubricants out there.

Flavored lubes are great for oral, especially with a condom to reduce on that latex taste, and just in general to add additional flavor, so I used this on Onyx briefly the other night. BabeLicious Lube is more gel-like than most water-based lubes which means it’s nice and thick but it also means it feels more gel-like in your mouth. When using my mouth on his cock after applying the lube I found the lube left a bit of a layer in my mouth as well, which wasn’t unpleasant but was definitely different. I thought it added to the blowjob, and may be great for someone who has issues with drymouth or something like that.

I found that when stroking with the lube it tended to soak into the skin rather quickly, though it still left a layer on his cock which added to the overall experience, but it didn’t stay wet the entire time, which was a little annoying. Having to re-apply lube isn’t something I’m not used to (yes, double-negative, I know) especially because I favor water-based lube that is also glycerin-free. Glycerin-free water-based lube tends to need re-applying more frequently because it doesn’t have that glycerin to make it super slick or cause yeast infections.

Comparatively against other glycerin-free lubes it holdes up very well, but if you’re used to using water-based lubes with glycerin and don’t care about glycerin in lubes potentially causing yeast infections you may not like this lube. However, if you’re like me and don’t like to get glycerin or sugars near your cunt (although I do love me some food play, but I try to keep the sugary stuff above the waist) you are going to love the subtle flavor of the BabeLicious Lube as well as the thicker consistency.

Much thanks to Babeland for allowing me to review their Pomegranate Vanilla BabeLicious Lube!

Name: BabeLicious Lube

Manufacturer: Babeland

Type: Water-based Lubricant

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

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: No
Vegan: Yes

Flavored: Yes

Ingredients: Deionized water, sorbitol, cellulose gum, potassium sorbate, polyquaternium-7, phenoxyethanol, citric acid, and flavor.

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

I was very interested in trying out the Wet Naturals line because I am trying to only use lubricant which is both glycerin- and paraben-free, and the three products in this line are specifically designed for those who are sensitive to or trying to avoid these chemicals.

They also boast of being enriched with natural ingredients such as aloe, grapefruit seed extract, and red clover extract, though I’m not really sure the added benefit of these things. They are all “designed to enhance a woman’s natural moisture” according to the Wet Naturals website, and are supposed to be hypoallergenic.

Product Line: Wet Naturals

Manufacturer: Wet

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: No
Vegan: Yes

Overall Rating: 3 Lotuses (out of 5) – Good & Recommended

Name: Beautifully Bare

Type Water-based

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

Ingredients: Water, PEG, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polysorbate-20, Sodium Benzoate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Triethanolamine, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus
Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cran-berry) Fruit Extract, Trifolium Pratense (Clover) Flower Extract, Ascorbic Acid.

Rating: 3 Lotuses (out of 5) – Good & Recommended

Experience

Usually water-based lubes that are glycerin-free are pretty thin, and unfortunately this is also the case for Beautifully Bare, which is annoying. The positive side is that the lube itself lasts quite a long time even without glycerin, though since it is quite thin you have to use quite a bit of it.

After a while it does end up absorbing into the skin, which is purposeful according to the Wet Naturals website, because “[o]nce absorbed, it leaves your skin silky soft and smooth.” A little strange for that to be part of it’s purpose, but it’s not really a negative though I wouldn’t really say that should be one of it’s main marketing points.

One big plus is that it has no negative taste or smell whatsoever, which is something I’ve run into with the last two glycerin- and paraben-free lubes. Overall it’s a great water-based lube, nothing too spectacular, but because it’s glycerin- and paraben-free I definitely recommend it over most other lubes.

Name: Sensual Strawberry

Type Flavored water-based

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

Ingredients: Water, PEG, Flavor, Aspartame, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polysorbate-20, Sodium Benzoate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Triethanolamine, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cran-berry) Fruit Extract, Trifolium Pratense ( Clover) Flower Extract, Ascorbic Acid.

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

Experience
It smells like strawberry soda, which is pretty awesome actually, but not everyone would like to be reminded of strawberry Shasta while having sex. The taste isn’t really very strong at all, which I like, and is very pleasant, which is somewhat rare for a flavored lubricant. This is the first flavored lube that I have no qualms with the smell or taste of, which is pretty impressive.

I’m not super into flavored lube in general, but I enjoy the natural taste of my partners and don’t usually want to cover it up too much. One thing I’ve thought flavored lube may be wonderful for is analingus, especially for those wanting to try it but worried about potential yuck factor. While thorough cleaning will usually take care of any potential negative taste adding flavored lube may just simply help someone who is worried about negative taste be less nervous.

As far as the lube itself goes, it’s quite similar to Beautifully Bare in almost every regard. This makes sense considering it is also water-based and from the same line. It is fairly thin, but doesn’t absorb too quickly into the skin, and overall is extremely pleasant and my favorite flavored lube to date.

Name: Silky Supreme

Type Silicone-based

Compatibility: Works with all non-silicone toys. Latex safe. Body safe.

Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Cyclomethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate).

Rating: 3 Lotuses (out of 5) – Good & Recommended

Experience

This is actually the first silicone lube I’ve ever used, mostly because I tend to prefer silicone toys and since silicone lube plus silicone toys is not a good idea. Because of that I’ve stayed away from silicone lube, though I’ve always been curious to try some. Luckily I have quite a few glass toys which silicone lube works well with, as well as the Njoy Fun Wand, so I was able to enjoy this lube alone as well as with toys.

Unfortunately, it being my first silicone lube I don’t have a whole lot to compare it to, but I did notice a distinct difference between it and it’s water-based counterparts. The silicone lube simply feels different, though it’s difficult to explain. It definitely lasts a lot longer, which is a plus, because it seems to create a layer that never goes away until you wash it off unlike the water-based lubes which have a tendency to absorb into the skin. It’s simply silkier, hence the name I would presume, not because it’s smoother but because of that added layer, the extra silicone ingredient which gives it it’s own special texture.

It has no particular taste or smell to it, but that silky feeling is left on your tongue if it is tasted. It’s not necessarily a negative, but it’s definitely strange, especially to someone who is not used to silicone lube.

Overall I enjoyed Silky Supreme, although I doubt I’ll end up using it too often since it is silicone-based and most of my favorite toys are made of silicone. However, it is wonderful for partner sex and for non-silicone-on-silicone experiences.

You can find water-based Beautifully Bare, silicone-based Silky Supreme and flavored water-based Sensual Strawberry Wet Naturals lube, along with other Lubes and Lotions and sex toys of every flavor on SexToy.Com.

Much thanks to SexToy.Com and Wet for letting me review the Wet Naturals line!

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

I’ll admit, I’m somewhat of a lube novice. I used to think that lube wasn’t necessary because I’ve always tended to get very wet, and usually if lube is needed we just took Jenna Jameson’s advice and used spit to do the job. We first bought a bottle of lube primarily for anal play, some generic water-based lube that did what it should without complications, though it always leaves me stickier than I would like on my own. Since trying lube for the first time, however, I’ve become a bit of a convert.

Over the course of the relationship I’ve noticed my self-lubrication has decreased rather significantly. I used to be wet just about all the time, but now, two and a half years later, it takes more to get me lubed up the right way. I think this has to do with my body realizing that if I kept producing that much juice, coupled with a dryer hotter environment, I would be dehydrated all the time, though I’m sure some of it also has to do with being in a long-term relationship and getting used to the other partner as well.

Long story short, I’ve become a lube convert. Since I have a lot of silicone toys I have stayed away from silicone lube, since together they can cause a strange chemical reaction which will basically ruin your toys for further use. But as I said, the water-based lube we’ve tried has left us both sticky and just generally not good feeling, so I wanted to try something a little different.

So, in looking at the various lube options at SexToy.Com I was intrigued when I came upon the “Churn Style” Boy Butter, which is neither water- nor silicone-based but oil-based. I had heard about Boy Butter years ago at the sex shop in Juneau, a friend pointed it out to me, but at that time I wasn’t converted yet. I decided I should give it a try.

I was a little worried about the fact that Boy Butter does have organic silicone in it, but after quite a bit of research, including Boy Butter’s website and various other reviews of the lube saying it is safe on all sex toys, so I felt safe trying it on my silicone toys, and there was no negative reaction at all.

However, the major problem with Boy Butter for some is that it is oil-based. Oil-based lubes, while less sticky than water-based and completely toy-safe unlike silicone-based, are not latex-safe, which means unless you are using polyurethane condoms or are fluid-bonded with your partner (as Onyx and I are) you really shouldn’t use them. It basically eats away at the latex of condoms or gloves, which is definitely not safe. Though it is wonderful if you are not using latex during sex or for solo play.

Now that all the general info is out of the way, let me tell you about how Boy Butter tastes, smells, and most importantly how it feels, because that’s what you really want to know about, right? Boy Butter has virtually no taste or smell that I could detect whatsoever, but it does leave an oily feeling in your mouth should it end up there which is easily removed by drinking something. It feels damn near how it sounds: silky and smooth like butter; oily but not unpleasant, quite the contrary in fact. I found Boy Butter to be excellent especially in any sort of stroking, either stroking Onyx’s cock, or stroking my clit. Unlike other lubes, it lasts a nice long time and doesn’t get sticky, which makes it perfect for long stroking sessions.

When using it vaginally I found I needed more than I thought I would in order for it to feel right. Boy Butter creates a thin slick coating of oily lube on whatever you put it on, which wasn’t thick enough to be terribly pleasant alone, but once I got my own juices going I felt that the combination of the two was heavenly. However, it does have glycerin in it, and I think water-based lube is better vaginally in general.

Anally, too, Boy Butter was a bit of a dream. It makes me think of crisco in some respects, though not quite as thick, but similar since they are both oil-based. The best part about using Boy Butter anally is that it lasts for a nice long time, so you don’t have to keep reapplying to keep the slickness the same. It’s pretty much the perfect anal lube.

I definitely recommend Boy Butter for just about any sexual activity that doesn’t include latex. It’s odorless and tasteless and lasts for a good long time. Plus, who wouldn’t want to own some “Churn Style” Boy Butter that is “a downright pleasure to spread”? The puns alone are worth it in my book.

Name: Boy Butter

Manufacturer: Boy Butter

Type: Oil-based Lubricant

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

Glycerin-free: No
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: No
Vegan: Yes

Flavored: Not exactly

Smell: Hardly any.
Taste: Again, oily, and quite unpleasant
Sticky? Not at all!

Rating: 3 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Good & Recommended