My skin is really, really sensitive. I like to joke that merely looking at a new product leads to breakouts. So, perhaps I should have been less surprised when it became clear my sensitive skin wasn’t limited to just my face and chest. My skin is picky...and unfortunately, lubes and intimate products are no exception. These formulas go in and on our bodies, so it's equally as (if not more than) important to investigate the ingredients list.
But it isn't as easy as just forgoing lube–especially if you already suffer from sensitive skin, dryness, and irritation. The somewhat comforting news is if you're experiencing any of the above, you're not alone. According to obstetrician-gynecologist, Adeline Coleman, MD, FACOG of the En Santé Clinic, dryness is a problem affecting more women than you might think. About 17 percent of premenopausal women between the ages of 18 and 50 deal with vaginal dryness, and roughly half of menopausal women deal with vaginal dryness and related issues.
“The number of women who suffer from vaginal dryness is often understated. Typically, when we speak of vaginal dryness we think of women in their late 40s, 50s, and beyond. This is because this condition is more commonly associated with women who have decreased estrogen levels due to menopause,” says Dr. Coleman. “We know, however, younger women also suffer from vaginal dryness due to contraceptive medications, stress, breastfeeding, or as a result of frequent vaginal infections.” Vaginal dryness is also a huge contributor to painful sex, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologistsreports that three out of four women experience painful sex at some point in their lives. While there are plenty of causes for this, lube can often help if there are no major underlying factors.
Thanks to an uptick in sex-positive brands and a gradual shift in society’s mindset, this is starting to change, though. “Luckily the problem is gaining some awareness as evidenced by the increasing number of vaginal products now available to women. When it comes to lubricants especially for sensitive skin, water-based, silicone, or hyaluronic acid-based lubricants are generally best,” says Dr. Coleman.
Just a tiny amount can make the difference between incredibly painful and wonderfully comfortable sex; it’s just a matter of being conscious about each product's composition according to obstetrician-gynecologist, Pari Ghodsi, MD, FACOG. Whether it’s condoms or lubricants, there’s a wide range of different materials, chemicals, and ingredients, many of which might not jive with your body, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Things can get a bit trickier when you’ve got sensitivity to worry about on top of dryness, butluckily, there are great options both new and tried-and-true to choose from. Up ahead are the best lubricants for sensitive skin, so you can focus on the fun part.
Meet the Experts
- Adeline Coleman, MD, is an obstetrician-gynecologist at the En Santé Clinic.
- Pari Ghodsi, MD, FACOG, is an obstetrician-gynecologist, practicing in Northridge, California.
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Uberlube 100 mL bottle
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The brand touts that its use goes beyond sex and can be used as a gel to calm flyaways or applied to prevent chafing while exercising. “Silicone-based lubricants are also safe and last longer but should not be used with other silicone products such as silicone sex toys, dilators, and vibrators, etc.,” says Dr. Coleman, who recommends Überlube as one safe option for those with sensitive skin. It contains no gluten, alcohols, parabens, scents, or flavors, this silicone-based lube is a cult fave.
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Nécessaire The Sex Gel
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This vegan, water-based lubricant also doubles as an intimate moisturizer. It has a serum-in-gel like texture and it features ingredients such as aloe, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid and allantoin for moisture and comfort. This lube is perfect for those who like a lube without frills, as it's fragrance-free and isn't sticky.
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Maude Shine Organic Natural Lube
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Another pretty bottle with a formula to boot, Shine Organic is safe to use with condoms and toys. Like Necessaire’s formula, it’s comprised of an aloe base and it has sodium hyaluronate, the salt form of everyone’s favorite moisturizer—hyaluronic acid. Also noteworthy is the fact that it’s fragrance-free and pH-balanced, so those with sensitive skin can breathe a sigh of relief.
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Lotus Fresh Intimate Lubricant
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This option is ideal for those who are especially sensitive to petroleum, silicone, or coconut oil as this lube features none of these. The vegan formula is safe to use with latex and provides the best conditions for smooth sailing when it comes to all your intimate ventures.
Key Ingredients
Coconut oil, also known as lauric acid, is derived from coconuts. The lauric acid found in coconut oil can have antimicrobial properties, which can help kill bacteria on the skin and reduce inflammation. It is also known to help remove makeup, exfoliate the skin, and lock in moisture.
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Kush Queen Water-Based CBD Lube
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While CBD is one of the buzziest ingredients out there, it’s garnered popularity for good reason. And only adding to its list of potential benefits is its ability to make sex and other forms of intimacy more fun, too. According to the brand, this particular lube utilizes CBD in a way that increases sensation for users and customer reviews support the claim that it's gentle enough for those with sensitive skin to use.
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Coconu Water-Based Lubricant
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This ticks all the boxes for what Dr. Ghodsi suggests to patients. “I typically recommend a water-based lubricant. I also recommend that people that have sensitive skin avoid lubricants with additives such as ‘tingling’ lubricants or flavored lubricants.” You’ll only find five ingredients in this one, which consists mainly of organic coconut water. Things like parabens, gluten, phthalates, sulfates, alcohol, artificial dyes, or fragrances won’t be present in these formulas.
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Unbound Jelly
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Glycerin- and glycol-free, this lube should be safe to use with any type of toy and latex. It’s 95 percent organic, but does have a slight lemony vanilla taste, a nice detail for those who like a little extra something to their lubricants. Jelly is also available in foil pack form, which makes fun on the go so much easier.
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Sliquid Naturals H2O
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You’ll find that almost any lubricant from Sliquid is one of the classic recommendations when it comes to sensitive skin. Water-based and free of glycerin and parabens, it’s easy to use and clean up. It doesn’t stain—something you may not have considered—but I'm definitely grateful for it on laundry day.
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Good Clean Love BioNude Ultra Sensitive Personal Lubricant
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Lactic acid probably isn’t something you thought you’d see in anything other than your facial peels, but this formula uses it to try to support the growth of healthy bacteria, contributing to a balanced pH. Aside from this, there’s zero synthetic fragrance, and the brand states that it’s "isotonic"—which means it promises not to damage vaginal tissue or strip your body of its natural moisture.
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The Butters Hygienics Co Cocoa Butter Lube
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The ingredients list for this one reads almost like a well-stocked pantry, featuring things like raw cocoa butter, raw shea butter, pure coconut oil, pure extra virgin olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. A two-ounce size of the product starts at just $10, so it’s the perfect chance to try it and get hooked. Just be aware that it hasn’t been tested with latex, and oil lubes are almost always advised against when this material is involved.
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Here We Flo XO! Naughty By Nature Personal Lubricant
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This non-sticky, water and aloe based lubricant is kind to your skin and your sex toys, as well as the planet as it's a carbon neutral product. It has a super slippery texture and easily washes off with warm water. This lube is compatible with natural rubber latex and polyisoprene condoms, but can't be used with polyurethane condoms.
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Playground Love Sesh Water-Based Personal Lubricant
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Love Sesh is full of ingredients like vitamin E, hyaluronic acid and bamboo extract, which mimics your body's natural lubrication. It also contains adaptogens like ashwagandha to increase blood flow, and black cohosh to help decrease vaginal dryness. This fragrance-free lube is compatible with latex and polyisoprene condoms.
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Beia Body & Intimacy Serum
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Made with sustainably sourced ingredients such as skin-softening squalane, anti-inflammatory coconut oil, and calming green tea, this serum enhances your body care routine and intimate moments. To heat things up before the main event, you could also use this serum as a massage oil.
Article Sources
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American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. When sex is painful. Updated August, 2018.
