When should I use a lubricant?

A good lubricant enhances any kind of sex, whether anal or vaginal, partnered, or solo, with or without toys. In a study of over 2,400 women, water-based personal lubricants were associated with increased pleasure and satisfaction in vaginal sex, solo sex, and anal sex. Of course, an all-natural lube is crucial when there is little or no natural lubrication, but as a rule wetter is better — even if you have enough natural vaginal lubrication to get by, an added dollop of natural lubricant can supercharge your encounter, turning acceptable to ecstatic.

In fact, the psychological link between lubrication and arousal means that a lubricant can serve as an aphrodisiac. There is a common myth that arousal has to come first, then sex; although we recommend becoming aroused early and often, the truth is that arousal can go hand in hand with gentle, lubricant-assisted touching and play. Just because you aren’t producing natural vaginal lubrication doesn’t mean you don’t want to have sex! Bringing some lube into the picture can jump-start your body’s arousal reaction and help you feel more sexy.

Some women also use a lubricant as a daily vaginal moisturizer to ease dryness after birth control or menopause. Although there is nothing wrong with using all-natural lubricants this way, there is also a class of vaginal gels that are formulated slightly differently and make ideal vaginal moisturizers.