Personal Lubricants – Why Use Them and What Are the Differences?

Silicone-based personal lubricants and water-based personal lubricants are not only used for medical purposes. In addition to women who use personal lubricants to alleviate vaginal dryness, lubricants are used during sexual intercourse in a wide variety of situations. After all, it is intended to minimise friction and thus not only helps to prevent pain during sexual intercourse, but also is of great use with all types of sex toys. While many people already use personal lubricants, there are still some who believe that personal lubricants only need to be used when the natural lubrication of the vaginal mucous membrane is not adequate.

Why use personal lubricants?

First of all, personal lubricants reduce the friction generated during intercourse. If a woman is not sufficiently lubricated during intercourse, this can be painful for both the man and the woman. This can give rise to micro tears and injuries that cause pain. But this need not be the case, using a personal lubricant can provide the needed moisture and ensure long-lasting lubrication. A personal lubricant can therefore reinvigorate your sex life and make it more exciting. Using a lubricant during sex makes sense in many situations:

• Allows longer sexual engagements without painful friction.
• Makes anal intercourse a painless experience. As the anus has no natural lubrication the use of a personal lubricant is an absolute necessity.
• Both men and women can benefit from the use of a personal lubricant during masturbation. Personal lubricants make it easier for a woman to introduce a vibrator or a dildo, and it makes a man’s hand slide more gently along the penis.
• For an erotic or relaxing massage.

How you use a personal lubricant is up to each individual and/or couple. Firstly, you must decide which kind of personal lubricant is right for you and your partner. Basically, there are silicone-based lubricants, water-based lubricants, hybrid lubricants and oil-based lubricants. But what are the differences?

What types of personal lubricants are there?

Silicone-based personal lubricants

Since silicone molecules are larger than the pores of the skin, unlike water-based personal lubricants, they do not penetrate the skin, but remain on the surface. A breathable protective film forms on the skin, which guarantees extremely long-lasting lubrication and produces a silky-soft skin feeling.

Silicone-based personal lubricants are preferred for anal intercourse.

pjur offer a large range of silicone-based lubricants. pjur silicone-based lubricants contain solely high quality silicones:

• pjur ORIGINAL: This silicone-based lubricant is the top seller at pjur and one of the best-selling personal lubricants worldwide. It has a long-lasting lubricating effect, a few drops are all you need and it is safe to use with latex condoms.
• pjur WOMAN: Is also a silicone-based lubricant and is specifically designed for a woman’s delicate and sensitive skin. It is free from perfume and preservatives and as it leaves the skin feeling silky and soft it is also suitable for erotic massage.
  

Water-based personal lubricants

Water-based personal lubricants are, as the name suggests, made mainly of water. This is absorbed into the upper layers of the skin and so provides the vaginal lining with moisture. Since the personal lubricant is absorbed into the skin, it does not guarantee long-lasting lubrication, so it may have to be reapplied. The reapplication can be integrated into your lovemaking. Water-based personal lubricants can be enriched with natural additives that both moisturise and care for the vaginal lining. Some of the pjur med water-based lubricants offer this advantage. Optimally, this type of personal lubricant should leave the skin feeling soft and pleasant, and not sticky.

pjur also has an extensive range of water-based lubricants, they are all dermatologically tested and safe for use with latex condoms and toys.

• pjur AQUA: This water-based lubricant provides excellent lubrication and skin-care characteristics, and is very well tolerated by the skin and the mucous membranes. It leaves the skin feeling silky soft.
• pjur WOMAN AQUA: This water-based lubricant, designed specifically for women, moisturises and nourishes the skin. Women can pamper themselves while caring for their mucous membranes. It provides intensive lubricating properties and is free from perfume and flavouring.
• pjur WOMAN Nude: This neutral water-based lubricant has no additives and was especially designed for women’s delicate and sensitive skin. It is free of preservatives, parabens and glycerine, and has been dermatologically tested.

Hybrid personal lubricants

Hybrid personal lubricants are a mix of the two previously mentioned types. They are water-based, but also contain a small amount of silicone. They also provide long-lasting lubrication and, because of the low silicone content, can be used with all sex toys – no matter what materials the toys are made of.

pjur combines the advantages of water and silicone in its pjur TOY LUBE. This lubricant is ideally suited for use with sex toys. Conventional lubricants frequently drip when applied to a sex toy. But not pjur TOY LUBE. Its creamy consistency – resulting from the water and the low silicone content – means that it is easy to dispense and that it stays where it is applied. Various tests with major toy manufacturers and users have confirmed that it can also be used with high-quality silicone toys.

Oil-based personal lubricants

Oil-based personal lubricants are, as the name suggests, made on a base of oil. This means that they are not water soluble. While they do provide long-lasting lubrication the lubricant remains on the skin afterwards and must be washed off with soap.

pjur do not recommend oil-based lubricants for the following reasons:

• They are not suitable for use with latex condoms as the ingredients corrode latex.
• They are not recommended for use with sex toys again for reasons of corrosion.
• They increase the risk of vaginal infection.

There are numerous types of personal lubricants and just as many different uses for them. Besides the lubricants mentioned here, there are also personal lubricants with a warming or cooling effect, or with different ingredients. Give it a go. Find the right personal lubricant for your needs and have fun!

pjur offer an extensive collection of silicone-based lubricants, water-based lubricants and a hybrid lubricant which offer you a guarantee of safety and fun. Take your time and find the right one for you 🙂