Lube Ingredients: What's Really Going on Your Dick and Pussy

You turn the lube bottle over to see what you're about to rub on your dick, and you find a list that looks harder than the sex you had planned. Dimethicone. Hydroxyethylcellulose. You were hoping for a slippery hand, not a spelling competition.

The good news is that most of those long names have ordinary jobs: they make it slippery, thicken it, hold in moisture or stop it going off. Learn a few and the bottle gets a lot less mysterious. Then you can get back to the fun bit.

The slippery part

Water-based lube starts with water, which may be listed as aqua. Silicone lube uses silicones like dimethicone, and hybrid lube uses both. None of those need to sound sexy to feel great when your partner's hand is wrapped around you. Our water-based vs silicone guide compares how they feel, and our hybrid lube guide covers the blends.

The thick stuff

Thickeners, such as cellulose-based ones, turn a thin liquid into a clingy gel. That's why two water-based lubes can feel so different. A thick one stays on a toy or cock and cushions every stroke, while a thin one spreads easily over skin when you're rubbing it all over someone. Think about which of those you've got planned. There's no joy in a bottle that drips everywhere except where you wanted it.

Moisture holders

Glycerin and propylene glycol help a lube hold on to moisture. Some people prefer to avoid them, especially after a reaction. That doesn't mean every bottle with them in it is bad, or that every bottle without them will be comfortable.

If you want fewer ingredients to think about, Wicked Simply Natural is a hydrating water-based lube with a simpler ingredient list.

If a lube irritates you, stop using it and keep the label. A pharmacist or clinician can help if it keeps happening. Your genitals deserve a better plan than buying six bottles based on angry internet comments.

Preservatives and party tricks

Preservatives help keep a formula from spoiling. Flavours, fragrance and warming or cooling ingredients add taste, scent or tingle. They can be a lot of fun, but your lube doesn't need them to work, and they're often the first thing to try removing if your skin gets cranky. Our warming and cooling guide covers that side of things, and plain is allowed to be your favourite.

Don't get fooled by a label

"Natural", "sensitive" and "pH-balanced" don't promise every body will love a product. What matters is the finished formula, and an ingredient list can't tell you everything about that. Make sure the lube suits where it's going and what it's touching, whether that's your arse, a silicone toy or a condom. Our compatibility guide covers the combinations.

Now put the bottle down and get on with your plans. Nobody needs you to recite the ingredients while your partner's trying to take your pants off.