Why Does Lube Get Sticky? Get the Glide Back

You've finally got some time to yourself. Door shut, phone on silent, favourite toy charged. Then your lube starts feeling sticky and suddenly the thing requiring your full attention is the bloody bottle.

Water-based lube can turn tacky as it loses moisture during use. Often, a fresh application brings the glide back. But lube that dries down after a while and lube you dislike from the first squirt need different answers. One may need a top-up. The other might need to stop getting invited into bed.

It was slippery a minute ago

One moment everything feels comfortable. A little later, your hand doesn't slide as easily or your toy starts dragging. You haven't suddenly forgotten how to use either of them.

As water evaporates or is absorbed during use, water-based lube can feel thicker and stickier. How quickly that happens varies with the formula, the amount you've used and what you're doing. The change doesn't automatically mean you've bought a dud.

You might still like the lube perfectly well. You would just prefer it to remain slippery until you've finished enjoying yourself, which seems a reasonable thing to want from something you specifically bought for the occasion.

When the glide goes, pause and add fresh lube. Carry on if it feels comfortable again. You don't need to abandon a favourite formula because it occasionally needs another squirt.

The bottle is always just out of reach

There is a particular kind of regret in remembering you put the lube away before getting into bed. Very organised of you. Shame the drawer is on the other side of the room.

Now you're deciding whether you can reach it without getting up, or whether your partner's longer arms justify interrupting whatever they're doing. This is how a perfectly good evening becomes a discussion about bedroom furniture.

Keep the bottle nearby. A quick top-up is much less of an interruption when it doesn't involve switching on the big light and searching behind three things you haven't used since Christmas.

With a toy, add the fresh lube where it's making contact. A slippery handle isn't much help if the part you want to glide is still dry. If you're losing that glide almost straight away, our guide to how much lube to use helps with the starting amount and top-ups.

You didn't like the first squirt, either

You apply the lube, rub it between your fingers and immediately wish you could wash your hands. Not quite the reaction you were hoping for. Adding more is unlikely to improve your opinion.

That is a texture you dislike, rather than a lube you enjoyed until it dried down. Try another formula. There is no prize for finishing a bottle that makes every wank slightly annoying.

A thinner liquid spreads readily, while a thicker gel can stay where you put it more easily. Neither thickness guarantees a longer glide. Think about the feel you want as well as how often you're happy to reapply.

A smaller bottle from our water-based lube range makes sense while you're finding one you like. The big bottle may have looked economical. Less so once you discover you've bought enough disappointing lube to outlast the relationship.

Burning or stinging is different from disliking the texture: stop using that lube, and get medical advice if irritation persists. More of the same isn't the fix.

Want the glide to last longer?

Perhaps you like everything about your lube except how often you have to reach for it. You and your partner are getting along beautifully. The bottle is the needy one.

Silicone-based lube generally stays slick longer because it doesn't evaporate like water-based lube. That can make it worth considering if repeated top-ups are the bit getting on your nerves.

There is a catch with silicone toys: some silicone lubes can damage their surface. Water-based lube is the straightforward choice if you want to avoid that pairing. Keeping your favourite vibrator in good nick may matter more to you than reaching for the bottle less often.

Our water-based versus silicone lube comparison covers glide, compatibility and clean-up. Choose for what you're using it with and the feel you enjoy. A longer-lasting formula is only an improvement if you actually like it.

Once you've found one that suits you, give it the bedside spot it deserves. You've already charged the toy and ignored your phone. You shouldn't have to leave a perfectly good bed to negotiate with a bathroom cupboard.