Hundreds of different lubricants exist on the sex toy market: understandably buying the right lubricant becomes very confusing when each lubricant boasts so many different features making it difficult to decide which lubricant is best for your intended use. Lubricant adds delightful slipperiness to any type of genital stimulation and reduces friction that can be rough on sensitive genital tissue.

Not only do lubricants make sex toys or masturbation feel more real, but lubricants also reduce friction making sex toys and hand-to-genital contact less chaffing. The human body naturally produces natural lubricant for partner sex to reduce friction and create a more pleasurable experience, so water-based or silicone-based lubricant is a perfectly natural addition to your sex play as an extension of your natural lubrication. Lubes are manufactured in many different consistencies, colors, and even flavors to match the variety of lubrication applications. It is best to experiment and find the right one for you and for your sex toy.

Think about what you want most in a lubricant, if you have any sensitivities (flavored lube can sometimes cause yeast infections), and what you'll mainly be using it for: solo sex, toy fun, a combination of sex toys and your partner, bath time fun? Is it for vaginal intercourse? Is it for anal penetration? Is it for masturbation? Once you've answered those questions, you are well on to your way to choosing a lube. Currently three kinds of base for lubricants exist: water-based, oil-based, and silicone-based.

Water-based lubricants are a lot thinner in texture than oil-based lubes. Water-based or water soluble lubricants lubes are safe to use on all sex toys whether they are made with silicone or latex.

Water-based lubes usually feature a variety of flavors or colors to make using lubricant more appealing for couples. If you are searching for an all purpose lubricant, the water-based lubricant is your best bet as it can be used for all intended purposes even both vaginal and anal penetration. Note that the sugar in the flavored novelty lubricants will change the sensitive pH level of a woman's vagina making her susceptible to yeast infections. Flavored lubricants, like strawberry, lime and kiwi, are only meant to be used on the body and not in the vagina or anus. Warming lubes can be fun for added sensation but may cause irritation on sensitive skin. There are some fantastic water-based lubricants for penetration on the market. Some of our favorites are Instant Hand-Job lube for hands-on masturbation, Natural Anal lube for anal sex or anal sex toy play, and Ultra Wet lube for all other types of sex toy or sex play.

Silicone-based lubes, the miracle of modern science, to provide all the benefits of oil-based lube without most of the set backs. They are longer lasting than water-based lubes, non-staining, hypoallergenic, safe to use on latex and other safe sex materials, water resistant for the hot tub fans, retain heat very well, and you can even use them for shaving (it will make the razor last longer). Our all-time favorite is Eros, which has pretty much set the standard.

Believe it or not, there are set backs to using silicone lubes. Because silicone does not get absorbed into the skin, it does not irritate, and lasts for a very long time; this is a problem for clean up. With soap and water silicone lube cleans up pretty well. The rectum empties itself once or twice a day (when you defecate), any excess lube up in the cheap seats will mostly likely exit when you visit the bathroom. Another downside to silicone lube: you can't use it with your precious silicone toys or any toy with silicone as an ingredient (aka Cyberskin toys). The very thing that makes your silicone toy the "best thing since sliced bread" will be its undoing with silicone-based lube. It will break down the sleek, smooth, non-porous, hypoallergenic surface of the silicone toy because the only thing silicone really bonds to, is silicone. You will have to put a condom on your toys made of silicone and Cyberskin (in all its incarnations) play with silicone lube.

Oil-based lubricants are usually made from natural products, such as vegetable oils and nut oils. Oil-based lubes tend to stain fabrics and can be difficult to wash off, but they are safe for use with the vagina, although water-based lubes do tend to be less irritating for most women. Oil-based lubes also destroy latex, so, like petroleum-based lubes, they should never be used with condoms, diaphragms or cervical caps. Oil-based lubricants are great for anal sex, and male and female masturbation.