Top Personal Lubricants By Type: Silicone, Oil, & Water-Based

With all the various bases and brands available out there, finding the right lube can be a bit of a pain in the ass. Depending on your taste in lube, you might find one formula to be too sticky, too heavy, too light, or lacking in the longevity required to stand up to your particular sexual escapades.

On the other hand, finding that perfect lube that does everything you want can be a really great feeling and often adds a new dimension of comfort and pleasure to your sexy shenanigans. We want to help you find that happy place, so we've put together this quick guide to the top three lubes of each base- oil, silicone, and water.

Each type has its own uses and it's not a bad idea to have a bit of each on hand to be ready for whatever fun unfolds. Here are our top 3 picks in each category to help you narrow down the search!

 

Silicone Lube

Silicone lubes are some of the slickest and longest-lasting lubes out there. It doesn't wash away easily in water so it is an excellent choice for fooling around in wet places like showers or hot tubs.

As good as silicone lube is, there are a few caveats. You should never use silicone lube with silicone toys because it can degrade them. Silicone is also hard to wash away from your sheets for the same reason it is great for shower fun- it isn't water-soluble.

With all those factors in mind, here are our top three picks for silicone lube.

 

3- Sliquid Naturals Silver

Sliquid is known for their ethically-produced, natural lubricants. A lot of guys equate those things with a general lack of quality, but Sliquid is one of those companies that's doin' it right!

This lube blends three silky smooth silicone types into something magical. The most striking aspect of this lube is just how little it takes to get the job done. Just a little dab and you're good to go for quite a while. The other major factor in favor of this lube is the fact that it just takes a little bit of moisture to reactivate.

On top of the excellent functionality of this lube, it is also packaged in recycled materials, glycerin-free, and vegan-friendly. If you're looking for an insanely slick lube that goes the distance and is ethically produced, this lube might just be your new best friend!

 

2- Swiss Navy Silicone Anal Lube

Swiss Navy has been in the lube game for quite a while now and their experience shines through in the quality of their products. Their lubes generally come packaged in discreet, pump-dispenser bottles that help curb wasteful over application and makes it easy to apply with a single hand.

Those factors aside, their silicone formula is made from a blend of high-grade silicones without pushing the price point into the realms of the outrageous. It's extremely slick, long-lasting, and surprisingly affordable for a lube of its caliber.

If you're looking for an upper-tier lube at mid-range prices, Swiss Navy has your back!

 

1- Pjur Man Personal Glide Lubricant

It really doesn't get much better than Pjur when it comes to anal lube. They are most famous for their "Analyze Me!" formula which contains jojoba oil to help relax your funhole but their other formulas are just as well-thought-out and this one is no exception.

The main attraction of this lube is its staying power. This lube will last longer than even the most voracious sex fiends out there without losing its lubricating power. This lube is long-lasting, slick AF, and doesn't take a lot to get the job done. Basically, it's a near-perfect silicone lube.

 

Water-Based

Water-based lubes are the most versatile type of lube available. It is safe for use with almost any toy out there, we can't think of a material that isn't water-based-lube-friendly, it's condom safe, and it's easy to clean from your sheets when the fun is over.

The drawback, however, is that it is completely water-soluble, so it's no good for gettin' wet and wild. It also tends to absorb into the skin more quickly, which means you'll have to use a bit more than an oil or silicone-based lube.

 

3- Fuck Water H2O

The name pretty much says it all! This is an extremely slick formula that is especially light in texture and smooth as silk. One of the things we like most about this lube is the fact that there isn't even the slightest trace of stickiness as it dries and it's extremely easy to clean up from your bedclothes. Obviously, those aren't the main criteria for choosing a good lube, but it definitely bears mentioning.

As far as the criteria that are worth mentioning, this lube feels like it's barely there, in a good way. Slippery, practically intangible, and incredibly satisfying, this lube has it all!

 

2-  Elbow Grease H2O Thick Gel

Elbow Grease is known for making lubes that are specifically formulated to ease large insertions such as fists or extreme toys. That's not an easy thing to do without resorting to silicone or, more likely, oil bases. This formula is definitely the exception to that rule.

Somehow, Elbow Grease has managed to throw together an extremely satisfying, light lube that is capable of standing up to even the gnarliest insertions without missing a beat. Whether you are into large insertions or not, this lube is one of the most effective, slickest formulas out there. If it can make a fist easy to take, imagine what it could do with a basic dildo or even a stroker!

 

3- Boy Butter Easy Pump - H2O

If you've read any of our other breakdowns and lists of quality lubes, you know we are big fans of Boy Butter. Really, though- what's not to love? This lube comes in an easy-to-use pump-style bottle that dispenses just the right amount of lube to get things going and it's breathtakingly slick and light.

It's stain-free, unbelievably slick, and you get a 5-oz. bottle for about the price you would pay for a 2 oz. bottle of lube in the same tier of quality. There's a reason that Boy Butter seems to always tops our lube lists- It's just that good!

 

Oil-Based

Oil-based lubes are pretty much as good as it gets when it comes to easing larger insertions and tends to last longer than any other lube base. The downsides are that you cannot use it condoms and it wreaks all sorts of havoc on your bedclothes. It's also not as cut and dry which toy materials are compatible with oil-based lubes. For instance, silicone is fine with oil, but latex will disintegrate like Thanos snapped his fingers when exposed to it.

 

3- Tom of Finland Fisting Cream

Honestly, this is probably the best oil-based lube out there, when all is said and done. The reason we are putting it in the third-place ranking is solely based on the price. When you get down to it, you can get comparable functionality out of the following two formulas on the list at a considerably lower price point.

That's not to say this lube isn't extremely effective, especially for fisting or large insertions, only that you're paying a bit extra for the admittedly trustworthy name. If you have the extra cash to blow, you should consider this formula the top dog in the category because it really is an incredible lube. If you are trying to pinch some pennies, however, you might want to check out one of the following formulas instead.

 

2- Boy Butter Original

You're probably somewhat less than surprised to see this name on the list by now. what can we say? Boy Butter makes excellent lube- don't shoot the messenger!

This is the formula that put Boy Butter on the map and is comparable in quality to Tom's Of Finland in functionality, but not in price. A 16-oz. tub of Boy Butter will do just about everything that Tom's can, for about ten bucks less and some of the proceeds even go to reforestation efforts around the world. If you're shopping for great lube on a budget this is the second-best choice, in our opinion!

1-Elbow Grease Original Cream

As much as we love Boy Butter, you really can't do much better than Elbow Grease's time-tested formula. These cats have been cranking out the highest-grade, oil-based lubes for anal sex for over forty years now.

Not only is this one of the most trusted formulas out there by anal aficionados, their prices are also the lowest in their tier of quality. Obviously, they are in good company when it comes to quality when they are being thrown into the mix with Boy Butter and Tom's Of Finland!

This lube has all of the same great glide, endurance, and all-around awesomeness of the previous two entries while still being the least expensive of the lot. An amazing lube at a great price that has stood the test of time like few others have- What's not to love?!

 

Lube Tips And Resources

• Different Strokes For Different Folks: A Lube For Every Occasion- This is a general guide to all things lube. Want to know which lubes are best for which activities or which lube is safe for that new toy? This guide has all the answers!
• Managing A Dink In Your Backdoor Pink: Painless Anal For The Up And Coming Twink- Sometimes great lube isn't enough to ease the discomfort of anal sex for guys who are new to the anal game or simply have a slightly tighter-than-usual butthole. This guide has everything you need to know to be a painless-anal pro!
• Mastering Masturbation: An Guide To Epic Fapping- Sometimes, you have to do it yourself if you want it done right. Even still, you could probably do it better! This guide is chock full of, ahem, "handy" tips to take your pickle pounding to the next level.