Beginner’s Guide to Silicone Lube

Smooth, silky and water-resistant for bath and shower fun, silicone lube is ideal for long-lasting glide during sex and solo play.

Silicone sex lube is generally more expensive than water-based lube, but you get a lot for your money. A little silicone lube goes a long way, and you shouldn’t need to constantly re-apply it. Since it’s more long-lasting than water-based lube, you’ll use less, which means a bottle of it should last longer than a water-based one of equal size.

Silicone lubricant is great for many things, but it shouldn’t be used with silicone sex toys or realistic feel sex toys. This is because the silicone in your lubricant and the silicone or real-feel material of your toy may not be compatible.

What is silicone lube used for?

Silicone lube provides all the same benefits as water-based lube, plus a few extra perks.

1. Silicone lube’s biggest draw is that it’s waterproof. That means it can join you in the shower or bath for fun with your favourite waterproof toys, or for underwater adventures with a lover.
2. Silicone lube is also smoother and silkier than water-based lube, which can get tacky after prolonged use. Many people love silicone lube for its happy medium between the versatility of water-based lube and the smooth feel of oil-based lube.
3. Silicone lube is almost always condom-safe and suitable for use with both latex and non-latex condoms. In fact, pre-lubricated condoms are usually coated in silicone lube, so you may have already taken advantage of its benefits without even realising!
4. Latex lovers often use silicone lube as latex shiner. Silicone and latex work wonderfully together and rubber fetishists or rubberists often use silicone lubricant to make their rubber outfits super shiny.

What kinds of silicone lube are there?

Generally, the primary silicone base is all that makes a lube into silicone lube, but there are a few specialist types out there, too.

1. General silicone lube is the most commonly available and is often primarily made of dimethicone. Try different brands to find the one that suits you best, but be warned: most silicone lube will stain fabrics. To remove a silicone stain, dab it with a little more silicone lube, then sponge with a 50/50 mixture of washing up liquid and household degreaser. After 5-10 minutes, give it a rinse and then wash as usual for stain-free sheets (thick fabrics may need a second round of degreasing).
2. Hybrid lube is a mixture of two different types of lubricant, usually water-based and silicone-based. Hybrid lube combines the ultimate versatility of water-based lube with the longevity of silicone lube.