Kate Dyson
CloseKate is a content writer, social media obsessive and community creator. She's also mum to three kids, two dogs and unsurprisingly, a lover of wine.
Glossary
For words you might want to know more
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine. It's a common problem thought to affect millions of people. There are several types of urinary incontinence, including: stress incontinence – when urine leaks out at times when your bladder is under pressure; for example, when you cough or laugh.
Endometrosis is a condition resulting from the appearance of endometrial tissue outside the uterus and causing pelvic pain, especially associated with menstruation.
Stress incontinence is usually the result of the weakening of or damage to the muscles used to prevent urination, such as the pelvic floor muscles and the urethral sphincter. Urge incontinence is usually the result of overactivity of the detrusor muscles, which control the bladder.
5 Ways Lube Can Help Your Sex Life
A sex rule we all should live by is: the wetter, the better. And what better way to get the waters flowing like lube!
When you think of lube, let’s be honest, it tends to be synonymous with menopause relief for vaginal dryness. It’s important to know though that not all vaginas self-lubricate the same amount and that is absolutely normal. Vaginal dryness is extremely common for an incredibly wide variety of reasons and almost anyone of any age can experience it. This outdated notion that lube is only recommended when something is “going wrong” has often been the reason for the hesitance in embracing lube for you know… pleasure – all sorts of toe curling pleasure.
What Are the Types of Lube?
If you’re looking for the best lube for a little self-love (whether solo or partnered), you’ll have to weigh a few factors. Gone are the days of using whatever lotion sitting on your bed stand or the status quo that is saliva.
Water-based: known as the “versatile”and most interchanging lube because it can be used in practically any activity you can think of — even ones involving silicone toys. It won't damage latex, polyurethane, or nitrile condoms. Water-based is also usually the best option as a natural lube because more water-based lubricants in the market are being formulated with vegan-friendly and hypoallergenic ingredients such as aloe vera.
Silicone-based: have a much thicker consistency, are more slippery, and tend to last long. They are also one of the best lubes for anal sex, where there is no natural lubrication working in your favor. Don’t need to worry about silicone-based lubes weakening latex, nitrile, and polyurethane condoms. But should never use silicone lube with silicone sex toys as it can break the toy down causing sanitary issues.
Oil-based: can be the gift that keeps you going, going, and going due to its consistency. Oil-based lubes can double for a sexy and fun massage time. But the downside comes if you’re using a latex condom. This type of lube increases the chances of a ripped or torn condom, defeating the condom’s purpose — and your good time in the process.
Reasons you should use lube during sex
You can't use too much lube. While you might be worried about using too much lube and turning your sheets into a sticky mess (mind you there are stain-free options), experts encourage people to use lube liberally. Less is more is not the rule of thumb here. One of the main appeals of reducing the friction between two surfaces is reducing the heat that friction produces, which in the case of human skin is unpleasant. Think of it as avoiding a rug burn down there.
Lube helps you have safer sex. Lube reduces friction, so it lessens your risk of injury during sex such as preventing membrane tearing or other damage to the vaginal lining. It can also protect you from an infection and even an unplanned pregnancy. If you’re using condoms, lube makes it less likely that it’ll break (reducing microscopic tears) or fall off, therefore increasing your protection against STIs including HIV.
Lube is great for masturbation. Lube reduces the drag of your hand or sex toy against the sensitive skin of your vulva, clitoris, and vagina, so you can explore these nerve-rich areas smoothly without irritation. It also paves the way for a deeper level of pleasure that will entice the most mind-blowing orgasms. Quanna’s CBD lube, Oomf, is special in regards to self-play since CBD is known to amp blood flow circulation for better muscle relaxation and deliciously increased sensitivity..
Alleviate uncomfortable sex. So much of sex is mental. The right lube can help you keep your head in the game. After all, if your focus ends up shifting to dryness or painful penetration, you may not be able to get off. By increasing natural arousal, lube relieves these holds up so you can last longer in bed.
Bridging the pleasure gap. Lube makes it 50% easier—for both women and men—to orgasm. Lube is helping close the orgasm gap, by adding room for more foreplay and exploration into different erogenous zones. When you are well lubricated, you can better experience all the pleasurable sensations. Remember lube doesn't need to be limited to just the vagina and rectum, it can be highly beneficial during nipple play too. So get creative and get your lube on!