11 Best Lubes for Sensitive Skin, According to Sex Experts 2024

When choosing a lubricant, the general rule is to avoid the following ingredients:

• Glycerol
• Oil
• Alcohol
• Parabens

Not only can glycerin, petroleum, and alcohol cause yeast infections, but “these additives can lead to allergic reactions and also increase the risk of bacterial infections,” says Dr. White. (Glycerollike glycerin, is a type of sugar alcohol that is associated with yeast infections.)

According to 2022 study published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthParabens are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), meaning they do just that: disrupt the body's endocrine system. EDCs have been linked to breast cancer, so it's always a good idea to avoid them whenever possible.

“Be sure to read the ingredients list on the label before choosing a lube off the shelf or from an online store,” says Charlsie Celestine, MDobstetrician-gynecologist from New Jersey. “You should avoid fragrances, flavors and aromas. Avoid other ingredients, such as alcohol, which can cause irritation, and spermicide ingredients, such as chlorhexidine gluconate and nonoxynol-9. Also avoid propylene glycol. Also stay away from those lubes that cause a warm, cooling or tingling sensation, as the ingredients that cause these are usually possible irritants.”

As tempting as new formulas (hello, warming lubes!) may seem for your sex life, when you consider the sheer amount of chemicals required to create these products, it should immediately put you off. If you still want to heighten your senses during sex, consider temperature play as foreplay idea. Regarding toys that may involve heating or cooling glass dildo or began, while with a partner, for example, to tease each other with ice, heated massage oil or hot wax from candle.