5 Household Lube Alternatives You Probably Already Own

There are plenty of reasons to look for a substitute for store-bought personal lubricant — maybe you're trying to save cash, you ran out mid-session, or you'd rather use something natural. You might also be uneasy about whether the lube sold at pharmacies and sex shops is actually good for your body. Before you put anything unfamiliar near your vagina, check out our thoughts on lube alternatives for getting wet. To be fair, not every commercial lube is created equal, and some formulas aren't great for your body. Brands like Good Clean Love, Sliquid, and Yes! Lube are frequently recommended, and there are natural, chemical-free organic options too if that's your preference. You can also find specialty formulas built for anal sex or heightened sensation.

Household Lube Alternatives

As the name implies, these alternatives exist for the moments when you haven't landed on a product that suits you. Here are a few you can try.

1. Natural Oils

Coconut, jojoba, olive, and avocado oil are all natural oils people reach for as a stand-in personal lubricant during masturbation.

Learn: 14 pleasurable masturbation techniques for women.

Vitamin E oil gets used too. Coconut oil is the clear crowd favorite and may even help treat certain fungal infections [1], though every one of these oils has its own distinct qualities — sweet almond oil, for instance, has a pleasant scent.

If the olive oil sitting in your kitchen is pure, it can keep things slippery in bed whether you're giving your man a hand job or having anal sex. And if coconut oil is already part of your beauty routine, it's a natural leap to bring it into the bedroom too.

2. Aloe Vera

Slice into an aloe vera plant and it produces a gel meant to heal itself — a gel that turns out to be soothing for human skin as well. It's a common remedy for burns, sunburn especially, and plenty of commercial lubes list it as an ingredient.

Discover: What lube is and why you should use lube.

You don't need anything else mixed in for aloe vera to work as a lube alternative on its own. Grab a bottle of pure aloe vera and you're set for slick, soothing sex. Or, if you have a live plant, cut a leaf, split it open, and scrape out the gel. Any leftover gel can be stored for a few days and used later.

Related: 23 tips for women that make you better in bed.

3. Egg Whites

Egg whites have more uses than you'd expect — people use them as a hair mask and, surprisingly, as lube. They're slippery and moisturizing, which makes them work for both purposes. There's a small salmonella risk to be aware of, though no cases have actually been reported from vaginal use specifically. Most people recover from salmonella without treatment, but in rare cases the infection can be fatal [2].

4. Silicone-Based Products

There's a good chance a silicone-based product is already sitting in your bathroom — a hair frizz serum, a makeup primer, or an anti-chafe body glide. Silicone does a great job keeping things smooth, but unless the product is pure silicone (which matters a lot if you're using silicone toys), it may not be a wise lube substitute. More on that shortly.

Silicone can also work as a glide for sensual massage. Learn more in Erotic Massage 101.

The Risks of Going DIY

Keep in mind that not every lube — homemade or store-bought — plays nicely with every body part, contraceptive, or sex toy.

Oil-based lubes, for example, break down condoms, raising your risk of pregnancy or STI transmission. Save those for prepping for pain-free anal sex or solo male masturbation, where that particular risk doesn't apply. Latex sex toys also don't mix with oil-based lubricants, and the same goes for latex diaphragms or cervical caps — skip oil-based products entirely in those cases.

Whether oil is actually safe for vaginal use is still debated. Plenty of people swear by coconut oil and similar natural options because they feel silky and leave skin moisturized. But oils are heavier than water- or silicone-based lubricants and can clog pores, potentially leading to infection.

The same caution applies to petroleum jelly products like Vaseline or Aquaphor. They add slickness and moisture, but they're not necessarily vagina-friendly.

Oil-based products can also stain sheets or lingerie (tips on how to choose the perfect lingerie), so lay down a towel or sex blanket first.

And if you're reaching for a silicone-based alternative, be aware it might not get along with your silicone dildo or butt plug — the materials can react, leaving your toy gummy and less smooth. Test it first by rubbing a small amount on the base of the toy for about 10 minutes to mimic actual use. If the surface turns tacky, keep looking for something that's actually compatible with your toy.

Read: How to use a dildo and our guide to using butt plugs for greater sexual satisfaction.

Other Things to Watch For

A few more risks worth flagging with lube alternatives:

• If you're going with a natural product like coconut oil, store it somewhere cool and dry — moisture invites mold and bacteria.
• Reach for a fresh, unopened product rather than a bottle you've already been dipping into for other purposes. You don't know what's already living on that bottle, and cross-contamination is a real concern.
• A product might seem safe based on its base ingredient (water, oil, silicone), but check the full ingredient list. Parabens show up in some cosmetics and may not be great for you. Alcohol, another common cosmetic ingredient, is quite drying. Dyes and fragrances can also irritate. Read labels closely to avoid unwanted side effects.

Just because something works fine elsewhere on your body doesn't guarantee it'll work as a lubricant. Test a small amount first and watch for these warning signs.

• Burning – More on burning after sex.
• Itchiness
• Bumps
• Strong odor – Learn more about about the causes and cures for vaginal odors
• Vaginal discharge

Any of these signal either an allergic reaction or an infection in progress. See the full rundown of symptoms of a vaginal bacterial infection.

Stop using the product right away if you notice any of these symptoms. You may need to see your OBGYN if an infection has developed, though there are also home remedies worth trying for bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections.

Related: How to Treat a Yeast Infection

Osmolality and DIY Lubricants

One downside of a lube alternative is that you typically have no idea what its osmolality rating is. Osmolality describes how many dissolved particles are in a liquid, and both lube products and the tissues of your body have their own ratings. Using something with a high osmolality can damage the mucous membranes of your vagina or anus — or harm sperm if you're trying to conceive — even if the product itself feels perfectly smooth.

pH is similarly unknown territory with most alternative lubes. Since your vagina runs slightly acidic, a lube that skews basic can throw off that balance and trigger infection or odor. That said, if you're not noticing any bad reactions, it's reasonable to keep using what's working for you.

Experimenting with lube alternatives is one more way to take charge of your sex life, and that's exactly the kind of thing a bad girl would do. Just stay alert to any changes along the way. You may end up preferring a store-bought option, or you might wonder what took you so long to try coconut oil in the first place.

Lastly, if you find yourself constantly reaching for lube just to get wet, it's worth ruling out one of these reasons why you can't get wet, even when you're plenty turned on.

February 25, 2022