DIY Lube Recipes
Ah, the unforeseen consequences of living in the midst of a pandemic. With everyone spending more time at home, folks are blasting through their lube supply. At the same time, lube production has been disrupted by shutdowns as well as bottling facilities prioritizing the production of hand sanitizer over personal lubricant. Who would’ve thought that covid would lead to personal lubricant shortages?
If you’re having trouble finding your favorite lube, especially in these times of covid, or if you want a more natural and package free option, there are lots of resources online to help you make your own homemade lube from scratch! To make it easy, we’ve done the research and summarized our findings into this handy blog article.
Here are some of the basics:
- Any latex barrier is best paired with a Water Based Lube. A homemade lube with oil in it will breakdown a latex barrier and lead to a tear, rip, failure, etc… This applies to sex toys of unknown material composition as well. Anything that says latex, natural rubber, TPE or TPR on the packaging will be degraded by an oil. Best to stick with a water based recipe if any of this applies.
- Homemade lube should be used within a couple of days. Because it doesn’t have all the preservatives and engineering of a commercially available lube, it doesn’t have a long shelf life. Remember when using items in your pantry, if it’s too old to eat, it shouldn’t go in any other orifices either. Homemade lubes should be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days max or as stated in the recipe.
- Be aware of allergies. Do not use any ingredient that you would not eat or otherwise use on your skin. Almond oil or coconut oil aren’t safe choices for someone with a nut allergy, for example. Adding essential oils might smell nice, but keep in mind they may irritate sensitive skin. Also, essential oils should always be diluted in plenty of an oil base and should never, ever be applied to skin directly.
- Never use sugar, honey, sweeteners, dairy or animal products. This is a recipe for a fungal and bacterial breeding ground. Not good news for you or your partner(s).
Water Based Lubricants: 3 Easy Options to Get You Started
Water and Cornstarch
- 1 cup filtered water
- 3-4 teaspoons cornstarch
- Dissolve the corn starch in the water
- Heat the mixture until boiling, turn off the heat, and continue stirring until there are no more lumps
- Let cool before using
Aloe Vera
- That’s it, just 100% pure Aloe Vera. Make sure there are no alcohols in the ingredients.
- OR, if you have an aloe plant
- 1 Aloe Plant Leaf
- 1 teaspoon vitamin E (optional – as a preservative )
- Peel one side of the leaf with a vegetable peeler
- Scoop out the clear jelly inside
- Blend in a blender or food processor until smooth
- Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. (If the vitamin E is used, this mixture may be refrigerated for up to 2-3 weeks)
Flaxseed
- 1 Tablespoon Flaxseeds (Not Flaxseed Oil)
- 1 cup filtered water
- Boil the flaxseeds in water for 20 mins, or until the volume of water is reduced by half
- Strain the Liquid into a sealable airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
- Discard the cooked flaxseeds
Oil Based Lubricants: A few more options
- Coconut, Olive, Almond, Flaxseed, Avocado Oil are all great. Generally, organic, unrefined, pure oils (no flavors or scents added) are good options
- Pro Tip: Fractionated Coconut Oil adsorbs into the skin faster, so it is less likely to get all over your clothes/sheets.
When you’re done using your concoction, always wash off any remaining lube, and remember to pee after sexual activity to prevent UTI’s!
Source Links:
- DIY Lube: former Masterchef contestant shares his recipes (ABC)
-
DIY Personal Lubricant – Going Zero Waste (Going Zero Waste)
- 3 Natural Alternatives To Lube That You Can Find In Your Home (Bustle)
- 13 Natural Lube Alternatives for When You Can’t Make It to the Drugstore (Oprah Mag)
- What’s the Best Non-Lube Lube Alternative for Me, an Average Guy Who Just Ran out of Lube? (Dollar Shave Club)
