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5 harmful ingredients in lube to avoid for a happy vulva
Be wary of these ingredients in your personal lubricant
Harmful ingredients in lube? You’re joking? This was my first reaction upon learning of this. I have been using personal lubricant for 11 years, but not once did I look at the ingredient list, until recently.
I am Lisa and I am currently training as a Love, Sex and Relationship Coach and lube was a topic we covered. I was excited to learn about lube in depth, however I was shocked to learn of some toxic additives found in many personal lubricants sold worldwide. Of course, I immediately ran straight to my lube stash and sure enough, my main squeeze had a harmful ingredient which is also present in antifreeze. My poor vagina!
It never occurred to me to look at the ingredients on a bottle of lube, but I am glad I now have. I know many of us have experienced a burning or tingling sensation when using some types of lube, however this feeling should really not occur when using lube, it is usually a sign of a toxic ingredient present. Prone to yeast infections and use lube often? Again, this could be due to the presence of harmful ingredients.
I searched high and low to find some all natural, water-based lube free from harmful ingredients, and to my surprise, they were hard to find! Thankfully, I found nudco. The saving grace to ensure my vulva has less exposure to toxic chemicals. Your vagina is super absorbent, so it is important to be mindful of what you expose her to. What are some harmful ingredients to look out for? Let’s dive in!
1. Excessive amount of glycerin
Glycerin is a sugar alcohol. This is usually added to water-based lubricants to make them more slippery (great for less friction and can help prevent micro tears). Glycerin is similar to glucose, which is a sugar. What happens when sugar is mixed with the delicate microbiome of our vulva? It can lead to bacterial growth of unpleasant yeast infections and UTIs.
Flavoured lubes nearly all contain glycerin or glucose. That sweet taste you get from flavoured lube? That’s sugar baby. And as we now know, excessive amount of sugar does not belong within one’s vulva. If you are prone to yeast infections, this type of lube should not be used for vaginal sex.
While the personal lubricant by nudco also contains glycerin, there's an optimal amount of it and not excessive amounts of it exceeding specialist recommendations of over 40%, so that the antimicrobial sugar present in the lubricant does not cause similar, common problems as regular glycerin-based lubes.
2. Propylene Glycol
This is the ingredient which was present in my lube as well as antifreeze! Propylene Glycol is a petrochemical; a chemical compound that is similar to glycerin. The texture is more oily compared to the syrup-like texture of glycerin.
Believe it or not, most flavoured or warming sensation lubricants are made with petrochemicals, which are also found in antifreeze. I wonder can we defrost our car on a cold winter’s morning with this type of lube if that’s the case?
If you experience a burning sensation when you apply a certain lube, throw it in the bin. You should not be “burning” in order to feel sexy in the bedroom. Unless you are a masochist, then fire away! But really, enjoyable sex should never burn.
3. Petroleum/Petroleum Jelly
Many of you may know a famous petroleum jelly which we carry around in our handbags to moisturize our lips, but please do not use this as lubricant for your other lips! Petroleum jelly is oil based which is not suitable for use with latex condoms as oil can break down the condoms leading to possible unwanted pregnancy or STIs. Using petroleum jelly for foreplay can also be harmful for our vulvas. Petroleum jelly may also linger in the vagina. This alters the natural pH of the area which contributes to bacterial infections. And we do not want that!
Furthermore, research shows that some of the components removed from the oil during the refining process of lubricants, like petroleum jelly, can potentially be carcinogenic. All in all, keep the petroleum jelly away from your delicate vulva.
4. Parabens
Parabens are preservatives that inhibit the growth of fungus and bacteria, prolonging shelf life and allowing us to keep products at room temperature. These are very commonly found in food and cosmetics.
Many people have had bad experiences with lubes that burn or itch, or feel really sticky during or after use, and that's because of preservative ingredients such as parabens.
Parabens are a synthetic additive which mimics estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating our endocrine systems. The endocrine system regulates our hormones, metabolism, fertility, blood pressure and so much more. This leads to concerns that paraben-containing lubes may impair all these important functions. However, the jury is still out on this one. Most people just prefer to steer clear of parabens in their lubricant due to this potential.
5. Nonoxynol-9
This is a spermicide. Nonoxynol-9 can kill both good and bad bacteria in the vagina. Disrupting the natural biome of the vagina can result in unpleasant infections, such as bacterial vaginosis. It can also result in irritation and inflammation which can be quite uncomfortable when you are trying to sleep at night.
It is worth noting that many condoms come prepared with a spermicidal lube, so you’ll want to read the label on condoms when purchasing!
Now that you are aware of some harmful ingredients to avoid in your personal lubricant, do a lube audit and see what ingredients are present in yours. Don’t freak out if you find one of the above ingredients on the list, but perhaps leave it to the side and treat yourself to some new, all natural, free from harmful ingredients lube, your vulva will thank you!
Final thoughts
In need of a recommendation? Personally – unbiased – I would recommend nudco water-based Personal Lubricant. It is optimised specifically for our vaginal pH and is compatible with both toys and latex condoms.
This lubricant promises zero irritation on the intimate area, and lots of fun!
GET NUDCO PERSONAL LUBRICANT
