What's In Your Lubricant?

Here are some common ingredients in lubes that we often get questions about. If you are unsure about which lube is right for you check out our page “Choosing a Lubricant”.

             Note: All of the lubes we carry follow the necessary regulations and standards set by the public health agency of Canada. This

             information is provided to help our customers understand what

             lubes are made of, so they can make informed decisions

             about what is right for them.

GLYCERINE- Glycerine is a sugar derivative used in many products (such as soap, food, and you guessed it lube!) to keep things moist. Lubes with glycerine are slippery but they will get sticky when they dry out.  Add some water to make them slick again. Glycerine is also sweet tasting so it is used in many flavoured lubes. Because it is a sugar, glycerine can aggravate yeast infections. If you are susceptible to yeast infections then we recommend looking for a lube without glycerine.

TIP: If you are vegan and want a lube with glycerine, make sure you look for one that indicates it contains vegetable glycerine which is derived from plants, usually coconut or palm oils.

NONOXYNOL-9- N-9 is a chemical contraceptive (spermicide) that is used in some lubes and on some condoms. The concentration of N-9 is lubricants is not high enough to be an effective contraceptive on its own. N-9 is very irritating to vaginal tissue and may increase the risk of the transmission of sexually transmitted infections because it causes micro-tears in the tissue through which viruses and bacteria can easily enter the body. N-9 should not be used anally.  We don’t sell lubes or condoms that contain N-9.  

PROPYLENE GLYCOL- Propylene Glycol is a common organic compound (alcohol) found in many pharmaceutical products, body care products, and used as a humectant food additive. It is generally non-irritating but Individuals with vulvodynia (chronic vulvar pain) and interstitial cystitis (chronic bladder condition/pain while urinating) may be especially sensitive to propylene glycol. Women struggling with yeast infections may also want to avoid using lubricants with Propylene Glycol.

Note: It has been suggested that women who are trying to conceive may want to avoid lubes with propylene glycol because it changes the pH of the vagina; however, there is no scientific evidence for this.

PRESERVATIVES- Ingredients such as: Polyquat 007, DMDM Hydantoin, PEG 45. They exist in very small amounts to prevent the growth of bacteria in the bottle.

PARABENS- Another form of preservative. There is speculation that parabens may play a role in the development of breast cancer, however, no causative link has been scientifically established.  The amount of parabens present in lubricants is very small.

TIP: If you are looking for a non-irritating lube try Hathor, Sliquid H2O, Wet Naturals, or Waterslide. They contain NONE of the above ingredients!