Natural Homemade Lubricant: The DIY Guide

If you haven’t considered making your own lube, you’re missing out on the fun and all the benefits. Switching to DIY lube ensures you know exactly what you’re putting in your body, and you can ensure the formula is all natural.

The Dirty Truth About Lube

You’re not alone if you head to the sex store or your favorite online retailer when you need a bottle of lube, but you’re wrong if you think that any lube is okay or even that every lube on the market is safe.

Lubricants and other cosmetics contain preservatives that allow them to sit on the shelf for months or even years at a time. This is important because stores and manufacturers never know when a product will sell. But preservatives such as parabens aren’t necessarily healthy. And the longer a product sits, the more its chemical makeup can change.

Furthermore, some personal lubricants are just repackaged medical lubricants. They seem moisturizing, but they’re not intended for the constant movement of sex so they’re really not cut out for the job.

Finally, not all manufacturers care about your health. They may contain ingredients that aren’t necessarily good for you. Oil-based products can block pores, and some people avoid ingredients containing silicone at all because of the way it coats skin. Cyclopentasiloxane is one type of silicone that companies have moved away from.

Other ingredients you may want to avoid include:

• Glycerin: a type of sugar that may contribute to yeast infections

• Petroleum: has links to cancer and degrades condoms

• Propylene glycol: may cause irritation

• L-Arginine: can trigger herpes outbreaks in users

But store-bought lubricants aren’t your only options. You can make your own lube at home, where you can control the ingredients, or you can rely on natural lubricants

Natural Lubricants

Although there are a few natural substances that you can use as sex lubes, coconut oil, almond oil and aloe are the most common.

Coconut Oil

At room temperature, coconut oil is actually a solid and not an oil (unless it’s been refined to be a liquid). However, body temperature melts it into a nice pool. This is why coconut oil works well as a personal lubricant and for giving a sensual massage!

Coconut oils is slick and smells good. Some people even like the taste, and they add coconut oil to their recipes!

Some people swear by coconut oil as a lube, but there are some caveats.

• Coconut oil won’t wash off easily, which makes it good for shows but bad for cleanup.

• Refined coconut oil can also stain your linens.

• Coconut oil may not be condom compatible because oils degrade latex.

• Coconut oil may not be good for vaginal flora.

You’ll also need to be careful not to contaminate your supply with water or bacteria, which can cause bacteria to grow.

Aloe Vera

You already know that aloe is soothing, which is why it’s used to treat sunburns and other skin conditions. However, it can also be used as a lubricant, and it’s safe for use with condoms! You can use pure aloe that you purchase, but buying your own plant provides you with a more sustainable option.

Harvesting the aloe gel from the plant requires you to cut a leaf from the plant and strip off one layer. The gel sits between those layers, and you can use it directly. You can store leftover gel in the refrigerator for a few days.

Almond Oil

Almond oil is another natural lube option (and you could even consider jojoba oil or olive oil). Like coconut oil, it’s solid in cooler temperatures but easily warms. It’ll degrade condoms, but it’s full of vitamins: E, D, B1, B2, B6 and A. Almond oil is also soothing.

Homemade Lube

What if you want to make your own lube? We’ve got you covered! Try one of the recipes below. You can find the right texture and scent with these products, which are natural.

Note that these recipes suggest a type of oil (such as coconut), but you can swap it out if you’d like. Almond, jojoba and olive oil can also be used as carriers.

Essential oils add additional properties but aren’t necessary. Peppermint oil adds a tingly sensation to your lube, but you can certainly swap it out if you don’t like the sensation or smell. Black pepper essential oil can add a warming sensation if you prefer.

Consider lavender, jasmine, geranium (good for hormones) or ylang ylang (aphrodisiac) essential oils. However, any essential oil that smells good to you work. Just make sure that it doesn’t add any unpleasant sensations.

Store your DIY lube in a cosmetics tube or bottle. You can reuse an empty one or buy them from the store. The travel section has small containers that are perfect. You can also use a glass bottle with dropper.

Homemade Aloe Vera-Based Lube

This recipe uses aloe vera and flax seed as base.

Recipe

Shake the following in a jar and shake to mix.

• 1/4 cup Aloe vera gel
• 1/4 cup Flax seed oil
• 5 drops Peppermint essential oil
• 12 drops Sensation essential oil (a combination of Ylang Ylang, Coriander, and others)

Recipe source - Healthy Honey

Our Thoughts?

This recipe is good if you want added sensation and scent, but it’s overwhelming if you just want slickness.

Try pure aloe vera gel, instead, if that’s what you want.

DIY Coconut Oil-Based Lube

Recipe

Mix coconut oil, with 3-4 drops each of the following essential oils:

• Lavender Essential Oil
• Peppermint Essential Oil
• Geranium Essential Oil
• Jasmine Essential Oil
• Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Recipe source - Yogimami

Our Thoughts?

The peppermint oil makes you tingle and gives it a minty smell. Lavender is calming, and ylang ylang is known as an aphrodisiac, but those with a sensitive nose might find the combination confusing and too floral.

Water-based Homemade Lube

This is the most labor-intensive DIY lube recipe. You’ll need a pot, whisk and funnel aside from the container (about 4 ounces in size) to store the lube.

Recipe

Add 1 cup of cold water to 4 teaspoons of arrowroot flour/powder in a pot. Mix to combine.

Turn on heat to medium. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Once it gains a gel texture, remove from heat.

Use a funnel to pour the mixture into the container. Allow it to cool. Add 3-5 drops of peppermint, Sensation and black pepper essential oils. Store at room temperature.

Recipe source - Veggie Converter

Our Thoughts?

This one packs the most punch thanks to the peppermint and black pepper oils. Even though it’s water-based, the essential oils can still degrade condoms.

It doesn’t really take that much time, but the other recipes are easier because you need to combine arrowroot with water to get the right consistency.

If you’re a little lazy, it’s more convenient to use a basic oil. However, it’s nice to have a DIY lube recipe that doesn’t use an oil base.