What is Lotion and How is It Used For Masturbation?
Whether you call it lotion, lubrication, or just lube, many people still have a lot of misconceptions about this useful product. While some may think lotion is only for specific situations, lotion is actually far more versatile than you might have thought. If you’re asking the following questions: What is lotion? When should I use it? How do I even use lotion? Then don’t worry, we've got the answers right here.
Contents
What Is Lotion / Lube?
When searching for lotions or lubricants online, you might find searches for oils for use in garages or cosmetics. But we are talking about lubricants or lotions for sexual activity, made to add moisture or ‘lubricate’, whether for masturbation or sex. But what is the difference between lotion and lubricant?
The key difference between a lubricant and a lotion is duration. Both are designed to be used for both masturbation or sexual activity. They are both great for many reasons, although lotions are generally designed to last longer than lube.
When Should I Use Lotion?
There are a great many reasons why lotion should be used during sex or masturbation. Here are some of the best reasons to use it.
Multiple Purposes
Lotion is useful in most sexual situations, depending on the type you choose to use. Whether you’re masturbating with your hand, a sex toy or engaging in partnered play, lotion has its use. Overall, lotion is there to provide more lubrication, making everything feel smoother, with less risk of injury or chaffing.
Enhance Pleasure
Lotion isn’t only useful for lubrication. It can also be used at any time during sex or masturbation to make things more fun in a number of different ways. Lotion can come in different flavours, and some can add different sensations, such as a warming or cooling effect.
Non-oil-based options used with condoms can also help people with issues regarding the way sex feels different when using protection. Lotion can be used in multiple ways to enhance pleasure for you and your partner!
Make Sex and Masturbation Safer
We always recommend the use of lotion with sex toys, as not enough lubrication can lead to injury. If you’re using condoms, lotion may also make it less likely to break or slip off, which may increase protection against STIs. Just be sure to use a water or silicone-based lotion, as other types could cause damage to the condom.
When Experiencing Dryness
Vaginal dryness during sex is more common than you think, and can happen for several reasons, including hormone levels, where you are in your menstrual cycle, stress, etc. The natural lubrication of the penis can also differ, and dryness isn’t something embarrassing nor should it be misinterpreted! Lotion is great for situations like these, where some extra help is needed to lubricate. If you have any concerns regarding dryness, we suggest visiting a medical professional for advice first.
Why Regular Body Products Don’t Cut It
It might be tempting to reach for whatever’s already in the bathroom cabinet, but when it comes to lubricating for pleasure, what you use matters more than you might think.
Household alternatives like coconut oil, body lotion, or moisturiser might seem like convenient substitutes, but they’re not formulated for this kind of use. Many contain harsh fragrances, alcohols, and other ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin, especially in areas that aren’t used to prolonged contact with those chemicals.
Saliva is another common go-to, but it dries out quickly, which defeats the purpose entirely.
A lotion made specifically for intimate activities has been formulated with both your body and your toy in mind. It’s designed to be body-safe, compatible with toy materials, and easy to clean off afterwards. Using the right product from the start protects both you and your toy and makes for a much more comfortable experience overall.
How To Use Masturbation Lotion
There’s no overall rule about how much lotion you should use, and it can depend on multiple different factors such as you or your partners’ natural level of lubrication, the type of sexual activity you’re engaging in, including foreplay, vaginal sex, massages or anal sex, and the specific sex toy you’re using.
Try starting with 2-3 drops depending on the lotion and see how that feels. If you want more, you can always add more. Just be aware that how quickly the effect wears off depends on the lotion. While silicone-based lotions last the longest, even they may sometimes need reapplication.
To be extra safe, always follow these general recommendations too:
Choose the Right Lotion
Using the wrong type of lotion on your toy or condom can cause damage and/or reduce the effectiveness of the product.
- Water-based lotions are the most versatile option. They’re safe to use with all toy materials, including silicone, and are compatible with condoms. They’re also the easiest to clean up afterwards.
- Silicone-based lotions should never be used with silicone toys. The two materials share a similar chemical composition, which means the lotion can slowly break down the toy’s surface, leaving it sticky or damaged over time. Silicone-based lotions are, however, safe to use with condoms.
- Oil-based lotions are generally not recommended for use with condoms, as oil can degrade latex and reduce its effectiveness. They can also be harder to clean off both skin and toys.
Check for Allergies
Be sure to check if you are allergic to anything in your chosen lotion before using it. If you’ve read the ingredient list on the packaging but are still unsure, you can perform a patch test, as this can be the easiest and safest way of testing.
Lotions & Contraception
Remember that lotions are not contraceptives. Most do not contain spermicide, so they are ineffective at preventing pregnancies, nor do they stop STD transmission. Not only this, but using the wrong kind of lotion may cause issues with other forms of contraception, such as condoms no longer working completely.
Store It Properly
Lotion lasts longer when it’s kept somewhere cool and dry, away from direct sunlight or heat sources. Always close the cap tightly after use, and try not to touch the nozzle directly to avoid introducing bacteria into the bottle. It’s also worth checking the expiry date before use, especially if a bottle has been sitting in a drawer for a while.
How to Clean Up After Using Lotion
Cleaning up after using lotion is pretty straightforward. For skin, a warm, damp cloth or a quick rinse in the shower does the job. Water-based lotions wash off easily with water alone. Silicone-based options are a little more stubborn and may need a small amount of soap to remove fully.
If you’ve used lotion with a toy, clean the toy as soon as you’re done. The longer the lotion sits on a surface, the harder it can be to remove. For most toys, warm water and a mild soap are enough. Always check the care instructions for your specific toy, and make sure it’s fully dry before storing it away.
What Lotions Does TENGA Have?
TENGA’s products provide a wide variety of sensations, but we also know that lotion can make all the difference! Now that we’ve covered what lotion is and how to use it, let’s take a look at what kinds of lotion TENGA has to offer.
Please note: TENGA's lotions are created for use with TENGA products and are not for use during sex.
TENGA Lotion
The TENGA Lotion Series is made of different sex toy lotions that vary mostly in viscosity. The TENGA Lotions are TENGA Lotion Mild, TENGA Lotion Regular, and TENGA Lotion Light. The Light features the most liquid lotion, all the way up to the most dense Mild. While all can be used on all reusable TENGA sex toys, there are subtle differences that can change the way the products feel.
You can read more about the TENGA Lotion Series and how to choose the right one for you in our blog here. Don't forget to buy refills of your favourites!
EGG LOTION
For a more portable lotion, we have the TENGA EGG LOTION. It has the same viscosity/thickness as the lotion that comes with the TENGA EGGs, which is not otherwise available. If you like our EGGs, then this EGG-shaped lotion gives you the perfect travel-sized lotion in the palm of your hand!
Summary
Lotion or lubricant is useful in many different situations, and can even help people have a more natural and smooth experience, whether masturbating or engaging in sexual activities. As long as you keep in mind the helpful tips we’ve listed in this blog and pick the right type of lotion for the right situation, you’ll soon discover that you can never have enough!
Check out the TENGA Lotion Series today!
Curious about what else Official TENGA UK has to offer? Browse our single-use sex toys, discover our male masturbators or explore the full range of male sex toys and find what works for you.
