The hallmark of a great silicone lube is the slippery glide you experience during masturbation, vaginal penetration, and anal play — plus their ability to be used in water, and with any type of condom.
After 148 hours of cumulative research and personal testing over the last two years, we’ve concluded that Valm and Überlube are the best silicone-based lubricants available based on performance, features, and price.
We’ll share our team’s experience with them as well as the products that didn’t make our list (and why) along with everything you need to know about silicone-based lubes.
Our Top Recommendations
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Description:
Bottom Line: A little goes a long way, and this condom-friendly lube feels like silk on the skin. Best of all, it requires little, if any, reapplication and lasts a long time during sexy fun times in water. With gorgeously sleek packaging and the ability to lock the pump to prevent messes, Valm is a clear favorite for us. We took a vote and we think all lubes should lock. [Full Review + Video]
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Description:
Bottom Line: Featuring a discreet bottle that can remain on your nightstand without drawing attention, this luxurious lube offers a featherweight formula our team loves. With just a few drops, it mimics your body’s natural lubrication for long-lasting and ridiculously waterproof endurance and it’s safe for all condoms and silicone-free sex toys. [Full Review + Video]
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Best Overall
Description:
Bottom Line: A little goes a long way, and this condom-friendly lube feels like silk on the skin. Best of all, it requires little, if any, reapplication and lasts a long time during sexy fun times in water. With gorgeously sleek packaging and the ability to lock the pump to prevent messes, Valm is a clear favorite for us. We took a vote and we think all lubes should lock. [Full Review + Video]
Lux Pick
Description:
Bottom Line: Featuring a discreet bottle that can remain on your nightstand without drawing attention, this luxurious lube offers a featherweight formula our team loves. With just a few drops, it mimics your body’s natural lubrication for long-lasting and ridiculously waterproof endurance and it’s safe for all condoms and silicone-free sex toys. [Full Review + Video]
→ Our Research, Testing & Review Methodology
- Silicone-Based Lube Requirements: 100% body-safe ingredients, trustworthy brand, FDA approval, quality formula that enhances vaginal (or anal) sex, longevity during use, condom and sex toy compatibility (within reason), and a user-friendly mess-free bottle design.
- Silicone-Based Lubricants Considered: 117
- Products Tested: 11
- Tested By: Kayla Lords, Justin Perlman, Alison Huff, Clarisse Quirit Rella
- Total Research Time: 148 hours over 2+ years (as of 7/19/2023)
Best Overall: Valm
Best Overall
Valm Silicone
4.8
Pros:
- Slippery, Silky Texture
- Smart Pump Lock Prevents Leaks
- Minimal Re-Application Needed
- Discreet Yet Sexy Bottle
- Waterproof; Compatible With All Condom Types
Cons:
- Hard To Wash Off
- Will Stain Your Sheets
- Can’t Be Used With Silicone Sex Toys
Bottom Line:
While you can expect any silicone lube to feel slick and soft, Valm feels more slippery and much silkier compared to others — it was the clear favorite among all the lubes our team tested. That, the minimal re-application needed during use, and the beloved cap lock on the bottle make this a top choice that our team can’t recommend enough.
$21.95 (8.5 oz) @ Valm
Valm stole our hearts from the first glance at the packaging; it’s so discreet that the entire testing team agreed it looked cosmetic in nature.
The only thing that prevents absolute discretion is the word “silicone” on the bottle, but nothing gives this away as a lube.
Our testing team unanimously chose Valm as our top pick.
I love it so much it’s currently on my nightstand and has been used multiple times since testing.
This silicone lube feels so silky and slippery on the skin, and a little goes a loooooong way.
Fellow tester Justin Perlman put it best, “[It’s] so slippery, [it] feels like I could cover myself in this and jump through a keyhole.”
It’s not enough for lube to have the glide you expect, though.
Some lubes can feel sticky after a few minutes or create drag with each stroke (during handjobs or penetrative sex).
Valm, though, feels genuinely good on the skin the entire time you use it and leaves zero residue behind.
According to Clarisse Quirit Rella, another WHI tester, “This lube really felt moisturizing, like a lip balm for the body.”
Ultimately what a silicone lube feels like and how long it lasts matters a great deal.
All of our testers noted that they needed little to no re-application during use and it works underwater.
I had to re-apply once during longer vaginal penetration but other testers didn’t throughout all the ways they used it.
That being said, one of the clear winning features of Valm is the packaging.
First of all, it’s a pump bottle that can be really handy (pun intended) when your hands are busy but you need more lube.
Next, though, is the twist lock to prevent accidental spills and leaks.
WHI Editor-in-Chief and fellow tester, Alison Huff said it best: “The ‘lock’ feature on the pump should be standard on every lube, forever.”
Agreed.
Some lube we tested lost points because of how messy they were — regardless of how good they felt — so it definitely matters.
Especially when you consider that Valm’s formula, registered with the FDA (# K141767) is actually ID Millennium/Moments (manufactured by Westridge) in a different bottle.
It just goes to show you that other options for packaging can have a huge effect on the way a product ultimately performs.
Overall, Valm checks all the boxes that really matter in a high-quality, good silicone lube.
It feels amazing on the skin, is safe for latex condoms (unlike oil-based lubricants), lasts during sex and masturbation — especially in water, and doesn’t make a mess everywhere.
Like any personal lube made from silicone, Valm can’t be used with silicone toys — but that’s a small price to pay for something that adds so much to your sex life.
It’s hard to get a group of people to agree on something as personal as sexual pleasure, but our entire testing team loved Valm.
Lux Pick: Überlube
Lux Pick
Überlube Luxury Lubricant
4.6
Pros:
- Thin Yet Slippery Texture
- Doubles As A Massage Oil
- A Little Goes A LONG Way
- Luxurious Glass Bottle
- Waterproof; Compatible With All Condom Types
Cons:
- Glass Bottle Is Breakable
- Will Stain Fabrics
- Cannot Be Used With Silicone Sex Toys
Bottom Line:
Überlube is synonymous with luxury and its signature silicone formula looks and feels ahh-mazing. The sexiness begins with its sleek, glass packaging and ends with its über-slippery texture that feels more natural while providing all the benefits of long-lasting, quality silicone lube.
$29.99 (1.69 oz) @ Adam & Eve
If Überlube had Valm packaging and a slightly different price point, there’s a good chance it might have taken the top spot.
This is another lube that had our entire team of testers in agreement.
Überlube is thick without being too thick and is as slippery and silky as you can imagine.
It’s also very water-resistant; it takes several minutes of gentle water exposure before it washes away.
A little goes a long way and minimal re-application was needed.
The bottle seems small — which for some testers was a good thing as it was easy to handle and very discreet.
Don’t let the size fool you, though.
A small amount of lube comes out per pump but a little is all you may need in many situations.
Clearly, we’re fans of pumps around here.
That’s because it makes getting to the lube easier — and less messy.
Fellow tester, Alison Huff, summed it up like this:
“This is one of the best silicone lubricants I’ve tried — it’s lightweight but LONG lasting and a little goes a very long way. Which is a good thing, since you only get a little bit with each pump.”
I really enjoyed using Überlube — alone and during sex.
I used a stainless steel dildo and needed only a minimal amount of lube.
My partner reported no weird taste or mouth feel after a rather intense bout of oral sex.
If the packaging was bigger (for the money) and wasn’t made of glass, Überlube could have beaten out Valm for the top spot, that’s how good it is.
How We Made Our Picks & Features We Considered
When we first approached our medical review board and began researching and later testing silicone-based personal lubricants, we discovered that many popular products don’t live up to their hype.
A lube that claims to last “5x longer” than its competitors might need constant reapplication while others that are supposedly “silk-like” become tacky and dry up quickly — especially during certain activities.
While silicone lubricants are generally made from safe ingredients — most do not include parabens or glycerin because they simply don’t need them — these products don’t always meet the consumer expectations set by their marketing.
Although only 11 silicone-based lubricants met our strictest criteria for personal testing, 117 were carefully examined for possible consideration.
When selecting the best silicone-based lubes, the factors we considered included:
- 100% body-safe ingredients
- No known allergens included
- No additives
- A quality formulation
- FDA Approval
- Great texture and consistency
- Minimal need for reapplication
- Compatibility with condoms and sex toys (within reason)
- Ease of cleaning
- Water resistance
When selecting the best silicone-based lube, we weighed and tested:
- How our skin reacted to each formula
- How they felt during (and after) use
- How often they required reapplication (during masturbation, vaginal sex, and oral sex when applicable)
- Whether they worked with condoms or our favorite silicone-free sex toys
- How difficult they were to clean up after use
- Whether they stained our bedding or other fabrics
- How messy they were to dispense from the bottle
All of the lubricants we tested were used vaginally, during masturbation, handjobs, and anal play, and in some cases for oral sex, with no irritation reported by our team.
Silicone-Based Lubes That Didn’t Make Our List
We examined 117 silicone-based lubricants from dozens of parent brands over the past two years.
Most were eliminated due to unsafe ingredients and poor user reviews.
Lubes that we researched but didn’t necessarily consider for testing included products manufactured by:
- Slippery Stuff
- KY
- Lubelife
- Swiss Navy
- Please
- Maude
- Skyn
- One Move
- Trojan
- Brojo
- And many others…
No single lube is perfect for everyone, and trying to figure out the “best” lube comes down to personal preference and how you use it.
(That’s after a product can be deemed safe and high-quality, of course.)
You may need to try a few silicone-based personal lubricants to find the one that’s perfect for you.
So just because these didn’t make the cut doesn’t mean they’re bad.
You may love one that we didn’t choose, and that’s okay.
- Pjur Original: Made from quality ingredients and topping the list in many reviews of the best silicone-based lubricants, we really wanted to love this one. The bottle design is nice and we didn’t experience much in the way of a mess during use, however, the thickness of this product is a little extreme. Pjur original is long-lasting but doesn’t always reduce friction — in some cases (when using condoms for one tester), it almost seemed to increase it.
- ID Millennium: The biggest issue with this product is the bottle design. The flip-top cap with a hole in the center of it for dispersing product is prone to drippage down the side of the bottle during use, no matter how careful you try to be. The product itself isn’t terrible and you might love the formula — it’s entirely worth trying — but compared to the other silicone-based lubes we tested, it was not a top recommendation.
- Adam & Eve Personal Silicone Lubricant: This lube starts off slippery but very quickly (particularly during handjobs) becomes tacky and sticky — and it is a pain in the butt to wash away effectively. Additionally, the bottle design leads to easy drippage down the side of the bottle.
- Wet Platinum: If you love making a mess during sex, you might love Wet Platinum but most of our testers pointed out it gets everywhere — and we considered that a problem. It’s thin and lightweight which can be a plus but it definitely doesn’t hold up in water, if you’re looking for shower-sex-friendly lube.
- Sliquid Silver: Sliquid is a great brand overall, and Sliquid Silver mostly suffered from being just average as a lube. If you’re already a fan of Sliquid, you can trust this as a safe option, but it’s probably not going to blow your mind, either.
- Gun Oil: There’s clearly a target demographic for Gun Oil lube, and most of our testers (including myself) just weren’t it. It felt fine in most instances but some testers absolutely hated it for handjobs. Only one tester had a good experience, while three others definitely didn’t, so buyer beware if you want to try it for yourself.
- ID Velvet: Where ID Millennium failed, ID Velvet excelled — no mess and no spills. The packaging is sleek and the pump works well. That being said, it just didn’t stand out in the pack, though it definitely performs as you’d expect from silicone lube.
- Penchant Premium: This could have been a contender for a top pick because it felt good on the skin and the packaging has a clean design that doesn’t scream “lube.” The main issue was the need for reapplication. It didn’t last as long as other silicone lubes we tested.
- Astroglide X: There has never been and never will be anything discreet about Astroglide, so that was a definite point against it. Although this was a thick lube that didn’t need reapplication — a point in its favor — it didn’t offer a smooth glide for some of our testers. It’s another one that’s “fine” — and one of the few Astroglide lubes that passes our requirements to even be included in testing.
What To Know About Silicone-Based Lubes
Unlike water-based lubricants, silicone lubes aren’t a universal choice for every situation.
It’s important to understand what makes them unique, when and how to use them, and whether they’re safe.
What Are Silicone-Based Lubes?
Silicone lubes offer unparalleled glide during vaginal or anal penetration, featuring a silk-like texture that’s long-lasting and generally doesn’t require reapplication — even during marathon sex or water play.
They’re also made from gentle, hypoallergenic body-safe silicones that are especially ideal for folks with allergies or sensitivities and are compatible with all types of condoms and most toys — except those made from silicone.
When Should You Use A Silicone-Based Lube?
Silicone lubricants are known to be long-lasting compared to most other types of personal lubricants while being safely compatible with all condom types and silicone-free sex toys.
Additionally, unlike water-based lubricants, you don’t have to worry about improperly balanced pH or unsafe osmolality levels, because silicone (and oil-based) lubes do not contain water.
Silicone lasts longer and doesn’t dry down or wear off as quickly as water-based lubes. This makes it a great choice for anal play and any sexy fun (partnered or solo) in water.
Still, silicone personal lubricant is not ideal for every sexual situation and you can use our chart below to figure out if it’s the right choice for you.
| Lube Type: |
| Oral Sex |
| Vaginal Sex |
| Anal Sex |
| Condom Types |
| Sex Toy Types |
| Bath/Shower Use |
| Does It Stain? |
Is Silicone-Based Lube Safe?
Yes, it is — even during pregnancy.
Don’t let the name of their primary ingredient fool you into thinking otherwise.
If you’re wondering what silicone is, it’s a synthetic polymer crafted from silicon (which is made by heating silica), oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen.
Its slippery, long-lasting qualities make it ideal for personal lubrication.
Silicone itself is considered safe in most circumstances, as long as it is used appropriately and isn’t ingested in large amounts or injected into your body in liquid form.
Silicone-based lubricants are also generally safe to consume in small amounts.
- Safety Of Silicone Lubricant Ingredients When Trying To Conceive
Overall, silicone lubricants have not been found to hinder sperm motility and as long as they don’t have non-silicone additives such as glycerin or parabens, they should be safe to use when trying to conceive.
That said, lubricants that contain hydroxyethylcellulose are considered to be the best for anyone trying to conceive because they won’t decrease sperm motility.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is most commonly found in water-based lubricants, however, some silicone-based products do, as well.
The Pros And Cons Of Silicone-Based Lube
Silicone-based lube has plenty of good things going for it — its longevity and versatility among them — but nothing is perfect and there are a few downsides to consider.
The pros and cons of silicone-based lubes include:
Silicone Lube Pros:
- They are safe to use with all condoms, regardless of type.
- They are incredibly long-lasting and require little reapplication if any, especially when compared to water-based lube.
- They offer a range of textures from lightweight to thick depending on the formula.
- They provide unmatched silk-like slip during vaginal and anal sex and typically provide enough lubrication with one application.
- They will not rinse away in water, so they can be used during sexual activity in the bath, shower, or hot tub.
- When free from additives like fragrances or dyes (as all our recommendations are), they carry minimal risk of irritation or body reactions, even for those with sensitive skin.
- They are almost always paraben-free and glycerin-free.
- They generally won’t disrupt your body’s pH (which is especially important for women)
- They can be used for full-body and sensual massage.
- They are generally odorless.
- They are safe to swallow in small amounts.
Silicone Lube Cons:
- They will degrade sex toys made from silicone and most “cyber skin” materials, unlike water-based lubes, so you can’t rely solely on them for every activity.
- They typically feel “unnatural” compared to your body’s own lubrication, which some people don’t like.
- They often stain fabrics.
- Being made from silicone, they’re not a natural lube and typically don’t offer a gel consistency if that’s your preference.
- They are not water-soluble and can be difficult to remove, requiring thorough cleaning with soap and water.
- Unless formulated to be flavorless, they may not taste very good during oral sex and they have a very oily mouthfeel.
- They are never made from natural ingredients; silicone is synthetic.
- They tend to be more expensive compared to water-based or oil-based lubricants.
There aren’t necessarily lube alternatives that exactly match what you’ll get with silicone formulations, although natural oil-based ones, like shea butter, come the closest.
One thing to note, however, is that any oil is incompatible with latex or polyisoprene condoms, and also cannot be used with latex, rubber, or jelly rubber sex toys.
Closing Thoughts
Silicone-based lubes solve specific problems that other lubes have and great silicone lubes are a pleasure to use.
They hold up in water and they’re a long-lasting option for anal play that’s safe to use with any kind of condom.
One big downside of silicone lubricant, however, is that you can’t use it with your silicone sex toys.
There are so many available choices that it can be hard to know what’s good and what’s best left on the shelf.
You need a lube that feels good on your body, gives you the experience you want, and lasts long enough to get the job done.
Hopefully, we’ve helped narrow down your options and offered plenty of advice to help you choose the right silicone-based personal lubricant for your needs.
Editor’s Note: This article is part of our Everything Lube hub, an in-depth and evolving resource that comprehensively explores all aspects of personal lubricants from the different types and how to use them, to ingredients and safety — created to help you achieve the sexual pleasure you deserve.
