Men love the ass…the most intimate of intimates…the glory-est of holes. Yet, slipping in the back door, especially the very first time, can be a tight, difficult squeeze. Here are the best anal lubes you need to know about to make it the fun-est of times.
There are a lot of precautions you need to take before you initiate anal sex. Besides the usual hygiene issues and making sure the receptive partner hasn’t eaten Chipotle in the past couple of hours, an absolute necessity for anal play is lube. If you forget the lube, you’re probably going to have friction-filled, painful and distracting sex…or you won’t be having any sex at all.
Now what a pity that would be…right boys?
If you want some anal play, make sure you take the first precaution, and choose the best lubes…those built especially for the butt. Rectal tissue is very fragile, much more fragile than vaginal tissue and it’s worth protecting you and your partner. Here’s what you need to know:
Best Lubes for Anal Sex
Best water-based anal lube
 System JO Anal H2O Lubricant Meet Jo, the new addition to your relationship! System Jo Anal Personal Lubricant is latex safe. The lubricant comes in a 4.5-ounce bottle with push top lid. Jo is formulated to last long and never leave a sticky feeling behind. With U.S. FDA regulations backing Jo, you know it is safe. Slide into something amazing! |
 Pjur Back Door Anal Water Based Backdoor Water with the key ingredient comforting hyaluronan is a double-effect water-based anal lubricant created for men who prefer maximum moisture for anal penetration. This performance enhancing personal lubricant is hypoallergenic, latex condom safe, and ideal for daily use. |
Best silicone based anal lube
 Uberlube Uberlube is a luxury lubricant that is designed to transfer sensation while reducing friction, instead of only being slippery. It feels amazingly silky and performs as long as you’re using it. Afterwards, Uberlube starts to dissipate. Leaving your skin soft and moisturized. Never wet or sticky. |
 Amity Jack Bang Oil Amity Jack Bang Oil is crafted from the best ingredients. It lasts longer, so no more reapplying mid-sex. It slides better, giving you the perfect balance of glide & pleasure. It feels better, the perfect consistency to maximize pleasure. Oh, and did I mention it’s silicone based, so it works in water? Fire up the hot tub! |
Best oil based anal lube
 Boy Butter Original Formula Boy Butter Original is an oil-based lubricant consisting of two powerful yet gentle ingredients: a coconut oil and an organic silicone blend. The ingredients are homogenized like real butter and the end result is a personal lubricant that will last as long as any synthetic or silicone lubricants yet washes off with water alone, from both skin and fabric. |  Elbow Grease Original Cream There’s a reason that Elbow Grease is the oldest personal lubricant on the market – this best selling formula has been a favorite for years and continues to be a best seller today. Designed specifically to enhance your sexual experience, you can trust this mineral oil based thick cream to be the long-lasting, safe answer to all your personal needs. The classic tub packaging includes 4 oz. of premium cream. |
Types of Anal Lube
Many find silicone based lubricants are the best bet, especially if using condoms (men…please use condoms!), but there are many options for your sliding pleasure. Here is a breakdown of the main types of lube:
- Water-based lube: Cheap, don’t break condoms, body safe, usable with sex toys, but dry out the fastest (mid-poke reapplication is common)
- Silicon-based lube: More expensive than water-based lubes, dry out the slower than water-based lubes, but are not compatible with all sex toys
- Oil-based lube: The most expensive, may cause infections, NOT compatible with latex condoms, and may stain sheets, but dry out the slowest.
Off the bat, you’re probably going to want to steer clear of oil-based anal lube for anal sex. The oil leaves a thin film inside the rectum after sex, which can be a breeding ground for bacteria and can cause the receptive partner to get a yeast infection (if that receptive partner is a lady).
Not only that, but oil-based anal lube weakens latex condoms and can cause them to break, which is disastrous for those wanting to maintain safe sex. It’s fine for massages, external sex, non-latex condoms, and non-condom uses only but, at all costs, please don’t use oil-based anal lube for safe penetrative sex.
So, now you’re left with water-based and silicone-based anal lube. Deciding on these two choices comes down to personal preference. Water-based lubes are the most versatile and can be used anywhere on the body with ease, but may not be usable in the shower or other excessively wet areas. And with water-based lubes, you might want to ask yourself if the reapplication of lube will bother or distract you during sex, as this lube does dry up the quickest.
Luckily, silicone lubes are versatile in showers, hot tubs, lakes, and other wet places, keeping friction away all day every day. The best part of all, it will need to be reapplied less compared to water-based lubes. The stubbornness of silicone lubes means that clean-up will be harder than water-based lubes, meaning you will probably need to clean it up with soap.
And there’s something else to note: You can’t use silicone-based lube with silicone sex toys, as silicone molecules rubbing against each other will degrade the toy’s structure and cause it to weaken. If you don’t plan on using silicone toys, you’re good to go with the rest of its perks. Paying more upfront for this lube may mean longer lasting pleasure throughout the sexual experience.
Hybrid lubes do exist, giving you the perks of water-based and silicone-based lubes, though they are a bit harder to find and will probably more expensive than solely water-based or silicone-based lubes.
You decide between the lubes, but only between water-based and silicone-based lubes, though absolutely no oil for penetrative sex!
Ingredients in Anal Lube
Now that you’ve decided between water-based and oil-based lubes, you have to decide what ingredients will be best for you in the lubes you buy.
Always, always, always steer clear of glycerin. Glycerin is a sugar that supports Candida albicans, or a fungal spore known to cause yeast infections. Putting glycerin in a dark, moist orifice like the rectum can cause rampant yeast breeding that can be hard to get rid of. It would be costly to buy medications or creams to get rid of, as well as simply time-consuming. It would put a damper on sexual progression for sure. In short, don’t use sugary lubes, especially if you want to go the flavored route.
Another thing to note is the osmolality of lubricants. This one is lesser known, but it is how absorptive a lube is to your skin. You don’t want a lube that’s highly absorbent, as it will just seep into the skin and not be on the surface anymore. You want something that’s not super absorbent but won’t sit on the skin for a long time as can draw moisture out of skin cells, drying out the skin and disrupting the natural hydration of that area. And with something as sensitive as the anus, you don’t want to do that.
Anal Lube Characteristics
Thicker lubes will be best for anal sex, as thickness reduced friction. Friction against the sensitive anal tissue could lead to tears and cause an increased risk of infection or disease for the receptive partner, besides just being wholly unpleasant. Avoid that at all costs.
Another thing to know is the pH of lubes. The anus has a pH of about 7.0, making it neutral in nature. Use a lube that’s made for this pH, as, surprisingly enough, the acidity or basicity of lubes tends to vary for their purposes. We love Uberlube for it’s perfect pH, and soft, silky touch.
Vaginal lubes are designed for the acidity of the vagina at around 3.8 to 4.5 pH. Using an acidic vaginal lube for the anus will probably cause burning and not be a pleasurable experience. Besides, keeping the pH in balance with the anus keeps the microbial community in check, and refraining unwanted foreign bacteria from colonizing that area and leading to problems.
Verdict
- Get either water-based or silicone-based lubes (though silicone would probably be better for your needs).
- Keep ingredients in mind when purchasing lubes.
- Thick lubes are preferable over thin ones.
- Body-specific pH is another important factor to consider when buying lubes.
- Though the decision to spend your money is ultimately up to you, going for more expensive lubes will keep your safety and pleasure elevated throughout the sexual experience for you and your partner.
Stay safe! You get what you pay for. Don’t settle for soreness.
Check out our guide on preparing for anal sex for tips on getting ready to use that anal lube. Read our anal douche guide to that fantastic bottom of yours ready for action.