“I am so wet.”

When a girl whispers this to her lover, we all know it’s game time. But the assumption that initial wetness somehow guarantees an ample amount of natural lubrication during an entire round of sex is a misconception. Sometimes — actually most times — sex can be improved greatly just by adding just a few drops of your favorite lubricant.

Once upon a time, in the darkest ages of my sexual journey, I thought lube was only for old ladies. When my boyfriend suggested I try lube, I was quite appalled and very embarrassed. I remembered that scene from “Superbad” in which Jonah yells, “These girls are 18 years old; they’re not dried-up old ladies. They’re good to go!”

I was only 18, so I should have been “good to go,” right?  I felt like a frigid old hag as well as a sexual failure.

Then, I read Paul Joannides’ “Guide to Getting it On!” In Joannides’ chapter on lube, he writes, “You probably want to add lube if you use condoms, no matter how wet she gets.” I realized that the problem wasn’t that my vagina was defective; it was my irrational aversion to trying lube. When practicing safe sex (i.e., using condoms consistently and correctly), lube is an excellent way to keep sex feeling as smooth and sensual as possible.

After investigating the local drugstores and sex shops, I noticed that there are many options when it comes to lube. Choosing the right lube for you among all of the variety may seem like a daunting task, so here are a few pointers.

First, pick a lube that is compatible with your condom. When using latex condoms you need to stick with a water-based or silicone lube, because oil products will degrade the latex (so no Vaseline, hand lotion or chocolate). Next, consider your preferences regarding texture, smell and flavor.

I recommend the Wet, ID glide, Pjur Eros and Swiss Navy brand lubes. Wet and ID glide are both available at drugstores, and you can find one-use packets of these lubes with all of the free condoms given away at the Health Promotion Research Center here on campus. Pjur Eros and Swiss Navy are a little more expensive and available at Forbidden Fruit stores.

My favorite lube is Swiss Navy’s Passion Fruit-flavored personal lubricant. I like this product because it is not too sticky and it tastes wonderful (more like bubble gum than passion fruit, though). I prefer flavored lube because usually sex gets pretty varied. One minute you may be having vaginal sex and the next minute oral sex, so this ensures that the transition is delicious.

Once you’ve found a lube that fits your preferences, you can use it in an almost unlimited number of ways.

To increase pleasure for a male, put a little drop of lube on the inside of the condom before putting the condom on. Make sure not to put too much lube on the inside of a condom, because it could make things so slick that the condom would slide right off, which is not the desired effect.

Some people may want to rub a little lube on the outside of the condom before penetration, or you could just rub a little lube directly on the vulva with your fingers. A rule of thumb with lube is that less is more, so always start with just a drop and add more if necessary. 

So get over the misconceptions and embrace slicker, smoother, better sex — invest in lube!