If you have sensitive skin, then you'll want to be extra careful with the body products you use. From skin reddening to itching, burning, and peeling skin… There's a lot your skin can suffer from using body products not compatible with it.
How can I be sure of what ingredients to look out for when buying body products?
For body products like intimate lubricants - which are a must-have for a lot of people; because it helps spice up their sex life. The following are intimate lubricants you shouldn't go for - as they contain ingredients that will harm your sensitive skin. This is basically for you if you have a vagina. Since the skin around the vagina and vulva is sensitive and would react to certain ingredients, it's vital to ensure you pay attention to these ingredients when shopping for intimate lubes.
Major Ingredients to avoid when shopping for Intimate Lubricants
- Alcohol - Alcohol-based skin care products can be a haven for people with oily skin, as alcohol helps dry excess oils produced in the skin. But when you use intimate lubricants that contain alcohol, it causes vaginal dryness which can lead to discomfort and irritation. So, to be on the safe side, always shop for lubes that are free of alcohol.
- Oils - Oil-based lubricants are a no-go if you want ultimate satisfaction when getting down without your skin getting irritated. Apart from the irritations they can cause, they're not suitable for latex-made condoms, as they can react when in contact and weaken them, which can cause tears in the condoms. They also pose a risk of you contracting bacterial infections due to the way they react with the vagina’s pH levels.
- Fragrance - Generally, when a fragrance is added to skin-care products; it makes them smell pleasant but this is not a suitable ingredient for lubes. People with sensitive skin will notice flare ups or experience stinging sensations on their skin when using skin-care products that contain fragrances. Imagine what it would feel like when used in such a sensitive area? Short answer - NOT good.
- Parabens - These are generally synthetic preservatives; essential for preserving pharmaceutical and cosmetics products. As important as this ingredient is, it's not suitable for lubes. When included in lubricants, it creates a risk of you contracting breast cancer due to its ability to mimic the effects of estrogen in your tissues. Therefore, this isn't a good ingredient for your personal lubes.
- Glycerin - If glycerin is one of the first 5 ingredients on the label, that lubricant should be a hard pass. Glycerin is a humectant, which means it draws water to itself from your vaginal walls causing dryness. This is counterintuitive to what should be happening if you need more moisture down there. Glycerin is basically a form of sugar and though it may sound nice in theory, we want to avoid the buildup in Candida. Glycerin is known to contribute to overgrowth of yeast in women susceptible to yeast infections and if you’ve had one before, you definitely won’t want it again!
- Capsaicin - Many warming lubricants use this. It's supposed to be a naturally obtained warming ingredient. However, this is one instance where natural doesn't mean nice. Capsaicin is extracted from chili peppers and it's the main component that gives peppers that burning sensation. If you're especially sensitive, using a product with Capsaicin can be a terrible idea.
- Chlorhexidine Gluconate - Chlorhexidine is an antiseptic that is used for skin disinfection before surgery and to sterilize surgical instruments. Trust me when I say you absolutely don't need to purge your V like that. Your intimate area needs a healthy amount of flora (little workers) to be happy. Killing them off with potent disinfectant is likely to worsen any symptoms of dryness you may have.
As previously mentioned, this article is to assist you with the major ingredients to look out for when shopping for personal lubricants. That is to say, there are other ingredients not included in this list.
Ingredients To Look For When Shopping for Lubes for Sensitive Skin
I know it can be stressful going through the hassle of buying products that will be suitable for your sensitive skin (especially with intimate lubricants). That’s why at Pulse, we have gone through the painstaking research of figuring out what works for a perfect bedroom experience.
Without further ado, the following are lube ingredients that pair well with sensitive skin:
- Aloe Vera
- Vitamin-E
- Green Tea
- Water-based
- Natural plant extracts
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, paying closer attention to product labels pays, so we should get into the habit of checking the labels of the products we use on our body; like we do when buying the food we eat.
Disclaimer: Discontinue use of ANY lube if you notice signs of reactions or symptoms after, even if they don't contain these ingredients. Remember, your body has its own unique characteristics and you should listen to it.
This article was written to inform you of the harmful ingredients a lot of intimate lubricants in the market contain. Now, some lube companies may not care about avoiding reactions, but at Pulse, we work hard to make clean and effective lubes that fit your natural ecosystem.
Click here to see how Pulses’ organic ingredients spice up your sex life with no side effects.
