sliquid

Lube Week, Day 3: Sliquid Organics Stimulating O Gel

Kate Sloan

I’m not the biggest fan of “arousal gels,” but if you’re gonna get one, you should get Sliquid Organics Stimulating O Gel.

Seriously, even high-end companies make the mistake of putting glycerine in their arousal gels. As if they think it’s not a big deal because you’re only putting it on your clit, not in your vag. As if gravity doesn’t exist. As if no one likes to get their G-spot tingly as well as their clit. Silly lube manufacturers!

As usual, Sliquid gets it exactly right. Their ingredients list doesn’t contain anything that’ll lead to vaginal misery.

Peppermint oil and menthol create that tingling sensation. It has a sweet, minty taste and smell. The tingling lasts about five minutes, which is more than I can say for any other arousal gel I’ve tried.

But is it orgasmic? Well, sorta. When I can manage to reach orgasm during the five-minute tingling window (rarely), the orgasm does seem to be more intense. Then I’m left with a sticky clit, of course, but that’s no biggie.

I’ve never really been a fan of cooling lubricants – I find them more distracting than arousing – but if you like ‘em, Sliquid O Gel is the one I would recommend.

Thanks very much to Conscious Contraceptives for letting me try out this gel! Be sure to check out their mission statement and support their good work in any way you can.

Lube Week, Day 1: Sliquid Sassy Booty

Kate Sloan

It turns out that I have lots of backlogged lube reviews at the moment – so I figured I’ll just get ‘em done all in a row, in an entire week of lube reviews! (I know, not everyone finds lube a fascinating thing to read about. Hopefully you’ll find some value in these, and if not, then hopefully you’ll tune out until next week when I’m back to your normally scheduled programming!)

First up: Sliquid Sassy Booty, sent to me by the lovely and charitable folks at Conscious Contraceptives.

I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, that Sliquid is the best of all the popular brands of lube today – at least, if you and/or your partner has a vagina. All of their products are free of glycerine, propylene glycol, parabens, and all the other gross stuff that shouldn’t go anywhere near anyone’s vag.

Sassy Booty is a thick gel lubricant. It has only a few ingredients (purified water, plant cellulose, cyamopsis, potassium sorbate, and citric acid), all of which are vegan and totally okay to put inside you.

It’s completely devoid of all scent and taste, which really surprised me. If you’ve been seeking an utterly tasteless, unscented lube, this is a great option.

As you might have guessed from the name, Sassy Booty is designed for anal play. Personally, I hesitate to recommend any water-based lube for anal use, because they dry up so fast when compared to other kinds of lube – but if you find yourself looking for a lube that can safely be used with a silicone anal toy, Sassy Booty is probably the best you’re gonna find.

Most water-based lube will last about two minutes without any additional lubrication. Sassy Booty, on the other hand, can last up to five or six minutes without adding any moisture. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but it’s practically unheard of for a water-based lube. The only other one I own which can compare is Blossom Organics, which has been my go-to lube for months and months.

The texture is very slick and wet, but not drippy. It leaves a slightly sticky residue once it’s dried down, which is easily taken care of with a wet wipe or a quick wash with soap and water.

Anyone seeking a good water-based lube should definitely consider Sliquid Sassy Booty, even for non-anal purposes. It holds up better than any other water-based lube I’ve tried, and is totally body-safe and non-irritating. Just don’t expect it to work as well as a silicone-based lube for anal play; you’re still going to have to re-lube your butt plug every half hour to stay comfortable if you use Sassy Booty.

Thanks so much to Conscious Contraceptives for sending me this snazzy lube! Did you know that they are philanthropists in the world of contraceptive distribution? Plus their prices are awesome. You should shop there!

Review: Sliquid Swirl

Kate Sloan

At first blush, Sliquid Swirl seems too good to be true. It’s a natural, hypoallergenic lube that also happens to be flavored and glycerine-free. On top of all that, it also doesn’t contain any parabens or propylene glycol, both gross health offenders that are found in most lubes.

As a result of being devoid of all these nasties, Swirl is a legitimately vagina-friendly flavored lube, a title that’s pretty much akin to “unicorn” in the world of commercial lubricants. So before we go any further, I have to tell you: I approve of this lube. It’s automatically better than 99% of the lubes you will find, if you and/or your partner have a vagina, purely because of its ingredients.

The flavor I scored from PinkCherry.ca is pink lemonade; Swirl also comes in other delicious-sounding varieties like green apple and cherry vanilla. Considering how many flavored lube brands produce only one-note tastes like vanilla, strawberry, and mint, it’s refreshing to see Sliquid trying out cool variations you won’t find anywhere else.

My pink lemonade Swirl has a pleasant scent that reminds me of grapefruit, apple, and a hint of soap, all mixed together. The taste is subtler, less punchy, but still sweet and kind of fruity (my boyfriend says it reminds him of konjac jelly candy). It’s sweetened with aspartame, in order to avoid the enemy of vaginas everywhere, sugar – so if you have sensitivities to aspartame, or just don’t like the ever-so-slightly artificial sweetness it creates, you might not enjoy this lube as much as I do.

The taste plays well with genital flavors, though I think that’s more a result of the aspartame than anything else. Pouring a packet of sweetener on just about anything will make it taste like a more pleasant version of itself. The pink lemonade taste is not always super obvious, but the sweetness is. Be warned, this lube won’t stick around if your oral technique is wet and sloppy (and whose isn’t?) – there are better choices for a lasting flavor during oral, though they’re not usually vagina-safe.

Used for its intended purpose of lubrication, Swirl’s formulation makes it last about as long as any other water-based lube will, i.e. not a very long time. Without any added moisture, it dries down after about two minutes. With added moisture, it’ll typically last long enough that I can get through all or most of a masturbation session with it (ten to twenty minutes or so) without needing to reapply. I don’t like its texture or lastability as much as my “old faithful” lube, so Swirl won’t be my new favorite, but it’s pretty okay as far as water-based lubes go.

One thing I really like about Swirl is that it truly is both functional and flavorful – so I can use it on a dildo or my boyfriend’s cock, and afterwards, my vag still tastes sweet, allowing for a cooldown oral session.

Also, whoever designed the Sliquid packaging is brilliant. It’s slightly reminiscent of a shampoo bottle, with its easy-to-open top and easy-to-hold body. And it never leaks. You have to give the bottle a very firm squeeze to get it to dispense any lube. Bravo! (Maybe not the best choice for people with weak hands, sore wrists, etc., though.)

While Sliquid Swirl isn’t my favorite lube in the world, it’s certainly my favorite flavored lube, and one that I’ll be using regularly. It feels good to know that I can sweeten up my junk without fearing for my health.

Thanks very much, PinkCherry.ca!