The topic of choice this February is... PERSONAL LUUUBRICANTS!
*WARNING - Using oil-based lubricants can compromise the integrity of a condom. The Giddy Yoyo RAW LOVE BUTTER featured in this article is oil-based.
Many of us have used them, if you haven’t, congratulations! You and your partner are sexually hydrated! Some of us use personal lubricants in the bedroom for a more enjoyable experience when things aren’t quite as moist. But there are so many different types of lubricants out there, it’s hard to know what may be good for you, and what might not! That’s where I think this guide will come in handy and help give you some clarity this upcoming Valentine’s Day. 💖
Firstly, let’s talk about the Vagina for a second - one of woman’s most wonderful gifts from God. A highly complex ecosystem of fresh flesh, and good moisture. Within the walls of us are many delicate mucous membranes that require a certain pH to be happy and function optimally. A healthy vaginal pH level for a woman in her reproductive years is 4.0 to 4.5 acidic. Your average non-natural lubricant can actually raise the pH of your Vagina which will disrupt your vaginal flora, causing things like an over-growth of bacteria like we see in BV.
Found in some lubricants and MANY cosmetic products alike, are P A R A B E N S. Not only are they incredibly irritating to the skin cells, they are also oestrogenic which means they cause your body to produce estrogen. Parabens can be absorbed and act like the hormone estrogen in the body and disrupt the normal function of our hormone systems, potentially turning on the growth of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers, and also affecting male and female reproductive system functions, reproductive development, fertility, and birth outcomes. 👎
Below I have listed some other ingredients commonly found in leading lube brands such as KY Jelly, or Durex. *Notice how most of the ingredients listed are difficult to pronounce, or you may not know what they are or why they’re in there. Look out for these on the label!
Hydroxyethylcellulose - is used in this product as an emulsion, and a viscosity increasing agent. Most of these ingredients themselves are preservatives, and in the world of holistic skincare we know that preservatives cause irritation to our skin and break down our body’s own natural ability to turn over healthy cells and produce a natural, healthy amount of oil. Because of the way in which personal lubricants are used – inside and intimate places – our sensitive mucous membranes may be affected by these.
Gluconolactone – used as an antimicrobial in drug store lubricant jellys, this alpha hydroxyl acid (probably synthetically derived) can also exfoliate the skin as it’s related to an AHA or BHA... but why do we need to put something like this in our “down there”?? Well, it’s usually in the product to help stabilize it, but our bodies don’t know how to properly process out toxin such as these, and they are absorbed.
Chlorhexidine – acts like an alcohol and is known to kill bacteria, this synthetic ingredient can also be found in surfactants, the sanitization of dentist tools, oral mouth rinses, and clinical grade gingivitis fighting solutions.. It is also widely known to greatly cause allergic reactions, and irritations to the skin, especially with frequent use. This could contribute to why so many people say that they experience rashing when using personal lubricants. We must protect our healthy cells at all costs, especially within our delicate mucous membranes!
Sodium Hydroxide – (an inorganic compound also known as lye or caustic soda-harsh), that breaks down proteins at ordinary temperatures. When proteins are broken down in the skin, we have a less effective protective layer, and are therefore more susceptible to skin burns, irritations, or rashing. Sodium hydroxide is used in many different products, including the manufacture of pulp and paper, textiles, soaps and detergents, and is a main ingredient in DRAIN CLEANER… WHY ON EARTH would we need this in our sexy time tools?!
Methylparaben - Used as an anti-fungal agent, can also be found in food and cosmetic preservatives. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) lists methylparaben as being a low to moderate health hazard in regards to allergic reactions, especially when the product is used frequently.
Glycerin — also known as glycerol or glycerine — is a sugar alcohol compound. While glycerin can act as food for some types of healthy vaginal flora, it can also act as food for yeast strains, most notably candida albicans. An average lubricant contains more than 20% glycerin, making it likely to cause mucosal irritation, where water moves out of the cells in your vaginal walls to a semi-permeable membrane to equalise pressure, by the process of osmosis.
Lubricants and FERTILITY – If you’re fertile and are looking to pro-create, you should know that due to its syrupy and viscous texture, certain lubricants can reduce the ability for sperm to swim throughout the vagina and make its way up to a woman’s Cervix. The result is that sperm end up dying in the acidic environment of the vagina before they can reach the uterus. If you’re like me, and many women looking to conceive right now, you will want to steer clear of these types of elements as they will work against you in the race to baby town.
If you’re NOT looking to re-produce, and maybe you’re using a spermicidal lubricant, be aware, Nonoxynol-9 is the active ingredient used in most of these types of lubes, and it’s been found to be damaging to vaginal tissue, causing severe irritation and even inside cuts... This would greatly increase the risk of an STI transmission infection, and wouldn’t feel very good whatsoever!
SO, this brings us to what you CAN use when playing between the sheets.
When you’re looking to spice things up, go a little longer, or add a little deliciousness to your bedroom routine… we recommend using natural things with organic ingredients that will provide a nice slip without throwing off your inside ecosystem - products such as the Giddy Yoyo RAW LOVE BUTTER! 😍 Organic, Vegan, & Cruelty Free, this full body EDIBLE moisturizer melts effortlessly with the warmth of your body, and nourishes and hydrates the skin, and also smells and tastes like chocolate, making it a perfect pairing for Valentines Day.
Check out the full ingredient listing of this irresistibly sweet smelling, cocoa, vanilla bean flavoured, coconut oil, slippery goodness;
Organic Cacao Butter – Giddy Yoyo’s cacao butter is made from fully fermented lightly-roasted fine flavour Ecuadorian Arriba criollo non-hybrid cacao – a real ingredient. We like that. Cacao Butter can help improve blood flow, and you can also add it to your morning coffee or bake with it! Multi-purpose lube.
Organic Coconut Oil – We all know and love COCONUT OIL. With its many wonderful benefits and healing properties, it’s ability to heal wounds, its an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and it makes for a great lubricant when you’re feeling dry! You may have this option in your fridge or cupboard already, so reach for this instead of taking a drive to the drug store the next time you’re in need. Be careful with how often you have coconut oil down there because this can somewhat upset the delicate balance of our flora when used consistently.
Organic “Ice Pressed” Olive Oil - Rallis still farms their olives the old-fashioned way. This means with no chemical pesticides, no sprays, and no fancy machinery. They work to maintain a high antioxidant content in their olive oils, there are several significant factors that can impact this antioxidant value: a late harvest, mechanical agitation, slow to press, high heat, and filtering. This brand bypasses these common trappings to ensure its olive oil maintains the highest energetic value, and its status as a raw superfood!
Ground Vanilla Beans – Interesting fact; Sustainably FARMED, each Vanilla BEAN is the hand-pollinated fruit of the Vanilla Tahitensis orchid which blossoms open for just a few hours, only ONE day a year! The beans need up to ten months to mature, then they are hand-picked and require an additional six months to cure. Wow! Now THAT’S how your ingredients should be sourced, by farming, organically grown, or naturally sourced.
Vanilla Beans are RICH in antioxidants, which are great for us because they help repair your body at the molecular level and fight off free radical damage.
Now that you’ve read those deliciously simple ingredients, wanna know what else you can use the Love Butter for? Baby diaper bum protector, hair oil, makeup remover, massage lotion, low SPF sunscreen**, and relief from burns, rashes, laser treatments, eczema, dryness, etc. And if none of that appeals to you, then add it to your coffee or your favourite dessert recipe instead.
Available in 2 sizes, depending on your usage, and trust me, you’ll probably be using it a lot. 😉
Small Jar, 100 ml = $24.00
Large Jar, 200 ml = $33.00
Pick yours up at the spa, or order online – mention that you read this article and we’ll give you 10% OFF the Giddy Yoyo Raw Love Butter! Just in time for Valentines Day.
Enjoy, Lovers. 💕
Kyndle Doolan | Spa Director at The Natural Art of Skin Care