Why You Shouldn't Use Butter as Lube (+ What to Use Instead)

You’re getting down and heavy with your lover and reach into the nightstand for your trusted lube. 

But wait — it’s empty!

What do you do to stay in the moment? 

You dash to the kitchen, desperately looking for something slippery… butter. 

Butter is slick and tasty — sounds like a good lube substitute. 

But should you use butter as lube? 

Let’s find out!

Is It Safe to Use Butter as Lube for Oral, Vaginal, or Anal Sex? 

Short answer: No. 

Butter is unsafe for masturbation, oral, vaginal, and anal sex for the following reasons: 

• It Alters the Vagina’s pH Balance: Butter’s pH is roughly 6.1 to 6.4, while your vagina’s pH should ideally be between 3.8 to 5.0. 
  
  Butter has a higher pH because it contains milk solids, sugar (lactose), and salt. 
  
  The bad news? 
  
  These ingredients can disrupt your vagina’s pH, leading to infections, burning, itching, and even swelling!  

• It Becomes Rancid Quickly: Real butter is made using milk containing casein proteins.
  
  These proteins can spoil if left outside (think: spoiled milk). So when you use butter as lube, you risk it going rancid inside your vag or anus. (Ew!)
  
  Know what’s worse? This can lead to infections.  

• It Degrades Condoms: The animal fats or oil in the butter can severely degrade your latex condom, polyurethane condom, dental dam, or diaphragm. This can leave you at risk of pregnancy and STIs. 

• It Promotes Bacterial Growth: Butter might be edible, but that doesn’t mean you should use it for oral sex. 
  
  Why?
  
  Butter can contribute to bacterial growth, especially after contact with your genitals. 

• It’s Difficult to Clean Up: Clean up is essential after vaginal or anal play. But the only way to clean butter up is using soap and water, and you shouldn’t put those inside your vagina or anus. 

You might wonder, “Is it safe to use butter with my sex toys?” 

Absolutely not!

The butter on the sex toy would still be near your genitals and increase your risk of infection. 

Our recommendation?

Keep the butter in the kitchen and away from your sensitive anal or vaginal skin! 

7 Other Products You Should Avoid Using as a Sexual Lubricant 

Okay, butter isn’t a lube substitute. 

So you may wonder what alternatives you have around the house.

Before you get any wild ideas, here are seven household staples you should NEVER use as sex lube: 

1. Petroleum Jelly  

Petroleum jelly (like Vaseline) is safe for dry skin. 

But never use Vaseline as lube, even if you think its consistency is ideal.

Why?

Petroleum jelly, like butter, can cause infections like bacterial vaginosis. Plus, it can wreak havoc on a latex condom — increasing the risk of STIs or unwanted pregnancy.

2. Lotion and Soap 

Your favorite lotion and soap may advertise that it’s safe to use everywhere on your body. 

But keep them away from your vagina and anus. 

Soaps and lotions can have harmful ingredients like perfumes and propylene glycol. They can cause irritation, swelling, and puffiness down there. (Ouch!) 

3. Saliva 

Using saliva may feel sexier in the heat of the moment than opening a bottle of lube. But it’s nowhere near slippery enough to provide proper lubrication. 

What does this mean?

Saliva can dry up faster than commercial lube and cause painful sex! 

Plus, saliva could transfer infections from your mouth to your genitals during sex.

4. Baby Oil 

If it’s safe for babies, it’s safe for your genitals, right? 

Wrong! 

Baby oil is a petroleum-based mineral oil that lessens the effectiveness of a latex condom. It leaves you open to infections or even a pregnancy scare. 

5. Anything with Sugar 

Want to encourage a tasty oral sex session? 

Thinking about using your favorite sugary treats like jam, jelly, or honey to sweeten the deal?

Think again!

They’re best left in the pantry as the sugar can seriously mess up your vagina’s health and lead to a yeast infection. 

It can also be hard to wash this stuff off, and you really don’t want to put soap or water inside your vagina!  

6. Egg Whites

You might think egg whites make a lovely, slippery lube, but old eggs can make things pretty bad for your vagina. 

But what if they’re not old? 

Well, that’s still not ideal, as unrefrigerated eggs can carry salmonella. While it’s true that genital salmonella is rare, it’s possible. 

Also, imagine the smell of rotten eggs. Now imagine that coming from your body. (Yikes!) 

7. Vegetable Oil 

Like butter, vegetable oil is a processed and refined ingredient best kept in the pantry. 

Why? 

Using vegetable oil as lube can upset the healthy environment of your vagina and lead to an infection. 

8 Safe Natural Alternatives You Can Use Instead 

Looking for other natural lube alternatives? 

Here are some natural ingredients you can safely use as vaginal or anal lube: 

• Aloe Vera Gel: Organic aloe vera gel has a watery base making it perfect for sensitive skin. You can also safely use aloe vera with condoms and sex toys. 
  
  
• Pure Grapeseed Oil: The wonderful lightweight grapeseed oil is ideal for vaginal and oral sex. Prone to yeast infections? Then, opt for something else, as oils can naturally trigger infections.  
  
  
• Argan Oil: Argan oil is a lighter oil suitable for vaginal sex. But choose a thicker oil for anal sex and other kinds of anal play.  
  
  
• Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil can be a fantastic lube, especially if you want some solo action. While it can degrade your latex condom, you can use a polyurethane condom with olive oil instead!
  
  
• Pure Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is an antifungal and antibacterial thick oil that’s great for oral, vaginal, or anal sex. You can also use it with your silicone sex toy (as long as it’s pure silicone!). However, since it’s an oil, be avoid using it with latex condoms.

• Raw Cocoa Butter: Commonly used as an ingredient in oil based lubes, raw cocoa butter is thick enough to make anal sex pleasurable. 

• Raw Shea Butter: Raw shea butter is ideal for any sexual activity. As a bonus, it may leave you with softer, smoother skin, as raw shea butter is a common skincare ingredient! 

• Vitamin E Oil: Vitamin E oil is often used to treat vaginal dryness, making it safe for your delicate vaginal skin. If the texture isn’t too light for you, feel free to use it as an anal lube too! 

If you’re in a pinch, the products above can work as lube. 

But remember: 

Only organic aloe vera gel is safe with sex toys and condoms. 

Try Coconu’s Personal Lubricant Range for Safe, Non-Stop Fun! 

Want to make sex safe, fun, and pleasurable? 

Then you have plenty of options available in the market, from oil based lubricants to water based ones. If you want something in between, go for a silicone lube or silicone lubricant. 

But when it comes to natural and organic lubes, nothing beats Coconu’s fantastic lubricant options:

1. Oil Based Personal Lubricant 

The Coconu Oil Based Lube stimulates your body’s natural lubrication to create a long-lasting sexual experience for you and your partner. 

It contains soothing ingredients like pure coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax that can soothe vaginal dryness and itching. 

Best part?

This lubricant is completely free of phthalates, parabens, and dyes. 

Designed to help you achieve the big O faster, we’re sure this oil based lube will become your new best friend! 

2. Hemp-Infused Body Oil 

The Coconu Hemp-Infused Body Oil can double as an oil based lubricant and massage oil! Score!  

What makes this so ah-mazing?

It contains broad-spectrum hemp extract, coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and sweet almond oil. These ingredients work together to create a luxurious sexual experience for you and your S.O. 

3. Water Based Personal Lube 

The Coconu Water Based Lube is silky and lasts as long as you do in bed! 

This organic lube has a coconut water base that contains Guar Gum from the Guar bean plant. 

Safe to use with condoms, diaphragms, and sex toys, this lube is perfect for anyone with sensitive skin. 

Best part?

It’s got a silky, non-sticky texture that absorbs into your skin. This means no clean up needed! 

Take Your Sex Life to the Next Level!  

Real butter can leave you at risk of yeast infections or STIs. Plus, it can degrade a latex condom and increase your chances of becoming pregnant. 

So what should you do? 

Simple! Don’t use butter as lube! 

Instead, try the Coconu Hemp and Oil Combo Pack! Made with all-natural ingredients, this lube duo will keep you going all day long.