“I need you to review this lube.”
This isn’t how we typically begin our editorial meetings at Leafly, but on that particular day, the brand Foria had delivered a little gift to us ladies: arousing cannabis spray. Some of us, being skeptics, wondered whether the special ingredient actually made a difference in arousal or if it was just a novelty, so we took to our bedrooms to investigate a question that most people wouldn’t even think to ask: Can a cannabis oil enhance sex better than traditional lube?
We lined up four different products for this experiment:
- Foria cannabis spray (oil-based)
- Swiss Navy (silicone-based)
- Wet Naturals for Senstive Skin (water-based)
- K-Y Warming Liquid
Each was selected because it brought something unique to the table: K-Y with its warming sensations, Swiss Navy with its silicone base, Wet Naturals for its all-natural water-based formula, and Foria for – you guessed it – the THC. So which one reigns supreme?
1. Foria
Call us predictable, but Foria was the unanimous favorite.
Foria isn’t exactly “lube” in the traditional sense. You wouldn’t just slather it on when you’re ready for business. It’s an oil-based spray — which means do NOT use this with a latex condom — that stimulates arousal. Some of us would argue that it will, so to speak, eliminate the need for lube altogether anyway. But if you still got the Sahara Desert going on down there, it might be a good idea to supplement with a proper lube (keep reading for our recommendations below). You can also use organic, virgin/unrefined coconut oil as an all-natural lubricant if you need a boost.
The first few spritzes from the tiny Foria spray bottle are a mist so delicate and gentle, you almost have to giggle. Its effects aren’t immediate, but in time you’ll start to notice a warm sensation radiating from your lady bits. Sensitivity continues to escalate slowly and steadily until you feel something like a crazed animal in heat. Mind you, the sensations are localized and non-psychoactive unless swallowed (though, let’s be real, that’s a likely scenario for many of us).
The ingredients label lists three items: cannabis, coconut oil, and love. If there are no added chemicals, where does that glorious, warm sensitivity come from? Love? Probably, but also the THC. THC acts as a vasodilator, opening capillaries and increasing blood flow for enhanced sensitivity.
The analgesic properties of THC can also ease pain caused by penetration, and that alone can be quite the game changer for a lot of couples.
2. Swiss Navy
Next up is the silicone-based lubricant Swiss Navy. Call us lube noobs, but few brands we’ve tried hold a candle to the amazing slip-‘n’-slide qualities this one has to offer. Swiss Navy is a heavy-duty lube meant for dry-climate vaginas, but it does lack the arousing, warming sensations we loved from Foria. Though much oilier than water-based formulas, Swiss Navy doesn’t feel overly greasy and lasts a lot longer. That’s great news for those of us who enjoy taking more extensive trips to Pound Town.
3. Wet Naturals for Sensitive Skin
With packaging laden with Papyrus font and ’90s-era splash bubbles, Wet Naturals may not look like the most upscale, deluxe lube out there. But don’t judge a book by its cover: This glycerin- and paraben-free lube is the perfect companion for anyone with sensitive, easily irritated skin. Being water-based, it also doesn’t feel greasy or leave an oily mess on the sheets. The one and only drawback we experienced was this lube’s duration. You may feel like you need to re-apply several times, and let’s face it, ain’t nobody got time for that when you’re in the heat of it.
4. K-Y Warming Liquid
This K-Y product is similar to Foria in that it’s supposed to bring on warming sensations and is often used in small amounts for arousal rather than as a lube. But, as our canna-sexpert Ashley Manta points out, there’s a world of difference when it comes to safety and quality. The chemicals that cause that warming sensation can cause intense burning, and it also contains glycerin and propylene glycol, which are known to cause sensitivities (and in some cases, infection).
While thankfully none of us experienced the painful burning sometimes reported, we had our own gripes about this one. The consistency is runny and sticky, leaving you and your partner feeling like you just smeared corn syrup all over each other (but even that would taste better than this chemical paste). Some of us did find the K-Y liquid to provide some warm tinglies, but others noticed no heating sensation at all.
Thus concludes our first ever Leafly lube experiment. Needless to say, we’re waiting with eager anticipation for more cannabis-based lubricants and arousal liquids to hit the market and elevate sex lives nationwide. Foria is currently available in California and Colorado, but don’t despair if you’re not a resident of those states; your local shop may carry other cannabis-infused brands, so keep an eye out and ask around.
Have you ever tried cannabis lubes or arousal sprays? If so, what did you think? And if not, what’s your go-to lube for when the hoo-ha is experiencing some post-cannabis dryness?
