Hi Alice!
Two months ago I met an amazing man from Spain, we had a hot affair during the time that he was visiting my city and he told me that he was a collector of olive oil. We talked about having anal sex during the time that he was here but it never happened. Anyway, I am planning a trip to Spain to visit him and I thought about bringing him a nice bottle of olive oil to be used as a lubricant for our anal adventures! But my question is: is it a safe lubricant in terms of keeping the condom from braking?
Thank you!
Hot for Spain
Dear Hot for Spain,
A trip to Spain, how exciting! It's thoughtful of you to bring a gift of olive oil to your collector friend. Sorry to tell you, but it should not be used with latex condoms as a lubricant. Olive oil, like other oil-based lubes, breaks down latex, possibly causing them to develop holes or tear, and making them ineffective against STIs and HIV. The good news is that there are many lubes that can be used safely with latex condoms. These include:
- Water based lubes, such as Aqua Lube, K-Y Jelly, Surgilube, For Play, Wet, ID Glide, Slippery Stuff
- Silicone-based lubes, such as Eros, ID Millennium, Wet Platinum
You can experiment with the lubes listed above to see what feels good and works for you and your partner, just keep in mind that oil and latex can never be friends. Many anal sex aficionados prefer silicone-based lubes, because they feel silicone stays "wet" longer. See the related questions below for more information on lubricants.
Just because olive oil is ineffective for use with latex does not mean you have to avoid using it in all cases. Although using a condom is always a good idea, monogamous partners who have tested negative for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) could decide to forgo a condom and use olive oil for lubricant. However, even monogamous partners may think twice about an olive oil lubricant for other reasons. For some people, olive (or any) oil can clog the anal glands and follicles, which could lead to irritation and even fungal and bacterial infections. If you notice irritation after using any type of lube, it's probably a good idea to wash up well and switch to another.
If none of the other options for lube float your boat, you want to use a condom, and olive oil is a must, you could also use a polyurethane condom instead of latex. (Oil does not break down polyurethane.) If you do dip into that bottle of olive oil, be sure wash the anal area well after sex to avoid irritation.
Have a good trip, or as they say in Spain,
buen viaje!
- Alice
Related Q&As
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Olive oil as anal sex lubricant?
