Cite this Response
Alice! Health Promotion. "Can I use Vaseline as lube?." Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University, 22 Jan. 2025, https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/can-i-use-vaseline-lube. Accessed 26, Jan. 2025.
Alice! Health Promotion. (2025, January 22). Can I use Vaseline as lube?. Go Ask Alice!, https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/can-i-use-vaseline-lube.
Dear Alice,
Just wondering if Vaseline is an okay form of lubrication... I notice that the container says, "for external use only," but I am wondering if this includes vaginas! Thanks. You're hilarious.
Sincerely,
Dry and Resourceful
Dear Dry and Resourceful,
Vaseline® is a slippery petroleum jelly-based skincare product that many people have on-hand in their homes. Unfortunately, while this might sound like the perfect recipe for a sexual lubricant, using Vaseline® on your genitals or in any bodily orifices comes with some not-so-sexy risks, such as condom breakage or increased risk of infection.
What is Vaseline®?
Vaseline® is a common brand name for petroleum jelly, also known as petrolatum. It’s made of a mix of mineral oils and waxes, combined to make a slippery substance. It creates a water-protective layer on your skin, which makes it a good product for skincare, moisturizing, and more.
Can you use petroleum jelly as lube?
The short answer is: no, petroleum jelly is not a good sexual lubricant. As you’ve noticed, it usually comes with a “for external use only” label. This means that it’s not meant to go inside any part of your body (hint: it isn’t edible, either).
While it’s slippery, and can help, for example, get a tight ring off your finger, it’s not good for sex for two main reasons. First, applying petroleum jelly to your genitals is associated with an increased risk of bacterial vaginosis. Second, petroleum jelly and latex condoms don’t get along well. If you have penetrative sex with a condom, using petroleum jelly as lube can lead to a relatively high likelihood of condom breakage. Many other household products like moisturizers, lotions, or soaps also have the same risks, which is why they’re not recommended for sexual use either.
What products can you use as lube?
If lube isn’t available or accessible, there are some other household alternatives you can use. Many kinds of oils (like coconut, sunflower, vegetable, and more) will get the job done without damaging you or a condom. But the safest and most effective lube will be, unsurprisingly, lube! Water-based lubricants have a much lower risk of condom breakage and bacterial infection than oil-based substances like petroleum jelly. Lube is commonly found in supermarkets or pharmacies, or even for free at sexual health clinics or school health centers.