Data
The lube index.
Every popular lubricant and moisturizer we track, with its published osmolality and pH, graded against the WHO thresholds. 8 of 14 products with data sit in the ideal band. 3 are over the 1,200 ceiling, including the two most famous bottles in America.
How to read it.
- Osmolality is a measure of dissolved particles. Your vaginal tissue sits around 260 to 290 mOsm/kg. A lube far above that draws water out of cells and can irritate, sting or leave you drier afterward.
- The WHO/UNFPA/FHI360 advisory sets 380 mOsm/kg or under as ideal and 1,200 as the ceiling for procurement. We grade with those two marks.
- Healthy vaginal pH is 3.8 to 4.5. A lube near 4.5 is on target for vaginal use. Rectal pH is closer to 7.
- Silicone and oil based lubes contain no water, so osmolality does not apply. Their trade offs are condom and toy compatibility, not tissue chemistry.
- Ranges are from FDA 510(k) filings as compiled by Weaving Voices. Single numbers are lab measurements reported in Edwards and Panay 2016 and Dezzutti et al. 2012. We never estimate a value.
Coconu Water Based
IdealCheck price →Sliquid Organics Natural
IdealCheck price →Bloomi Smooth
IdealCheck price →Hallelubeyah Organic Aloe
IdealCheck price →YES VM Vaginal Moisturizer
IdealCheck price →Good Clean Love Almost Naked
IdealCheck price →Astroglide Glycerin and Paraben Free
IdealCheck price →Astroglide Ultra Gentle Gel
IdealCheck price →Desert Harvest Aloe Glide
AcceptableCheck price →Pjur Aqua
AcceptableCheck price →#LubeLife Water Based
AcceptableCheck price →Replens Long-Lasting Vaginal Moisturizer
HighCheck price →K-Y Jelly
HighCheck price →Astroglide Liquid (original)
HighCheck price →Uberlube
n/aCheck price →Pjur Original
n/aCheck price →Wet Platinum
n/aCheck price →Coconu Oil Based
n/aCheck price →Revaree Hyaluronic Acid Inserts
n/aCheck price →
Fig. 1. Osmolality per product, drawn to 2,600 mOsm/kg. The two marks are the WHO/UNFPA/FHI360 2012 thresholds: 380 (ideal) and 1,200 (procurement ceiling). Ranges come from FDA 510(k) filings; single values from lab measurements in Edwards and Panay 2016 or Dezzutti et al. 2012. Silicone and oil lubricants contain no water, so osmolality does not apply.
Method and sources.
We include a product when it has a published osmolality or pH from a primary source, or when it is widely sold and we can state clearly that no value is published. We do not test in house yet, and we say so. When a brand reformulates, the old numbers can go stale, so we note the filing date where the source gives one and re-check the ledger quarterly.
Grades are mechanical. A product whose upper osmolality bound is at or under 380 mOsm/kg is Ideal. Under 1,200 is Acceptable. Over 1,200 is High. We grade on the upper bound of the range so a product never gets credit it might not deserve.
The index is free to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0). The raw data is at /api/lube-index.json.