TresSugar

What's the Deal With Glycol in Lubricants?

DearSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:00:00 PDT

If you're prone to yeast infections, and you're a fan of using personal lubricant, then you probably found my Lube Quiz very helpful. It showed you which lubes contain glycerin and which don't, but I recently noticed another ingredient in some water-based products that I thought you should know about - propylene glycol.

To find out if this is something to avoid,

Propylene glycol is a faintly sweet and colorless, clear, viscous liquid that's derived from natural gas. Sounds sexy, doesn't it? It can be found in many products including moisturizers, toothpaste, mouthwash, and medications, in addition to many edibles such as cake mix, salad dressing, and fat-free ice cream. The ingredient is identified as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) because of its low oral toxicity (meaning it won't badly harm you if ingested), although it may irritate your eyes, and some may experience a burning sensation from contact on their skin.

KY products such as Yours+Mine and Astroglide contain propylene glycol, so if you've noticed irritation from using these products, this ingredient may be the culprit. If you want a propylene glycol-free lube, try Sliquid H20, Pjur Woman Bodyglide, Slippery Stuff, or Good Clean Love.

K-Y Brand: Yours+Mine Couples Lubricant

DearSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:00:00 PDT

I've heard of his and her robes or his and her bicycles, but now there's his and her lube? I actually think it's a brilliant idea, and now it's coming straight to us from our trusted friends at K-Y. It's called K-Y Yours+Mine ($16). The little black box comes with two tubes of lube, and you guessed it - one for her and one for him. Supposedly each tube produces lovely sensations for the individual's special parts, but when you have sex and the two lubes come together, the feeling is even more than wow! Check out the commercial below to see what I'm referring to.

That commercial has definitely piqued my interest, and I'm can't help but wonder what the combined sensation really is. Have any of you ever tried this with your partner? I'd be curious to know if it was worth it. If you thought that commercial was cute and you want to see more like it then

Source

Personal Lubricant in Mousse Form

DearSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:00:00 PDT

If you're taking hormonal birth control, allergy medication, or just have a difficult time getting aroused, you're probably not creating enough natural lubricant down there, in which case bottled lube could be your new best friend! Some contain silicone, some are water-based, and some are oil-based, but they all have one thing in common - they're liquid or gels, which means they can be drippy, messy, and difficult to apply.

If you can relate, then you may be interested in this new form of personal lubricant that makes so much more sense. Replens Intimate Options comes in mousse form ($9.70) - brilliant, right? You can squeeze a little in your hand or directly on the money spot, and it stays put right where you need it. It has a silky texture that's not sticky, and it can be purchased with either no scent or a subtle hint of vanilla. Intimate Options does contain glycerin, which some women may be sensitive to (it can lead to yeast infections) but if you don't fall into that category, you just might want to add this to your nightstand drawer!

Glycerin in Lubricants May Cause Yeast Infections

DearSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:00:00 PST

Finding a personal lubricant that you like is a tough quest, since there are so many different kinds to choose from. There are silicone-based lubes, water-based ones, and many contain glycerin to make them even more slippery.

But is glycerin a bad thing? Well it depends on whether or not you are prone to yeast infections. You see, glycerin is a sugary liquid, and since yeast feeds on sugar, you can see why these two would make a bad combination. Look for a glycerin-free lubricant if your lady business is sensitive to this kind of thing.

Check some options below.

Astroglide Glycerin & Paraben Free	Sliquid H2O Intimate Lubricant
Maximus Personal Lubricant	Slippery Stuff Gel
Liquid Silk	WET Naturals Silky Supreme Personal Lubricant

Source

Allergy Medicine's Sexual Side Effects

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:45:00 PDT

Since seasonal allergies are upon us, many of you may be reaching for allergy pills to get rid of your stuffy or runny nose. These meds do an excellent job of drying up your runny nose, but that's not the only thing getting dried out. Doctors tend to leave out this little tidbit of information: Allergy medicine causes vaginal dryness. It's true and the truth truly hurts.

If you suffer from this problem, you should know allergy medicines containing decongestants are the ones to avoid. The "D" in Claritin D and Allegra D stands for decongestant, but you can buy them "D" free, which will help your dryness situation greatly.

You might also find that other allergy pills dry up your lady business as well such as Sudafed, Zyrtec and Benadryl, so you may want to switch to a nasal spray like Flonase to deal with just your allergy symptoms.

Fit's Tips: If you can't live without the allergy medicine you're taking, I completely understand, but you don't have to deal with annoying dryness either. Pick yourself up some lubricant such as Astroglide or KY personal lubricant and it will make a world of difference in the bedroom.

Tips For Summer Contact Lens Wearers

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:11:00 PDT

I wore bright magenta glasses from fourth grade until my 13th birthday when my dad took me to get my first pair of contact lenses. It felt so liberating not to have anything on my face and to still be able to see. I quickly realized that there's a lot of extra care that comes with being a contact lens wearer. Now that Summer has arrived, here are some helpful tips to keep your eyes protected and happy.

Choose sunscreen wisely. It's a no-brainer for contact lens wearers to use waterproof sunscreen on their faces so when they sweat or swim, it doesn't drip into their eyes (youch!). But make sure the sunscreen you slather on the rest of your body is waterproof as well, so when you accidentally touch your face or wipe the sweat off your forehead with your arm, you won't risk that painful sting.
Wear UV protecting sunglasses. They not only protect your eyes from damaging rays, but sunglasses also prevent debris from blowing into your eyes. I also found wearing sunglasses prevents dry eyes caused by warm wind.
Invest in some UV blocking contacts. I didn't even know they made these until I looked on my box of Acuvue Oasys contacts. Look for ones that say Class 1. This is the highest protection available in contacts and it means they block up to 96 percent of UVA and 100 percent of UVB rays.

For more must-know tips, keep reading.

Getting Down and Dirty in the Pool Ain't Clean

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:47:57 PDT

If warm, sunny weather is inspiring you to get hot and heavy, you may want to skip getting it on in the pool, and save your nookie time for dry land. Although making sweet love in the water sounds sensual and natural, since you're wearing next to nothing already, it's not exactly the safest way to get it on.

Here's a mood killer for you: lake, river, ocean, and pond water contain bacteria, so getting intimate can introduce that bacteria into your vagina, which could put you at risk for infections that you don't want up there. Pool water is no better since it contains chlorine that could irritate your lady business, or disrupt the natural pH balance in your vagina, leading to a yeast infection. As for hot tubs, they're often not chlorinated enough, which means they're teeming with who knows what - bacteria!

Still not convinced? Then

You may have heard that getting busy underwater will prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or pregnancy, but this is not true. As long as there is contact between two partners, semen and other bodily fluids can still pass from one person to another, which makes conception or contraction of STIs possible. You're using a condom, you say? Although in the bedroom, condoms are very effective at preventing both pregnancy and the spread of infection, in the water, the lack of natural lubrication can make condoms more apt to break or slip off without either person realizing it. Not to mention, the lack of natural moisture can also cause friction, which will chafe your sensitive lady parts.

Water and sex just don't mix, so my advice is to reserve pool time for swimming, and save the shagging for later.

5 Ways to Prevent a Yeast Infection

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:00:21 PDT

Ugh, a yeast infection has to be one of the worst things a woman has to deal with. If you've ever had one, you'll do anything to prevent it from happening again. Although a yeast infection vaccine is in the works, it's not yet available, so here are some ways to prevent this irritating problem before it starts.

Don't hang out in wet bathing suits or sweaty undies. After a swim or workout, get out of those wet bottoms and into some dry undies that have a cotton crotch. Excessive moisture in that area can encourage yeast to grow.
Avoid going on and off hormonal birth control. The fluctuations can mess with the pH of your lady business, so every time you go on and off, you're likely to experience a flair-up in yeast, causing an infection.

Learn more tips.