If you've been following me on Instagram, (which you should be, you can follow me here) you know that I'm working on a honeymoon post.
I have a whole bunch of posts on the wedding (see below), but I've been hesitant to post about the honeymoon because we all know what happens on honeymoons. I'm a little shy when it comes to talking about the bedroom.
- engagement pics and zero waste home tour
- wedding rings (Did you know the avg wedding ring creates 20 TONS of upwaste!?)
- wedding dresses
- the great question? wedding or elopement
- bachelorette party
- wedding part 1
- wedding part 2
There are several zero waste bloggers, that have approached the subject with grace. You can read more here and here.
However, I think it's important to talk about personal lubricant. We need to be careful with what we put on and into our bodies. Being cautious of what I put on my skin is a huge part of my story and one of the main catalysts for my zero waste journey.
Anything we put on our skin is quickly absorbed into our blood stream. It's worth paying attention to especially when your average drug store lube is full of ingredients you won't be too happy with.
COMMON INGREDIENTS:
Aqua, glycerin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, Gluconolactone, chlorhexidine digluconate, methylparaben, sodium hydroxide
Glycerin can actually cause dryness, is toxic to sperm, and it's a sugar which can lead to yeast infections. Chlorhexidine digluconate is an antiseptic found in mouthwash which can damage the good bacteria in the vagina. Methylparaben is a preservative and known endocrine disruptor.
All in all, besides the squeeze tube plastic packaging, I would prefer to keep all of those ingredients outta my body.
So, what's a lazy, zero waste, newly-married girl to do?
2 DIY personal lubricant recipes:
coconut oil lube:
- fractionated coconut oil
- GoToob
Instructions: Pour into tube
This recipe takes the cake for the easiest recipe on the blog. It's exceedingly simple and effective. I believe I bought my fractionated coconut oil in bulk from Rainbow Grocery, but I could be mistaken.
Of course, you could put regular coconut oil*, which comes in a glass jar, in a smaller jar to store in the night stand. It will melt at room temperature and body temp should do the trick.
If you've been following my blog for long, you know I'm not the biggest coconut oil fan. I think it's far too greasy. But, this is one point in time greasy isn't a bad thing.
Fractionated coconut oil* also absorbs into the skin quicker than regular coconut oil because the long-chain fatty acids have been removed. I like that it absorbs quicker even in the bedroom because I don't have to worry about it staining the sheets. Of course, if you can't find it in bulk, you always have the option of buying it like the bulk store.
You can use it as a moisturizer or make lotion and soap.
This should NOT be used with condoms. If you use condoms, see my next recipe.
aloe vera gel:
Aloe vera makes a great lube! I already have a recipe for aloe vera gel on the blog you can get it here. It's water based so it's safe to use with condoms.
It needs to be refrigerated, so if you're looking for a cooling sensation this would be great. Fresh aloe vera will spoil in the fridge after about three weeks. It will definitely smell off when it's gone bad.
I've started making a large batch and freezing it in an ice cube tray so I always have 2 tablespoon portions ready to go for a number of DIYs whether it be mouthwash, a hydrating face mask, or sexy time.
That about wraps it up for this post. Stay tuned for a travel post of the honeymoon and more on our zero waste wedding registry. If there's any aspect of the wedding you'd like to hear about, please let me know in the comments.
This post contains affiliate linking. It's denoted with an asterisk. This means if you choose to purchase one of these items I will make a slight commission for referring you. You can read more on my disclosure page.