Massive disclaimer: my sex life is fine. Better than fine actually, it’s pretty great. But keeping things great in the bedroom involves a healthy sense of adventure. The spirit of discovery almost threw my shoulder out raising my hand to volunteer to test a bottle of Knob Polish by Jack, a CBD sex lube.
Since I use a few different CBD products in my day-to-day, letting some of that CBD-infused goodness seep into my extracurriculars seemed reasonable enough. When life hands you lube, it’s important to grab the opportunity with both hands. Despite my sense of adventure, I will admit, I harbored a bit of skepticism about CBD lubricants. Unsure of what to expect, or even if I was just slathering snake oil all over myself, I do headlong into weeks of testing in the name of science. Here is everything I learned, not only from myself, but from my partner, my former roommate, and a sex therapist.
What Does CBD Sex Lube Do?
Slightly-less-massive-but-still-probably-oversharing disclaimer: I don’t really use lube. I’m young, (relatively) healthy and honestly have never come across the occasion that screams “lubricate this.” I’m Jonah Hill in Superbad, admonishing Michael Cera for his tiny bottle of spermicidal lubricant. Sure, I’ve dabbled, but I’m no connoisseur.
To help me understand what separates a good lube from a bad one, I spoke to Dr. Justine Shuey. Dr. Shuey is a board-certified sexologist with a doctorate in human sexuality who, in her own words, “travels the world talking to people all day every day about sex.” She also happens to have a special interest in cannabis and sexuality. While I was going to be using CBD sex lube for fun, I wanted to know what I should expect, and why it seemed like so many people were excited about CBD-infused lubricants.
“People are interested in finding an answer to all kinds of problems. Some people want relief from cramps and other pain, others want relaxation,” Dr. Shuey told me. “There’s also, hopefully, the benefit of heightened sensitivity and the ability to tolerate different types of stimulation.” Much of her work comes is with people experiencing discomfort during sex, and the localized dose of CBD can help to make sex fun and enjoyable, like it’s supposed to be.
For someone like me, for whom pain isn’t typically part of the sexual experiences, the idea of becoming more tolerant, relaxed and sensitive is nothing to turn my nose up at either.
Who is CBD Sex Lube For?
Between my conversation with Dr. Shuey and the reading materials accompanying the Knob Polish, I felt decently confident in what I should expect. No, I wasn’t going to get astoundingly high from the waist up, but my senses might have the volume cranked a little. Despite all this, I still felt it sounded a little too good to be true. My skepticism lingered. It was time to begin the first round of testing.
Sparing the gory details, I can confirm I had not been lied to. I took the CBD sex lube for a solo ride and I have to admit — it was a lot of fun. Everything Dr. Shuey had mentioned happened. I felt a very sensitive and relaxed, and definitely enjoyed myself more than usual. I felt at ease and more keenly aware of my own sensations. I felt I was becoming a lube convert.
Afterwards, something Dr. Shuey stuck with me a little. Most of her work is with women, and I wondered if men had expressed a similar interest in CBD infused products. Sure, men can experience discomfort during sex, but heightened sensitivity isn’t something I think a lot of men are clamouring for in the bedroom.
“Men have asked me about it,” Dr. Shuey confirmed. “My concern is that a product like this is marketed for men, but does it work for women?” My own adventures had gone swimmingly, sure, but if this CBD sex lube was the real deal, my girlfriend was going to have to sign off on it too.
CBD Sex Lube Marketed At Men, But Does It Work For Women?
I learned quite quickly that pitching sex with your partner as “just something for work” is not a good idea. Some light groveling and repositioning later, the experiments were underway.
“I liked the feeling of it! It didn’t feel greasy or anything which is obviously good,“ my partner offered after. “It felt water-based and not oily,” It was true — I like my bed and my sheets and, while I wasn’t all that concerned during my private time, I was slightly worried about sullying them up with greasy lube with more than one person in the mix. Alas, my partner was right. There was no messy cleanup or unbecoming stains on our bedspread. “I also find that a lot of lubes stay on my skin after, making me chaffed and irritated — this one didn’t.” Sounds like a success. Cleanliness aside, though, CBD sex lube is really about the CBD. If I was going to give this lube a spot in my bedside drawer, it would have to deliver on its lofty promises.
“I don’t know if I noticed that the CBD did anything for me, but at the same time, we weren’t able to do the stuff we did until we used it — so it must have done something right?” If that doesn’t sound like a glowing review, I can explain. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what CBD sex lube would feel like before I ever let it touch me. Even when I experienced it I still wasn’t totally sure what was going on at first.
Only after a bit of reflection and multiple exposures did I recognize the uptick in sensation, or the pleasant warm glow. It’s not totally unlike smoking dried herb in that way — the first couple of times “something” is happening, but it can be tough to pinpoint what. My partner did have one closing thought. “It tastes bad”. I can’t disagree, but that was the only knock either of us had against it. Perhaps the most glowing endorsement I can give is this. Several weeks after our initial tests, Knob Polish is in heavy rotation in my household. We’re both acutely aware of how CBD feels now.
Take Things Into Your Own Hands
Like any good scientist, I knew expanding my testing field would yield greater results. I recently moved in with my girlfriend, leaving my old roommate to live in our old home alone. I’ve been a tad worried he wouldn’t keep in touch, so like any narcissist I decided to build up some good favor by giving him a bottle of Knob Polish for his personal use. When I asked him how it had gone, he was typically eloquent. “It was pretty sick.” Couldn’t agree more.
Not confident in my scientific expertise? Seduced by the thought of becoming more tolerant and sensitive (in certain areas)? Why not grab your own CBD sex lube and get to testing.
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