Premium lube - lubricant discontinued by Cal Exotics - review by Airen Wolf

Premium Lube with Comfrey and Chamomile by California Exotic Novelties is a pretty average water based lube with some really outstanding properties, and a few drawbacks.

The lube comes in a clear plastic bottle with pink flip top lid and pink, black and purple writing. The bottle isn't exactly discreet since the name of the product displays prominently, and the name is "Premium Lube". It is a fairly good size being 4 fl. oz. Definite bang for the buck. The lube is clear and has a pleasant very light floral smell even though it claims to be odorless on the bottle. Still it is a refreshing, natural smell unlike some lubes that smell like hot plastic.

The ingredient list for this lube is: Water, propylene glycol, glycerine, cellulose gum, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract (chamomile), symphytum officinale leaf extract (comfrey), tetrasodium EDTA, methylparaben, propylparaben, diazolidinyl urea.

As you can see the ingredient list has some good points and some not so good points. On the positive side it has aloe, comfrey, and chamomile all of which are very good at soothing sensitive genital tissues. They are a combination of hot and mild herbs which help to bring blood flow to the surface increasing sensitivity and sensation. This isn't a warming or cooling gel, it's just a very good one for protecting your sensitive bits from abrasion, which is the job of a lube anyhow. The base of the lube is propylene glycol which is a clear, nearly odorless, viscous liquid with a faintly sweet taste that mixes completely with water. It is sometimes used as a food additive. This would be the end of the "good ingredients."
If you are sensitive to glycerine or parabens this lube might not be the best for you. I am very sensitive to glycerine but I have to say, in all fairness, that I had no yeast reaction when I applied this lube to my lady parts. I had no burning sensation, no excessive redness, in fact no reaction at all when I used this product with a toy or with a partner.

I do not want to start a panic and I'm not convinced that the risks of Tetrasodium EDTA in this product warrant concern but I'll say simply that research studies have shown that exposure to the chemical, NOT products containing it, pose some strong concerns about enhanced skin absorption. There are moderate concerns about organ toxicity (non reproductive), and irritation of skin, eyes and lungs. It would seem the consensus is that the raw chemical can pose some risks for workers who do not follow proper safety procedures but when used in a product there is little chance of receiving a toxic level of the chemical.

The lube is light and very runny. It will get all over everything if you aren't careful. It is thin as well and we didn't find it to be the best for anal play. It isn't stringy, it's smooth and slick. It works very well for toy play and PIV sex as long as you produce a bit of lubrication to prolong the properties of the lube. A touch of water will renew the slickness and we didn't find that we needed to add more to either toy play or sex. When I attempted to use the lube for a hand job, however it was another story. The lube soaked into the skin quickly and dried up almost immediately. It didn't dry sticky or flaky, nor did it leave a residue but it simply didn't go the course. Likewise, this lube is not very good for a massage as it soaks into the skin quickly.

The lube has no unpleasant taste, it's slightly sweet but bland. Nice if you like to combine oral and PIV sex. This is a water based lube and as such doesn't last very long in the shower and is pretty useless in the bathtub.

The product is also made in the US for those that are interested in such things.

Although this lube isn't currently offered here at EF I would recommend it if it was. It is quite soothing and does a great job of lubrication without irritation. I had some trouble adjusting to my BC pills and was a bit dryer than normal and this lube helped to soothe the tissues and didn't fade too fast. It doesn't dry stringy or leave a nasty residue on toys. All in all it's a great little lube!