System JO's H2O (water-based) formula proves that a lubricant does not have to contain silicone to be long-lasting and extremely effective. While in theory this could be used for a variety of different kinds of sexual contact, I would recommend it primarily as an anal lube.

WHY?

Let's go over the ingredients list.

PURIFIED WATER - A great start! Water-based lubes are compatible with all sex toy materials, and all barrier methods of birth control like condoms!

GLYCERIN - It's a preservative that imparts a gently sweet smell and taste. According to livestrong, glycerin is responsible for causing yeast infections. Is it worth it to alter the delicate pH balance of the vagina? Also, allergies are quite common. I recommend this lube not be used vaginally.

SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE - Despite its terrifying name, it is simply a thickener permitted in a wide variety of foods. It is a synthetic chemical.

METHYL and PROPYL PARABEN - Here's another problematic pair of ingredients. According to about.com, parabens are a preservative. Nobody wants their lube to turn into a petri dish, and I understand the quest for a long shelf life. However, parabens are far more problematic than glycerin. Parabens mimic sex hormones, and frequent use has been linked to tumors. Allergies are common. Parabens are banned at high concentrations, but supposedly safe in small amounts like what one might find in lube.

Having said all of that, I am impressed with almost everything about this lube. Nothing is perfect, and these ingredients are problematic. However, it simply WORKS INCREDIBLY WELL. I have extremely sensitive skin, and can't use many lotions and other skin-care products. So far, I have had absolutely no problem using this lube externally or internally - not even the slightest negative reaction.

I have never used a lube formulated for anal sex before. This is clearly different from your average water-based lube. It is thick. It isn't so thick that it becomes difficult to pour. It will still drip down your toys like any other water-based lube. However, since it is water-based, it won't stain! (It may stain until you wash them again, but not permanently.) It is seriously thicker than any non-anal lube I've used. If you're like me and had only tried cheapo lubes, this will blow your mind. While it isn't so thick that it stays in big chunky globs, it does sort of bead up along my toys. In that sense, it is very thick - much thicker than any other lube I've tried.

This lube is seriously slick and slippery. If you need a lot of friction, or if you prefer a thinner lube that closely mimics natural lubrication, this may not be the right product for you. However, if you want a slick and long-lasting anal lube, this is your guy.

It is not sticky or tacky.

The only word I can use to accurately describe its consistency is SILKY.

The aroma inside the bottle is not overwhelming. It is towards the pleasant end of strange smells. The closest I can describe it is like bubble solution for blowing bubbles mixed with dish soap, and a hint of plastic like silly putty. It smells sweet, and a bit soapy. It does not have a heavy chemical smell.

I put one drop on my fingertips and rubbed it in. Less than two minutes later, the smell faded almost completely.

In use and when combined with body fluids, System JO H2O maintained an light but present smell. I don't think this would bother most people, but people who are sensitive to smells will notice it.

As for taste, I did taste a drop and wouldn't recommend it for oral sex. The taste is distractingly soapy.

Compared with the average free packet of lube, this stuff is phenomenal. For me, it typically only needs one application, and does not dry up as quickly as other lube I've tried. It can be very distracting to constantly reapply, and this stuff really lasts.

There is a slippery and slick quality to it that other lubes just don't have. It made anal sex so smooth and discomfort-free. I wonder how many people who hate anal sex would like it if they had a thick and long-lasting lube?

System JO H2O has a phenomenally silky quality to it. When rubbed into the skin, there is a noticeable moisturizing quality, though I wouldn't use this in place of lotion. It certainly isn't sticky or tacky, and falling asleep with it between your legs won't leave you regretful in the morning. It is noticeable, though it doesn't dry in a crust or pill up when the skin is rubbed.

It wipes up easily even without soap and water, but it does leave a very mildly greasy feeling until washed off with soap and water. It washes off effortlessly.

The product arrived in a bottle similar to other lubricants. The cap is a shampoo-type plastic bottle. The plastic is firm with a bit of give, and sturdier than it looks. I took it travelling and experienced no spills, leaks, or cracks in the bottle.

The design is sleek and non-gender-specific. It is refreshing to see lubricant packaged in a way that doesn't make it look like cologne marketed to middle-school boys or pink bubble bath marketed to children. I appreciate the subtlety and maturity in their limited color palate - the front of the label has type that is mostly blue and black, with anal personal lubricant splashed sideways in red and gold. It looks discreet from the back of the label, with small type and a small banner reading JO H2O.

A vertical strip of the label is translucent, to show how much has been used.

Water-based lubricants have pros and cons, as do any lube. Here is a quick run-down.

PROS -
- compatible with all sex toy materials and all barrier contraceptive methods like condoms
- often better for sensitive skin
- does not stain like oil-based lube

CONS -
- not ideal for sex in water
- not as long-lasting as silicone lube

Although I would love to live a life free of all artificial chemicals, I still eat food with preservatives in it, like delicious Jamaican hot sauce. In fact, this lube is a little like delicious Jamaican hot sauce (though I wouldn't recommend interchanging them.)

A little goes a long way.
Just a little bit can completely transform a bland experience into something powerful.

and

I will put up with a negligible amount of something dangerous when nothing else can compare.

In my experience, no other lubricant improves anal sex as well as JO H20 Anal Lube.