My partner and I, like many people, are always on the lookout for a high performance lube that feels good, lasts a long time and won't leave behind a gross mess. This one might be all of those things. But the problems we had with the pump-action top were more than annoying the first few uses.

After removing the extra bit of plastic (which I would really recommend holding onto for easy portability of the bottle), I tried to pump out some of the lube. Tiny, miniscule droplets came out. I tried holding the bottle at various angles, tried messing with the cap, turning it, removing it even, all to no avail. To get the kind of quantity required to have any effect, I ended up wasting a solid 60 seconds pressing away at the top. That's not a long time to wait for, say, a food order to arrive, but it's an eternity when you just want some damn lube.

I ended up just twisting off the cap and using the straw-like apparatus inside like a dipstick, applying the lube the way you'd put honey on a sandwich using a knife. All told, that wasn't the worst experience: I ended up enjoying the opportunity to flick the thin but firm plastic against my clit. And, if you're creative enough in your presentation, it's probably more fun to watch lube be applied that way than it is to see it sprayed on with a pump-action cap as originally intended.

The third time I used the lube, i messed with the cap in advance while totally clear-headed, without any arousal to cloud my engineering skills. I removed the cap, examined the set-up, and replaced it differently. I was able to get a smoother delivery of the lube with each pump, as long as I kept it at the optimum angle. Tilting it too far, holding it entirely upright and turning it upside down meant no lube for me. But at least it was working.

As a lubricant, Maxx does a phenomenal job. There's no weird smell or taste. It was perfectly slippery and felt entirely natural on my girly bits. In my hands it feels a little greasy and it takes actual washing and drying (as opposed to just wiping off) to clean it off adequately.

Because it is silicone-based, it's safe to use with condoms and works under water (for pool time lovemaking, etc), but you want to avoid using it with silicone toys so they don't degrade. As you can read in the product description, it's hypoallergenic and usable for masturbation or vaginal intercourse, but is not ideal for anal play.

I still love this lube, although the issue with the top has yet to be rectified. It works great, I just have learned patience in the application process.