Smooth & Slick lubricant by Cal Exotics is, as the name suggests, a lubricant. Specifically, this is a water-based lubricant, making it compatible with all sorts of toys (including silicone and latex, which tend to be picky) without worrying about damaging the toy itself. You should always check for compatibility before using a new lubricant, but this one should be fine with most toys in your toy box.

This product is great for both intercourse and solo play, though people with sensitivity to glycerin should beware. When used on skin, it is a little runny, but not so much so that it cannot be controlled. It can last a fair amount of time when used inside your vagina without becoming sticky or flaky and in my case it always lasted until my own moisture could handle the job. Your mileage may vary, especially if you are with a partner (since in that case both of you will be absorbing it). If being used anally, I would recommend using some sort of lube inserting device so that it covers everything that you need covered.

As a rule of thumb, I would recommend applying a nickel sized amount of this lubricant if you intend on using it. Since your experience might vary from mine, you can always add some more or remember to use less the next time if this amount does not work for you. Because this bottle is 8 fl oz, it is relatively large and will last for a while. When you consider the price, it is a wonderful deal. The bottle also has an easy to open cap, like many shampoo bottles, which makes application easy.

For comparison's sake, here it is next to a 16.9 oz bottle of Ozarka Spring Water:



(I'll discuss the packaging more in depth later on)

The bottle says its formulation will reactivate if you apply some water, which is convenient for people like myself who have bottles of water everywhere, or if used in the shower or bath. However, I have yet to test this since it lasted long enough for me.

The ingredient list is as follows:
Deionized Water, Glycerin, Peg-8, Aloe Vera Extract, Carbomer-940, Carbonymethylcellulose, Tetra Sodium EDTA, Methylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin

It does contain glycerin and parabens, which aren't so wonderful but make sense when you consider the price. If you are sensitive to glycerin, or would like to avoid parabens, look for a different product. However, I do have very sensitive skin and this lubricant did not bother me in the slightest, probably due to the Aloe Vera Extract.

This product lives up to its name - it is, indeed, smooth and slick. It does not become sticky with time like many other lubricants, nor is it flaky. This lubricant is relatively runny, but it does stay in place for long enough for you to rub it in. Once rubbed a little, it stays in place much better. I don't mind the thinness, as I find that it makes the lubricant easier to apply.

The bottle pours easily, sometimes even easier than anticipated, so be careful when applying it. It does not need to be reapplied often, so this is typically only a problem in the beginning. After using it, my skin feels softer due to the aloe, which is a nice effect.

When I first poured some onto my fingers to test it, it felt sort of slimy, but in a good way. Vegetable oil is the closest comparison that I could think of, but it is not a perfect analogy. When used inside of me, it felt natural and was easily forgotten about.

It comes off easily with warm water and mild soap, though just water or a wet washcloth can also be used to remove it. There is no strange feeling after the lubricant has been removed, other than your skin feeling softer.

Overall, the feeling of this lubricant is wonderful - if I was rating this lubricant for the feeling alone, I would have given it five stars.

There was a very slight chemical / plastic aroma to the lubricant when I smelled it, but it is not detectable unless you hold something you applied it to right under your nose. As long as you can avoid deliberately sniffing your toys (or whatever you applied this lubricant to), you should be fine.

Although I have no intention of using this lubricant for oral sex, I tasted it (for science, of course). It had a slightly chemical taste - enough to bother me and ensure I will never taste it again, but I am also very picky with my food and probably not the best judge for this. Still, I would not recommend you seasoning your food (or partner) with it if you have intentions of consuming.

However, because this is not marketed as a lubricant for oral sex, I do not think that either of these things are a problem. After all, the smell is too faint to be smelled from a distance and the taste is only present if you are licking something coated in this lubricant. They're both easily ignored.

This lubricant is long-lasting, especially if rubbed in a little once applied. Granted, it will not hang around for hours, but in my experience it lasted me externally for an entire session with a toy and internally until my own natural lubrication could handle the toy. It will probably not last as long for couples, since that would double the amount of skin it gets absorbed into; however, for solo play, there is little need to reapply it. I find that a quarter sized amount lasts me 20-40 minutes depending on the type of play, which is about as long as my sessions last.

After using this lubricant, it absorbs into skin nicely, eliminating the need to shower to wash it off. It will not stain sheets or clothing, should there be a mess.

I bought this primarily because I wanted a cheap water-based lubricant to use with my silicone toys. It works as advertised and is indeed smooth and slick, all the while being safe to use with silicone because it is water-based.

As mentioned before, this product does contain glycerin. If your vagina is sensitive to it, buy a different lubricant. However, my skin (and vagina) are very sensitive and I have had no adverse effects, so if you are not sure about your reaction, I would recommend giving this lubricant a chance.

The packaging of this product, in my opinion, is its worst feature. It is by no means subtle - just in case you were confused as to what 'Lubricant' means, California Exotics put some free porn onto the front label. Perhaps this is supposed to get me into the mood, but instead I found it tacky. Furthermore, the lubricant is placed in a simple plastic bag, so if anybody opens your package by 'mistake' (we all know nosy people that would 'accidentally' open a package) they will immediately know what it is before you can snatch it out of their hands.

Here is this lubricant, as it arrived, from the front:


To add to my annoyance, the label is very difficult to remove. I would like to know what adhesive California Exotics used to attach it and use it as my new super glue. Needless to say, I was not happy with that label. Something more subtle (or at least, without the porn) would have done better.


Here is this lubricant, as it arrived, from the back:


There are some minimal instructions on the back, but they are minimal. Then again, there is not much about lubricants, especially simple ones like this, that needs explaining. It does, however, have the ingredients visibly listed, which is always nice.

Other than the label, however, I have no complaints about the bottle. It is well designed for play - the push top lid is easy to operate with one hand. Granted, a pump bottle would have been nicer, but a push top is better than a screw on. It might leak a little if around things that can press down and open it, but this has not happened in my experience.

Here is a close up of the lid:



I would not travel with this lubricant, since I would hate for somebody to see the picture of the naked couple embracing. I also normally travel with just carry-on luggage, and this is larger than the approved size for liquids. If you insist on traveling with it, I would recommend pouring it into a smaller and more discreet bottle, like one from an eye makeup remover (after it has been cleaned, of course).

Another reviewer mentioned that this lubricant could be used for purposes around the house, so I decided to try this (for science, of course). I have a squeaky bike brake that has been annoying me for quite some time, and traditional solutions (oil, WD-40, tightening/loosening, and such) weren't fixing it. I poured a dime sized amount all over this brake and, quite magically, it stopped squeaking. And, since the lubricant is water-based, I don't have to worry about the brake not working. I will probably need to repeat this process periodically, but, since I have plenty of this lube, that's not an issue.

If I were rating this lubricant on its quality alone, I would give it five stars. However, I feel the need to knock off a star for the presence of glycerin/parabens and the packaging. Regardless, the price for this product is amazing, so it is a great deal and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

If the packaging bothers you as much as it bothered me, simply buy a pretty duck tape and tape it over the naked couple embracing. Mine now has a zebra stripe, which I find an improvement. I kept the back, though, since it did not bother me. This is a cheap alternative, but it solves the biggest problem that this lubricant has.

This product changed my mind about lubricants. I once bought two very expensive lubricants for use with my partner, but both became very sticky soon after being applied. I later tried using them when playing with myself, and the same thing happened. I swore off of lubricants after this. However, I recently purchased some toys and was worried about entering myself with them, since my vagina is very tight (miraculously tight, according to every man I've ever slept with) and decided to get another lubricant. I chose this one because it was cheap, and if it was just like the other lubricants I had tried, I would have lost very little. However, I was pleasantly surprised with its quality and will probably try some nicer lubricants again, eventually.