Yes Organic Lubricant - FAQs
For best protection against discomfort when making love we suggest
Main differences between Yes water-based and Yes oil-based lubricants?
In what way is Yes® water-based, original in lubricant technology?
Please explain what you mean by talking about the discretion of your products?
In what way are your products versatile?
Can Yes® be used with sex toys?
Why Organic Ingredients?
Why does it matter so much that your products are certified as organic by the Soil Association?
Is Yes® easy to clean up?
On what parts of my body can I apply Yes®?
What does Vegetarian Society approval mean?
Can you advise me about the Best before dates / use by dates and shelf-life?
How should I store Yes products?
Detailed directions on how do you use your product
How often I should use Yes water-based specifically for vaginal dryness
What ingredients are in Yes products
What are the preservatives in Yes products. And why do you use them?
Yes® water based is safe for use with condoms. It is not advised to use oil-based lubricants with latex condoms.
Who is Yes® suitable for?
Yes® is suitable for all sexually active adults of whatever orientation, enabling exceptionally pure and effective lubrication.
I suffer from vaginal dryness, and am looking for a vaginal moisturiser to ease my discomfort and to use when making love. Can you tell me which would be the best product for me?
Both Yes water-based and Yes oil-based can help with painful intercourse and vaginal dryness. They cannot cure vaginal dryness or vaginal atrophy but they can help significantly with easing the symptoms.
Yes water-based and Yes oil-based are sister products, they can be used alone or together depending on what your body needs. They are different and complementary in their actions:
Yes water-based works so well as a moisturizer because it is made from plant polymers that hold water and carry it to the dry vaginal tissues. They gently release water into the tissues and re-hydrate them. This can give the vaginal tissues some of the elasticity and moisture they used to have. Yes water-based is certified organic, this means that it is proven pure and natural. It is safe to use daily for atrophy and is also an excellent intimate lubricant (feels unbelievably real, no taste, no smell, not sticky). The pH of Yes water-based (due to the water content and the pH buffer) is low enough to restore the typical vaginal pH and so balance the whole vaginal environment. As Yes water-based is also very soothing and calms sore itching tissues and it can be applied several times a day if needed.
Yes oil-based is a stronger more long-lasting lubricant than Yes water-based. Yes oil-based contains oils and butters that feed the dry tissues and also can coat the lining of the vagina. Whilst this affords greater protection to fragile tissues when making love, it can prevent any water-based lubricant or moisturizer from being able to reach the dry tissues and re-hydrate them immediately afterwards. The oils and butters are fairly quickly absorbed and do make dry tissues more supple. But as Yes oil-based contains no water it cannot re-hydrate dry cells and cannot influence pH.
If you are looking for a vaginal moisturiser (for frequent use) and an intimate lubricant we suggest you try Yes water-based first.
For best protection against discomfort when making love we suggest you use both products together, (Yes oil-based applied first followed by Yes water-based).
This gives robust lubrication from Yes oil-based and the extra slip from Yes water-based on top ensures long-lasting lovemaking with the maximum lubrication. When used on top of Yes oil-based, Yes water-based is not quickly absorbed so both partners get the benefit of natural feeling lubrication without the need to reapply regularly.
I'm not sure which lubricant to order and would like to know the main differences between Yes water-based and Yes oil-based lubricants?
Yes water-based and Yes oil-based are different in their actions:
Yes water-based is an outstanding lubricant and uniquely works well as a vaginal moisturizer too. Yes water-based is made with plant polymers that hold water and carry it to the skin. They gently release water into the tissues and re-hydrate them. This can give the vaginal tissues some of the elasticity and moisture they used to have. Yes water-based is certified organic, which means that it is proven pure and natural. It is safe to use daily for vaginal or penile dryness and is also an excellent intimate lubricant (feels unbelievably real, no taste, no smell, not sticky). The pH of Yes water-based is designed to match vaginal pH and so can restore the typical vaginal environment. The typical vaginal flora (Lactobacillus) creates an environment that naturally inhibits Candida/Thrush and other unwanted bacterial infections. Yes water-based is condom compatible, feels very natural and even out performs the old style synthetic lubricants. What more could you want? Maybe something that lasts longer than a water-based lubricant?
Then there is Yes oil-based. Yes oil-based contains oils and butters that feed and condition the skin. Yes oil-based has a different feel and action to Yes water-based, it is a long lasting lubricant and it is a conditioning skin food BUT it cannot re-hydrate or moisturize tissues as it contains no water. Unlike synthetic oils (Silicone: dimethicone or cyclomethecone and Petroleum derived oils: Vaseline or petrolatum) which smother the skin and are hard to wash off, the plant based oils and butter in Yes oil-based are gently absorbed and do make dry tissues more supple.
- Yes oil-based is a thick cream at room temperature and a lovely smooth liquid at body temperature. Depending on the warmth of your room, you may need to warm it up in your hands first before you apply it. If it is really cold it can be hard to get out of its bottle.
- Yes oil-based is not compatible with condoms, all oils (natural or synthetic) seem to dissolve latex which rather ruins the point of wearing a condom.
- Yes oil-based works brilliantly as a massage oil leaving skin feeling supple and healthy. It has a very slight taste of chocolate, due to the cocoa butter.
- Used together (Yes oil-based applied first followed by Yes water-based) they give extra protection and deliver great long-lasting lubrication with fine sensation.
In what way is Yes® water-based, original in lubricant technology?
Yes® has been designed with natural plant-based ingredients which are bio-adhesive, water-carrying and viscosity-retaining. The flax extract in combination with the Guar, Locust Bean and Xanthan gums provide these valuable properties. This formulation enables the product to carry water to the mucous membranes, to protect them and to continue to release moisture as it adheres to their surface for sustained hydration.
Please explain what you mean by talking about the discretion of your products?
Yes® lubricants offer you the discretion of products which, unlike most others, draw no attention to themselves through smell, taste or colour. We believe that lubricants should facilitate your pleasure, without masking your skin and senses. Sexual arousal is intimately linked to natural pheromones, and with Yes®, your own signals of desire are neither obscured nor confused, but – luberated!
Discretion is further aided by quiet one-handed dispensing. The easy squeeze, inverted bottle has an elegant valve release which makes application simple.
In what way are your products versatile?
The purity of Yes® products means they can be used as a skin conditioner and moisturiser, and for therapeutic and erotic massage. They can be used with each other for interesting results. Try water-based on top of oil-based for a new dimension in lavish and sustained slipperiness.
Can Yes® be used with sex toys?
Yes® water-based is safe for use with latex, plastic and silicone toys. Yes® oil-based is fine with plastic and silicone toys.
Why Organic Ingredients?
By working with nature and avoiding pesticides, chemical fertilisers and genetic engineering, Organic production promotes the health of the soil, plants, animals and us in the following ways:
- The Quality
The improved quality of organically produced crops and therefore of our ingredients- No growth hormones, chemical fertilizers or damaging pesticides are used
- No genetic engineering
- The Health Benefits
The health benefits associated with using pure ingredients- No synthetic chemicals present to be absorbed by the skin
- 60% of all chemicals put on the skin end up in the blood stream
- The Standards
The rigorous standards for certification- No compromise on ingredient quality
- No Parabens allowed for preservation
- The Environment
The positive environmental impact- In the UK, organic farms have 44% more birds and more than five times as many wild plants
- The Future
The future looks better for all of us, when sustainable crop production methods, that work with nature, are employed
Why does it matter so much that your products are certified as organic by the Soil Association?
In the current climate the words "natural" and "organic" can be confusing to consumers and used in a misleading way by manufacturers, especially in the personal care products category. The Soil Association upholds the strictest standards in awarding their certification and their symbol on products gives you the guarantee and reassurance of an authentically organic product.
Is Yes® easy to clean up?
Yes. Water-based will leave the skin clean and comfortable after use and will not stain sheets or fabric. Oil-based is mostly absorbed by the skin and washes cleanly out of textiles.
On what parts of my body can I apply Yes®?
Yes® is ideal for play, body glide, massage and are of course suitable for vaginal, anal and oral use. Both Yes® water-based and oil-based are safe even if swallowed, as they are made from pure food quality ingredients, although we do not recommend eating vast quantities (they are unflavoured) - they are designed for lubrication not consumption.
What does Vegetarian Society approval mean?
The Vegetarian Society's trusted "Seedling" symbol awarded to Yes water-based and oil-based lubricants is a further endorsement of our ethics and ingredients philosophy. As an educational charity promoting understanding and respect for vegetarian lifestyles, they have approved our products as free from animal derived and GMO ingredients, as well as cruelty free.
Can you advise me about the Best before dates / use by dates and shelf-life?
Yes Water-based:
- 25ml - 3 Months from opening
- 75ml/125ml - 6 Months from opening
- Best by Date - 14 Months from manufacture
Yes Oil-based:
- 25ml - 6 Months from opening
- 75ml/125ml - 12 Months from opening
- Best by Date - 24 Months from manufacture
How should I store Yes products?
Various things can cause the life of any product to be shortened, extreme temperatures (leaving it on a sunny window sill) or the addition of bacteria or fungi when removing the lid/cap.
Yes products, as they are made from natural ingredients, are more sensitive to harsh conditions than their synthetic chemical cousins (actually more distant than cousins). Do not leave them on a sunny window sill, keep them at room temperature, no freezing or boiling, keep the lid on when you are not using them. They are not too sensitive, so you don't have to turn out the light although they do like a little candle light.
I have not had to use a personal lubricant before, can you give me detailed directions on how do you use your product (how to apply Yes)?
We don't like this question and have tried not to answer it. In our experience of other personal lubricants, such directions for use tend to be patronising or pathologising or completely mystifying (why a pea sized amount – is that a big pea or a little one?. all of which we wanted to avoid. As we all vary so much, we prefer not to be directive about the application, recommended amounts or positioning of our product. But that approach was not really helpful so here goes:
Yes water-based is a gel, that becomes less thick – more liquid as it is used. Rub a little in your fingers and you will see how it liquefies. For use as a personal lubricant, Yes water-based can be applied before and or during lovemaking. Privately, before lovemaking, women can put it on, in and around the vulva and vagina, using fingers to insert the lubricant well into the vagina, as well as to the labia. Applying lubricant during lovemaking can also become part of the intimate experience, enjoyed by both partners.
If you are in any doubt about how much to use, go for more not less, water-based lubricants are not known for lasting a long time (that's one of the reasons why we make Yes oil-based). Yes water-based contains no glycerine. Glycerine makes lubricants feel sticky and can dry tissues too. So using lots of Yes water-based will not leave you feeling sticky. We lean much closer to the more-than-one broad bean approach than a single petty pois.
When using Yes water-based as a vaginal moisturizer we can be more helpful and specific. Use about 5ml (a small teaspoon full). Put it on wherever the dryness occurs and depending on the severity of your dryness you may need to add more in a day or two days. Yes water-based releases water to dry tissues and will need reapplying when the tissues have used up all the water. As Yes water-based is also very soothing, it calms sore itching tissues and can be applied several times a day if needed.
Yes oil-based is a thick cream at room temperature and a lovely smooth liquid at body temperature. Depending on the warmth of your room, you may need to warm it up in your hands first before you apply it. If it is really cold it can be hard to get out of its bottle.
All of the above directions for use as a personal lubricant apply to Yes oil-based too. Although Yes oil-based is not compatible with condoms, all oils (natural or synthetic) seem to dissolve latex.
Whilst Yes oil-based contains no water and so cannot rehydrate / moisturize dry tissues, it is made form skin nourishing butters and oils and is a long-lasting intimate lubricant and a great massage oil.
For all Yes products: Their purity and naturalness means there are no ingredients that have concerns attached to them, they are hypoallergenic and they have no known side effects. So we advise that you use Yes products liberally for best effect.
Can you tell me how often I should use Yes water-based specifically for vaginal dryness, and how much to use each time?
Not really. I don't know how much will make it ok for you. This is why we worked so hard to get our organic certification – you can use as much or as little as feels right for your body. The purity of our products mean they are entirely suitable for daily use and can be applied as frequently as your body tells you it needs.
How much is used each time depends on whether you are using Yes water-based as a vaginal moisturiser (as much or as little as you need - typically 3-5mls per application) and/or for sexual intimacy. For making love you will need to use more as it will get "used up" more quickly.
Also if you are experiencing soreness when making love try and combine them by using Yes oil-based first and then Yes water-based on top, as this can give greater protection and increased longevity. Essentially it depends upon on how your body reacts and the degree of vaginal dryness you experience, as to how much you use and how often.
Can you let me know what ingredients are in Yes products, and help me to understand why they are so much better for me?
All Yes products are certified organic, which is your guarantee of product purity, giving you the assurance there is nothing unknown, hidden, or damaging present in our organic products.
- YES Water-based: Aqua (Water), Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera)*, Cyamopsis tetragonolobus (Guar Gum)*, Ceratonia siliqua (Locust Bean Gum)*, Linum usitatissimum (Flax extract)*, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Potassium sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
- YES Oil-based: Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Prunus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil)*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Oil)*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa Butter)*, Cera Alba (Bees Wax)*, Natural Tocopherols (Vitamin E)
*organically grown ingredients... Yes products are protected by international Patents.
Yes products contain:
-
- No petrochemicals (thick oils like petrolatum that coat skin)
- No parabens (skin irritants and have cancer concerns)
- No known skin irritants
- No grapefruit seed extract because it is often adulterated with parabens)
- No glycerine/glycerol (Causes Thrush outbreaks, is a skin irritant and leaves skin sticky)
- No hormones (safe to use if recovering from Breast Cancer or wanting to avoid HRT)
- No silicone (coats skin, feels yucky and is really hard to wash off)
- No propylene glycol (cell wall disrupter, pulls chemicals through and into the blood stream)
Yes products do contain pure plant extracts laden with skin healing and nourishing properties, grown and manufactured to organic standards. Why would you want to put old style synthetic chemical lubricants on such a vital sensitive area when there is a natural and pure alternative. Chemicals on your "Crown Jewels" - I think not. We believe that Yes products are the safest on the market, anywhere in the world.
What are the preservatives in Yes products. And why do you use them?
Yes oil-based has no preservatives in it, only Vitamin E which acts as an antioxidant and extends the shelf-life.
Yes water-based has two preservatives in it. Both occur in nature, both are synthetically produced. They are Phenoxyethanol and Potassium sorbate. We have to buy the synthetically produced versions as (a). we don't use animal body parts and (b). we cannot find commercially available plant extracted sources. They are approved by the FDA and UK/EU bodies for food and/or cosmetic applications, as well as by our Organic certifier: The Soil Association. To date we have found no naturally occurring preservative package that is safe, non irritant and effective. Used correctly (not above 1%) both these preservatives do a brilliant job without being skin irritants or having any other concerns associated with them. In the absence of chemicals know to be penetration enhancers, like Propylene glycol, they are not pulled thought the skin into the blood stream. Yes products contain NO penetration enhancers.
We are often asked why we use preservatives in our natural products, when we have striven to make our products as natural as possible. Unfortunately preservatives of some kind will always be needed in water-based products. Water is the basis of all life, and that includes bacteria, fungi and moulds. Products without preservatives will have a very short shelf life, even if refrigerated (think of milk or orange juice). Products that are not properly preserved, even if made in a very clean environment, will become a health risk when exposed to the microbes present in life. So we preserve our products to give them shelf life and to ensure they are hygienic - to protect you. And as registered Medical Devices our products also have to meet strict preservation standards.
If you follow the link and read our ingredients page www.yesyesyes.org/ingredients then you will know that we are on a permanent hunt for a more truly natural and effective preservative. This page says:
Preservation and product cleanliness are critical. We tested all commercially available natural and "natural" preservation systems and found that none were secure, reliable and safe enough to meet our criteria. For instance Grapefruit seed extract is a known eye irritant at low concentrations. We finally chose a combination of natural and synthetic preservatives for Yes Water-based to deliver the performance required.
Both Yes products are certified organic by the Soil Association in UK, this supports our ingredients policy, in that we can only use certain approved (gentle) preservatives (e.g. no parabens).
Yes products are the only range of certified organic lubricants available - anywhere. This makes Yes the purest and the most natural range of personal lubricants and vaginal moisturisers. One of the great things about Yes is that performance is NOT sacrificed in the pursuit of purity - check out our Yestimonials
Re-published with permission from http://yesyesyes.org
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