Review - Wet Stuff Gold

I thought for my first review I would discuss something close to my heart - lubricants. Today I am focusing on Wet Stuff Gold.

The 'Wet Stuff' line of lubricants by Gel Works (an Australian-based company) have been on the market since 1987. Since then, variations have been released, such as the silicone-based Wet Stuff Secrets in 1996. Wet Stuff Gold, a warming lubricant, was released in 1993. There are a number of packaging options for Wet Stuff Gold based on your promiscuity and budget: 4g sachet, 55g travel bottle, 100g tube, 270g & 550g pump-action bottles, 1kg & 5kg refill containers and 200kg drums. To test the product, I purchased the 55g travel-sized bottle. The 55g bottle retails for $8.55 at AO Adultshop although I should mention that the whole Wet Stuff line is really competitively priced, compared to other lubes of similar type (i.e. water-based) and weight.

The official line of the Gel Works company on why Wet Stuff Gold differs from Wet Stuff is because Wet Stuff Gold has an 'extra long lasting formulation developed to give even longer lubrication than Wet Stuff. It contains an extra water retaining ingredient'....but you cannot know what exactly that is on their site, apparently. Comparing the ingredients list will not help you. They are identical, down to Polyquaternium 7, 10, 15 & 32.

Labelling confusion aside, how is Wet Stuff Gold during sex?  Pretty good. Wet Stuff Gold needs lots of friction and time to become unpleasantly sticky and dried out on the ol' mucus membranes. The aftertaste is pretty bad but this is a lube that never promised to taste good, so I won't deduct marks for that. It is also really easy to wash off afterwards, and does not stain fabrics.

Wet Stuff Gold is a really good multi-purpose lubricant to have on hand. It is suitable for condoms and almost all toy materials including plastic, cyberskin, silicone, latex, rubber, metal and glass, and according to Gel Works the incidence of allergic reaction is one report per 10 tons of product distributed, or one in 10 million uses.

My issues with Wet Stuff Gold as a lube are minimal. One problem is Gold's propensity to ... travel. Water takes the path of least resistance, and so does this water-based lube. Have sex in the missionary position? Wet Stuff Gold in your arsecrack. Woman on top? More like man with a lubed-up ballsack. Congress of wombat and worm? Forget it. You will get lube and dirt in your eyes so fast...

Secondly, Wet Stuff Gold is a warming lubricant. That is not the problem, the problem is I only realised this fact after some research for this review. This is not information that is available on the label, although it is available on the company's site. And I hadn't noticed a warming effect, even after intensive use.

Lastly, the 55g travel bottle is a pain. The shape of the packaging design ensures the bottle is NEVER stable, the cap leaks, and is it difficult to use during the heat of the moment. This guarantees lube in your sex box, on your nightstand, covering your hands every time you touch the bottle, and, if you were using it during travelling, all through your luggage and toiletries bag.

Confusing labels and poorly-designed packaging aside, Wet Stuff Gold is a lube I would use again for most kinds of sex. It is a reliable, non-irritating, non-staining lubricant product, which is priced competitively. I will never buy another bottle in the travel-sized design though, it's too much work. Only pump-action bottles from now on. The pump-action bottle option also means refilling is easier, a massive plus for reducing packaging waste.

Score: 7/10.