When people talk about the thin line between pleasure and pain, they’re probably thinking along the lines of Fifty Shades of Grey, but when they talk about plain pain, we have reason to believe that it’s about something else altogether. We’ve heard enough confessions (either written or whispered to us in confidence) to get a broad sense of what’s going on in women’s bedrooms, and a chat with Pleasure Place co-owner Eleanor Leung validates our hypothesis.

Simply put, many women have been having a lot of sex, but they’ve also been foregoing a key ingredient: lubricant. Apparently, natural lubricant is not always enough, especially if you’re already suffering from vaginal dryness.

“Lubricant is more a sex essential than a sex toy, like olive oil, a staple on the grocery list,” explains Eleanor. “It simply makes everything [go] smoothly.”

You might be surprised to know just how varied the lubricants out in the market are (we saw vegan lubricants!), but Eleanor also cautions against using poor substitutes. “Some people like to use saliva but that dries off instantly,” she says.

And if you’re thinking of stealing a bit of oil from the kitchen, think again. “Cooking oil should never be used as it is extremely greasy and difficult to wash and wear off,” she explains.

Aside from making sex more pleasurable, lubricant also helps minimize the risk of getting a toy stuck in you. While it is unlikely for anything to get stuck in your vagina, the same cannot be said for those who are a little more adventurous backdoor-wise. As we’ve learned from hospital scandals of years past, it is possible for a toy to get stuck anally. Eleanor’s tip? Do breathing exercises.

“Generally, hospitalization and assistance of a surgeon is needed in removing the toy that slipped way beyond the rectum,” explains the sex expert. However, “it is likely to happen to those who choose to be ignorant and fail to educate themselves about the proper use of anal toys prior to engaging in anal sex.”

The bottom line (pun not intended)? Invest in lubricants, and don't forget to read the instructions.

(Photo by thisisbossi via Flickr Creative Commons)