Edible oils in the USA

What are erotic edible oils?

It is a flavoured massage oil or gel. You spread it over your partner's skin and can then kiss and lick it off, so the massage ends up in the mouth. It is used mostly in foreplay, to add taste and smell to touch. They are made with ingredients suitable for swallowing and food flavourings, on bases that moisturise the skin and are gentle on it. What each one contains is listed on its product page. Flavours range from chocolate, strawberry, caramel and mint to mojito or candy floss, and there is also vanilla, raspberry, cherry or coconut.

If you want an oil for a long massage and do not need it to be lickable, have a look at massage oils.

Types of edible oils

Brands include Shunga, with its Aphrodisiac Oil as a premium range; Kama Sutra, with Oil of Love; System JO, with H2O Flavored; Bijoux Indiscrets, with Slow Sex; and Extase Sensual, with its Hot Oil, which has a warming effect, and Extra Fresh, which is cooling and warming.

• Warming oil: it heats up when you blow on the skin and combines flavour with temperature. It is the most popular type.
• Flavoured massage oil or gel: for a long massage with an edible finish. There are 10 ml bottles, such as those from Extase Sensual, if you want to try a flavour before buying a big bottle.
• Body paint: chocolate or strawberry. It is applied with a brush and then licked off. It is not in this section, but with the edible paints.
• Erotic whipped cream: it comes in a spray and goes straight onto the body. Flavoured body sprays are used in a similar way; Eros Yummy is in erotic cosmetics, not in this section.
• Popping powder: it fizzes in the mouth on contact with saliva and gives a surprising sensation. Edible powders, such as those from Shunga, are with the erotic creams and powders.
• Flavoured lubricant: it can be licked and also works for penetration and oral sex. There are none here: they are in lubricants.
• Couples' kits: they combine a kissable oil with other extras to set up a night in, such as Orgie's Lips Massage, which comes with a feather and a massage guide.

Safety

Read the ingredients before using it if you are allergic to any food or fragrance. If you have sensitive skin, try a little on your forearm and wait a while. Products with a warming or cooling effect, such as cinnamon or mint ones, are felt much more on the lips and genitals than on the back, so start with a small amount. If the product is sugary, wash with lukewarm water afterwards.

How to choose

• Type: the product page says whether it is a massage oil or gel, body paint or lubricant. Only a lubricant is suitable for penetration.
• Base: water, oil or silicone. If you use latex condoms, avoid oil-based ones.
• Flavour: pick one you both like, because you will taste it for quite a while.
• Effect: neutral, warming or cooling. If it is your first time, a neutral one is best.
• Size: 10 to 30 ml bottles to try, 100 or 150 ml bottles once you know which flavour you like.
• Ingredients: if you have allergies or sensitive skin, check the full list on the product page.

Edible oils: frequently asked questions

Are edible oils safe for intimate use?

On the outside, yes: on the skin, chest, thighs or neck, they can all be used. They are not recommended inside the vagina: they are massage oils and gels for the skin, and more than half of the product pages say so expressly, “for external use only” or “not a lubricant”, as do those for Kama Sutra Oil of Love, Extase Sensual Hot Oil, Eros Power Warming or Joydivision WARMup. In addition, sugars and flavourings may alter vaginal pH and cause infections, so apply them to the external areas you plan to lick. None here is sold as a lubricant: the closest is the Slow Sex kissable gel from Bijoux Indiscrets, which is water-based and designed for intimate massage with the fingers. If you want flavour for penetration, look for one listed as a lubricant on its product page.

Can an edible oil be used as a lubricant?

No, unless the product page says it is also a lubricant, and none here does. Oils are not a substitute: they are greasier and less slippery than a lubricant, and oil-based ones degrade latex. The product pages for Shunga's kissable oil, Secretplay's massage oil and Extase Sensual's Extra Fresh warn of this, so they should not be used with condoms. Not all of them are oils even if they are called that: Kama Sutra's Oil of Love and Eros's Power Warming are water-based, and they are not lubricants either. For penetration use a lubricant, which also come flavoured.

What is an edible lubricant?

It is a flavoured lubricant that can be licked. Unlike a massage oil, it is suitable for penetration and oral sex. With latex condoms, choose a water-based or silicone-based one. They are not in this section, but with the lubricants.

Can they be used for oral sex?

Yes, that is what the flavour is for. There are also gels designed only for oral sex, which come in a small size and are applied in a small amount.

Can you swallow them?

In small amounts, yes, if the product page says “edible” or “kissable”. They are designed to be licked off the skin, not eaten like a dessert. If the product page does not say so, do not swallow it.

Do they stain clothes or sheets?

Oil-based ones can stain. Put a towel underneath and wash the clothes as soon as possible. Water-based gels come out more easily.

What is the difference from a warming oil?

An edible oil has flavour and can be licked. Among erotic warming oils there are some that only warm. If you want both, the product page will say “edible” or “kissable” as well as “warming effect”.