Before I started reviewing, we were pretty well hooked on one brand of silicone-based lube. We never felt the need to explore other options because we were totally satisfied with our favorite. But with silicone sex toys, came the need for water-based lube and with reviewing came opportunities to try new brands of all kinds of lube. So far, I’ve tried some pretty good ones but none have replaced our go-to silicone-based lube. I was contacted by Empowered Products, the manufacturer of Pink and Gun Oil, and they offered to let me try their water-based and silicone-based varieties of both brands. Would any of them be good enough to make us switch?
When it comes to lube, I’m kind of picky. I won’t use anything that contains glycerin or parabens. Luckily, Pink Water, Gun Oil H2O, Pink Silicone and Gun Oil Silicone lubes contain neither. There are products under each brand that do contain parabens and I was unwilling to review those. For more information on why you might want to avoid these ingredients, see this page.
First of all, I feel that I need to point out that the formulation of Pink Water and Gun Oil H2O lubes appears to be the same, according to the listed ingredients. The same is true for the silicone-based variety of both brands. So, which to choose may simply come down to packaging and price – and as you’ll see, it does.
Ingredients[1. Ingredients taken from here and here.]
| Pink Water | Gun Oil H2O |
| Purified Water, Propleyne Glycol (Humectant/Moisture), Hydroxyethlcellulose (Emulsifier/Enhance Moisture), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera), Potassium Sorbate (Anti-Microbial), Tetrasodium EDTA (Stabilizer), Panax Ginseng Root (Ginseng- Heighten Sensation), Paulina Cupana (Guarana – Increase Blood Flow), Avena Sativa (Oat Extract- Antioxidant)*, Polysorbate 20 (Emulsifier), PEG-45 (Humectant/Moisture), Polyquarternium-5 (Emulsifier), Citric Acid (Antioxidant/Sweetner) | Purified Water, Propleyne Glycol (Humectant/Moisture), Hydroxyethlcellulose (Emulsifier/Enhance Moisture), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera), Potassium Sorbate (Anti-Microbial), Tetrasodium EDTA (Stabilizer), Panax Ginseng Root (Ginseng- Heighten Sensation), Paulina Cupana (Guarana – Increase Blood Flow), Avena Sativa (Oat Extract- Antioxidant)*, Polysorbate 20 (Emulsifier), PEG-45 (Humectant/Moisture), Polyquarternium-5 (Emulsifier), Citric Acid (Antioxidant/Sweetener) |
*Those with Celiac disease or oat allergies may want to avoid Pink Water and Gun Oil H2O.
| Pink Silicone | Gun Oil Silicone |
| Cyclopentasiloxane (Silicone/Lubrication), Dimenthicone (Silicone/Lubrication), Dimethiconol (Silicone/Lubrication), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E/Healing), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera//Reduce Irritation/Healing) | Cyclopentasiloxane (Silicone/Lubrication), Dimenthicone (Silicone/Lubrication), Dimethiconol (Silicone/Lubrication), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E/Healing), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera//Reduce Irritation/Healing) |
I really like the water-based and silicone-based formulas of both brands. We tend to use silicone-based lube for vaginal intercourse and I usually save the water-based lube for my sex toys. Dizzyguy even commented on how nice the Pink Silicone/Gun Oil Silicone lube felt and he’s a die hard fan of our go-to silicone-based lube. He said that he would consider using them again and it’s not easy to get him to switch to anything new once he’s found something he likes. I haven’t tried another silicone-based lube yet that I would substitute for my favorite but I think Pink Silicone and Gun Oil Silicone come close.
I am also equally pleased with the Pink Water and Gun Oil H2O lubes. And why not? It is the same lube in different bottles. It works really well with my toys. It doesn’t get sticky and it lasts about as long as you can expect water-based lube to last. Like most water-based lube it doesn’t stain fabrics and it’s easy to clean up.
I was given the 3.3oz bottles of the Pink lube and 2oz bottles of the Gun Oil lube for this review and the pump is annoying on all of them. The tiniest bit of lube comes out with each squirt and we don’t skimp on the lube. I do know that the 8oz bottle of Gun Oil H2O dispenses better but it’s not a pump. I’d like to see it sold in industrial sized bottles with serious pumps on them, like the ginormous bottles of our go-to lube that we buy. The smallest bottles do have their place though since they are TSA compliant. I’d probably buy the Gun Oil brand lubricants instead of the Pink brand because they come in much larger sizes but there’s another reason I’d choose the Gun Oil brand, which I’ll explain.
Cost comparison[2. Prices taken from here, here, here and here.]
| Pink Water 1.7oz $9.49 ($5.58/oz) 3.3oz $12.79 ($3.88/oz) 6.7oz $19.50 ($2.91/oz) |
Gun Oil H2O 2oz $8.79 ($4.39/oz) 4oz $12.79 ($3.19/oz) 8oz $19.59 ($2.44/oz) 16oz $36.29 32oz $59.99 |
Gun Oil H20 has more size choices and better prices.
| Pink Silicone 1.7oz $12.99 ($7.64/oz) 3.3oz $18.49 ($5.60/oz) 4oz $26.49 (glass bottle) 6.7oz $29.59 ($4.42/oz) |
Gun Oil Silicone 2oz $11.99 ($5.99/oz) 4oz $19.99 ($4.99/oz) 8oz $31.99 ($3.99/oz) 16oz $52.29 32 oz $86.29 |
Again, Gun Oil Silicone has more size choices and appears to have better prices. Also, the 4oz Pink Silicone is so much more expensive because of the glass bottle. That’s just silly. I’d never spend that much just to get the glass bottle.
Despite the fact that I really like these lubricants, there is one thing I do take issue with. I don’t understand why you don’t get the larger bottles with the Pink brand and the prices are higher overall for the exact same formulations of lube; unless they can give me some explanation as to how the Pink lube is somehow different despite the listed ingredients. So in other words, lube in masculine bottles costs less than the same lube in feminine bottles.
I do genuinely like their lubricants but I have a hard time recommending them because of the pricing discrepancy. So, my advice… don’t get duped by the marketing. Buy the lube in the manly bottles, it’s a better bargain. But beyond that, why even have a “male” and “female” brand of the same lube? Isn’t it enough that they’re producing a quality product?
I’m sure this marketing strategy works on some level or they wouldn’t be doing it but really, why can’t this lube be sold under one gender neutral brand with the same quantity and price for everyone? OK… I get it, maybe some men feel more comfortable buying lube in masculine bottles and some women might prefer feminine bottles but can’t they at least be made in the same sizes for the same prices?
Update: Since I reviewed these lubes, I’ve had the opportunity to learn a lot more about water-based lube and which ones are most compatible with the body. I can’t recommend the Gun Oil H2O because it has been found to be hyper-osmotic. The Pink Water is likely hyper-osmotic as well since it appears to have the same formulation as the Gun Oil H2O. The ingredient, propylene glycol is best avoided. Form more on what this means, read this post.
Empowered Products provided the Pink Water, Pink Silicone, Gun Oil H2O and Gun Oil Silicone in exchange for an unbiased review.
I had got the Pink water based lube and love it as well. There are only three lubes I go to and Pink is one of them. I could never get my hand on the silicone based one though. I shopped them on Amazon when I wanted the silicone lube and also noticed what you mention about the prices a small bottle was like $14 bucks. I agree there should not be a man and women one but the Pink is kind of women friendly and the Gun oil is male friendly.
But it appears to be the same lube in different bottles and the “women-friendly” bottles cost more for less product.
I had to re read that, I was going to edit my comment. Yea I get that too, which they should just sale one for the same price and make it women and men friendly when buying if it is the same damn lube and the women’s costing more is messed up. That is the reason why I have not even purchased any yet. I did not realize Gun Oil was by the same company either until I read your review.
🙂
That shit fucking annoys me. It’s like when I was shopping for Toddler beds. I bought my oldest sons at the same time I bought my nieces. It was $25 cheaper for the pink one for girls than it was for even the neutral. Yet, they were the same damn thing. If anything, the pink girl bed was fancier because it had a canopy top.
What I don’t get is why do they need to rebrand to make it appeal to either femme or masculine? Why not just go totally gender-neutral? That’s what also irks me.
It sounds like Empowered Products has created 2 really nice lubricants, so kudos to them. I’m not even going to complain about the gendered marketing since that’s part of our society’s crappy status quo and I understand them playing that game. The price difference, however, is unacceptable and the difference in sizes offered is disappointing. It’s pretty crappy that all of the Pink bottles cost more than Gun Oil, even though those bottles that hold less lube.
Perhaps the Pink bottles are more expensive to make? Although if that’s the case, they should probably figure something else out.
Those are my thoughts on it and I think you might have said it better than I did. 😉
Thing is, I would have never made the connection if it weren’t for the fact that they sent me both brands to review. I looked at the ingredients of each and saw that they were exactly the same so, of course the next thing is to look at pricing. And well, it didn’t make a lot of sense.
This company also makes a thicker lube, Frollick. That I really like
Just checked that one out. Ingredients seem fine. I’ll have to try it sometime.
I hate super-thin lubes especially with toys so it’s a must.
Thank you. I wish there had been more in the review.
Just quick comment to note that while most silicone-based lubes do contain the same, or substantially similar, ingredients (almost invariably some combination of dimethicone, cyclomethicone, dimethiconol and/or cyclopentasiloxane), the relative proportion of each can significantly affect the they work and feel, so simply having the “same ingredients” even if listed in the same order, does not by any means imply that they are the “same thing” just in different packaging.