Lubrication helps encourage condom use and avoid condom breakage. There are 3 ways to provide lubrication—natural vaginal secretions, adding a lubricant safe for use with condoms, or using condoms packaged with lubricant on them.

Clean water and saliva can be used for lubrication. The lubricants packaged with condoms are usually made of silicone. Silicone lubricants are also packaged separately. Lubricants made with water or glycol are also available, safe to use, and may be cheaper.

Lubricants should be applied on the outside of the condom, in the vagina, or in the anus (but not on the penis). A drop or two of lubricant on the inside of the tip of the condom before it is unrolled can help increase the sensation of sex for some men. Too much lubricant inside, however, can make the condom slip off.