Would you use lube on your face?

Don’t go down this slippery slope

Credit: 123rf
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Social media is filled with countless tried-and-tested trends, from the amazing to the absurd. One of the most jaw-dropping pieces of content that caught our attention was Arnakshi Kashyap’s video in which she used lube on her face.

In the clip, Arnakshi is seen applying lube to her face before applying makeup. She also shared that after seeing a comment on Instagram, she decided to test it out, and she’d been using lube as a primer for several months. She added that the product is “super lightweight but very glowing” on her skin. 

The controversial reel, posted in January 2025, has racked up a whopping 14.6 million views and has been shared more than 650,000 times to date. In the comments section, Arnakshi pinned two of her replies to the top section. The first was a breakdown of the lube’s ingredients list, and the other addressed how some of the male users left “inappropriate or sexual comments” on her reel. 

If you’re intrigued by the idea of using a personal lubricant as your new makeup primer, think twice. Dr Rachel Ho, medical director of La Clinic, advises against it. 

“Lubricants were not formulated for use on the face as makeup products,” she shares. “Its safety and efficacy as a makeup primer is uncertain. The intended functions of makeup primers and lubricants are also very different.” 

This why using lubricants on your face may have side effects. The ingredients in some lubricants, such as flavours and oils, can irritate your skin and cause allergies, especially for acne-prone skin

“As they’re not formulated for facial use, the ingredients such as oil may clog pores and worsen acne,” says Dr Ho. 

Using a lube as a makeup primer may also be counter-effective. Since primers usually contain silicones, mica and moisturising agents to help create a smooth base for makeup application, lubes may or may not include similar ingredients. “This means that makeup may slide off and transfer after application,” adds Dr Ho. 

The bottom line

Before deciding to follow these trends, it’s important to note that while social media is filled with valuable information from experts and other users, it also contains plenty of misinformation. 

Dr Ho suggests checking the creator’s credentials first and assessing whether the information shared by him or her can be backed by science or evidence. “If the perspective isn’t supported by experts in relevant fields, it is a red flag.” 

On top of that, evaluate your skin type and concerns that will influence the products’ efficacy, and weigh the products’ potential side effects and benefits. “If in doubt, always check in with your healthcare professional,” recommends Dr Ho. 

Still, for those who still wish to give this trend a go, always ensure that you only “attempt it when your skin barrier is healthy,” says Dr Ho. “That means when there are no irritations, eczema flares and infection. Otherwise, lubricants may worsen these conditions.”

Additionally, always perform a patch test on a small area of your skin first and observe if there are any reactions in one to two days. Importantly, Dr Ho advises against applying lubricant near the eyes as the skin is the thinnest, making it more susceptible to irritations.

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