That year in Lijiang, a middle-aged couple checked into my guesthouse. The husband, surnamed Zhou, worked in construction budgeting, and his wife taught Chinese at a middle school. They'd been married eighteen years, their child had just started university, and suddenly they felt a void in their daily lives, so they decided to get out and travel.

One evening, they were drinking in the courtyard, and Mrs. Zhou suddenly asked me: "Have you ever seen... that kind of lubricant used between couples?"

I was taken aback for a moment. She said she'd seen people recommend it online, but didn't know which one to buy—she was afraid of getting something sticky that was hard to wash off, and even more afraid of something with a harsh smell. She said: "We're not trying to do anything fancy, we just... want to find a bit of that feeling from when we were young."

After that night, I seriously researched the common lubricants on the market and personally tried several. What I want to talk about today is the one I ended up using the longest—Japanese Seikei Drywell Lubricant 200ml.

Let me give you the bottom line first: if you want a lubricant that's watery, non-sticky, odorless, and easy to wash off, this one is basically a safe bet.

But if you think a lubricant is just "something you apply when things aren't wet enough," you might be underestimating its role in intimate relationships.

Lubricant isn't a fix—it's an upgrade.

The first time I used a lubricant was years ago in Lhasa. Back then I was young and thought using one was a sign of "not being good enough." Later, a woman who ran a hostel told me: "You're being silly. A good lubricant is something that makes both people comfortable. It has nothing to do with love, and everything to do with bodies."

She handed me a bottle and said: "Try this one. It's water-based, not greasy, and easy to wash off."

That bottle was Seikei. I didn't pay attention to the brand at the time—I just thought it worked well. It wasn't until later that I learned Seikei is a Japanese brand specializing in sexual wellness products, and this Drywell lubricant is their classic.

Texture: watery, non-sticky, like the skin's own moisture.

It comes out as a clear gel with just the right flow—doesn't drip everywhere. Once spread, it's very smooth, without that "fake slippery" feeling. It feels more like the natural moisture the skin produces. After it dries, it doesn't clump or leave a sticky residue on the skin.

Rinse it off with water and it's clean, leaving no trace. This is especially important for women—the vaginal pH is sensitive, and using the wrong product can easily cause inflammation. Seikei's formula is mildly acidic, close to the natural environment of the female vagina, gentle and non-irritating.

Longevity: one bottle lasts a long time.

The 200ml capacity doesn't look big, but you only need a small pump each time, about 1-2ml. At three uses per week and 2ml per use, one bottle lasts over six months. That's far more cost-effective than buying those small packages, and you don't have to constantly restock.

I know a guy in foreign trade whose wife has a "dry-type" constitution. He used to have to buy small bottles on the fly every time, spending a lot over the course of a year. After switching to the large Seikei bottle, he said: "Finally, I don't have to worry about restocking after every use, and she hasn't complained about discomfort since."

Scenario fit: it's not just for when things "aren't wet enough."

Many people think lubricants are only for when there's a "problem," but it's actually suitable for any couple who wants to be more comfortable.

For example:

Seikei's is water-based, compatible with both latex condoms and silicone toys, and won't corrode the materials.

But one thing to note: don't treat it as a "delay" or "enhancement" product.

I once had a customer ask if Seikei could "make things last longer." I said no—a lubricant's job is to reduce friction and increase comfort, not to act as a medication. If you want delayed ejaculation or heightened sensation, that's a different category of product.

For example, if you or your partner have issues like low libido or sexual apathy, you might need to consider products like Female Libido Enhancement Tablets or Goddess's Love. But a lubricant is the foundation—the guarantee that every intimate moment is more comfortable.

Don't expect to solve problems with imagination alone.

I've seen too many couples who clearly have physical needs but are too embarrassed to buy a lubricant, thinking "using one means admitting I'm not good enough." And what happens? They tough it out—dryness, pain, discomfort—until they become more and more resistant to intimacy.

I know a programmer, early thirties, married for five years, who'd barely had sex with his wife in the past year. He told me: "It's not that I don't want to—every time she says it hurts, and I don't know what to do."

I asked him: "Do you two use lubricant?" He said: "Isn't that stuff for old people?"

Later I sent him a bottle of Seikei and told him to try it. Two weeks later, he messaged me: "Damn, so all that pain before was for nothing."

He said after using it, his wife stopped complaining about pain and actually initiated more often. He said: "I finally realized—she wasn't unwilling, she was afraid of the pain."

Lubricant is the lubricant of intimate relationships, not a marker of "inadequacy."

Many people think using a lubricant means something is "wrong" in that department, but it's actually the opposite. Being willing to consider your partner's comfort is the real sign of caring about the relationship.

I know a woman who runs a bar, in her forties, divorced, who later started dating a boyfriend eight years younger. She said she never shied away from using lubricant: "I'm older now, my body isn't what it used to be, but I don't want that to affect our relationship. So what if we use a little lubricant? He's comfortable, I'm comfortable—isn't that better?"

She's right. Bodies age, desires change, but intimacy shouldn't disappear because of that. Lubricant isn't about masking a problem—it's a way of solving one.

If you're still hesitating, here are a few suggestions:

So, what happened to that couple from Lijiang?

I stayed at the guesthouse for another two weeks. On the morning they left, Mrs. Zhou came to say goodbye. She said: "Thank you for talking with me so much that night."

I said: "You're welcome. Safe travels."

She smiled and said: "We've already booked our flights to come back to Lijiang next year."

I watched her and her husband walk out of the courtyard side by side, the sunlight stretching their shadows long. I thought, maybe what they needed wasn't a trip, but to rediscover a little bit of moisture in their long marriage.

A lubricant can't solve everything, but it can at least make two people willing to draw closer to each other.

And that's enough.

After I left Lijiang, I went to many places and met many people. Every time someone asks about lubricants, I think of Mrs. Zhou's words: "We're not trying to do anything fancy, we just... want to find a bit of that feeling from when we were young."

Yes, that feeling of being young—isn't it just that carefree intimacy?

Bodies age, but the feeling can stay. As long as you're willing, a little lubricant can make intimacy soft again.

If you want to try it too, I'd suggest starting with Seikei Drywell.

After all, a good intimate relationship deserves to be taken seriously.

(Note: This article was written by the author based on real experiences. Product experiences vary from person to person; please choose according to your own situation.)