So there you are standing in the drugstore in front of a huge row of condoms. The last thing you want to do is market research or be seen standing there. As if choosing a brand wasn't hard enough, now you are expected to decided between lubricated and non-lubricated, ribbed or not! Well, here is everything you need to know when it comes to picking out condoms...

You must first decide whether or not you want lubricants. Generally, there are 3 ways to go:

Lubricated
·   Lubricated condoms are the end-all-be-all of condoms. This type has been around since condoms were invented and are the easiest to use. There are two types of lubricants used in these condoms: silicone-based and water-based. Condoms with a water-based lubricant can often feel sticky and the water can evaporate quickly. Stick to the silicone-based for simplicity.


Non-Lubricated
·   Some people prefer non-lubricated condoms and will use products such as Astroglide or other bottle lubricants. In this case, make sure you always use a water or silicone based lubricant with latex condoms. DO NOT USE OIL-BASED LUBRICANTS! (Such as baby oil, Vaseline, etc.) They will destroy the latex and make the condom worthless.

Spermicide
·   Spermicide works as a second form of birth control when used with condoms; it kills the sperm and prevents them from fertilizing an egg should they escape the condom. Some brands of condoms are available with spermicide already on the condom others you have to purchase separately. The most commonly used type of spermicide is Nonoxynol-9.


Desensitizing
·   The curse of pre-mature ejaculation is a plague on all men, no longer subjecting itself only tp the likes of teen age boys and first time condom users. If you, or your man, is lacking in the endurance department then the desensentizing condom is the answer to your sexual quandries. Desiged with a mild numbing agent, desensitizing condoms prolong climax and extend your pleasures till the wee cracks of dawn, and beyond!


Shaped or Contoured
·   Most people don't like wearing a condom, that is a common fact. Condom companies realize this and have created several types that are shaped and contoured to help increase sensation. These types vary from brand to brand, however the general concept is to provide more (or less) headroom for the penis thus creating more friction over the sensitive nerve endings.


Large v. Small
·   Not all penises are the same size. When choosing a size for a condom, be honest because a condom that is too big will simply slide off and provide no protection, while a condom that is too small is likely to break. Condom companies are referring to the diameter of the condom when determining size.


Long v. Short
·   As if size in one direction wasn't enough, condom makers also have long and short condoms as well as those with more headroom. Condoms with extra headroom provide added sensation due to the material rubbing the over the nerve endings in the head of the penis. Be careful in purchasing short condoms, however, as a short condom will not be able to catch as much "love juice" and could result in spillage.


Finally, we must decide between colors, flavors and textures:

Colors
·   Latex is naturally a milky-white color; for those of you that want to add a little adventure to your fun, condom makers have created colored condoms. Colored condoms provide the same amount of protection as plain ones provided that they are still made out of latex.


Flavors
·   Most people don't know that HIV and Herpes can be passed through oral sex. Knowing this, most doctors agree that it is necessary to use protection when performing this act; to make this a little more palatable, condom companies have created flavored condoms. Note of caution: make sure to change condoms when switching between oral sex and other types as teeth may have caused tiny little snags and tears in the condom.


Glow in the Dark
·   There's nothing more romantic than the incandescent shine of a glowing penis! Glow in the dark condoms have been merely novelty items for years, until now. After years of grueling lab work and breath-taking advances in condom technology there's finally a model approved for actual intercourse. Turn down your lights and turn up the excitement with glow in the dark condoms. .


Textured
·   Ok, now you have tried the basic condoms and now you want a little something extra. Textured condoms range from those designed to give the non-condom wearing partner sensation to those which provide both with a great feeling.

Or how about letting the woman be in charge?

Female
·   Female condoms are the newest addition to the condom world. Unlike traditional condoms, a female condom is designed to fit inside a woman instead of outside a man, resulting in a unique yet exciting new feeling.