This is one of the broadest categories on the site, and one of the least explained — "creams and sprays" covers several genuinely different product types that just happen to share a format. This guide breaks down what each type is actually for, so you're not guessing from the label.
Delay products (sprays, gels, creams, wipes)
These are topical products, usually applied to the penis a few minutes before sex, designed to reduce sensitivity and help extend time before ejaculation. Most use a mild numbing ingredient (often benzocaine, sometimes combined with something like yohimbe or ginseng in the "natural" formulas). They work by dulling sensation, which is a genuine trade-off — start with a small amount and a short application window before your first full use, since it's easy to apply more than you need and lose more feeling than intended. Wipe off any excess before contact with a partner, and check the label if a condom will also be used, since some delay products aren't condom-compatible.
Arousal creams and gels
Marketed for him or her, these are applied directly for a warming, tingling, or heightened-sensation effect rather than to reduce sensation. Effects and intensity vary a lot between products and between people — what feels pleasantly warming to one person can feel too strong to another, so patch-testing a small amount first is worth doing, especially on more sensitive skin.
Desensitizing products (anal and oral)
Similar numbing idea to delay products, but formulated for anal play or oral sex comfort rather than delaying ejaculation. Worth taking seriously: reduced sensation means reduced feedback, and pain is often the signal that tells you to stop or slow down. Anal desensitizing products in particular should be used cautiously and never as a way to push through discomfort that would otherwise tell you something's wrong — see Beginner's Guide to Anal Play for the safety basics that still apply regardless of what's applied topically.
Oral sex sprays
A lighter-touch version of the same idea — flavoured sprays or gels (mint, fruit flavours are common) aimed at comfort and taste during oral sex, sometimes with a very mild numbing effect to help with gag reflex. Not the same strength as the desensitizing gels above; more about flavour and ease than reducing sensation significantly.
Performance sprays and oral supplements
This subcategory covers products marketed around erection firmness or performance more broadly, in both topical (spray/gel) and oral supplement (tablet) form. We're not able to verify or make claims about how well any individual product performs here — treat marketing language on these the same way you would any supplement, and speak to a doctor or pharmacist first if you have an underlying health condition, take other medication, or have concerns about erectile function generally. These aren't a substitute for medical advice.
Pheromone and scent products
Colognes, sprays, or personal-scent products marketed as subtly increasing attraction. The scientific evidence for human pheromone products is genuinely mixed, so it's fairest to think of these as a scent product with a marketing angle rather than a guaranteed effect — reasonable to try if the idea appeals to you, not something to expect specific results from.
Intimacy kits
Bundled sets combining a few of the above (commonly a delay product, an arousal gel, and sometimes a small toy or lubricant sachet) at a lower combined price than buying each separately. A reasonable way to try two or three product types at once without committing to full-size versions of each.
Using these safely
A few things apply across most of this category: patch-test anything new on a small area of skin first if you're prone to sensitivity; check compatibility with condoms before combining products, since oil-based creams can degrade latex; and don't rely on numbing products to push through pain, since reduced sensation is a tool for comfort, not a workaround for discomfort that's telling you to stop.
Where to start if you're unsure
If you're curious but not sure which type suits you, a small intimacy kit is the lowest-commitment way to try a delay product and an arousal gel side by side, rather than buying a full-size version of something you're not sure you'll like.
Browse the full range in Creams & Sprays. For lubricant specifically, see The Science Behind Lube: Why It's More Essential Than You Think. For anal-specific safety basics, see Beginner's Guide to Anal Play: How to Start Safely and Comfortably. For a barrier-method alternative to delay products, see Condoms: A Beginner's Guide.