This is a review of unconventional approaches to development of long-performing standardized plastic lubricants in order to ensure reliability of modern energy-intensive and high-precision technology. Methods are presented for selection of the dispersion medium according to its molecular structure and tribochemical stability and for selection of the disperse phase according to the ability to form and preserve the elastoplastic characteristics of the lubricant film on the friction surface. The criterion for the effectiveness of additives to plastic lubricants is considered as their interaction energy with the metal surface and elements of the structural framework of the lubricant. A methodology is presented for predicting the useful life of plastic lubricants in machinery based on the thermodynamic stability of the colloidal system and its oxidation-inhibiting ability.