Wet Synergy

June 4th, 2010

Wet isn’t the first company to develop a water-silicone hybrid lube but they’re definitely advertising theirs more than other companies (say, Pink). I jumped on the offer to try the new products because they sounded interesting and Wet sent me two bottles: a “regular” version of Synergy and a tingling type.

Each bottle contains 1.9oz of product and is quite tall and narrow with a press-top for dispensing the lube. The regular version has pink detailing against black and silver while the other bottle has teal details. The bottles themselves are cute.

I tried the regular lube first and was pleased to see it was thicker than any silicone lube I’ve ever had. It’s slightly gel-like but definitely not solid. Texture-wise, Synergy feels like a silicone lubricant and doesn’t get sticky like water and lasted well after I was done. I don’t mind silicone lubes with toys–although, most of my toys are also made of silicone so I don’t have that many I can use with it. It’s also scent-free.

I have to be honest, though, I do not like the feel of Synergy for PIV sex. It feels too plastic-y. I never minded condoms but silicone-based lube feels like a physical barrier and reduces my pleasure. Of course, silicone-based lube leaves an interesting feel on your flesh, after use, and that is also true for Synergy.

The tingling version of Synergy is really, really effective. I mean, use with caution. I went a little overboard with it because I wasn’t thinking and my vagina damn near froze off. Toy play seemed to increase the sensation and it was a good 10 or 15 minutes of consistent tingles before it started to fade away. It also seemed to make me negatively sensitive and tender, maybe because of the peppermint, which you can definitely smell during use.

Overall, my experience with tingling Synergy was just a little too much. I think I might be extra sensitive to some cooling/tingling lubes and I would definitely recommend you try out just a bit before diving right into this bottle. I usually do but my mind was elsewhere.

Wet Synergy does contain one ingredient that some folks prefer not to see in their lubes: glycerin. Besides peppermint, the ingredient lists are identical and read as such:

  • glycerin
  • aqua
  • dimethiconol
  • sodium polyacrylate
  • dimethicone
  • cyclopentasiloxane
  • trideceth-6
  • peg/ppg
  • dimethicone
  • pentylene glycol

Because I do not especially like the feel of silicone lube for intercourse and most of my toys are silicone, I probably won’t use Synergy frequently. I guess I just prefer water-based lubes and while I did enjoy the fact that this product is thicker than standard silicone lubes, it doesn’t deviate enough for my liking.

If you’re interested, you can request a sample directly from the Synergy website–which is pretty neat! Synergy is not yet for sale in most places so I’m not sure how much it will cost. Wet products are usually fairly reasonable, however.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Kissable ice cream – strawberry

February 24th, 2010

At first, I confused California Fantasies with California Exotics but it’s a lesser known manufacturer which made the Kissable Ice Creme in strawberry which I had a chance to try. This cream is really a multitasker which promises to cool and lubricate while allowing your partner to taste its flavour when he or she goes to town on you. This product does succeed in a lot of ways, I am happy to say and the 2oz squeeze tube is pretty sizeable. It reminds me of a hand cream tube and there is a lot more product than any other sensitizing product I’ve tried.

Let me start by saying that this is not a lubricant. It’s a thicker cream which will quickly rub into the skin and while the taste remains, it has virtually no lubricating properties. It may moisturize but my vagina doesn’t really need that, I don’t think. Plus, the ingredients list contains both alcohol and sugars which can cause irritation for some which leads me to believe that this product would better be labelled as a sensitizing cream than a lubricating one.

The ingredients, as listed on the tube are:

  • de-ionized water
  • caprylic/capric triglyceride
  • octyldodecanol
  • glyceryl stearate
  • PEG 100 stearate
  • Emulsifying Wax
  • polydimethyl siloxane
  • decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane
  • cetyl alcohol
  • tricethanolamine
  • glycerin
  • sodium benzoate
  • diazolidinyl urea
  • potassium sorbate
  • polysorbate 20
  • hydrogenated collagen
  • methylethyl cyclohexyl
  • propanediol
  • flavor
  • carbomer
  • disodium EDTA
  • sodium PCA
  • Sodium Saccharine

It’s a long list and was painful to type up. While some of the ingredients I recognize, I wouldn’t mind if there were simply less and if there were fewer salts and sugars to boot. While cooling products usually contain some sort of menthol as the active ingredient, I am not sure what it is in the Kissable Ice Creme that makes it work.

As a sensitizing cream, Kissable Ice Creme passes with flying colours. It feels cool immediately and grows slightly cooler but not so much that it makes me uncomfortable like other cooling products I’ve used. It doesn’t quite tingle but I can feel the area to which it is applied growing more sensitive. This is a positive attribute when used on the clitoris but I would like to remind you that this product is also intended to be kissable which means your mouth, including lips and tongue, will become extra sensitive, too. Depending on your personal preferences, this may not be a positive thing. I find it a bit interesting but not necessarily distracting. I did not experience any amazingly powerful or easier orgasms while using this cream but my awareness was definitely heightened.

The Kissable Ice Cream is flavoured and scented. It’s definitely sweet and more of the unnatural strawberry “flavour” as opposed to tasting like real strawberries. The taste will grow weaker as it is licked away (although, the thick cream does stay in place well) and it does seem to have a bit of a sugary aftertaste. It’s not horrible but it is a little.. different. Fluids and a person’s natural taste may alter the sensation, of course. The scent is very sweet as well and gives you a good indication of how it will taste.

It does remove cleanly with licking or washing without leaving residue and even when it’s on your fingers, it feels creamy and soft without being greasy. Because it is thick, it stays where you put it and you do not have to worry about it dripping on your linens or carpet but, as it is water based, I do not think it would stain anyway.

In fact, since I bought it to use as a sensitizing cream and not a lubricant, I can’t really say that are a lot of strong negatives about the Kissable Ice Creme from California Fantasies. It does what it says in a noticeable but not overpowering way and I like that it does not smell or taste like mint because I am not a fan. Not everyone will love the taste (although there are also Cola and Colada flavours available) but I found it to be decent in the limited quantities I’d be using for play time anyway. I would like to see an ingredients list which isn’t quite so terrifying but I haven’t experienced any adverse reactions and do not intend to use it internally so I am really pretty satisfied with the Strawberry Kissable Ice Cream.

Find more sensitizing lubes and creams like this at one of the biggest selections of sex toys online at SexToy.com.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Pink Lube

January 7th, 2010

You may not know it but I like pink, like the colour. And sort of the musician, too, but that’s not related. I first heard of Pink Lubricant years ago but I’m not sure where. The attractive bottles drew my attention and it stayed drawn for some years but I don’t use a lot of lube so I never needed to buy it. However, I decided it might be the right time to try it out when Babeland offered it up for review.

The larger bottles of Pink lubricant are packaged in glass and look much like perfume. The 1.7oz bottle I received, although not glass, still looks pretty classy with its frosted plastic. “Pink” is written, prettily, across the front of the bottle in pink lettering. There’s a line which says “silicone lubricant for women” but the bottle is fairly bare and sleek. I like it but it’s less discreet than the glass style. The bottle is pump style with a small cap over the pump to prevent spilling and the whole thing comes wrapped in plastic (yay). I’ll be honest here.. Between unwrapping the plastic and using the lube, I have no idea where the plastic cap went. So, it would be useful if I could find it but I can’t and I have no recollection of taking it off. Chances are, the cats go to it and it’s under some piece of furniture because it’s small and fun if you’re of the feline variety.

Now, my experience with silicone lubes is really limited. I’ve used 2 including Wet Platinum and the one included in Wet Together. The former experience was down right dreadful as I experienced some sort of reaction but the latter was fairly nice in lubricant properties (not so much as a sensation product, though!). Reviews of Pink are generally pretty high and I figured, maybe silicone lube really is worth it.

My first impression was a bit odd. I guess I was expecting the lube to feel like water based lube does, you know, wet. It didn’t. It felt sort of greasy and I kept pumping at first because I have no idea how much was in my hand. The next thing I noticed was how incredibly thin this lube is which is standard for silicone lubes; although, I do prefer lubricants which are slightly more gelatinous in nature. Also, the pump could jut out a bit more, like a long lotion pump does, because now it just sort of dribbles down the side of the pump/bottle. You have to tip it to avoid that.

So I wasn’t a huge fan of this on my hand but, to be honest, it’s quite slick and has much more staying power than water based lube. A little goes a long way and it doesn’t get sticky as is dries out. Plus, my hand isn’t my pussy – and I don’t want it to be. For actual toy or penis penetration, this lube did work decently. It made it quite frictionless but it feels less natural than water based lubricants seem to feel. It was as if there was a thin layer of incredibly slick plastic inside of me; sure, it reduces friction but I felt as though something was between my husband and myself. I’ve never even felt that way with condoms.

With toys, this was definitely less noticeable. It didn’t feel quite so.. barrier-like which is great but I’m not going to pay $15 for silicone lubricant for toys alone, you know? I really wanted this for actual intercourse. Plus, the parent company makes a water-based lube for use with toys.

To be fair, Pink Lube is not horrible. I did not experience irritation with it like I did Wet Platinum and, besides silicones, the only ingredients are Vitamin E and aloe vera which seems to make it pretty healthy to me. I just really didn’t love the way it feels which is entirely personal preference. Maybe I’m just not built for silicone lubes (are there any which feel.. not so silicone-y? LOL). It is worth a try, however, if you do like silicone based lubes.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Wet Together Couples Lube

December 3rd, 2009

His and hers lubes are so of all the rage these days. KY did a fair job applying attractive colours to their Yours+Mine lube and, then, advertising the shit out of them. A little more recently, Wet introduced their take on his and her lubes: Wet Together Couples Lube. Packaged in pink and blue bottles, Wet Together pairs water with silicone based and tingling with warming properties to further stimulate sexual arousal and satisfaction. Besides the colours, which really are quite striking, these 2fl. oz bottles are nearly identical.

They both say “Wet Together” on a shiny, silver label with the ‘o’ being fashioned into the respective gender symbol and, on the back, you can peel away the label for additional information. The are press-top style which is easy to use and generally easy to control the amount you squeeze out.

The colour coding of this product makes it easy to tell “how” (or who to use it on) to use it but it also makes it clear that this product is intended for a very specific and heterosexual market. I guess because these types of products tend to be marketed toward the tamer sides of sex and sold in drug stores, I see the point but I’m not totally down with promoting the idea of gender-specific colours, either (is there a better term for this?) and it leaves other couplings out in the cold. Of course, you can certainly ignore the implied suggestions and use each lube separately or put the warming on her and the tingling on him. If you’re a rule breaker like that. ;) We didn’t, at least not on the first try because I wanted to try the product how it was intended.

For Her is a silicone based lubricant meant to tingle (cool). The clear lube is thin and slick with a medium strong minty scent. When applied internally, I definitely noticed a cooling sensation. It comes with a short ingredient list which is chock full of silicone so use with silicone toys is not advised:

  • Dimethicone
  • Cyclopentasiloxne
  • Dimenthiconol
  • Phenyl Trimethicone
  • Tocopheryl Acetate
  • Peppermint Extract

Cold was definitely something I felt when For Her was applied on me. It reminded me a bit of Intimate Organic’s Discover Gel but I’m not entirely sure if I found the sensation to be pleasant this time. What I can say with absolute certainty is that there was an increase in sensation from pairing the lubes during sex and that the motion of sex (stroking/thrusting) increased it until a “maximum” point. I’ll be honest and say that the first time we used Wet Together, the sensation became so much that it was distracting and I just wanted it to be over and done with so I could rinse off the lube. It could be that we simply used too much so I would advise starting slow, with just a tiny dab.

On the other hand, For Him is a water based lube whose only ingredient is listed (on the bottle) as glycerin. I’m not sure on that one. The box also lists Tocopheryl Acetate but I cannot help but find it strange that “aqua” isn’t even in the ingredients list. Of course, as glycerin is sometimes a culprit when it comes to irritation, proceed with caution. In fact, that’s not a bad idea with any sensation giving product (as you will see, I did learn). For Him is also thin and clear with a sweet taste and not much of a discernible scent. At least, it’s hard to tell after smelling For Her. It is meant to warm and I could easily feel it doing so before I was done applying it to my husband and he seemed to generally enjoy it.

There was a definitely silky slickness to the lube because of its silicone contents and definitely lasted as long as we needed it do. Focusing on lubrication properties alone – and not sensation – I was fairly pleased. I’ve definitely tried worse and this may not be the best lube ever (TM) but it worked. It’s probably not as slick as silicone lube alone but there was a noticeable difference over water based lube. By itself, the silicone lube (Her) is pretty slick and doesn’t get sticky as is dries; it just leaves that sort of tangible “layer” on the skin which needs soap and water to come off. The water based (Him) has a nice texture that becomes a little tacky as it dries but not nearly as much as some water based lubed I have tried. The combination seems to reduce or perhaps just overshadow the less desirable qualities of the water based lubricant, feeling mostly like silicone.

I am not entirely sold on Wet Together Couples Lube as a set. Perhaps I am just a bad example of a “Her” when it comes to trying “his and hers” style lubricants but I didn’t find the tingling to be pleasurable, especially when combined with the warming lubricant to create a more intense sensation. I found myself thinking “is it over yer?” and that’s not how I like to enjoy my sex. However, I feel that the combination produces a solid lubricant which makes sex quite comfortable and, because my husband did enjoy the warming sensation of For Him, we may use it again when we want a warming lube.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Intimate Organics Hydra Water Based Lubricant

September 14th, 2009

No one could argue that Intimate Organics went wrong when naming their water based formula. In fact, I can think of no product that is more aptly based than Hydra. Plus, it gets cool points for being a mythical monster. But Hydra’s name is not the only remarkable characteristic about it so, listen up!

Hydra is absolutely, without competition, and I mean no-other-water-based-lube-even-comes-close the slickest water based lubricant I have ever used. It is so very slick that even though I knew it was waterbased and I knew its name, I still checked the bottle after first use to make sure it wasn’t silicone based so I wouldn’t accidentally, you know, ruin my toys. Yep, you read that right: it’s water based and incredibly slick and silky. And it’s not just my opinion, either. My husband, who usually thinks “Lube is lube” really enjoys this one because of its texture. So if slick is your thing and maybe you usually prefer silicone lubes, you might give Hydra a try.

However, Hydra is rather thin and I do find myself always squirting out more from the push-top bottle than I intend to. Unless you prefer thinner lubes for anal sex, I’d skip Hydra for a thicker lube (like Maximus) for back door play.

Or if you like lubes that dry so completely that you don’t even feel the need to wash your hands, you might also give Hydra a try. After rubbing some my fingers dry of excess lube, I didn’t feel tacky or gummy whatsoever. There was literally no residual lube like their frequently is.

But wait, there’s more!

If you like your lbues animal friendly, completely vegan and without harmful ingredients like parabens, glycerine or DEA, Hydra might just be perfect for you. Like other Intimate Organic products, the ocmpany has been careful to use naturally devised ingredients rather than so many chemical ones which makes Hydra a good solution for those folks who have lube sensitivities. I usually don’t and, if you recall, the only other hypoallergenic I lube caused sensitivity (ironic, isn’t it?). I had no issues with sensitivity with Hydra.

Is there a catch? I’m glad you asked. Unfortunately there is. While I enjoyed the feeling of Hydra right out of the bottle and at the end, there was some less than desirable effects in the middle of play. Hydra tends to be sticky as is dries (but, obviously, that fades when it’s dry) which requires reapplication of lube or the addition of water more than other lubes. This wasn’t a problem for vaginal sex as I usually only need a little lube to get going, if my husband hasn’t gone down on me. Past the initial penetration, I pretty quickly produce my own lube.

However, I noticed the stickiness much more when it came to clit stimulation. The hard and fast movements were really impeded by the stickiness of Hydra. I’m certain that adding a bit more lube would’ve freshened it right up but, to be honest, I don’t like to do that. I’m a one application of lube type of girl, I guess. Of course, I did apply the lube a few minutes before heading clit-side so it had time to dry. When I applied lube to a toy and used it right away, there was less sticky. All I can offer is a warning: If you want to avoid the stickiness of Hydra while it dries, be prepared to reapply fairly frequently or do have sex in an airless environment.

Not everyone minds reapplying lube, though, and if you’re one of those and the rest of Hydra’s properties sound appealing, I would whole heartedly recommend it. It’s very uncommon for my husband to like a lube as much as he liked this one and I’m fond of its slickness as well. I was really surprised that Hydra is as silky as it is, just your run-of-the-mill lube; it may be the inclusion of aloe that does it. I usually like my lube a little thicker (like ID Glide) but Hydra definitely feels great in the beginning and isn’t messy at the end. This has been my second positive experience with Intimate Organics products and, despite the fact that I don’t care a lot about organic products, the quality I’ve seen thus far really has me intrigued.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Sex Tarts Tangy Lube Sampler Set

September 10th, 2009

When it comes to flavoured lubes, Sex Tarts is a pretty common/popular brand and is readily available so I thought it would make a good brand to review for TabuToys. I decided on the Tangy Lube Sampler set for a couple of reasons, mostly because I wanted to try more than one flavour but also to have a back up just in case I didn’t like what I tasted.

This set includes 1 2 fl. ounce flip top, squeeze tube each of Green Apple Fizz, Strawberry Punch and Cherry Pop lubes – all of which are flavours I generally like. The tubes are bright green, a medium orangey red and a dark pinkish red, respectively. In the event that you are not down with size, these are much bigger than sample packets and “sampler set” might actually be a bit misleading unless you drink flavoured lube for breakfast. There’s really a fair amount of product in this set; there’s also more than enough plastic. The 3 bottles are packed in a plastic container as well and it’s really big. Upon opening the package it came in, I really thought it was wasteful both in space and materials.

Packaging aside, I gave each lube a taste/smell test. Immediately, Cherry Pop smelled most true to life, with Strawberry Punch Coming in second. The Green Apple Fuzz didn’t have much of a scent at all, maybe a sort of generic sweet scent. I found the same to be true about taste. Cherry Pop came in first being the most true to life. Strawberry Punch had a very strong, sweet and tangy flavour but tasted more like strawberry flavouring than the actual fruit. Green Apple Fizz came up short, being generically sweet and rather unlike anything apple. My husband and I both noticed that the tastes and smells seemed to be covering up something else. I thought it was sort of Nutrisweet-y but he thought it was more reminiscent of lube or even plastic. In his words, no matter how much the tastes covered it up “It’s still lube”.

Lucky for him, I seem to have less of an aversion to it and was more than happy to glob some on his cock for the sake of review. While I enjoy giving him pleasure, oral sex is generally pretty uncomfortable for me physically. I don’t need lube for oral sex – although some folks with dryer mouths might – but figured flavoured lube might distract me from my discomfort. I was sort of right.

For starters, this water based lube was pretty damned thin and came squirting out of the tube like it has a mission. I wound up with way more in my hand than I meant and forgot I had tissues on the nightstand so wound up wiping it all over my husband’s thigh. ;) A smaller hole would easily fix that, however. I also noticed how sticky it was immediately. My hair was constantly sticking to my mouth or his cock and, while it can sometimes be a nuisance, it was generally moreso because of the lube. It was also quite sticky for giving oral sex and impeded my efforts a bit. I guess it’s a good thing that it was quickly whisked away by my tongue and mouth, allowing for my saliva to create a better environment. On the other hand, if you want long lasting taste, this is not the product.

I am glad to report, however, that Sex Tarts lube does a good job of masking the smell and taste of ejaculate (as long as there’s still some left). If you’re not a big fan of either characteristic of a certain man seed, this might making giving oral easier for you.

Though, the taste was better on him than straight from the bottle. I did enjoy licking it up and it did make it a bit more fun. I felt more eager than I sometimes am to give head. But this was easily negated by the stickiness of the Sex Tarts lube.

Although you could technically use this lube for penetrative sex and it is latex safe, I wouldn’t. Even if you love sticky lubes (but, really, who does?), Sex Tarts does contain parabens and glycerin which can be problematic for some vaginas. Interestingly enough, the Cherry Pop and Green Apple lubes have a little “sugar free” labels on them. I’m not sure if this means Strawberry Punch does contain sugar because the ingredients are nearly the same for all 3 bottles.

They all contain:

  • Water
  • Glycerin
  • Propylene Glycol
  • Sucralose
  • Flavor
  • Methylparaben
  • Propylparaben
  • Diazolidinyl Urea

Cherry Pop and Green Apple also contain Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose and Citric Acid, while The Strawberry Punch is the only lube which has Cellulose Gum- which I guess is the sugar. This definitely isn’t a lube for vaginal use for anyone who is sensitive to any of those ingredients and I honestly wouldn’t really want to use it clitorally, either.

Ultimately, I wasn’t thrilled with the Sex Tarts Tangy Lube Sampler Set. Although it isn’t the worst product I’ve ever tried, it wouldn’t hurt if it tastes a bit better, wasn’t so sticky, didn’t gush from the tube and had more body friendly materials. While I might recommend the sampler for someone as a starting point, I will probably be looking for better flavoured lube next time.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Stockroom

ID Moments

June 25th, 2009

I’m a big fan of ID Glide. It’s my go-to lube and it’s versatile because it’s water-based so when I got my last package from PinkCherry.com, I was surprised to see a little 2.7 oz bottle of lube by the same company. Moments seems to be ID’s take on a hypoallergenic water-based lube for folks with sensitive skin by removing ingredients like paraben and glycerin and, while I’ve never had many issues with sensitivities to lube, it seemed like a nice addition. Somewhat ironically, ID Moments is one of only two lubes which has caused irritation to my skin.

However, let me describe the specs of this product before going into use. ID Moments comes in ID’s typical round, flip top bottle with the top and labels in a deep shade of pink. Because it’s water-based, it can be used for any activity or with any material and easily washes off with water (so wet activities might not be the best use). While it has no glycerine or parabens, it does have nearly a dozen other ingredients. The bottle was also sealed (beneath the top).

The very first thing I noticed – I mean how cold you miss it? – was the atrocious scent of this lube. It does seem like I’m the only one whose nose was offended by this, though; some people even seemed to really like it. The smell originally reminded me of something which had fermented, in a bad way. In fact, I checked the expiration date (it was fine) because I was sure no company would intentionally make a product smell like this. Furthermore, I could find no mention of this product having a fragrance so I checked ID’s website and it says it is fragrance free. It’s right there on the front page. Even if my preference for certain smells is unique, I would be very disappointed in this lube if I bought it believing it was fragrance free. I am happy to note that the smell seems to have eased up and now I interpret it more as a very, very sour fruity smell – like the scent equivalent of a Warhead (which I hate LOL).

I did a quick taste test and ID Moments has a slight sour/fruity taste as well. I also wanted to check out thickness. ID Moments is not the thinnest lube around but it’s not as thick as ID Glide which is a con for me; I like my lubes thicker because I don’t like to deal with the mess. On the other hand, ID Moments is rather silky and rubs into the skin without becoming sticky at all.

But I can’t say how it works internally because I was too busy wondering why my genitals were burning to notice. I have double and triple checked and can’t find any mention of this being a warming lube so the logical assumption here is that ID Moments and my girl parts just do not mix. It’s just kind of funny that the girl who has only been allergic to 2 things in her entire life would be irritated by hypoallergenic lube, right?

I wanted to be really thorough so I used the lube 3 times, each time with a different toy just in case it was toy material and not the lube causing the problem. It was the lube. Luckily, I never used a ton of lube (I don’t normally) and the sensation quickly went away as soon as I stopped my activities.

I know that mine might be the only experience which goes badly but I’d rather err on the side of caution and just not recommend this lube to anyone. With that said, PinkCherry also carries Wet Naturals Beautifully Bare, a lube which is also paraben and glycerin free which I have used to much success.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Babegloss

June 15th, 2009

Babegloss is the first product I’ve had a chance to own out of Babeland’s own line of products. I have to admit, I think the idea of lip gloss which is also lube is pretty damned sneaky and naughty in all the right ways. I was hesitant to try the Pomegranate as I recently had a bad experience with something claiming to be that scent.

Lucky for me, Babeland seems to be pretty smart about their scents. This lipgloss smells great (at least at first). I don’t know if it’s true to the scent of the actual fruit but it’s fruity in general and very pleasant. Unfortunately, the lip gloss is not also flavoured and I think that is almost necessary for an awesome lipgloss. It doesn’t really have much of a flavour at all. Another downside is that the smell fades very quickly. Very. Within a matter of minutes, the smell is gone. I don’t really want to have to reapply that often.

Still, it works pretty nicely as a lipgloss. It comes in in a hefty glass tube so it’s a little heavier than some glosses. My scent is a glittery, translucent pink which leaves my lips shining and shimmery but doesn’t add a lot of colour. It rolls on with a ball applicator which has never become stuck and works really well. It’s much less stickier than other actual lipglosses I have used, perhaps due to its lube properties.

I’m a bit perplexed why Babeland didn’t make the label a bit more discreet, however. There is a clear sticker wrapped about the tube which describes it as “sensual lip lube”. The Babeland logo is on there a couple times along with the phrase “Sex toys for a passionate world” and the URL, too. This is definitely something to keep away from prying eyes which I think could prove to be difficult. I leave my chapstick sitting right on my keyboard and share lip products from time to time; basically, I don’t ever think about safeguarding those types of items. Of course, I could just peel off the label (actually, it’s been trying to come off since I opened the box), but I think it’s kinda pretty.

The lipgloss doesn’t absorb, really, which also makes it good for a lube. It feels rather slippery and waxy (which makes sense because beeswax is one of the 5 ingredients listed) and remains that way for a while – definitely longer than the scent. My lips glide easily over eachother. It’s not heavy duty lube so you shouldn’t be trying to shove your mouth in someone’s ass (why would you, anyway?) nor can you really apply a generous amount but it seems perfect for a little oral lovin’. If you require a lot of lube for giving head, then this may not be ideal but I usually don’t any so this would just make it that much sweeter (well, not literally).

Really, I love that it’s a naughty surprise in such a common item. No one has to know that spreading this gloss on my lips really means “I want to suck your cock” unless, of course, I tell them. It certainly could be used to send a naughty message to your lover from across the room, before slipping off to a dark corner to do the deed. It’s kind of mentally arousing to have that little secret.

Babegloss is definitely a secret we all should have, in my opinion. It’s a genius little idea and, from the reviews, it seems like I’m not the only one who thinks so. I will tell you that I’d love to have the Orange Dreamscicle scent as well but it’s currently out of stock. Must be because everyone likes it so much, huh?


Babeland

21 Comments

Categories: Lube, Reviews

Adam and Eve

System Jo H2O

January 26th, 2009

System Jo H2O is a quality water based lubricant which aims to mimic the slickness of silicone based lubricant while remaining odorless, tasteless and tack-free. In these pursuits, I think System Jo H20 has performed admirably.

Packaged in a clear bottle with a fairly minimal silver and blue design, System Jo H2O comes off a bit futuristic to me. It’s not entirely discreet nor does it scream “lube.” A person would likely be able to determine just what this bottle contains by its general shape but it’s not so gaudy that it would be necessarily embarrassing to have out. Complete with the narrow, push-top style cap, as opposed to the flip top styles of many lubes, I find using this lube less messy. The cap style also helps to control how much lube is dispensed and I feel it’s very secure when closed; flip tops tend to leak if a bottle should tip. However, it’s not as easy to use as a pump.

When it comes down to it, System Jo H2O is a very good water based lube. It’s not as thick as some I’ve used, like ID Glide, so it may not be great for anal sex (System Jo does have an anal lube as well). However, it is very slippery and feels more like silicone lube. Despite being a bit thin, I’ve had great experiences with it so far. It’s all I’ve used when inserting my rather well endowed Passion Wave Stimulator which has a circumference of 5 1/4″. This is definitely bigger than any other toy or penis I play with so I feel extremely confident than System Jo H2O will meet all my needs.

Although my sessions with the Passion Wave tend to be quick, they are hard and heavy with many quick thrusts. This lube has worked wonderfully. I have not had to reapply any time I have previously used it. Furthermore, application doesn’t leave my hands sticky and goopy. This is one lube which comes through on its promises that it will not be tacky. For review purposes, I applied lube to my palm and rubbed my hands together quickly until the lube wore away. While it did not absorb completely – my hands felt slick, still – it did not become dry, clumpy or uncomfortable. I would recommend washing away any excess lube or the remains of the lube after play (soap and water will do the trick).

I have no experienced any negative results with System Jo H2O. It has been odorless and tasteless, as advertised. Although there is no ingredient list on the bottle except for Vitamin E (or on the website, it seems) I have had no bad reactions.

System JO H2O has proven to be a slippery lubricant which rises above other water based lubes. It contains no oils or silicone, making it perfect for play with toys or partners and it’s completely safe for use with latex condoms. The System Jo line of lubricants includes warming and anal lubes as well. Based on the high performance of System Jo H2O, I would likely consider System Jo over other lubricants if I were shopping and I will probably stick to System JO H2O when it comes to water based lubes..

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Durex Quiver Freezable Lubricant

January 23rd, 2009

If you’re into temperature play (a form of sensation play) and like to spice things up or perhaps just provide a little shock to your lover, I would definitely check out Durex “Quiver” Freezable Lubricant. We’ve been calling them Lube Cubes because a) it’s not such a mouthful and b) it sounds cool. In fact, “cool” is probably the best word I can think of to describe these little cubes of lubricant; both its temperature, concept and application are cool.

The concept of freezable lube probably isn’t based on anything new or even all that complex. Someone probably popped lube in a few trays before and using ice cubes is popular. But prepackaged lube cubes takes it to the next step. Instead of melted water dripping down your body (unless you like that) which you have no use for, you can actually used the melted lube.. as lube.

The Freezable Lubricant comes in a typical Durex style plastic “box” with 6 lubricant cubes. Initially liquid, the instructions say to pop the lube into the freezer at least 2 hours before play. The cubes are actually half sphere shapes in packages that look like larger version of pill foils and you pull the foil back to release the cubes. There are 3 pairs of lube cubes (which do detach from eachother).

I popped a set of 2 lube cubes into the freezer almost immediately and waited anxious for a chance to use them. I wasn’t sure how much we might need but the packaging says they can be frozen up to 6 times which I think is an awesome quality. If you take out too much or don’t use a whole cube, it can be popped back in the freezer for the right time.

While I was excited about this concept, my husband just didn’t “get it.” I suppose he didn’t see the point. The box suggests using it for a massage and I think it would work well if you want to experiment with cold temperatures. We used it around nipples and my vulva. The lube melted pretty quickly against body heat (but didn’t seem to melt as quickly in the package so you could leave it on the nightstand without having to worry it will melt in the first minute.

I really enjoyed the cool sensation. It was not actually as cold as I would have expected it; I was expecting more of a cold shock and it wasn’t there, just a pleasant coolness. It may have felt cooler on our fingers. My husband wanted to drop it pretty fast so we just popped it back in the package and refroze it; the package-does advertise them as single use, however. I think we used about half of the cube. If you’re using a large penis/toy, trying anal play or do a full massage you would likely use more but for our average sessions, 1 cube is more than enough.

I must admit I’m curious if this could be done with regular lube and an ice cube tray. I think this set up is much neater and more efficient and the lube may need some special properties so that it freezes and melts without destroying itself. I’m content with my Freezable Lubricant so I won’t be attempting any sex science experiments any time soon.

So if I give a thumbs up to the cube, I must give a second thumbs up for the lube itself. The Quiver Freezable Lubricant melts into an incredibly slick and creamy lube. It worked very well. Although the melting was a bit messy and wound up on our hands, it wasn’t sticky. Nor did it become sticky at all. In fact, I was really surprised by how quality this lube is considering it’s both water based (thus safe for all play) and from a name that’s more accessible than quality, at times. There was absolutely no annoying or hindering residue after using this lubricant. As far as how this lube left me feeling afterward, it was some of the best I’ve ever used, if not the best.

When I requested to review this novel item from TabuToys, I thought it would be fun and different. I didn’t realize it was also an excellent lubricant and that really makes me reconsider Durex products. Fun, exciting and functional – especially when it comes to being able to refreeze – Durex has his it out of the ballpark with Quiver Freezable lubricant.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

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