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Sensual Cocoa & Goji Berry Cleansing Bath and Shower Gel

August 31st, 2010

Sensual Cocoa & Goji Berry Cleansing Bath and Shower Gel
$14.99 from PinkCherry

Thus far, I have really been satisfied by all the Intimate Organics products I’ve tried. The clitoral gel was intense, the G-spot gel made me squirt, the water-based lube is decent if not smelly and the shower gel is pretty much amazing.

Sensual Cocoa & Goji Berry Cleansing Bath and Shower Gel comes in a 240ml bottle with a press top cap. The label features the typical woman’s abdomen in blue hues and the clear bottle shows the gel which has a porangy (pink + orange) hue.

This cocoa and goji berry scent smells a lot like chocolate covered cherries with a hint of mocha, to me. Thankfully, the coffee undertones are not strong as I am not a huge coffee fan. This shower gel creates a giant fluffy lather on my shower poof. It’s.. totally fun. It feels silky on my skin and leaves it smooth immediately after. The combination of scent and lather and silkiness make for a great shower experience. I’d say that calling this product “sensual” is right on the money.

And while my skin stays pretty soft during the day, the scent doesn’t stay with me, sadly. I like shower gels that do that but Sensual Cocoa & Goji Berry Cleansing Bath and Shower Gel just doesn’t. Still, it’s enjoyable in the shower. It’d be great for partner play or a long bubble bath. In fact, you could combine it with Intimate Organics’ bubble bath of the same scent and top the whole thing off with the body souffle. I’m pretty sure you’d smell quite chocolate and fruity, then.

While not the perfect product, Sensual Cocoa & Goji Berry Cleansing Bath and Shower Gel makes my shower time enjoyable and I bet it will last forever.

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Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Jenna’s Hot Trimmer Chronicles

August 17th, 2010

Jenna's Hot Trimmer
$22.49 from Fascinations

It’s not usual that I want to write about a product for review immediately but I couldn’t help myself when it comes to Jenna’s Hot Trimmer.

You see, I’d been growing out the pubes for a while. I had hit full bush mode a while back. When I was still having sex with my husband, he liked it. Having hair was pretty novel. I didn’t mind it but it was getting to the unruly point and, since my last trimmer died, I asked to review this one from Fascinations. Plus, it comes with shapes. I’ve never designed my pubes before. It would be fun, right?

When the package arrived, I noted that the trimmer was in a plain cardboard box, not even a plastic blister pack. It reeked of “made in China” or some similar place. The fact that the include battery contained Asian-styled characters and was not designed like an American battery only went with this. I checked out the two heads and found them easy enough to swap. I noted that there was a clear, plastic cap to go over the small cap but nothing for the larger one. Odd. Also strange was the fact that the shapes had not way to attach to you. I puzzled out how I’d even be able to use them. I put in the battery only to have nothing happened so I replaced it with a reliable Duracell and test a tiny lock of arm hair. I tucked everything into the pleather pouch which is a god awful pink with “Hot Trimmer” printed on it in a god awful purple font.

Day 1

I hopped in the shower and decided to try the trimmer after. Initially, I hadn’t dried off and it didn’t work well. I toweled down the pubes and went back to work. Soon, I had a pile of curly locks forming at my feet, in the tub. Soon, I also had blood dripping down my mons. I hadn’t even noticed that I’d cut myself because the whole experience is rather irritating and uncomfortable. The teeth on both heads are quite large, not fine at all. The cut is not surprising. I applied some pressure to stop the bleeding and carefully went back to work.

I spent about 5 minutes trimming away, with the “foot” of the trimmer gliding along my skin. Actually, gliding is a lie. It tugged. It pulled. It hurts on occasion. Jenna’s Hot Trimmer did nothing to give me a uniform trim. It looked–and felt–sloppy.

I had mostly trimmed the flattest part of my mons (one area in particular was resistant to the trimming for some reason) and decided to try the shapes. I grabbed the heart but if you’re a unique person, you can go for the chili pepper or tear drop (???), instead. I swapped out the heads, held the clear plastic cut out in place and began trimming around. I pulled the shape away to notice.. Nothing. It did, nothing. Maybe if I had used some effective trimmer to cut everything down to a nice 1/4″ or 1/2,” I could have added the detail.

Still, I wanted to salvage the experience so I decided to try my hand at making shapes with my regular razor. I added a dab of shaving gel, not wanting to add to the irritation.. but the shape was soon slip sliding around everywhere and my razor head was too big to get the details, anyway. I wound up going over the area I’d trimmed with the razor to get a nice shave on the upper portion of my pubes.

I was already mentally exhausted so decided to finish up the trimming of my labia for another time. I did notice that the trimmer was clogged with hair and skin cells, however; so I set about cleaning it. I was surprised to see that a plastic piece pops off the large head. This allows access to remove hair and what not but you have to make sure to replace the head to the shaft connects with the piece in the neck. Otherwise, it won’t work. I do wish that the trimmer came with a cleaning brush or something. There’s a lot of little crevices that are hard to reach inside the head.

Day 2

I went back to finish up the job I’d started a few days later. I found the trimmer to be practically useless along my labia. I just couldn’t get an angle that would allow me to cut all the hair. I’d wind up having to pull the hair away from my skin to clip it and there were certain areas that the trimmer just kept missing. I resulted to cutting a few, larger locks off with a small scissors but not before I cut myself with the trimmer, again. I felt it this time.

I spent much less time with the trimmer second time around. I just didn’t have the patience. I feel like I’ve spent enough time with it so make some observations:

Jenna’s Hot Trimmer is cheaply made and produces a sloppy finish, despite having multiple heads. If you want a waterproof and versatile trimmer that is easy to clean, won’t cut you and has an adjustable head, go for the Trimstyle by Quattro. It doubles as a traditional razor, too.

The heads on Jenna’s Hot Trimmer are shaped strangely. You can’t get a close trim and the shape makes it difficult to cut hair in all areas, especially around curves or crevices. If you want something a little more versatile but don’t have high demands, try one of the Finishing Touch/Bikini Touch trimmers. Some of them come with cutting guides as well as a built in lights and a brush to clean up.

This trimmer does not make quick work of a full bush. A small pair of scissors does a much better job of a quick quick clean up, if you’re pressed for time and only need to clean up a bit.

A pair of scissors, Finishing Touch or Trimstyle are all cheaper than Jenna’s Hot Trimmer. However, if you’re looking for a tool that will be efficient, versatile and effective without being dangerous, you should probably just invest in a pricier electric razor. I’ve never had one that worked well so I cannot personally give a recommendation but I’d recommend almost anything over this.

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Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Love Bumper Iceberg

July 10th, 2010

Love Bumper Iceberg
$89.00 from Good Vibes

The Iceberg, by Love Bumper, was my first sex pillow. People love Liberator position pillows, even though they seem so simple. Folks are always talking about them and claiming that they really improve their sex lives so I requested this pillow from Good Vibes.

Initially, I was shocked by how firm this is. I wasn’t expecting a fluffy bed type pillow, maybe a thicker couch cushion but the Iceberg is much firmer than that, still. It’ll compress a bit under body weight but it’s pretty study and will definitely give you a boost. The Iceberg came without any packaging or additional information. I Googled the company website for position ideas and there were a few.

The Iceberg is.. sort of four sided. The bottom and back are straight and meet at a right angle while the longer side on top curves away from the body and the top of this panel meets a fourth, narrow side. Refer to the image to un-confuse yourself. d= The curved side features a small pocket (1 1/2″ x 2-3″) where the user can insert a vibrator. For whatever reason, Love Bumper recommends Lelo vibes but I have no idea what would make those vibes more suitable for this pocket. I used a small, straight vibrator with a bulbous head. Maybe it would work better to use a vibe whose shaft curved similarly to the pillow but I don’t see it being a big deal. What I can say, is that electric vibes probably won’t be ideal, nor would bullet vibes (they’d completely sit inside the pocket and it would be difficult to adjust during use). Any vibe with a button on the end of the base will require you to turn it on before use. A toy with a remote control (wired or wireless) might be your best option.

The body, especially the female body, is meant to press against this side so the vibe offers clitoral stimulation. In use, I found it a bit difficult to comfortably rest against the foam pillow and feet the vibrations for a couple of reasons. First, the angle that provided the best stimulation was hard on my hips because of the firmness of the pillow. Secondly, I’ve got a fleshier mons so the vibe didn’t necessarily get right up against my clit. Your mileage will vary, I’m sure, depending on your anatomy.

The most obvious uses of the Iceberg are to aid rear entry or oral (with the pillow raising her hips). Using the pillow in the same position as oral, could also work for edge-of-the-bed (sofa, etc) sex or regular missionary to enhance G-spot stimulation. I tried it for doggy style but honestly found the foam a little too firm for comfort. Combined with personal issues, I haven’t used it as much as I’d like.

However, if I did use it and abused it, I could easily remove the “polysuede” microfiber cover to toss in the wash. It attaches securely via zippers on the sides and velcro on the bottom (in fact, all of the sewing seems pretty quality and the pocket is even lined with a pleather-y material). This part of the Iceberg is available in red or purple. The sides are not removable, however. It’s like likely for these areas to see lubes and liquids but I wish the whole thing had a removable cover. Instead, the material reminds me of pleather. I’d wipe it down with a damp cloth if I needed to, however.

The Iceberg is not a giant pillow. It could fit under some beds or in deep drawers(it’s 13 3/4″ wide and 13″ high at the tallest). You could probably hide it in a closet pretty easily and there’s position for it to be used outside of the bedroom, if you want, so no need to hide it at all.

My first impressions of the Iceberg by Love Bumper do leave me a little wanting. I will definitely have to give it a few more tries before making my mind up for good, though.

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Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Pure Sex Pheromone Spray

May 23rd, 2010

Pure Sex Pheromone Spray
$16.68 from SexToy.com

My first experience with pheremones was at a sex toy party at the last base we lived at. The company rep basically told us that because pheremones are registered in the nose but aren’t actually smells, we will think there is a smell and as pheremones mix with your individual chemical makeup, that “smell” we think is there will be different for every person. So we dabbed some pheremones on our wrists and I “smelled” quite nice, thank you very much. But I forgot about the concept for a couple years cause it wasn’t like I was lacking sex.

The idea of a his and hers type pheremone spray was attractive, though, as was the packaging. Pipedream did well with the black box (with silver details) contrasting with the bright blue and pink liquid. Unless you’re not very fond of hetero-normative implications, which the blue/pink dichotomy certainly suggests. Sorry. In the event that you didn’t notice the bright colours, the blue bottle has the “male” symbol and the pink has the “female” symbol.

So this narrow box houses a double ended tube, like like some lipgloss type products.There is a magnetic flap on top, similar to Fun Factory toys, that you can lift to see the product. The tubes themselves are clear glass and the blue or pink liquid really looks awesome and kind of.. chemistry-ish. The silver band in the middle is the cap for both little spray bottles; you pull one off to use it. This means that you can’t separate the pair and still cap them both. It’s kind of a minor annoyance but something I couldn’t help but notice.

Spray bottles are pretty easy to use, right? So spray onto your pulse points (neck, wrists and some other place I forget) and let the product go to work. Except, it kind of smells like gross chemicals when you initially spray it. It fades and then you cannot smell anything at all. I’d almost rather smell like chemicals so I know it’s there.

Regardless, Pure Sex Pheremone Spray just doesn’t seem to work in practice. Only one time out of five or so seemed to elicit any response and I’m willing to bet it was because I’m dead sexy or, at the very least, the circumstances surrounding it. That’s not a very impressive track record.

Honestly, I think it would help if this produced any sort of scent at all so it would have the “I’m so naughty, I’m wearing pheremones” thing going for it. I know products like these sometimes seem to work simply because of the power suggestion but Pure Sex Pheremone Spray didn’t even offer me that.

Much to-do about nothing, I suppose. I recommend you buy a nice perfume or cologne, instead.

Find pheremone products like this at one of the biggest selections of sex toys online at SexToy.com

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Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Contour M Massage Stone

April 23rd, 2010

Contour M Massage Stone
$25 from Babeland

I don’t own a whole lot of Jimmyjane products even though they all seem pretty nice. As much as I like massage, I’ve never had a partner who really enjoyed giving them. However, I think Jimmyjane’s massage stones could certainly help with that!

From the right angle, this ceramic massager looks like the letter a lowercase letter “m.” Hence the name. To me, it seems like someone took a square slab and pushed in the middle with something round. The result is a broad, round side and a concave side with four rounded, “points.” Although, nothing is angular about the Contour M; it’s all smooth, rounded lines. The massage stone is off white in appearance.

The ceramic stone has a bit of heft but it’s not heavy at all. I have glass and metal toys which weigh significantly more. The finish is sleek and completely smooth except for one “leg” where Jimmyjane is printed in grey. The letters can be felt with a finger but are not obtrusive.

The slick surface glides smoothly across the skin and moves even easier once massage oil–like that from a Jimmyjane candle–is added. I chose to use the Contour M with some Kama Sutra Oil of Love, simply because I did not want to wait for a candle to burn. The ceramic feels quite cool and the addition of a warming massage oil was interesting, too. If you’d like, you could dip the massage stone in a bowl of warm or cool water for temperature play.

I hit up Jimmyjane’s website for some usage instructions. I admit I don’t know much about massage technique but I did find the Contour M to be fairly intuitive. The broad side fits in my palm and fingers allowing me to stimulate with one or more of the “nodes.” I found it easy to do tiny circles with all nodes making contact. Applying more pressure with a single node results in more pinpoint stimulating, like that move some people do with their elbow.

On the other hand, it’s easy to apply pressure to a broader area with the other side. I find my movements to be larger and it’s easy to lean into strokes, really putting your weight into it (like using your knuckles). It is slightly more cumbersome to hold in this position, however. I was surprised just how easy it was to use the Countour M. Jimmyjane even suggests trying some genital massage, which I did. The four nodes work okay for this. I wasn’t aiming for orgasm and I’m not sure if I even could but it was nice.

The one thing I really enjoyed was how easy it is to apply pressure with the massage stone. If you find that giving massages puts a painful amount of strain on your hands or fingers, then this can relieve some of that strain without limiting the effectiveness of the massage. Of course, the ceramic is rigid and quite unforgiving so you don’t want to be too firm.

During use, the Contour M can become a bit slippery depending upon the oils or lubes it comes in contact with. I didn’t find this to be a large problem but I wasn’t using a large amount of oil, either. Nevertheless, cleaning is a breeze and the massage stone can be washed with soap and water. Storage is a simply matter because it won’t pick up any lint or interact with other materials. You may want to wrap it in a cloth of some sort; I wouldn’t mind if this came with some soft cloth or bag for that purpose.

Contour M, like all Jimmyjane products, is luxurious. This isn’t the cheap plastic roller massager that makes an appearance every year before the holidays. This isn’t something you find in the $1. It is, however, an intimacy enhancing tool which I can see lasting a lifetime. Even if you don’t have a massage partner, it’s still good for solo use. My legs appreciated a little massage with the Contour M. I can see it making frequent appearances when I am stressed or even just for the fun of it.

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Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Liberator shag throe

March 28th, 2010

Liberator Shag Throe
$85.99 from EdenFantasys

I recently got a gift from someone awesome and by “someone awesome,” I mean myself. That gift was a Liberator Shag Throe because I was sick of wet spots on the bed (from sex) and washing all my towels (from squirting). I was apprehensive about my purchase choice because EdenFantasys only carries the shag throe in purple while the microfiber is available in more colour choices. People seemed to like both just fine but I had such a difficult time deciding whether colour was more important or texture, especially because I am not a big fan of microfiber (but I wasn’t sure if the microfiber throe felt run of the mill).

The Shag Throe comes packaged in a plastic box and is neatly folded. I noticed immediately that the shag is softer and plushier than microfiber so I think I made the right choice. The blanket itself is really quite large at 71″ x 54″. Previously, someone had mentioned it just about covers the top of a queen sized bed so it’s generously sized if you move a lot during your play. I personally have never used the Throe at full size. It is always folded in half or thirds because I simply do not need that much area.

The size alone is not the only factor which makes the Throe seem quite large, perhaps even bulky. It is obvious that there are several layers to this blanket; of course, that only makes sense because the Throe has to contain something special to keep moisture from our furniture and linens. According to Liberator, that is an “inner moisture barrier.” In layman’s terms, it seems like a sheet of plastic and sounds like it, too. When moving, folding or otherwise breathing on the Throe, there is a noticeable sound of fabric-covered-plastic. It’s not necessarily detrimental to the experience, especially if you’re being louder than the Throe (nor will it give you away to the roommates or neighbours) but it is a little.. unsexy.

So, those outter layers? Shag and satin. The shag is a short fur which is soft to the touch but not like cashmere or anything. It’s definitely more appealing than “shag carpet” which is what had always come to my mind, before. I mean, who wants to have sex on that? Besides cheesy 70s porn stars, that is. For whatever reason, the shag side feels better to my hands than my body but it doesn’t feel bad at all.

And the satin? Well, it’s satiny but the outter layer is much thinner than that of the shag so it’s easier to feel the moisture barrier inside. Because of this, I don’t really like the satin side as much. If it were just satin or satin over something softer, it would feel better but it just feels too plastic-y for my tastes. However, it’s smoother and cooler feeling which some folks might prefer in hot temperatures. There are two other downsides to the satin side: it can slip around on surfaces and it runs (like pantyhose). I found out the latter after leaving the satin side up on my bed for a short time and, when I returned, it was obvious my cat(s) had walked over the Throe.

The exterior is finished off with a secure border/trim around the edges which holds everything tightly in place.

In use, the Throe performs as expected. I am no super soaker and I have read accounts where the Throe was not enough to contain fluids but I am satisfied. In fact, a product like this can really help someone who is worried about the mess of ejaculating or the difference between urine and FE. I wouldn’t even care if it were only urine, except that I don’t want that on my sheets or bed so the Throe is a life saver. The shag side not only soaks up my fluids, but even makes them a bit difficult to see. However, if you’re looking to use the Throe as a towel for cleaning up after the fact, it doesn’t perform so well in that manner and larger amounts of fluid will pool on the Throe instead of being soaked up by it (but they will not soak through to whatever is beneath it).

Nevertheless, I have found my Shag Throe helps me be a procrastinator (whether or not that’s helpful you can decide). After playtime is over, I can roll up my toys in the Throe and toss it in the corner overnight or until I am ready to deal with clean up. I find it so handy in hat way because I didn’t think of this as a versatile product, really.

The Shag Throe is machine washable on delicate/cold. You might even be able to get away with regular cycle but I didn’t try. It kept its shape well and I tossed it in the dryer on low heat. Some folks have let it air dry on the line or shower rod which is also an option. I found that I had to run it through the dryer 3 or so times before it was actually dry which is a bit perplexing. I have no idea how long it would take to air dry but now that I am back home with paid laundry machines, I guess I will find out. The Throe is in great condition after having washed and dried it and the colour is still vibrant.

But I have to say, I don’t feel the need to wash it every time I use it, thankfully. It doesn’t pick up smells nor does it seem necessarily dirty after a use or two. Like I mentioned, it’s really big so I can just fold over a previously used spot and there’s still plenty of clean surface left.

I definitely look forward to spending more time with my Shag Throe!

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Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Intimate Accessories Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner

February 18th, 2010

Intimate Accessories Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner
$10.27 from TabuToys

I’ve used a few toys cleaners, both sprays and wipes. My experience is that most of them are just okay, useful to have while they’re around but not something I’d rush to replace when it runs out. More often than not, I forget about these cleaners and revert to soap and water before the bottle is empty. Thus, I’ve several bottles at home and a half-used packet of wipes. As this realization sunk in when another bottle arrived in the mail, I offered one of those bottles to a friend. After all, how am I ever going to use them all myself? But because another bottle did arrive in the mail, I offer this review to you.

TabuToys offers Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner, a spray on cleaner in Dr Berman’s line of Intimate Accessories. The 6.28 FL oz bottle is clear, as is the cleaner itself, and is labeled with the familiar purple logo of Dr Berman’s toys. It’s easily recognizable for me but, at a distance or to someone who does not know better, it could pass as some random cosmetic bottle (although what would come in a squat bottle like this, I have no idea). The pump top itself is also purple (but not the same purple which I find slightly irksome LOL) and comes with a plastic cap, which makes it slightly more travel friendly. I didn’t bother to put it in a ziploc in my luggage and the cap stayed on the entire time. I’m sure the cap would loosen a bit with subsequent uses, as is usually the case.

The ingredients of Intimate Accessories Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner are listed in a rather tiny print and I immediately recognized Triclosan as (one of) the working ingredients. It’s common in many sex toy cleaners and some anti-bacterial soaps as well; although, there is a bit of controversy over it so if you’re anti-Triclosan, I’d stay away from this product.

The entire ingredient list as follows:

Deionized Water
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate (and) Sodium Trideceth Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Propylene Glycol
Triclosan
Citric Acid
Methychloroisothiazolinone (and) Methylisothiazolinone
Tetrasodium EDTA

Some of the ingredients are pretty common as far as cleaners go and most of them are more than a mouthful. Folks who prefer shorter ingredient lists or have specific chemical allergies/irritations should defnitely give the list a once over before purchasing. Other cleaners also include ingredients like Aloe or Vitamin E to make them soothing or conditioning so this cleaner is perhaps a bit more “basic”.

Curiously enough, the ingredients list is exactly the same as that of CEN’s (California Exotics produces the Berman line of accessories) Anti-Bacterial Toy Cleaner which comes in a smaller 4.3 FL oz bottle with darker purple writing on it so if you’ve tried it and are looking for something else, this is not it. However, the “regular” version, which is also available from TabuToys is not quite the value in terms of price. If you do not have a need for the smaller bottle, I’d go for the Berman Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner, instead. This value difference is about the same on most sites, with the regular cleaner costing more per fl. oz than Intimate Accessories Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner. you’d think that adding a celebrity/doctor endorsement would make them make up the price even more.

All these ingredients combine to produce a clear, thin liquid which is easily squirted form the pump bottle onto any toy. However, the bottle gives no indication as to whether this product should be wiped or rinsed off, used as a soap or simply let to dry which is definitely nice to know. Although I frequently rinse any toys which tend to collect fuzzies, I tend to do a dry wipe with a cloth or tissue on the smooth surfaced toys which do not require special attention. But whether or not it’s really clean or safe to use is a mystery. Different online reviews suggest keeping it on for 2 minutes – which is way longer than I would naturally think to leave it on – but I could find nothing on the Berman Center websites to back it up. Your call, I guess.

The spray comes out in a fine mist which covers a wide area and it only takes a few pumps to cover an entire toy. There seems to be a slightly medicinal scent but I have to be honest; my nose is incredibly stuffed up and there’s no one I can ask to smell my sex toy cleaner to confirm. LOL! Because the target area is so broad, I’d maybe spray over a toy or just be sure not to spray in the direction of anything or anyone which you don’t want coated with the Intimate Accessories Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner. Despite attempting to do this, my cat ran directly into the line of fire as soon as I sprayed the cleaner, of course.

Fast forward two minutes (your choice) and it can be rinsed off (as some reviews suggest), taking any debris with it. If you choose to simply wipe it off, debris will be more of an issue but that is the case with any spray toy cleaner. Because I’d rather be safe than sorry, I opt to rinse it off and this makes it a less useful product to me than one which I know I can use without rinsing/wiping (or even directly on the skin) which is the case with both the Afterglow Wipes and Pjur “Med-Clean” Spray. For all I know, the intent was for this product to be used without rinsing but the total lack of instructions is off putting to me. I’m sure some people use it without rinsing at all and experience no adverse effects but I like to know exactly what I’m getting and how to use a product. Unfortunately, the “regular” cleaner by CEN also fails to list instructions for use which is exactly why I won’t be buying either from them in the future.

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Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Afterglow Wipes

December 23rd, 2009

Afterglow Wipes
$7 from Babeland

Afterglow wipes certainly glow. They come in a bright orange and yellow package with rays emanating from a sun in the center. At first look, the packaging isn’t entirely discreet (bright colours, after all) nor does it scream “XXX.” In small print, it does say “toy/personal tissues,” however. Still pretty classy, in my opinion. That’s right, you read toy and personal tissues as these wipes can be used on intimate bit (though not in) and sex toys alike. It makes them useful for a variety of uses in my mind:

Cleaning toys after use
Wiping lint/dust from toys before use
Freshening up before playtime
Cleaning up lubes and other fluids after playtime

While I’ve used wipes in the past, they seemed a little unnecessary when they only served one purpose and while I really like and trust Pur Med Clean Spray, I have to wipe off physical debris with a tissue and some materials don’t mix well with tissues. Enter Afterglow wipes to save the day, mostly.

These wipes are 7.9″ by 5.9″ which is fairly big but smaller than oyur average tissue. These pre-moistened wipes are fabric-like and thicker than your average tissue. They come in a plastic pack which reseals with a sticky flap, like many other wipes. It seals pretty well and would work well in a bag if you’re away from home but is great to have in the nightstand. Devine, the maker of these wipes, has formulated them to disinfect, kill bacteria and stimulate with the following ingredients:

Water
Propylene Glycol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
PEG 14m
Polysorbate 20
PEG-40
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Begamot
Chlorhexidine
Digluconate
Idopropynyl Butylcarbamate

I’ll admit, that list seems like it’s awfully full of chemicals which I can barely type, let alone pronounce and some may wonder whether or not this causes irritation. I have used Afterglow Wipes in intimate areas several times and experienced no irritation. They’re really handy to freshen up just a bit or clean up after. Before, I would clean up after sex but still feel a bit sticky; these wipes do away with that stickyness entirely. After using, I jut toss ‘em. There is a warning on the package not to flush. It would be nice if I could but it’s a trivial point.

I don’t think they have much taste because I’ve used them before oral and my husband has never said anything either. However, they do have a scent even if they are unscented. They smell exactly like baby wipes. This isn’t bad. It reminds me of general cleanliness but it does make me wonder if I should just buy a tub of baby wipes because I’ll probably save money and they’ll work just as well. A 20 pack of wipes runs $7 or you can get 1 for $1. It only costs $2.39 for 60 baby wipes on Amazon. =/

I don’t know if that’s a real complaint but I can say that they don’t do much to remove lint from matte silicone and sticky materials. I tried to remove some cat fur to no avail and finally had to pick it off with my fingers. Of course, some materials just attract fur and such but I wish these better dealt with that.

Overall, the Afterglow Wipes are pretty handy. I do like using them over other cleaning methods but they work better with certain materials (basically anything smooth and frictionless) than others. As personal wipes, I’ve gotten a lot of use out of them. A surprising amount, really but, at that rate, they’ll run out soon and then I have to decide if they’re worth the price.

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Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Wet Together Ultimate Pleasure Gels

December 5th, 2009

Wet Together Ultimate Pleasure Gels
$20.20 - $26.29 from Wet

Ultimate Pleasure Gels

That’s not the only difference. Wet Together Ultimate Pleasure Gels have stepped away from the pink and blue branding which perhaps makes it a bit more politically correct but doesn’t make a whole lot of sense at this point in the game. Because the original products were pink or blue, the red, gold and black colour scheme could be confusing. Furthermore, there’s less room for experimentation because the prolonging pleasure gel is really intended for a male to use it. I have to say, I’m not a big fan of the scheme anyway; it’s sort of gaudy and unattractive. The two .5 tubes of gels – black for him and red for her – are quite plane and lack the colourful, translucent fun of the lube bottles and are remarkably smaller.

But, packaging doesn’t break a good product (or make a bad one but that’s another rant for another day). Unfortunately, I am still not a fan of the tingling formula in these product pairings and it seems like both product and packaging are not for me. The pleasure gel felt identical to the lube and shared the same minty scent, which is definitely noticeable, and slightly sweet taste; it went on cold and while I liked that, it intensified into a distracting and uncomfortable tingling sensation when the area was stimulated. It felt like it took away from clitoral pleasure and I had to ask my husband to stop.

The box says the user will experience a “gentle warming sensation within 5″ minutes but that is pretty much the opposite of my experience (intense, cooling and tingling). It also suggests that the product will last 20 minutes. Luckily for me, the sensation faded after 5 or 10 minutes. Perhaps unlucky for you, if you are a big fan. Regardless, they were long and unpleasant minutes for me. Regardless, it’s not what the box suggests. Lastly, the pleasure gel For Her is supposed to enhance natural lubrication but I’m not sure if this is true. In fact, at one point, I felt embarrassingly dry. If there are any lube enhancing properties, I’m sure they’ll entirely negated by the uncomfortable feeling of the product.

If you are ingredient conscientious, the box lists a whole slew of them for both products. For Her contains:

Glycerine
Propylene Glycol
Benzoic Acid
Sodium Benzoate
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Tocopherol
Aloe Barbadensis
Camellia Sinsensis Leaf Extract
Niacinamide
Mentha Piperita Oil
Water
Xantham Gum
Phenoxyethanol
Ethylhexylglycerin

I am glad to say that the prolonging pleasure gel for him was a big success. I believe the instructions say to apply it just under the head of the penis but I forgot to look and applied the clear gel all over. I couldn’t feel a warming sensation; in fact, when I asked, he said he felt normal but it was obviously something wasn’t normal – in a good way! He definitely was able to last longer and move in ways that would normally cause him to orgasm nearly instantly. In fact, long after the tingling gel had ruined my experiment, I had to ask him to finish up otherwise I am sure he would have lasted longer.

Despite its lack of sensation, my husband loved the gel for him. It doesn’t seem to numb the penis like so many prolonging products which detracts from the pleasure of sex. Even if it helps a man last longer, it doesn’t help sex be an enjoyable act. This gel has really made us consider similar products but it would be great if it were manufactured and sold separately, in a larger container than the 1/2 oz tube.

The ingredients in the Pleasure Gel For Him are:

Glycerin
Propylene Glycol
Benzoic Acid
Sodium Benzoate
Hydroxyethylcellullodr
Tocopherol
Aloe Barbadensis
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Arginine(L)
Mentha Piperita Oil
Water
Xantham Gum
Eupatorium Rebaudianum Bertoni Leaf Extract
Phenoxyethanol
Ethylhexylglicerin

As you can see, the ingredient lists are nearly identical save for Niacinamide and Arginine(L). which I can assume are the active ingredients to cause tingling and prolonged erection, respectively. There is plenty of glycerin in these, which can cause reactions in some women. L’arginine itself can be a controversial ingredient, too.

Even if I had liked the tingling sensation (I know I am not every woman and some will surely enjoy the tingling affect of the pleasure gel For Her.), I don’t think these products have the potential to work together as well as Wet Together Couples Lube simply because there doesn’t seem to be anyway for the pleasure gels to combine for greater effect. They seem to be meant to be enjoyed because they are each in use by a partner.

Wet Together Ultimate Pleasure Gels are not intended to be lubricant; although, they are latex friendly. Wet suggests using Wet Together Ultimate Pleasure Gels with other wet lubricant and there is a sample of Wet Together Lube included. Because they are both sensation products, I would be hesitant to use all 4 products together, especially if you haven’t previously used the products separately. It could get quite intense.

Ultimately, this pair includes a really strong product that I hope Wet continues to make and perhaps focus on by itself. Because my experience was so consistent with the Wet Together products, I would probably not invest any further in the line (were there new additions) unless there were some changes. I do think it would be interesting to see how the pleasure gels could be better adapter to lesbian or gay couples as the prolonging and tingling gels obviously work better in some situations.

1 Comment

Categories: Other Sex Toys, Reviews

Sqweel

November 29th, 2009

Sqweel
£34.99 (approx. $57.63) from LoveHoney

The Sqweel is not a vibrator; rather, it is a sex toy meant to simulate oral sex to stimulate the clitoris or other parts of the body. It has been touted as “revolutionary”; in fact, the hype around its release was tremendous and it would be hard for any toy to live up to that. Still, the intentionally mysterious website was spread from Twitter to Twitterite like a virus, and I was among the many who submitted my e-mail to find out just what this toy with a whirligig logo is. Of course, I never got the e-mail so the release went unnoticed until I saw reviews of it posted on Twitter. I was thrilled when I asked to review it and the folks at LoveHoney said “yes.” So here’s the low down, Adriana style.

The Sqweel toy is encased in in a silky feeling black plastic. This is great for a couple of reasons: it’s protected from lint and other toys and is easy to travel with, should you so desire. The shape is generally clammy and the indentations (which can serve as finger holds a bit) add to that effect. An arrow on either side indicates that squeezing and pulling up the top cover pops it off to expose a series of 10 soft tongues which spin on an axle. This is not unlike a tape dispenser but the action has been compared to chainsaws and Hellraiser, the latter by my husband. I found it to be much less intimidating, maybe good for a first timer if you understand the function.

Even if you do, getting to know the piece can still be intimidating because it’s so unique. Once you pop off the top and locate the button on the bottom, it begins to make more sense, however. Also, the included pamphlet with this toy is actually very helpful and well done. It actually focuses on this one toy, unlike those one-size-fits-all pamphlets that big companies give with every single toy (although, it’s not much help if you tend to ignore these books d=). Once comfortable with the Sqweel, it’s easy to use. One slide button goes from “Off” and makes stops at “Lo,” “Medium” and “High.” That’s three speeds if you weren’t keeping up – powered by 3 AAA batteries which are actually included! Their is a small battery cover which slides off the bottom where batteries are easily inserted. Hold the toy upside down over whatever area you want stimulated and voila.

Er, sorta. The first thing I noticed is the incredible whine as the tongues rotate. I would almost say it does squeal. It, not me. That’s bad. Of course, as you increase settings, so does the whine. This means it’s not very discreet and folks might get curious why you have a knife sharpening in your bedroom.. but maybe they won’t ask for fear of retaliation. And even if discretion isn’t your thing, I found myself highly annoyed. Maybe you won’t notice if you’re the type who masturbates to music or moans like crazy during a session and it’ll drive you crazy – in the good way – or maybe it will drive you up the wall like it did me. The particular sound was just too much for me to take at times.

The other big issue around the Sqweel is its learning curve. I feel like I would have to masturbate with only this toy for months before I would get anywhere near orgasm and even then, it’s a long shot. As someone who prefers the quick pay off and pressure, this toy just isn’t going to cut it. That doesn’t mean it’s not interesting or doesn’t feel good – because it does but it will probably never be more of a warm up toy for me – but those tongues are just too soft to really mimic oral sex. I would have to agree with Epiphora that the spinning feels more like an attack of silicone tongues and none of the speeds really suit my needs; they all feel quite unlike oral sex. The tongue is a muscle and can apply much more pressure than the Sqweel ever could because, as soon as you press it tighter against the flesh, the spinning stops. The Sqweel has to be held an arm’s length away so the tongues just barely touch the clit. This means you have to make damned sure nothing is on the way so be prepared to hold those lips aside.

One thing that can also severely detract from the Sqweel experience is not using enough or any lube. For some reason, I just forgot but the feeling of dry tongues against the clit is even more awkward than that of the toy working exactly how its meant. On LoveHoney’s site, there is a video instructing to squirt lube into your hand then let the toy spin so the tongues can “lap” it up. It’s a reasonable decent, if not messy technique. The included information says to use water based lube which clued me in that the tongues are at least partially silicone. In fact, I put it through the flame test which resulted in a deformed tip of the tongue. From this, I conclude that the Sqweel’s tongues are, in fact, TPR Silicone. It’s toward the higher end of the spectrum and I certainly don’t mind using it, despite some porosity. I just wish that was explicitly stated somewhere.

I would say be prepared for mess with the Sqweel and be prepared to spend some time cleaning it up. The tongues spread lube everywhere. Lube gets inside the case. The outside of the case gets covered in lube. The case is probably the easiest to clean; just use a damp cloth. There is a front panel which twists and pops off so the tongues can be taken out. Both of those pieces can be washed with soap and water. The instructions also say to wipe inside with a damp cloth. I wouldn’t risk soap and water, like I do with some toys. Unfortunately, the nooks and crannies in the case, and on the font panel and cover are numerous. this seems a little short sighted to me but maybe I just don’t like having to clean things with Q-tips. Finally, you’ll want to make sure everything is dry before putting all the pieces of the Sqweel back together. Moistness in en enclosed area does no good.

So my final call on the Sqweel? As Epiphora said, incredibly innovative. Kudos to LoveHoney for bringing this winner of their design a sex toy contest to fruition. Props for the generally sound design and cute presentation. But as a practical oral sex simulator or even a sex toy that will get any sort of orgasmic reaction out of me? I’m not sure this reinvention of the wheel is a winner. It’s so hard for me to come up with constructive criticism because this idea is just so out of the box. Maybe firmer tongues, of differing sizes. Maybe add vibration or allow the tongues some side to side movement. Yet, I can’t really guarantee any of these changes would do the trick me for. Maybe the idea itself is more novel than sound. Maybe, I’ll try again in a few months.

Thank you to LoveHoney for allowing me to review the Sqweel!