OohLaLa Fantasy Wishlist Competition

May 30th, 2009

I love free stuff. You love free stuff. Lucky for us, there’s always a ton of contests going on like OohLaLa’s fantasy wishlist competition. One lucky winner can have up to £500 of sex toy fun and, even though OohLaLa is UK based, international bloggers can enter, too. All you need to do is puck out up to £500 worth of items and blog your wishlist, complete with links to the products on OohLaLa’s site and the reasons for your desire. Two runners up will also receive a Sensual Starter Gift Box. So if you’re into free stuff, too, why not enter?

The Bondage Duckie (£32) is on every wishlist I have on every site. For a while, I also used him as my MSN icon. He’s just so adorable and so naughty but discreet enough that I just might be able to get away with him sitting in my shower.

OohLaLa has quite a few unique glass pieces, which I’ve never seen on any other site. The Bulbous Head Dichro Wrap Wand (£63) is more than gorgeous with its iridescent colours and twisting shape is truly a work of art. The Glass Anal Twister (£46) may not be as iridescent but it sure has an intriguing shape. There’s nothing boring about the colour or shape of the Twisted Lattchino Wand (£95). Even the name is exciting.

There’s also a couple sensual products I’d like to try. I’ve had good experiences with massage candles and this scented massage candle (£17) has a lot of scents to appease my critical nose. I’d go with Raspberry, Strawberry or Vanilla Orange. Jimmy Jane makes a pretty hot looking candle, too. The Pink Lotus Afterglow candle (£31) looks completely high end. Of course, sometimes I don’t have time to light a candle or my cats try to burn their faces off, so I’d have plenty of opportunity to use Shunga’s Raspberry Massage Cream (£16). If you can’t tell, I’m a huge fan of raspberry! (= Cherry’s good, too, though. I’d give Shunga’s Aphrodisiac Oil (£13)a lick or two.

And, without fail, I’d like some new rabbits. I’m a big fan of dual stimulation and while these vibes don’t always work for everyone, I have a tendency to make them work. Or else. LOL I’ve been eyeing up the White Heat Double Delights (£26) for a while now because I situate rabbit style vibes so the bullet is actually on my clit, not the animal appendages and this is actually made for that. Fun Factory’s Paul and Paulina (£44) also has a similar shape and seeing how much I love the other FF products I’ve tried, I think this will do just fine!

I don’t know whether or not I will love the Lily bye Lelo (£63)but I’ll take one in purple just in case. I’ve never used a Lelo vibe and this one looks so classy and sexy, I can’t help but drool a little over it. Another item I’ve never tried is a cooling gel like Kama Sutra’s intensifying gel (£14) which evokes a tingling sensation.

And it wouldn’t hurt if I tried all these things in the super sexy 3 Piece set by Wild designs (£34). The black lace overly against the light purple is exactly my style and makes for a gorgeous demi cut bra and thong. What better to pair with the included garter belt than a pair of fishnet thigh high stockings (£6)?

And that brings my total to exactly £500.

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Ophoria K-balls #10

May 29th, 2009

Ophoria K-balls
$20 from Amazon

These Kegel exercisers remain in my top three nearly a decade later. Read on to find out more.

I feel it would be appropriate were this review accompanied by Tom Cruise singing “goodness, gracious, great balls of fire”. All silliness aside, Ophoria’s Smooth K-Balls are pretty great even if they’re not flaming (and that actually might be for the best). And now I can say I have balls.

Ophoria packaged the K-balls in a sleek pink and white box with some feminine details. It’s very modern and looks like a department store package so I could imagine it being sold retail in Younkers or something (is that reference too geographic? You could replace that with Macy’s). There’s a plastic window in front so you can see the pair of pink vaginal exercisers in all their glory. The balls themselves are not quite the same shade of pink as on the box; I think the box is a little prettier and the balls almost seem dull sometimes but it doesn’t detract from their use even if it sort of offends my sense of aesthetics.

Ophoria didn’t include a lot of information with their K-balls and they could expand on that. The box lets us know they’re 1000% silicone, non-porous, can be cleaned with soap and water and boasts of the strong stimulation and ergonomic design. The included instructions also serve as a product catalog. There are some generic instructions about not using any toys which appear broken, not submerging them or using them while menstruating. There are some good tips about how sex toys can transmit STDs and making sure to clean all crevices but not using brushes or abrasive solutions. There’s nothing in the way of how to get the best use out of this specific product.

So it might be a good thing that I’ve experienced kegel balls a time or two. In fact, you may remember my review of the Luna Beads and, to be honest, I wasn’t blown away. They weren’t very stimulating and I thought the whole concept of 2 weighted balls was hokey. Luckily, the K-balls are much more stimulating. In fact, I’d say I can even feel more movement from the inner balls – or “shakers” as the package calls them – in hand. I think the shakers might be a bit smaller but since the exterior is opaque, I don’t know for sure. The balls themselves are the same size at the Luna Beads, with a diameter of 1 3/8″ but the K-balls are slightly longer.

Speaking of the exterior, the pink K-balls have white-ish circle and triangle shapes. These shapes seem to be raised slightly but are only for looks as my vagina certainly can’t feel them. The hard silicone isn’t exactly smooth and has that typical, silicone texture which may make for more friction than smooth plastic but insertion was pretty easy with a little water-based lube. I find the second ball is always a little more difficult because I have to rely on the connecting material, which is flexible, to push up the higher ball. Once inserted, the balls don’t remain straight either; they sort of bunch up next to each other but it’s not uncomfortable (the lower ball will pop out, however, if they’re not situated correctly).

In fact, it’s the pleasurable stimulation I get from the K-balls which earns them a much higher rating than the Luna Beads. After initial insertion, the K-balls seem to rest directly against my G-spot and stimulate arousal. Since few toys have successfully and consistently stimulated my G-spot, this is quite the feat! I’m not sure if it’s the “vibration” of the inner balls, which I can feel (and even hear sometimes) or the exterior of the balls rubbing against my sensitive spots but the first minutes after insertion are always pleasurable.

I can definitely feel the “vibration”, too. I have a habit of doing this silly sort of ass-shaking move to make the K-balls vibrate (which I’m sure my husband would enjoy). This actually made me think that it might be a good idea to pop these in before going dancing! These ease of popping these in before any activity or even if you have nothing planned is appealing. And, even if the K-balls don’t strengthen my muscles, they feel good and being able to feel the vibration reminds me to do my Kegels here and there. I tend to pop them in before taking walks and do a couple squeezes while waiting to cross the street or in line at the store. But if you want to be more proactive about your muscle strengthening, you can always clench around one or both balls, while tugging on the string with a finger.

I can’t say for sure if my muscles are any stronger. I think that’s easier to tell with a partner – which I don’t have right now. I can say that I have used these balls, in a few short weeks, more than I’ve used the Luna Beads in the months I’ve had them. Both sets of vaginal balls made me more aware of my vagina but the K-balls also makes me feel good which is that much more incentive to use them.

After you’re done, you can easily remove the K-balls with the silicone-coated string with connects to the “lower” ball. Actually, the lower ball is slightly pointed at the bottom so it’s not a complete “ball”. Unlike the Luna Beads, the K-balls don’t tend to get all suction-stuck in my pussy and the coated string doesn’t cut into my finger. Unfortunately, that is a tiny crack in the coating of the string on my balls. I noticed it after using because the crack is so tiny so it’s possible that I somehow caused it or that it came this way and I just didn’t notice. Fortunately, it hasn’t grown any and I’m still comfortable using the K-balls.

After use, K-balls are easy to wash with soap and water. Silicone is dishwasher safe but I’m not entirely sure about the K-balls. The box says they’re splash proof but I don’t see why they couldn’t be fully submerged as they lack mechanical parts. The K-balls are also easy to dry and don’t seem to pick up lint. I do wish they came with a storage pouch – I stole the one that came with my Luna Beads to keep them all nice and cozy and protected from other toys.

In the end, I was much more impressed by Ophoria’s K-balls than other vaginal balls I’ve tried. These high-quality exercisers are not only easy to use but are actually a fun and pleasurable way to raise body awareness and, hopefully, strengthen PC muscles. With a little more information provided and a storage pouch, I’d say the K-balls are an A+.

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Pleasurists #30

May 27th, 2009

alexacollection1
Found via The Alexa Collection photographer unknown.

Pleasurists is your round-up of the adult product reviews that came out in the last seven days from bloggers all around the sex blogosphere. Did you miss Pleasurists #28? Read it all here. Do you have a review for Pleasurists #30? Submit it here before Sunday May 25th at 11:59pm PDT. Please re-post this list on your own blog if listed.

Want to win some free swag? All you’ve got to do is enter.

Madame Editrix
Scarlet Lotus St.Syr

On to the reviews…

Editor’s Pick

I’ve reviewed four sets of pelvic exercise balls: Fun Factory Teneo Uno, LELO Luna Beads, Fun Factory SmartBalls, and Fun Factory Teneo Duo. Here is a comparison of four sets by their size, materials, stimulation level, ease of insertion and features.

Note: This is a wonderful comparison of the four major pelvic exercise balls out there. It’s very basic in many ways but covers the topic well and gives a lot of wonderful details.
Vibrators

Dildos

Anal Toys

Toys for Cocks

Lube, Bath Stuff, & etc.

BDSM/Fetish

Adult Books

Adult Movies/Porn

Storage

Miscellaneous

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I Love My Boss

May 26th, 2009

The Boss Naked
$67 from Babeland

..and you can be sure I’ve never had reason to say that before, until now. Unfortunately, the Boss vibrator has some of the same issues as real bosses. Like, there’s a couple different versions which leads to some confusion. Which is the real boss? Who do I actually report to? I mean, there’s the new Boss Lady in town with her pink, powersuit as reviewed by The Lesbian Lifestyle. But there’s also a couple more bosses who demand your intention. The original boss, even though his position seems to have been liquidated, can still be found, stuck in his old-fashioned ways. He seems to be making his presence, complete with dial-style controls, to Carrie Ann. Finally, some folks like Agent Ansley and myself are both familiar with with a sort of transitional Boss. You could say that while he looks more like the old Boss (colour), he acts more like the new one (control type). While some people prefer the old boss, he has been giving his pink slip and the Boss Lady is here to stay.

Like any employer, sometimes the Boss just doesn’t mesh with some folks. There seems to be a lot of issue revolving around opening the battery compartment on both styles. The battery cap pops off from the boss with sort of a partial twist which can be confusing. Furthermore, there have been reports of the Boss not completing all his duties fully or at all. He has failed to vibrate and/or pulsate for some unless they fidget with the battery pack or controls (and sometimes that doesn’t even help) but I think a boss should just do his job. Luckily for me, mine did.

If you’re considering the Boss to get the job done, you’ll notice he comes well dressed for the job. With his clean lines, defined head and velvety matte texture (which mine mean using an extra drop or two of water-based lube), it’s hard to not be drawn to the boss. The Boss has a gentle curve and substantial girth (1-3/5”) so heads up, size queens. With an insertable length of just under 7″, the Boss knows how to dress for success and his overall appearance lured me into cooperation.

But it was his performance that gets the best review! Although not the largest toy I own, The Boss feels incredibly fulling, even bigger than he is. The silicone is firm enough for thrusting but soft enough that he feels as though he’s conforming to me especially. One of the last toys I tried, while large, never felt filling. If there is one area in which the Boss excels, this is it! Were I to search for the perfect size and shape of cock, I would walk down the line up of cock with The Boss in my hand, comparing and I cannot help but wonder if anything or anything will compare. I definitely think the texture and shape of the Boss give the impression of a toy bigger than the Boss is but, hey, sometimes you have to know when to fool people into thinking you’re more than you are.

Billed as the perfect G-spot vibe, I didn’t find that he quite hit mine right during solo play but don’t doubt his firmness would make him the right man for the job if someone could intervene for me (damn my short arms). Yet, the Boss isn’t a man so hard you need to be afraid – he has a sensitive side. The Boss is definitely soft and flexible. The top half of the shaft is pure, flexible silicone while the motor is located toward the middle of the shaft, on the bottom half.

Using the Boss’s flexibility to my advantage has turned this into the perfect dual stimulation toy. I know he doesn’t look like much of a double tasker, but being able to bend him upward so that the little clitoral nub makes contact is amazing. Otherwise, I don’t think that little clitoral nub will do much of anything; in fact, that was even the thought I had about it right out of the package. While I’ve used the Boss to get off with the head on my clit, bending him has definitely provided the best orgasms. I find that I can sometimes get into such a rhythm that thrusting him provides stimulation against both my G-spot (the thrusting causes the vibe to curve back in a way it otherwise wouldn’t) and clit, in sequence.

I’m glad, for once, that The Boss proved me wrong. He has proved to be a much harder worker and easier to work with than I would have originally guessed. For instance, I thought he had some control issues, in the beginning. It was difficult to push his buttons to access the multiple levels of vibration and pulsation. My small hands struggled. However, because my grip on the toy was actually reverse when in use, I found the buttons easier to use this way and was soon provided with 7 or so pleasing levels of vibration (provided by 4 AAA batteries). While not the strongest toy in my collection (that pleasure goes to the Miracle Massager), the boss was not disappointing, either, and his 3 levels of pulsation were not the wimpy kind – I definitely felt them deep within. All the while, the Boss used only a suitable indoor voice and you’d never know he was just a room over. I would have to say, however, the the Boss does not perform consistently. The vibes were much stronger near the clitoral bump than the head of the shaft.

Of course, I’m a critical person and I couldn’t help but notice a specific area where the Boss’s traits were over-exaggerated a bit. Rumors about the Boss say that he is good at giving an extra boost to get the job done, when it’s really getting down to the line. I was not impressed by the turbo boost button at the end of the vibe. Essentially, it seems like an extra level of steady vibration which you can press when orgasm is near, to set you over the edge. I didn’t find the boost to be that powerful and the fact that you need to hold it down also hampers the effect. It would make more sense if, say, I could press the boost button once and get a few seconds of extra power without needing to hold it.

Nevertheless, there are a few understated qualities of the boss that make him a pleasure to work with. He’s not afraid to get his hands wet which makes him perfect for use in the shower and easy to clean.

If you can’t tell yet, I’ve really gotten used to working with the Boss and I look forward to our teamwork in the future.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators
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Take me to Babeland

May 24th, 2009

A friend of mine recently took a trip to Seattle where she was able to stop by the Babeland store. I’ve never lived anywhere remotely close to a cool sex toy retailer like that so I must admit that, when I looked at her photos, that one got me the most excited. If you lived in Seattle – or in New York – you can stop by Babeland;’s brick and mortar stores not only for some naughty shopping but for entertaining and education events which Babeland sponsors. This month a lot of the events are in honour of motherhood, like the Sexy Moms Series which includes a talk on May 27th about Raising Sex-Positive Kids, by Amy Levine. There’s also events going on at both the NYC and Seattle stores on my birthday! I’d probably opt for Deborah Sundahl’s Female Ejaculation and the G-Spot because I don’t really think I need to renew desire. That, and, the pesky little thing with my husband being gone still.

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Pink Pussy Pump

May 23rd, 2009

Pink Pussy Pump
$17.91 from Store.OfSexAndLove.com

Although I was initially a bit put off by the strange looks of the Pink Pussy Pump, I was soon pleasantly surprised by the unique sensations provided by an actually effective suction system.

At first, I was taken aback by the size of the suction cup. I was expecting something a little smaller, for focus on clitoral suction. Rather, the cup provides suction stimulation to the entire vulva – or pussy – region. Furthermore, the cup is made of a hard pink plastic, which did prove to get the job done, but also threw me off. The hard plastic seemed to be a bit institutional or medicinal – at least, as medicinal as pink plastic can be. There’s not much to the rest of the apparatus: just a springy hose and a rubber, bulb-shaped pump. Overall, this is not a sexy looking sex toy and that was disappointing to my sense of aesthetic. Luckily, a toy does not need to be sexy itself to work well.

The pussy pump, which comes in a fairly cute, 70s inspired pink and purple box, fits easily over my lips. I have to agree that it is ergonomically correct; the edges of the cup are slightly curved instead of flat. Although the cup isn’t exactly small, it was small enough to move higher or lower and I think it would be wearable during sex as long as it’s not too rough or the cup isn’t bumped. I was able to insert a rather large toy and thrust without dislodging the cup.

Suction wise, I was impressed. The Pinky Pussy Pump provided much more suction than the last flimsy toy I tried. I applied it to a bare thigh first, just to experiment and the suction on the first pump was amazing.The icnrease n successive pumps was also impressive and the effect on my skin was visible. Applied to my vulva, I felt a satisfying pressure/tug on the general area which, while including my clit, wasn’t focused on it.

At first, my squeezes on the bulb pump, which is textured and easy to grip, were rather large but I was able to experiment a bit and I could easily adjust the level of pressure in fairly small increments. If the pressure is too much, you need to take off the pump quickly or you’re simply done playing, there is an easy to use quick-release button between the hose and pump. I wound the woosh of air to my pussy to feel really exciting. I wasn’t able to release the pressure in increments as small as I could increase it but, with focus, could release pressure in several small increments.

While this sensation alone wasn’t enough to get me off. It was quite arousing and would be a nice companion during sex or masturbation. I think sex would work a little better because the cup did get in the way a bit with toy use. The toy also aims to increase the size of your lips but, honestly, I didn’t really notice. However, I wasn’t as concerned because it was pleasurable.

Despite the fact that the suction was impressive, it was fairly easy to break the seal by slipping a finger under one edge of simply pulling the cup off my skin (and, y’know, when my cat jumped on me LOL). Neither of these things hurt, either. It also didn’t tug on any of my hair but it’s fairly short right now (maybe 1/2″).

One of the features of the Pink Pussy Pump is that you can remove the hose and pump without loosing suction. I’m not sure why anyone would do this. I wasn’t eager to do jumping jacks or the dishes or anything so I don’t see the need. Still, I tried it out and I was able to successfully remove the house where it connects via a metal fastener type thing. This is also how I disconnected the hose to wash the cup before and after use. Without the hose, the cup is simple an easy to clean, hard plastic piece.

I found the Pink Pussy Pump to be more stimulating than I thought it would be and can see it being used during partner or solo play. The stretchy hose was adequate length for me to use on myself and a partner could easily hold the reins as well, adding another aspect to your play. I would recommend this to anyone looking for suction in their sex lives.

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Goliath

May 22nd, 2009

Goliath
$88.70 from Tantus

Tantus now makes a Super Soft version of the Goliath. 

Tantus is a brand many people love but which never much appealed to me because so many of its products are for harness use.  Although harness compatible dildos can absolutely be used harness-free, I found many of the designs by Tantus to be a little, well, boring and too smooth.  On the other hand, many of the dildos have an overabundance of ridges, ripples and bulges, which don’t work very well for hard and fast thrusting. It really takes a particular dildo to please me, texture and shape are of utmost importance and since I haven’t mastered the art of G-spot orgasm, I usually stick to sex toys which stimulate my clit. However, I was interested in trying some of their products when PinkCherry offered, and browsed through their collection. I wasn’t looking for the super smooth, Silk trio of dildos and the Echo, while beautiful, seemed like a bit too much for me. I wound up choosing the Goliath .
goliath
With its metallic purple shine and lifelike veins and contoured head, Tantus has produced a pretty good looking dildo. Luckily, its unrealistic colour balanced off its more realistic shape because I don’t like my dildos to be too true to life. Like other Tantus products, this dildo is 100% silicone (advertised as “100% ultra-premium platinum silicone” on the package) which means no harmful chemicals (promising you a rash and irritation free experience, unlike mine with Sil-A-Gel))or porousness and you can thoroughly clean Goliath by boiling or bleaching but, since I don’t plan on sharing or using this dildo anally, warm water and soap will suffice. The packaging claims that “with minimal care, Tantus Toys can last a lifetime”; because they can be sterilized, you can even donate them to friends should they outlive your need or, dare I say, will them to your children. 😉

If you hadn’t guessed already by the name, Goliath’s stature is anything but small. Weighing in at 7 1/2″ in length and width with a girth at 5 1/2″, it’s not a toy for beginners or those who like things thin. And, after trying it out, I would also say it’s not a toy for those who like their insertables soft. The silicone material is rather rigid and while it doesn’t feel as hard in my hand (I can squeeze a bit and bend the shaft), once nestled inside my pussy it feels rather unyielding. Coupled with its size, it provided for an experience more uncomfortable than I bargained for.

Of course, as with any toy of such a significant size, lube is a must. Water-based lubes are safe with any material and higher quality silicone lubes may always work. Even with lube, I found there was initial resistance when I inserted Goliath. After passing my pubic bone, it became easier but it seemed like even though I wasn’t inserting much of the dildo, it quickly assaulted my cervix. Perhaps the thickness of the shaft makes Goliath seem shorter than it is but I felt like I could insert less than I usually can with my toys. Maybe it’s just perception or it could be that there seems to be a bit more leeway with thinner toys and cocks but it just didn’t feel like this dildo was made for my body, at least for thrusting. However, I did enjoy the sensation of having this dildo inside while focusing on clitoral stimulation. I always enjoy the way it feels when my muscles contract in orgasm around an object.

Goliath’s veins were discernible but not overly so. I didn’t really feel either way about them. The same could be said for the provided bullet which turns this into a vibrating dildo (I hate the term LOL). The one speed, silver bullet is pretty standard size, battery (3, watch style) powered and operates with a push button on the end. For its size, the vibrations are decent but the definitely become more muted once inserted into the dildo. I could barely feel them at the tip; although, the vibrations were more easily felt at the base.

Overall, the bullet seemed much cheaper than the toy. I’m sure they are better bullets. More than once, the vibration didn’t seem to want to work correctly because the bullet is so fickle. Additionally, I had a difficult time inserting and removing the bullet, which comes separately from the dildo. The package advises using lube, which I had to do in order to insert it. Insertion without lube meant the bullet barely went in. However, despite the fact that I applied lube, I had one hell of a time removing the bullet. First, the cap popped off, then it started randomly vibrating and after about 10 minutes of wrestlin’ with it, I finally pulled the bullet loose.

I think a much better use of the hole is the Tantus suction cup which allows you to play with your toys on any flat surface. At first, I noticed that the smooth bottom of Goliath has a bit of suction but it’s not enough to secure it so a surface.

In the end, I was left a well-made, high-quality dildo and I expect it to last no less than a lifetime (even if the bullet was disappointing); however, the combination of size and stiff silicone left me wanting, well, a little less. I’m sure that some will love the Goliath and there’s probably a Tantus dildo which will work well for me but the search doesn’t end here.

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Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.