Wildberry Incense Peace Of Mind

November 14th, 2010

Wildberry Incense Peace Of Mind

Wildberry Incense Peace Of Mind
11.98 from Amazon

It has taken me far too long to write this review, perhaps because I simply did not enjoy the “Peace of Mind” variant of the Wildberry incense.In fact, I would say it does the exact opposite of give me peace of mind and, if I had the option, I’d probably have named this “ache of head.”

The description states this incense is a “fruity, floral blend with peach and vanilla” and, while that sounds quite pleasant, I only experienced an overly strong floral scent without any fruit or vanilla at all. I’m not really a fan of heavy floral scents and, when I burn this, the overpowering scent gives me a headache without fail. It’s not enjoyable in the least.

Because I know that Wildberry does produce at least one enjoyable incense variety, so it’s not simply a “cheap” line of products, simply one scent that isn’t as enjoyable as it seems. Of course, it’s impossible to smell things through my monitor so the odds are that I might not enjoy every scent.

Interestingly, I found the Peace of Mind Incense to burn a little messier and to smell more generic-woodlike. However, I did not note any significant difference in burn time from the other incense I’d tried.

If you actually want a scent similar to the one in the description, I think you may be disappointed with the Peace of Mind incense by Wildberry, unfortunately.

 

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Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

PVC Lace Up Gloves

October 14th, 2010

Pvc Lace Up Gloves

Pvc Lace Up Gloves

Ah, these gloves looked so interesting and vampy. The shiny PVC, the corset-styled lacing, the single finger hole that made a “V” shape down the top of the hand. All so nice and much more appropriately entitled an “arm warmer.” I didn’t really have any purpose for them but my inner-Goth cried out. And then I cried when I got them.

They look very nice on the model but they just didn’t fit me. Period. I have rather short arms so the 19″ gloves reached far up my arm–to a point where my arm was far too wide for the gloves to fit. Granted, I don’t have tiny arms but, as I tried to adjust, it was clear that the included string–shoestring style–didn’t offer a lot of give. In fact, if you look at the model in the picture, you can see there really isn’t that much room to loosen the strings anymore than they are and it’s obvious she’s a thin one.

Let me put this into numbers for you. The widest part of the glove has an 8.5″ circumference and I’m pretty sure that most bracelets are about 7″ long so I have no idea why the designers figure a 1.5″ increase in size is enough to fit most women. It just seems pretty realistic.

The good side is that, like anything that laces up, you can invest in a longer string. You can even replace it with your own ribbon, if you so choose. I personally think that would be more attractive. You’ll need one that is more than 5.75′ long; however. You’ll have to lace it up through all 27 eyelets, of course. That will be a nice afternoon’s work.

Aside from the fit, I am fairly impressed with the quality. I’ve never heard of this XoXo line of latex and leather gear but it seems like the company, Allure, sells quite a bit. The gloves were packaged in an easy-to-open plastic case with a picture of a model wearing them. While folded, they haven’t retained any creases.

The gloves appear to have two layers but the inside of the PVC isn’t finished. To be honest, I don’t know if this is a common thing because I haven’t owned a lot of PVC but it really is only one layer (I think). The exterior is super shiny and the inside is matte and softer. There is a hem around all the edges that is about 1/2″ wide so your skin will touch some of the shiny material on the edges. The eyelets for the lacing are sewn in through the hem so they’re secured to two layers of fabric and they’re quite flat and smooth. The sewing around all the edges and the placement of the eyelets are perfectly straight.

The hem continues around the single finger hole. Depending on your arm, you’ll probably wear this around the middle finger. It’s not full length but measures a little over 1.5″. Again, quite long for my fingers but the 3″ circumference fits loosely around my middle finger. It’s a bit bulky with the hems and the straight seam where both sides of the material meet to form the finger loop. It’s also the same width through the entire length.

It seems like scratches and stabby things can leave my marks. I know because my cat decided this glove looked yummy. Be careful of sharp objects and fingernails as this can mar the overall appearance of the PVC lace up gloves.

If you are a thin armed person who is taller and wants a just-above-the-shoulder arm warmer to complete a fetish outfit or costume, then the PVC Lace Up Gloves may be right up your alley. If you’re not so thin, not so tall or not patient enough to purchase alternative strings or ribbons, I’d pass. I know I’m extra lazy, however; so others may be more likely to be more patient and go the extra mile with these.

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Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Wet Look Gloves

September 23rd, 2010

Wet Look Lingerie Soft Sexy Gloves

Wet Look Lingerie Soft Sexy Gloves
18.95 from Amazon

The Wet Look Gloves are a California Exotics product and they come in a plastic package ( but not blister pack). The gloves are made of a rather shiny material that I would guess is some sort of nylon but is not as shiny as PVC. They are matte on the inside and have some stretch. I’d wipe them clean with a damp cloth if they were dirty. Maybe hand-wash them in the sink but I’m not sure about the machine. The package lists neither care nor material information.

From tip to tip, they measure just under 19.5″. They’re quite long and even the model on the package is wearing them well past her elbows. On this short legged and armed girl, they’re almost ridiculous. I’m must rather see the glove stop right before or after the elbow; it’s just an odd length.

It’s made even odder by the fact that these gloves are intended for folks with thinner arms than myself. They’re snug but comfortable enough over my forearms but become a bit too sausagey, past the elbow. It’s not very attractive. If I slouch the gloves a bit, you do not notice as much, however. At the opening, the gloves have a width 3.75″ when lying flat and unstretched. You can add about another inch to the width if you stretch but I guess my arm is just a bit big for these.

Which is a shame because they’re the first glove to actually fit my hands. You see, I have child hands with short little fingers. Let me explain that, this past winter, I actually wore my 7-year-old sister’s gloves to make a snowman. The hands fit perfectly on these. If you have real people hands, you’ll probably find these a bit tight and if you’re a man looking into some feminine accessories, pass the Wet Look Gloves by if you’re not tiny boned as well.

It’s weird because the fingers really do look pretty short. I’m not sure who these gloves would best fit. A teen girl maybe? I find it really perplexing.

Quality wise, the seams are all sewn quite well. The tips of the fingers are a little bulky and boxy, however. You can easily see that in the product images where the model shows her fingers. Despite the overall boxyness of the fingers, the material is thin enough that you can participate in a wide range of activities without having the gloves become an obstacle. For example, I am typing this paragraph with a glove on. It’s a little weird to use my pinky to type but my typos are all actually coming from the other hand. LOL

These are not identical gloves, either. One is specifically for the left hand while the other is specifically for the right so they’re a bit more form-fitting than those cheaper types (I’m talking about you, crappy winter gloves that are too thin to keep my warm or dry!).

You could easily stroke a cock with these. And use a toy, if it’s not full of lube. You’ll still be able to feel someone if you’re smacking or spanking them. Need to cut something? These gloves aren’t going to get in the way of a scissors or pen. It might actually be easier for me to use the touchscreen on my phone with the gloves on but my MP3 player requires body heat to function. I can easily click on my mouse but it does feel a little weird to hold it. I probably wouldn’t try any needle-and-thread sewing wearing them but, overall, they’re fairly practical.

They’d be a great addition to any cat woman costume or you could top of a kink formal with the Wet Look Gloves. They’re not so wet looking that you couldn’t use them in place of regular satin gloves for other costumes or events, either. They’re a great prop for photos and if you’re playing with any metal objects, the contrast is great. Perfect for scening (mad scientist, anyone?), too.

But the sizing is still pretty weird. So while I can think of many situations in which you’d want to wear the Wet Look Gloves, I can’t think of quite as many that actually allow a person to comfortably do so.

 

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Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Wildberry Cherry Incense

September 6th, 2010

Wildberry Incense Cherry 100Pcs

Wildberry Incense Cherry 100Pcs
13.75 from Amazon

Continuing on the path of “and here’s something a little different,” I requested two packs of incense from AdultSexToys. It’s been a few years since I’ve burned a single stick of incense; although, I have a nice glass burner that I purchased quite a while back. I burned a lot of incense when I was a teen. It was partly the “cool” thing to do and partly because I enjoyed a lot of the stores. There were multiple shops downtown: one a candle shop and one a head shop; although I never smoked pot, I liked the alternative culture they both had. After these shops closed, I purchased all my incense from a reiki place that was equally as neat.

And now, I’m getting it from a sex toy store. I’m not entirely sure that incense has anything to do with sex or sex toys. Even if I were having sex, this would really remain an out-of-the-bedroom item for me but I still like it.

The brand is Wildberry and they make a variety of scents so don’t let the terminology get you. First up for review is cherry. Cherry is just a classic scent (and flavour) in anything. I enjoy cherry. I probably like faux-cherry scents better than the actual scent of cherry. Wildberry Cherry Incense sticks smells ridiculously like cherry Kool-aid. It’s strong and sweet and more than a little artificial but I like it anyway.

During burning, that scent mixes with the smoky and heavy scents of, well, burning. I can still smell the cherry and the burning smell isn’t overwhelming like some but I’d still like the cherry scent to be stronger during actual use. It’s not very practical for me to walk around, holding an incense stick under my nose.

However, I’d like to note that some scents really give me a headache and cherry does not. It’s become my go-to incense for that reason.

Wildberry incense seems to burn a little cleaner than I recall incense doing. IT may just be that I have my incense burner sitting on top of my bookshelves so my cats don’t die. There’s not a lot of wind up there and clean us is easy.

I like that it’s hard to catch the whole damned stick on fire. Some incense burns too easily and, before you know it, half the stick is gone. This isn’t the case with this incense. I haven’t paid close enough attention to burn time to make any observations but neither do I have any complaints.

This incense comes in a pack of 100 sticks. 100! At the rate I’m going, one package will last me a year, at least. The package itself consists of a clear plastic bag. I believe it was sealed and I had to open it. The bunch of sticks are wrapped, at the bottom, with a couple layers of tissue paper. The ends of the sticks are all colour coded: cherry gets a deep, pinky red. It’s gorgeous. The Wildberry logo is printed on the outside of the bag, as well as the name of the scent and the UPC, in black. It’s basic but informative.

I burn this every few days, when I remember it and drag my chair over to the bookshelves so I can light up a stick. It’s quite enjoyable

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Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Love Bumper Iceberg

July 10th, 2010

Love Bumper Iceberg

Love Bumper Iceberg

Love Bumper no longer appears to exist, but you can buy similar sex position pillows from Liberator. Try the Jaz, which has a slot for your favorite toy.

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 sturdy 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: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Pure Sex Pheromone Spray

May 23rd, 2010

Pure Sex Pheromone Spray

Pure Sex Pheromone Spray

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

The idea of a his-and-hers type pheromone 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 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 Pheromone 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 pheromones” thing going for it. I know products like these sometimes seem to work simply because of the power suggestion but Pure Sex Pheromone Spray didn’t even offer me that.

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

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Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Intimate Accessories Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner

February 18th, 2010

Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner

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: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.