Afterglow Wipes

December 23rd, 2009

Afterglow Wipes

Afterglow Wipes
$9 from Store.OfSexAndLove.com

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 your 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
  • Bergamot
  • 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 stickiness entirely. After using, I just 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.

7 Comments

Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Pjur “Med-Clean” Spray

October 20th, 2009

Pjur "Med-Clean" Spray

Pjur "Med-Clean" Spray
18 from TabuToys

When I first heard Avery Dragon’s recommendation of Pjur’s medical grade toy cleaner, I was intrigued. I’d heard of Pjur’s other products but had never really wanted to try them. What can I say? I’m a simple girl with simply lube needs. But a toy cleaner that could hold its own in a sterile setting? Now that was something I wanted to try. And try I did, to smashing success!

Unlike other toy cleaners which need to be rinsed off, Pjur MedClean Spray is a viable alternative to soap and water, not just a substitute. It’s safe to use a toy if you just let it air dry but if you need to remove physical dirt, wiping down with a cloth or tissue after spraying works, too. That means no trip to the bathroom, no alerting the roommates and no trying to awkwardly wash non-waterproof toys. I especially appreciate that after getting my first ceramic vibrator; I’m a little paranoid about getting it wet so this is the perfect solution. A couple pumps and the cleaning solution will cover your toy in a super fine mist; I was actually surprised at how fine the mist was. I suspect this 100ml/3.4oz bottle (which comes plastic sealed) will last me quite some time. I also expect I will definitely be replacing it after it runs out.

Now, some people might be a little reluctant to use this product without wiping it off. I dry it simply so I can put toys away immediately but the bottle also says it can be used on intimate areas so I wouldn’t hesitate to let my toys air dry after using Pjur Med Clean Spray. It doesn’t hurt that it’s be dermatologically tested, either. In fact, I might be more likely to use it because it can help reduce odor and has a “prophylactic effect” against bacteria and fungi. Not only is it condom safe (and rubber and silicone) but it might even boost your infection prevention methods? That’s a side effect which sounds pretty good to me. It also has somewhat of an anti-viral effect when used on “utensils” – IE, sex toys.

You’re probably beginning to see how this stacks up against other toy cleaners. Simply being able to use it without water make it more appealing than most toy cleaners which still require rinsing. If you’re not sold, it’s also alcohol free. Although, I must admit the ingredients list is a little daunting (at least there’s no controversial Triclosan):

  • water
  • phenoxyethanol
  • cocamidopropyl betaine
  • chlorhexidine digluconate
  • peg-7
  • glycerol
  • cocoate
  • dimethicone copolyol
  • neohesperidine dihydrochalcone
  • sorbitol

But let me recap the instructions:

  • Spray on Self or Toy

Fair trade, in my book.

Although the bottle advertises Pjur med Clean as being perfume free, it does have a sterile type smell. It smells sort of chemically clean but perhaps not pleasant. Initially, this smell sticks to your toys but fades rather quickly. It’s supposed to be tasteless but I cannot help but inhale the super-fine mist through my mouth; it definitely tastes sweet. I can’t say that either of those facts are a con, though. When it comes right down to it, Pjur MedClean Spray perfumes admirably and makes me feel a whole lot safer when it comes to my toys.

2 Comments

Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Silky sheets Pear Blossom

August 23rd, 2009

Silky Sheets Pear Blossom

Silky Sheets Pear Blossom

Classic Erotica may no longer make Silky Sheets, but you can find one bottle (in a different scent) on Amazon.

I first heard of Silky Sheets a few years ago when browsing some sex toy party catalog. One of my co-workers had purchased it but didn’t feel like it really made the sheets feel all that silky. Since then, I’ve heard several similar accounts but people still recommend this pheromone-enhanced spray because of its drying properties – something which can only be beneficial after a bedroom romp. I finally decided to give this scented, talc spray a run for its money and I have to say, I’m still not convinced.

If you’re unfamiliar with Silky Sheets, it comes in a 4 oz silver spray bottle with cap. It’s not entirely obscene but it’s nothing to show off, either.

I thought, if nothing else, I’d have good smelling sheets. I was wrong. I was torn between the different scents and so I gave my top 3 to a friend who urged me to go with Pear Blossom. It sounded fine. Unfortunately, it doesn’t smell either like fruit or flowers. The scent is something.. perfumey and too heavy, almost fermented. When I spray, I get a small glimpse at a smell I might like but it’s covered up by all the negative attributes. So I don’t think it matters at all if there are pheromones in here because my strong sense of smell is too busy objecting at the scent to process any pheromones.

Secondly, it sprays white. Yes, it can be wiped off and does wear off eventually but it’s super obvious at first. I did a test spray on my coloured armchair and was surprised. I sprayed my red curtain to the same result except, I couldn’t wipe it off right away. I guess you have to wait until it dries. Also, get ready for a visible puff of talc in your air.

But the drying is really where I thought it would work well and I waited anxiously for my husband to come home because I really don’t make much of a wet spot by myself. Sheets finally wet, I sprayed. And touched the spot. And only felt it was wetter. Frustrated, I left it alone and, eventually, it dried. I posted a thread about Silky Sheets on a sex forum but got no response from anyone who had used it. Someone did suggest spraying further away, so I did. Second go around, I had a bit more luck. It really did seem to dry up some smaller wet spots caused by massage oil but the big one, well, I’m not so sure. I gave it a generous spray and noticed no difference. I let it be and it was dry when I came back, and slightly “crispy” (like jeans dried on the line) from the Silky Sheets spray. Yet, I had left the fan on while I was gone and it had been some time. From other reviews, I got the impression that this would work much faster than that.

Without making two identical wet spots to test, I really can’t prove that Silky Sheets does or doesn’t work. I’ll probably continue to use it, just to empty the bottle and I wouldn’t necessarily discourage someone else from using it – as long as they stay away from the Pear Blossom scent – but I wasn’t blown away like I expected to be.

1 Comment

Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Before and After Toy Wipes

February 4th, 2009

Before and After Wipes

This brand of toy cleaner no longer exists. You can use Afterglow Wipes (afterglow wipes) or Lovehoney’s Wipes (check out my review) to clean your toys and intimate areas, however.

Up until recently, I wasn’t using anything special to clean my toys, just soap and water. Actually, I didn’t really like having to run to the bathroom for clean up so I would often toss my used toys back in the box haphazardly and I wasn’t very vigilant about cleaning before use. As I type this, I actually find myself shaking my head. This definitely was not the safest or healthiest practice to be in and although I was improving, I wanted something even easier so that I would have no excuse not to take care of my toys ans Before and After Toy Wipes really fit the bill.

My search for a toy cleaner started at the bottled solutions but it seemed like they were still a hassle because you need some sort of lint-free cloth. So I opted to go with wipes and these are in fact made by the same company as Before and After cleaner which I also know is really popular. For me, I think wipes are much preferable.

My travel size packet contained 10 single-use wipes which are generously sized at 8″ x 6″.  These are much bigger than, say, moist towelettes and when you consider the area which some toys have, this is important. They’re also much thicker and more like fabric. The wipes are also lightly scented and I find the sweetness to be a little out of place. I think I’d rather use an unscented wipe and I did find that certain materials, like silicone, inherited the scent after use. One thing I like is that the packet is resealable. Lift up the flap to remove a wipe and press it back down. I have used almost all of the wipes and the flap still sticks perfectly so the wipes stay moist.

This is not rocket science. If you’re ready to use a toy, wipe it down. Let it dry and have fun (which is exactly what the packet says). Or, if you’re all done, wipe down, let dry and store for next time. These wipes take care of any lube, body fluids, lint, hair or dust which may be attracted to your toys (especially silicone vibrators and dildos). I was concerned about whether or not it was safe to use these without rinsing, especially because these wipes leave an extremely visible filmy residue. So, I have rinse with water sometimes which is okay because it’s still less work than cleaning but it’s hard for me to not rinse something when I can see the residue. With that said, I have used my toys without rinsing and I have experienced no adverse reactions.

The ingredients is small if not full of long words and includes:

Water

  • Cocoamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
  • Benzyl Alcohol
  • Disodium EDTA
  • Fragrance

I assume the alcohol is what is doing the cleaning in this product but that doesn’t mean the toys are sterilized; if you can go one step further and periodically boil or bleach your toys, I would.  After using these wipes, I have noticed no ill effects on any of my sex toys. I’ve used these wipes on plastic, glass, elastomed, and silicone and they have worked well. I would use one wipe to give a quick wipe down before use and after but these wipes are meant to be single use.

The wipes especially worked well when it comes to cleaning up after anal play. They made short work of the messy situations which sometimes arise with sex. I know Before and After cleaner is often recommended for removal of smells and, with some elbow grease, the wipes did a good job of this but did not completely eliminate some smells. I wanted to toss these in the toilet afterward (and I did, actually)  and I’m not sure how safe that was. A wipe that is completely safe to flush (and said so) would be awesome.

I also don’t know if these are safe to use on me which I didn’t do but many wipes can be used on both skin and toys.

Although I don’t have any real complaints with Before and After Toy Cleaner wipes and they are definitely better than my previous cleaning routine, there are a few improvements which could be made to really buy my loyalty. If Classic Erotica were to ensure that these wipes could be flushed, eliminate the scent and film and clarify whether they’re safe to be used on the body, this would be an unbeatable product. As is, I would probably invest in these wipes again because they are just so easy and efficient to use. /

2 Comments

Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.