Learning Along the Way

August 28th, 2013

One of the things that I have learned about since starting this blog is sex positivity. I make active strides not to slut shame and to help people enjoy their sex lives. I make a point to become more understanding, more accepting and less judgmental. So, the idea of things such as casual sex and the various sex therapies that exist.  Sex surrogacy, for example, was one thing that was alien to me. I don’t have any personal experience with it, but it was difficult for me to understand the process at first. I imagine this is so with other people.

Orgasmic meditation, like the kind they teach about and practice at OneTaste, is another of those practices. I’m definitely less familiar with this concept, but it’s amazing how much you realize you don’t know once you open up your mind. Blogging about sex toys and relationships and exploring my own sexuality has made that possible for me, and I hope that my vocalizations on the subject can bring the same “enlightenment” to other people.

And, you know, it’s interesting when I discover a new concept and I’m open to it or I realize that I’ve been open to something the whole time. I’m certainly learning as much about myself.

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Natural Feminine Personal Spray

August 25th, 2013

Natural Feminine Personal Spray

Natural Feminine Personal Spray

This product may be discontinued, but you can still buy it at Lubezilla.

I didn’t know when I requested to review the Natural Feminine Personal Spray that it was so close to AfterTrace. Blame it on the vague name. However, this does mean that I have two similar products that I can compare, which is useful.

The product description says you can use it for quick “clean” up, but the directions on the bottle say to spray on your body. There’s no indication of removal or actual cleansing; furthermore, the bottle states that it’s perfect for after a shower, so it’s not exactly a cleanser, now is it? However, that’s more semantics than anything else.

According to the description, this will reduce odors, absorb moisture and soothe skin, so there’s nothing you can really complain about there. I can, however, complain about the scent of this spray. While AfterTrace is herbal like all the other SHE Aftercare products, this one smells like fake blueberries. It reminds me of those freeze-dried, overly-sweetened berries you’d get in cereal. It’s really weird for spraying on your body. Now, the scent does fade to a more neutral, sweet/fresh smell after a while, but the initial smell is kind of a turn-off.

This spray also differs in that it’s less fine and wetter than AfterTrace. It doesn’t affect performance in my opinion, but it might not necessarily feel good if you’re already sweaty. I think these products work best when you’re fresh and dry. an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure, right? Like I said in my AfterTrace review, this isn’t going to do much if you’re getting back into sweaty panties and clothes.

I did a quick search for this product to get the ingredients list so I wouldn’t have to type it up, and I found a review stating that the ingredients had discolored someone’s clothing. This is definitely something you’ll want to watch out for; although, I haven’t had that issue yet.

The bottle advertises all natural ingredients like aloe, witch hazel, patchouli, vanilla, lavender and tea tree oil, and the entire list is as follows:

  • Witch Hazel
  • Aloe vera gel
  • Clary Sage Oil
  • Patchouli oil
  • Geranium Oil
  • Vanilla
  • Tea Tree
  • Fragrance
  • Oregano Leaf Extract
  • Thyme Extract
  • Cinnamon Bark Extract
  • Olive Leaf Extract
  • Rosemary Leaf Extract
  • Peppermint Leaf Extract
  • Lavender Flower Extract
  • Goldenseal Root Extract
  • Citrus Medica Limonum
  • Lemon Peel Extract
  • Purified Water

The list is definitely more natural than AfterTrace if that’s your thing. But does it work any better?

I don’t know. Neither products are miracle cures. I feel fresher if I spray it on. They’re good for a quick fix if you have no time to shower, too. However, Natural Feminine Personal Spray seems to be more about making you smell sweet/fresh than reducing odor. The scent sticks around longer. This is okay if you’re a fan of it, but it’s such an odd scent that I can’t imagine everyone will be.

This spray is a little cheaper, though, so it might be worth trying out for that reason alone.

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PinkCherry Winner

August 25th, 2013

Ack! I know I am slow in posting this. I hate not having my own laptop. However, the winner of the $100 gift card to PinkCherry is Miss Kat.

Congrats to her, and thank you to all the people who entered. It was my most successful giveaway to date, and I think I’ve got some new ideas to keep giveaways awesome in the future.

If you have any giveaway feedback, please let me know in the comments.

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Dare to be Bare Shave Cream

August 20th, 2013

Dare to be Bare Shave Cream

Dare to be Bare Shave Cream

This product is no longer made.

I probably won’t review a whole lot of shaving creams after this because I’ve tried so many of them. My experience rarely differs to the point where I really prefer one over the other. It usually comes down to a preference of scent and package, and the Dare to be Bare shave cream excels at both. The Skinny dip scent, which I enjoyed with other products, is just as enticing and sweet here. It’s not too strong, and it doesn’t stick with your body, so that could be a con if you’re looking for something that stays with you after you get out of the shower.

And the pump bottle is great. I much prefer pumps to tubes; however, I did have a little trouble getting to twist back into lock position for travel. I just left the pump unlocked and had no unfortunate accidents, so all was good. I like to use a fair amount of product, so I probably use two pumps per leg, but it’s generous. You could get away with fewer thanks to the thickness of this product. I haven’t especially noticed it rinsing away in the water, which is also convenient but not ground-breaking.

This shave cream does do one thing differently from other products, however, and it was something that I noticed immediately. Normally, my legs feel incredibly itchy after I shave. It’s just the front of my shins from the knee down, but it’s almost always a constant. I remedy the itchy scratchies with lotion after I get out of the shower, and I forget all about the problem. For whatever reason, the dare to Be Bare shave cream does not leave me itchy, which is a slight advantage over other shaving products.

I’m not sure if this is because the ingredients differ, but the not-so-short list is as follows:

  • Aqua
  • Citramonium Chloride
  • Cetyl Alcoho
  • Stearyl Alcohol
  • Polyquaternium-7
  • Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil
  • Cannibis-Sativa (Hemp Seed) Oil
  • Panthenol
  • Cyclomethicone
  • Dimethicone
  • Hexylaurate
  • Isopropyl Palmitate
  • Stearalkonium Chloride
  • PEG-75, Meadowfoam Oil
  • Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA
  • Phenoxyethanol
  • Hydrolized Wheat Protein
  • Hydrolized Wheat Starch
  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone
  • Methylisothiazolinone
  • Phthalate-Free Fragrance

I’m really not sure what the last one is supposed to mean, but the inclusion of silicones and several oils, including hemp seed, help to condition skin. Now, I can’t save I get the perfect irritation-free shave, but I’m not sure this is the fault of this product. I’ve been walking a lot this summer, and my thighs aren’t thin enough not to rub together. So I spray on some Aftershave oil before I go out, and this does several minimize irritation. I haven’t gotten any painful ingrowns or infections, though which is always nice.

I do like the way my legs feel after shaving with this cream. The shave is especially close on my calves and shins, and my skin always feels soft immediately after.

Right now, this is the second-cheapest of all the shaving creams I’ve tried from PinkCherry. System Jo was cheaper, but I really wasn’t impressed by the formula or scent. After having used so many shaving creams, I’d likely buy this one again just because the price point, but I also enjoy all the Skinny Dip scented products from Earthly Body. If you’re looking at your local sex toy shop, you’re probably not going to find this one,

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Ovo T1 Vibrator

August 13th, 2013

I’m always excited when I learn of new toy brands. It was no exception with Ovo, a European country that uses these wonderful shades of purple that I cannot resist. Yes, I know. You all hate purple. I fucking love it. Deal with it.

They have so many toys that it’s almost impossible to tell them apart, actually. I compared the various internal and clitoral vibes and decided that I’d go for one of the “lay on” style. Ovo makes both battery-powered and rechargeable vibes, but Pinkcherry currently only carries the battery-powered style, so I opted for the T1.

I knew it would be a tiny toy, but this thing is just minuscule in my hand. Yes, even my tiny, child-like hands. For comparison., here’s the toy next to Siri and Layaspot. Now, it’s so small that you almost have to wonder how they can fit a battery and a motor in there. My best guess? They didn’t – not really.

Ovo uses a single AAA, which should have warned me in the beginning. I don’t generally like toys that use 2 AAAs, so this would be underpowered for me, of course. Now, it’s better than any watch battery-powered vibe, yes. In fact, its output surprised me, but you have to get the battery in there, and that’s just a trial.

I suppose the design of this vibe is intended for you to pinch the backside with your middle finger and thumb, leaving your index finger to operate it. I always press down on the nose of the toy, so this is lost on me. However, there’s a plastic panel on the underside of this toy that you’re supposed to remove to inert the battery. A little dimple lets me know that this is the case, but you’re going to need the power of Christ to compel it open. Seriously. It’s a bitch. Unless you’re Wolverine, you fingernails will break before you get this open. Every time I’ve opened the battery pack, I’ve had to wedge something in there to do this. The thing that you wedge in there has to be pretty tiny, however. Like a metal nail file. Keys are too big. The rest of the underside of the toy is silicone, while the top if velvety plastic.

And the battery cover definitely isn’t waterproof or even splash proof. I gave it a normal washing, and when I popped off the cover, a bunch of water dripped out. This is a clusterfuck of terrible. Even if I loved this toy, I would likely forget about it after the battery died the first time.

So, once you get the battery in the damned thing, there’s a tiny plastic button to push. Yes, it’s got haptic feedback. No, I don’t like it. The button is so small that my fingertip takes up almost the whole thing. What do I want? I don’t know. Anything else. Two buttons. A bigger button. Something, anything that isn’t just designed to be form over function.

I’d like to point out that sticking sharp objects against plastic vibes tends to, you know, scratch the fuck out of them. Man, I almost feel like I’m writing a review for the original iPhone. “Looks great, for 5 minutes.” And, really, all the toys in this line are aesthetically appealing to me, but I just don’t think that’s enough. They’ve got to get me off. Like, hello? That’s the point, guys.

It’s a shame that the power output of this is so meager because I do like the shape. The way that it swoops out under the back of the toy creates a greater angle that better cups my mons, like the Layaspot. I can get a bit more pressure with this vibe than I can with Siri.

Layaspot, Siri and Ovo

At about 1 inch tall and 3 inches long, the tiny toy fits in my panties, and it’s certainly a better option for that type of stimulation than the ridiculous bullets you get with “vibrating panties.” The shape is likely unobtrusive enough to use during partner sex, but I haven’t tried it that way. You can see from my photo that this is smaller than Layaspot and Siri; although, it’s not shiny like it looks in the photo. My flash kept washing it out.

Do I really like anything about this toy? Yes. Sure, the plastic has a satin finish, and the particular shade of purple – metallic violet, they call it – really grabs me. But this isn’t exactly seamless, especially around the battery pack. The packaging indicates luxury without being bulky or hard to recycle. This T1 comes in a little box and sits snugly in a foam insert. There’s a cutout where the manual and guide sit vertically. These are tiny little books are about 1” square. It’s compact and a great use of space, but it’s not a saving grace.

So my verdict? This is not a toy worth the suggested price. PinkCherry $28 price tag is certainly more fair, but I would pass on all the Ovo vibes with a similar power source. Ovo has really underwhelmed me. I guess the tiny size indicates that this company has failed to look at the big picture.

 

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SHE AFterCare: AfterTrace Odor Neutralizer

August 8th, 2013

SHE AFterCare: AfterTrace Odor Neutralizer

SHE AFterCare: AfterTrace Odor Neutralizer

This product has been discontinued.

I figure it’s about time I got around to this review. I’ve now had a chance to try almost all of the products in the SHE Aftercare line, and I generally like them. They are pricey, however, so you’ll probably wondering whether they’re worth the price. I can say, with absolute certainty, that the Aftershave Oil is, but what do I think of the AfterTrace Odor Neutralizer?

This comes in the same 4 fl oz bottle as the aftershave. It has the same pump. It even has a similar scent – very herbal and “natural” to me. I didn’t like it very much when I first tried the aftershave oil, but now I don’t mind. I guess I acclimated.

This is a very thin mist. You don’t even feel that it’s on. I’ve never felt any sensation to indicate it either. The pump works well to cover an area, and I usually pump two or 3 times to cover my thighs and vulva in general. Despite using this quite a bit, there’s barely a dent in the bottle. That’s thanks to how fine the mist is.

Having used AfterTrace, which is supposed to inhibit odors rather than simply covering them up, I’ve gotten a pretty good feel for it. I’ve found that it works better in some situations, namely, when you’re right out of the shower or bath, haven’t sweated yet, and you’re putting on fresh underwear. Preventing unpleasant odors is key.

Because if you realize you’re a little unpleasant after a hard, hot day, and you spray this, it’s just not going to work as well. This is doubly true if you’re getting back into sweat-soaked clothes and underwear because the unpleasant odors will just transfer back to your body.

So when I spray this right after a shower, I do feel fresher for longer but if I forget, the spray alone doesn’t make me feel any better without a change of panties. Now, I’ve got a similar product review going up, and these products mostly differ in ingredients, so I thought I’d take the time to let you know what’s in AfterTrace:

  • Water
  • polysorbate 20
  • comfrey rhizome/root extract
  • saccharomyces ferment
  • oat beta glucan
  • organic aloe
  • arnica Montana flower extract
  • chamomile flower extract
  • lavender extract
  • orange peel oil
  • bergamot fruit oil
  • rosemary leaf oil
  • allantoin
  • caprylyl glycol
  • phenoxyethanol
  • hexylene glycol

Given how many oils there are, this is a pretty thin product. It’s likely due to the fact that the main ingredient is water. The label actually places an asterisk next to ingredients that are natural, and that’s most of them. In fact, many of these extracts and oils are common in massage products and lubes, but I haven’t heard of all of them. As I’m writing this, my Internet connection is down and I can’t check them all out, but I’ll try to remember to do so in the future.

Now, this retails for about $15, which might seem a bit expensive, but I think the bottle will last you quite a while. If you’re unable to shower every 15 minutes during the summer and want to feel fresher longer, I’d give this a try. I’m just not sure it’s a must-have kind of product.

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Honestly

August 3rd, 2013

The truth is.. I thought that we were incredibly close to something real, something comfortable and sexy, something unbreakable once we got to that point. I don’t want that to slip away, and I want you to say the same thing.

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