Don’t Forget to Save on Sex Toys While You Still Can

May 31st, 2021

The end of May is fast approaching. In 2021, this means some typical and not-so-typical things. With many people having received their COVID vaccine, in-person gatherings are resuming. This is excellent news for someone whose birthday is at the end of the month. Ahem. I know how lucky I am to have plans this weekend with a few loved ones–mask-free!

As usual–and in true capitalist fashion–there are plenty of sales to be found, thanks to Memorial Day becoming another shopping holiday. I often remind people of this if they have any plans to make big purchases in the spring. The deals aren’t as good as Black Friday, but they’re better than most of the year. This is true for purveyors of all things sexy, as you more than likely realized.

Of course, when Memorial Day is the very last day of May, it seems to coincidence perfectly with the end of Masturbation Month. I hope you’ve already been enjoying, but if you haven’t yet taken the time to treat yourself–or want to treat yourself just a little bit more–there’s no better excuse than the sales that have already started! Stumped for ideas? Well, I’ve got some!

  • A clitoral vibrator like the Siri or Laya Spot
  • An oral sex simulator such as the Ora 3
  • A pocket pussy
  • A new dildo (you all know how much I like the Unicorn dildo by Split Peaches)
  • A toy that connects with your partner over the ‘net (which could be most of the above)
  • Some erotica to get yourself turned on

If you’re looking for something else entirely, check out my reviews–especially those lucky few that have earned 5 stars!

Truthfully, I know it might not be in the spirit of masturbation May buuut I have a hard time not encouraging people to buy things intended to be used with a partner. Still, there are plenty of things you can use solo as long as you keep safety in mind. Why not try some self-bondage with bondage tape or nipple clamps? Dress up in lingerie and snap a few photos? Try out a paddle on yourself?

The point I’m trying to make is that there are plenty of ways to use sex toys if you’re creative. In fact, I’d argue that there isn’t any right way to use sex toys or accessories as long as you keep safety in mind. Hey, that sounds like a blog post for the future!

In the meantime, stop by my Sex Toy Sales + Coupons page and keep an eye out on my Twitter and Facebook, where I occasionally highlight interesting new (and not-so-new) products and share information about sales.

Enjoy the long weekend, time with loved ones (if you can), and remember to treat yourself no matter what time of the year it is!

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Womanizer X Lovehoney InsideOut

May 30th, 2021

It’s still masturbation May, and I am here to give you the first sex toy review in over two years and my first dual stimulator review since 2018 if you count the ridiculous toy Gvibe 2. Otherwise, you need to head way back into the archives to 2014 to find any sort of traditional rabbit vibrator (and it’s actually a butterfly).

Do you all remember the last time I wrote about air suction toys? I’ll forgive you if you don’t. It’s been almost four years! And I wasn’t particularly impressed, so I didn’t write a raving review. I quietly figured these toys weren’t for me until just recently. I figured that maybe the technology had improved, my body had changed, or I had simply used cheaper toys the first time around. This time, I was going to try a premium toy by Womanizer, one of the first companies to make clitoral suction toys, and Lovehoney. That’s how I wound up with the InsideOut, a dual stimulator that combines internal vibrators with clitoral suction, in my hands.

This toy doesn’t look like ye old rabbit vibrators, of which I tried quite a few before eventually backing away, too. I am sensing a theme here. The InsideOut does look quite bulky due to the clitoral stimulator. And the shaft, while described as for G-spot stimulation, doesn’t have any texture or much contouring. There’s a very similar toy, the Duo, with a shaft that looks a bit more interesting.

This toy doesn’t come charged like so many, so I had to charge it. It’s interesting because the charging light is inside the toy and easy to miss. It turns green when charging and appears red when powered on, making no sense because the nozzle blocks the light. What a strange and unhelpful design choice!

So how is it in use?

The InsideOut runs into the same problems that separately plague both dual stimulators and suction toys: no two bodies are exactly alike. It’s why so many reviewers quickly gave up on rabbit vibrators. It’s also why Womanizer sends multiple nozzles with its toys. InsideOut came with two to ensure the best fit.

My first go ’round with the InsideOut was a bit ill-advised. I was clearly not aroused enough. I didn’t use enough lube–or perhaps the wrong kind, and the thin shaft felt.. pokey. Furthermore, while I never felt like I got the proper seal, the suction was uncomfortable and overwhelming. I figured I’d give it a second go in the future.

A few erotica stories later with my body more aroused, I was ready to give this toy a second shot. This time, I used a thicker lube, and the shaft of the InsideOut was much more comfortable.

I am happy to report that the base, which initially seemed quite bulky, does effectively rest atop my thighs if I want a hands-free experience. If this toy works for you, you can sit back and let the toy do the work. In this position, the buttons face up, which makes them accessible but not viewable to me. I do wish the buttons were more distinct, both from the rest of the toy and from each other–each function has a + and – button, and you can operate the functions separately. The + buttons are raised, but the – buttons are inset and difficult for my fingers to find easily. The diamond layout also makes it a bit harder to discern which set of buttons I’m pushing.

I still find the general shape of the shaft to be rather bland. I think this was exacerbated by the fact that this toy is supposed to be all “Set it and forget it.” Womanizer highlights the contact-less usability of these dual stimulators. Still, I’ve always liked pressure and motion, both of which are limited with the InsideOut just as they are like Lelo’s Ora and most rabbit vibrators. If you move the external portion too much, you break the seal. Although, I have to admit that I never achieved the sort of seal that I was expecting with either of the nozzles. They’re easy to swap out and remove for cleaning, however.

Furthermore, the suction of this toy is ridiculously, distractingly loud. Like, I can’t believe it made it through quality control. I would have sent someone back to the drawing board. We’re not talking Hitachi levels of volume, but you can’t hear the vibrations at all when the suction is on. Combined with the fact that the vibrations are quite weak and buzzy, even on maximum, and this isn’t a good look. I honestly had to turn off the suction to even tell if the vibrations were on.

Once aroused, I no longer found the clitoral suction overwhelming. In fact, at points, I found it to be the exact opposite, perhaps due to me preferring pressure. And while the shaft was no pokey, it didn’t do much, and it still felt uncomfortably.. long? It’s only 4.5 inches long, but it’s so narrow, and you need to ensure the base is lined up properly, too. It didn’t just completely miss my G-spot, it targeted my cervix like an expert swordsman (I guess, I’m no medieval princess) and left me a bit crampy afterward.

Now, it might be due to the distance between my clitoris and vaginal opening, which requires me to insert the toy full to make contact externally. The base of the toy runs more parallel to my body than perpendicular. Some people with a shorter distance might be able to bend the shaft more, which means the base would be at more of an angle. But then I imagine you’d have to force the shaft against the back wall of your vagina, and that would be uncomfortable, too. I just want something a little plusher and more filling.

Anyway, by the end, I managed to get myself off. Not hands-free, of course. I rocked the base as much as possible against my body to get the pressure that I needed, but my orgasm was all due to my own efforts and not because of anything the toy brought to the table. If that’s going to be the case, I might as well reach for a standard vibrator.

Despite every effort by Lovehoney and Womanizer, the InsideOut doesn’t manage to avoid the pitfalls of a dual stimulator. Indeed, it actually manages to make them a bit worse because you don’t simply need to press a bullet against your clitoris, you need to line up the nozzle perfectly.

This doesn’t mean that InsideOut won’t work for anyone. In fact, many people might have bodies that are just more receptive to what this toy does, and hopefully, those people who you (or don’t) will stumble across this review and find it helpful.

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Celebrate Masturbation Month With These Penis + Prostate Toys

May 4th, 2021

Welcome to May! There are a lot of reasons to be excited about this month:

  • It’s my birthday month
  • It’s the first month when everyone qualifies for a COVID vaccine
  • which also means it’s the first time I’ll see many loved ones for over a year
  • It’s the month in which I’ll end my first full year as a college student

Now, my readers may not necessarily be as excited about these things as I am, but there’s a reason we can all celebrate: May is Masturbation Month! While you can keep your eyes peeled for an updated list of sex toy coupons and sales to treat yourself, I wanted to offer a bit of content for the readers of my site who may not have a vagina. This demographic is often overlooked because I’m a ciswoman who enjoys vaginal and clitoral stimulation. But I appreciate all of my readers!

You may have noticed that I didn’t specifically say “men.” It’s part of my attempt to use more inclusive language on Of Sex and Love. It’s certainly a work in progress. But not every man has a penis (or prostate, testicles, etc.), and not every person with those parts is a man. Labeling sex toys “for men” or highlighting the “best male masturbators” overlooks this and can be damaging to already marginalized folks.

Tenga's Eggs are among the most popular disposable strokers

Tenga’s Eggs are among the most popular disposable strokers

So if you have a penis or prostate, this post is for you!

It’s likely that my readers are already somewhat familiar with the most common toys of this genre: toys that you put your penis in. I’m talking about masturbators. This includes the infamous Fleshlight, but it’s far from the only toy you can thrust into. Plus, the category includes strokers that you grip, and well, stroke yourself with. Tenga Eggs are a beloved one-time-use stroker, but, again, there are just so many options to choose from. You can opt for a more realistic pocket pussy or a modern sex toy that’s as sleek as it is ergonomic.

While it’s fairly common to find masturbators that let you adjust suction, newer models include stroking, pulsing, and vibrating modes. I’ve also been impressed with some of the smart toys on the market. I want to give the nod here to Kiroo, a company that sells vibrators and masturbators that can be paired together over the Internet (along with several other media sources). You can pair a masturbator and vibrator, two vibrators, or two masturbators. No other company has gotten on board with inclusivity like this yet!

I think, and often-overlooked avenue for masturbation is prostate stimulation. That is, there are also fun toys that you inside your body! Some people, especially straight, cis men, may feel as though anal play should be off-limits, but I cannot help but wonder what good it does to deny ourselves pleasure? The variety of prostate toys available now is staggering! There are contoured butt plugs, both vibrating and non, probes, and anal beads (all of which should have a flared base or handle to use safely for anal play). Prostate stimulators like those from Aneros or Nexus are designed specifically to hit that sweet spot (sometimes offering simultaneous internal and external prostate stimulation), and the rave reviews show that these choices are often a success!

Of course, there are plenty of other toys to consider, many of which aren’t advertised for masturbation or to be used if you have a penis but work just as well for that purpose. I’m talking about cock rings, nipple clamps, and vibrators (there are now some awesome attachments for wands/massagers. The sheer number of options is much higher than some people would have you believe if we encourage creativity and exploration. And I haven’t even gotten into kinkier toys such as urethral sounds!

In short, if you’ve got a penis or prostate and want to celebrate masturbation month, then nothing should stop you except, maybe, your budget (but as I said, I’ll soon be updating my sex toy coupons page!).

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