Afterglow Candle (Cucumber Water)

October 4th, 2009

Afterglow Candle (Cucumber Water)

Afterglow Candle (Cucumber Water)
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued product.

In my latest review of Jimmyjane’s Little Embers Massage Candles Set, I mentioned I was impressed by their packaging. I don’t want to inundate you by repeating that but, if anything, I was even more impressed with the packaging and presentation of the full size Afterglow candle.

The Afterglow candle comes in a paperboard box designed in white, grey and a seafoam-ish green. Overall, it’s clean and neat. This houses a paperboard construct which holds the candle and other implements steady. If you pull the entire thing out of the box, the construct folds away for easy access. I believe my instructions and other info was stuck to the top of the box to begin so, when I opened it, I saw the candle first. The candle sits on a box of stick matches and there is a pocket in the holder where an applicator brush sits. Once again, the attention to detail is immaculate.

The candle itself is in a cube-ish, frosted glass holder and, like my Little Ember candles, is sealed on top. During shipping, the candle must have been on its side because the uber soft wax has definitely shifted. The Afterglow is so soft it’s difficult for me to call it solid; it’s one of those in-betweens like jelly. I could dip in my fingers and use it like lotion, if I wanted. Because of the softness and shifting, the white wick was a bit difficult to find and I had to clear the area directly around the wick to light it. I know Juliettia had a similar candle and she had to dig into hers to find it. Mine wasn’t quite so difficult but, honestly, I’d forsake the all natural wick for a bit of dye so that I could actually see it.

All this playing with the wax allowed me to smell the scent. I chose Cucumber Water because I generally find cucumber to be refreshing, and the “water” part sounded even more so. I was surprised at just how floral the scent was at all. I wasn’t expecting that at all, from the name. There was a crisp, wet smell but the cucumber was effectively drowned out for the floral smell. After lighting, however, the scent is more balanced. It’s still extremely strong and a scent which I don’t love. The smell was noticeable in my living room and even overpowered my air fresheners (which I’d just changed). After having the candle lit for only a few minutes (10, tops), I had a headache. I think I would better appreciate the strength of the scent were it something I liked more.

I must say that the candle looks quite sophisticated and classy when list. The flame produces a yellow glow inside the frosted glass and these candles could double as decor and ambiance setters, too.

There’s not much to say about the matches except that the box is designed nicely and it certainly adds to the flare of the candle. The smell of sulfur is quite overpowering, initially, but I don’t frequently use matches. I will probably use a lighter with these candles from now on.

After only a few minutes, the soft wax had pooled into usable massage oil. I tested a little on my arm, first, because my experience with the Little Embers made me cautious. I had no issues with the wax being hot at all. In fact, it was probably a little cooler than I expected. The oil was rather thin (thinner than most massage products I’ve used) and slick, which makes for gliding one’s hands over the skin quite easy. It wasn’t sticky in the least and absorbed completely into the skin, leaving no residue.

Although the candle comes with a brush to apply, it certainly makes more sense to pour the oil straight onto the skin. You can better control how much and go for more right away if you want. You’re also losing less product to the brush itself, which becomes somewhat hard after the oil dries back into wax. I’m not a fan of a lot of upkeep so I will likely toss the brush. However, the square candle holder isn’t ideal for pouring either and, like the Little Embers, the oil dripped down the side.

The information booklet says each 5oz candle will burn for 42 hours but I think it’s important to note that using it for massage oil will obviously detract. It also advises to burn the candle until the wax at the edges has turned to oil or about 30 minutes (to ensure even burning each use). I have probably only burned it for 20 minutes at a time so the edges were not quite melted. I only like to let it burn until there’s just enough oil to use, and it seems like 30 minutes is a bit excessive, especially when you have curious critters or children around.

In general, we used most of the wax that had melted into oil, but when I went to see if any was still melted, it had already hardened. I find it difficult to believe 30 minutes had already passed and suspect that this estimate is also if you let it burn for 30 minutes. While this isn’t a big drawback for me, it might be if you’re into long massages.

Overall, I was impressed with the function and feel of JimmyJane’s Afterglow candle. It looks great, is presented nicely. has a strong smell, melts into wonderful oil, performs admirably and doesn’t leave any sticky residue. However, my experience with Jimmy Jane’s scents seems to be hit or miss, and my next product choice will be made more carefully.

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Categories: Archive, Massage, Reviews

Personally, Passionately, Anonymously Yours

October 1st, 2009

I write about sex here, on this blog, because I want to and I can. It’s really as simple as that and the internet has created a place where I can do it. What’s more, people seem to want to read what I have to say and this is great motivation to keep doing it.

Although the internet has prompted a lot of discussion and behaviour that aren’t exactly positive or productive, it has certainly created a forum for discussion of a sexual nature and I appreciate it. Whether someone finds a sympathetic shoulder, reassurance or even advice to seek medical attention, the internet has allowed people to come forward with their ideas, thoughts and concerns. This is important because sex is such a private topic that people are sometimes reluctant to discuss it even when they should, sometimes especially when they should. Not to be too dramatic but I do think that the internet has helped people make some positive decisions regarding their sexual health and that’s a priceless benefit in my opinion.

As I said, sexuality is a private thing and a personal thing. That fact makes it so interesting to so many people. Because I literally cannot replicate every possible experience, I am limited to my own mental and physical responses to sex. Even though these may (and have!) change over time, I will still only have experienced the tip of the iceberg in my lifetime. The internet allows us to share these personal experiences more freely than we might have, because of anonymity. We can see how others are more like us than we may have imagined and how others are far more different than we ever might have thought.

This sharing can affirm that, yes, we have had fairly typical experiences or that, no we haven’t. The internet can help to show us that our experiences are not typical, for better or worse, and help us to appreciate them anyway. Sex is one of those areas in which almost any discussion is good discussion. The internet offers priceless aid in this, especially if our personal lives otherwise prohibit discussion.

Of course, sex is also a passionate subject. Sure, some people could go either way but their are advocates speaking loudly on the behalf of sex as well as those who speak, just as loudly, against it. All of these opinions can be heard on the internet. If you can’t tell, I am for sex, for discussion, experimentation and understanding sex. It has become an important part of my life and I wish for others to have positive experiences like mine.

Which brings me back to why I love being able to blog here and participate in sexuality communities. It allows me do that, to help others, to offer than sympathetic shoulder or to urge medical assistance. It lets me feel as though I am helpful.

Unfortunately, the anonymity of the internet also makes it easy to say and do things without much, or any, repercussion. People can behave in ways that are not helpful and they do not need to take responsibility of their actions. Feeling passionate about a subject can illicit responses which aren’t so strong in the productivity department, even if the intent is not malicious. The anonymity of the internet can further excuse such behaviour until it eventually turns malicious.

This is what happened with some recent comments on another article of mine. I understand that the sharing on the internet sometimes winds up with messages we’d rather not hear, experiences which we do not share and opinions with which we disagree. I respect that for that is part of what makes the internet great. On the other hand, just because sex is a personal and passionate matter does not mean we have to respond in unfruitful ways. We can still agree and be productive.

We can disagree without coming off as defensive, rude or ignorant. We can read experiences which differ from our own (and share ours as well) and both experiences can be valid. Jumping to the defense or offense or posting hastily (which is often done in such an immediate environment) can prove detrimental to the positive experience of the internet, especially when it comes to sex. It is the opposite of the support some need when exploring their sexuality. That can be a difficult move for some and I commend them. In fact, negative responses can start a hurtful chain of behavior, succeeding in only exacerbating the problem.

It’s important to remember that differing opinions and experiences do not invalidate your own. Your voice is no less worthy and, in fact, being unique can be a strength, not a weakness.

The internet is big enough for all and, whatever your experience, it’s okay. It’s okay if you’re straight, gay, bi, queer or unsure. It’s okay if you’re male, female or trans. It’s okay if you experience great orgasms, multiple orgasms, difficult orgasms or no orgasm at all. It’s okay if you enjoy oral, anal or vaginal sex – or if you don’t. It’s okay if you like to masturbate, have tried it and don’t like it or if you have no descire. It’s okay if everything came naturally and easily or if you’ve struggled to explore your sexuality. It’s okay if you’re vanilla, slightly kinky or a hardcore fetishist. It’s okay if you fit the trends of break the mold. Whatever you are – it’s okay.

Let that be a message you pass on personally, passionately and anonymously, on the internet.

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Categories: Articles

lingerie

Little Ember Massage Candles Set

September 30th, 2009

Little Ember Massage Candles Set

Little Ember Massage Candles Set

This is an archived review. Jimmyjane no longer makes the Little Embers set.

This week shall be the week of JimmyJane, I think. It was pretty awesome because I got not 1 but 2 JimmyJane products in a short period a while back. Enter double excitement over my first JimmyJane products! Onto the good stuff, shall we?

The Little Ember Candle set is a great introduction to what seems to be some new products from JimmyJane. Unlike the Afterglow candles, which are 5 ounces each and come in familiar scents like Pink Lotus, the Ember candles are 12 ounces and feature a pairing of scents to create an overall ambiance. Jimmy Jane describes the candles as “a base note that leads the way, plus a charismatic top note to set the tone.” Sounds pretty neat to me. Of course, you guessed that the larger size means a larger price tag; Ember candles are almost twice the price of an Afterglow candle and, if you’re not sure that you’ll love it, that can be money better spent elsewhere. That is where this set comes in so handy. You can experience some of the scents in miniature form and for a significantly lower price than a full sized candle. It’s a no brainer really.

Decision made, I assume most people would be pleasantly surprised by the packaging. I know it’s something other people have mentioned before but Jimmyjane’s attention to detail is something which really puts them heads and shoulders above the competition and what makes them a luxury brand. The Little Ember set comes in a white-topped box with the Jimmyjane name and logo in silver on top. On the top front, coming onto the front is a pink-ish red square which says the product name. A similar rectangle is printed on the bottom sides of the box (which is otherwise black) which can be seen through two rectangular cutouts which make pulling off the top a cinch. The candle scents are also listed on the bottom back of the box lid but aren’t in the way. I actually missed that at first. The simple design and colours are definitely a hit, very sophisticated.

Inside the box you see the candles as well as a white rubber band and a black book of matches, both branded with the Jimmyjane logo. In this kit are three .7oz candles in each scent: GINGER + DATE, TRUFFLE + GARDENIA, LYCHEE + LAPSANG. It is arranged so each candle is in a corner with the empty corner making room for the matches and band. It’s impressively impressive, and, at this point, I would expect no less from Jimmyjane.

Each candle is roughly cube-shaped (1.5″ deep and wide, a little over 1″ tall) and sits in what appears to be a white ceramic holder. Each container is wrapped in a translucent plastic sticker branded with the logo. This keeps the candles sealed before purchase, and I appreciated this because mine were shipped. Although some of the wax may have shifted to the side of the container, it couldn’t escape, so no product was lost.

And with the soft, soy-based wax, melting and shifting is pretty common. Soft wax is par for the course when it comes to massage candles; I imagine this is because it allows them to melt as lower temperatures. You can dip your finger in the candle, make a dent, and rub a bit on as lotion, but if it’s a nice pool of massage oil, lighting is in order. Of course, this is as easy as peeling off the sticker and lighting up one of the included matches.

Because the candles are mini, it doesn’t take long for them to melt to a usable pool of oil – a few minutes at most. Jimmyjane says you can get 4 hours of burning time out of these and it seems a stretch for the size and it definitely doesn’t take into account that these candles are actually, y’know, for using. The instructions also say to blow them out before pouring, never a bad idea. In my experience, the candle holders never became very hot but the provided band is for slipping around the candle to shield your fingers from any heat.

I would also recommend waiting to use the oil. For whatever reason, the Little Ember candles seem to get unreasonable hot; perhaps because of the size. The first time we used them, it was too hot to pour on his skin directly and hurt my hand a bit. Other than that, the oil is quite slick and makes for a good massage. I’ve never had a massage candle about which I can complain; however. Little Embers do nothing terribly wrong in my book. I might like a slightly better method for application because the oil never failed to drip down the side of the containers onto my furniture. The scent is also quite strong. We started with Truffle + Gardenia, which I quite enjoyed, and the scent stuck around the room for at least a day and a half.

This leaves me to discuss the scents available in the Little Ember Massage Candles Set. They’re quite interesting combinations, and, I must admit, I was completely unfamiliar with most of the components. I don’t know what lychee or lapsang even are, I’ve never smelled a date and I never knew a black truffle is a root. The scent descriptions on Jimmyjane’s site give some insight but don’t really prepare you for the reality of the scents:

TRUFFLE + GARDENIA: The dirty decadence of Black Truffle grounds the airy notes of White Gardenia. This pair of aphrodisiac scents swings between the earthly and the ethereal.

GINGER + DATE: The crispness of fresh Ginger is warmed by the burnt sugar hint of sun-drenched Date. This pair of aphrodisiac scents entices with its rich notes and warm embrace.

LYCHEE + LAPSANG: Tangy Lychee fruit mingles with the smoldering indulgence of Lapsang Souchong tea. This pair of aphrodisiac scents suggests intrigue, where the familiar meets the exotic.

Tackling this one by one, Truffle (which is apparently a root) and Gardenia is my favourite, hands down. It’s floral, of course, but a sophisticated floral and not perfumey in the least. The candle has just a bit of spice which balances this out perfectly. I can see where the scent description is going.

Although I knew ginger smells a bit spicy, I wasn’t prepared for just how spicy it would be. Also, the scents do vary a bit from just smelling the candle to burning and using it. I found this scent to be much too strong in the candle but, in use, it became bearable (although enjoyable would be a stretch). Ginger is noticeable but I can’t smell anything like burnt sugar; instead, it seems like the other ingredient is herbal.

Finally, lychee and lapsang are a scent that basically evokes what I think old Oriental ladies would smell like. It’s herbal, soapy, woodsy, pinesol-y and tea-like and doesn’t venture anywhere near pleasant. It’s a bold move, perhaps a move that should be left undone.

With that said, Jimmyjane definitely got one of these scents right and my nose is not all noses so who’s to say that my experience isn’t limited? I would still recommend the Little Ember Massage Candles Set to anyone who wants to get a feel for these candles and I did Ienjoy them for their massage properties. Because of the presentation, this set might even make a nice present, if you’re comfortable gifting someone massage candles.

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Categories: Massage, Reviews

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Liquid Hand Soap

September 26th, 2009

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Soap

Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Soap
$16 from Jaqua

While browsing PinkCherry’s new products, I didn’t even wonder what a hand soap was doing on a sex toy site. Instead, I saw the words “Raspberry Buttercream Frosting” and basically freaked out because I’ve been on something of a sweets kick lately. So onto my list it went, and into my hands it was soon arriving.

Unfortunately, my dreams were dashed and my nose offended when I finally opened the package. Although packaged superbly (which I’ll discuss later) and gorgeously colored, Jaqua failed to deliver a promising scent with their liquid hand soap. I expected something berry and sweet right out of a bakery, but I’m still not sure what I got, and I’ve been using it for around 3 weeks. It’s a much heavier scent than I expected, as though there’s much too much of a single scent ingredient. It might be raspberry because my husband says he can smell the berry but I’m not sure. It does leave a berry-esque scent on my hands but actually using it isn’t my cup of tea. There’s also no trace of any frosting whatsoever. This is odd considering as it’s “enriched with fruit and plant extracts” (as well as aloe and Vitamins E). I’d think that fruit enriching would make is smell.. like fruit or berries, to be exact.

However, I’d like to point out that my husband really liked the scent of this soap, for whatever reason. He thought it smelled somewhat like raspberry and wanted more after we ran out.

As I mentioned, Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Liquid Hand Soap is still a good-looking product. It’s a typical, liquid soap bottle in cylindrical shape with a pump dispenser. You can see a dark raspberry-coloured liquid inside, but I’d say it’s a tad on the purple side; maybe it’s just because it’s so dark. The bottle is labeled quite nicely. The product name is on a solid square of raspberry red, and the ingredients are displayed on a similar panel on the back of the bottle. In between those, the stick itself is clear with light pink Jaqua symbols printed. for soap, it’s pretty sophisticated and you might even use it for decor if it matched your colour scheme.

Of course, using soap isn’t complicated. Give it a pump, add some water, lather. Rinse and repeat if you’re dirty. 😉 I found the soap to be rather thick, almost to the point of being solid. Sometimes chunks would like to fall right off my hands. Additionally, this made it resistant to lathering and my normal rather routine wasn’t sufficient. I realized this one day when I saw purple streaks on my white towels from drying my hands with stubborn soap residue. I’ve found I do have to lather longer and harder than usual. I have to be really purposeful about it, which is annoying. I do believe some of the water in the bottle sunk to the bottom as the last centimeter or so of product has been thinner and easier to work with. I wouldn’t call this “richly lathering” at all.

In terms of lasting time, I’ve had this bottle for about a month, and it’s nearing the end. That’s pretty average when it comes to hand soap and doesn’t stand out in any way.

While it’s not irritating and doesn’t dry my skin annoyingly (it neither makes my hands wonderfully soft), I’m not really enthused about Jaqua’s Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Liquid Hand Soap. I mean, it doesn’t smell as advertised and is difficult to work with. There’s not much else to redeem it. If all else fails, I want my soap to smell good and, considering as this was the draw, I’m pretty disappointed, especially for the price. At 8.5oz and 16.99, I could get several generic bottles of hand soap, which, in my opinion, would smell much better. I have a wonderfully scented raspberry soap sitting at the kitchen sink which probably cost less than $1. If this is the best that Jaqua offers, colour me unimpressed.

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Categories: Reviews, Sexual Health and Beauty

I think, therefore I am.. bisexual

September 25th, 2009

There’s a topic going on at the EdenFantasys forum about whether or not a person needs experience to “qualify” as being bisexual. Logically, I asked how people can think experience is a must when I’ve yet to hear someone say the same about being heterosexual and rarely about being homosexual. After all, if someone says they are attracted to people of the opposite gender but have no experience, people do not immediately scoff at them.

Logic aside, this is a topic which affects me personally as I have known for years that I am attracted to both sexes, perhaps leaning toward females. Yet I’ve never had sex with, made love to or fucked another woman. Does this disqualify me from being bisexual? And, if so, why is my opinion about my own sexuality less important than that of the rest of the world? Quite frankly, it isn’t nor should it be.

Some might say I can only be “bi-curious” without any experience but experience wouldn’t change the type of people to whom I am attracted; it would only confirm what I’ve known all along. I don’t need to experience to figure it out. I’ve already figured it out.

Although, it doesn’t much matter currently, I’m not planning to experiment or confirm. It’s just hard not to have an opinion.

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Categories: Everything Else, internet

The Bad News

September 23rd, 2009

It has almost been 3 years since I was delivered the news. Bad news. The bad news. Despite the passage of time, my stomach still curls if I think too intently about it; it’s curling now. So I breathe and I move on.

The bad news was delivered from my husband and it was unexpected. The news? He had cheated on me. Unexpected, in fact, might not be a powerful enough word. I may have to resort for a cliche, here. My apologies. I was stunned. I was bowled over. I was blinded like a deer in the headlights and I probably looked like one, too. My surprise was two-fold, on the one hand, I had no idea where this had come from. Why didn’t I know something was wrong? On the other hand, I had placed my entire faith in my husband, not ever imagining he could commit an offense like that. I had thought him, me, us invulnerable to such a human flaw. He, I, we – were not.

His method of message relay was cruel and hurtful, spiteful and immature. He told me to hurt me and, perhaps a bit because he hadn’t wanted to keep the secret but even if he wanted to come clean, his motives were all about him, not us. In my shattered state, I experienced a range of emotions like never before. I was hurt, confused and angry, of course. For a minute, I didn’t believe it but he forwarded me their e-mails and I knew better. I was also, I am still slightly ashamed to admit, a bit aroused by the thought of my husband and another woman. Of course, not like that. Never like that.

He misunderstood when I asked for details. He told me how frustrated he’d been. I didn’t understand. Why hadn’t he told me? We’d just seen eachother for a few weeks, after he’d been to Afghanistan and now he was stationed a world away from me, once more. Things hadn’t been as wonderful as he hoped but I had no idea they were that bad, to him. He’d found someone online, invited her over, had sex. Only once. He’d only replied to say he didn’t want nothing more to do with her. He was a dick to everyone.

He’d broken our vows. I didn’t understand why. Couldn’t grasp why he didn’t tell me. Couldn’t grasp why he’d do this and even if I could understand that, I didn’t understand the timing. The timing! It couldn’t have been worse. I was less than a month away from flying across the world to live with him. I was literally days away from packing my stuff, vacating my apartment, and staying with my mother for a few short weeks. My family was driving 4 hours to help me, renting a U-haul, driving 4 hours back. They would help me move everything down 4 flights of stairs into a truck and back out into my grandmother’s basement. How could he this now?

I didn’t have nearly enough time to decide what to do, to think it over. I had already booked my flight. I had backed out of my best friend’s wedding. I was supposed to be her matron of honour but, instead, I was supposed to be flying out of the country the day before her wedding. Our friendship would be rocky for some time after because of it and he had the balls to do this?

No, it wasn’t balls at all. It wasn’t manly or masculine or mature or brave. Even in my confusion, I could see that. Even in my state I could see, as clear as anything, that it was the wrong thing to do, the wrong path to take. It was stupid. He should have talked to me, been honest. He should have communicated all along. He shouldn’t have cheated. It was a mistake. A terrible mistake and a mistake that I ultimately had less than a week to decide whether or not to forgive (but perhaps never forget).

It wasn’t much time. Not much time at all. Certainly not enough time to make a life altering decision but that really didn’t matter. I had to do it anyway. I didn’t have time to live in denial or even stagnate. I had barely enough time to move on, it seemed. Time was finite, was money, was of the essence but, most of all, time was certainly not on my side.

Did I want to stay or go? Could I forgive this indiscretion? For that matter, did he want me to stay or go? I don’t know what I wanted for the future. I didn’t want the future. I wanted the past. I wanted everything to return to how it had been. I wanted to pretend nothing had changed. NO! I wanted nothing to have changed. It didn’t matter what I wanted. I couldn’t change the past. Still can’t. Maybe I wouldn’t, knowing what I know now. Maybe I would. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Like it didn’t matter that I felt like I couldn’t handle this turn of events, I did anyway.

I’m not sure you could really call it handling. What followed in the next few days were many tear filled conversations to a country in another continent. We were worlds apart in more ways than we ever had been. Many of those conversations ended with the click of the phone as one of us hung up on the other. Most of those conversations went nowhere as we hurled insults, as one of us pulled away as the other of us clung to the remnants of a marriage (well, maybe it never was much of one) as surely as it was a life preserver.

As I type, “Love is a Killer” starts playing. I want to laugh because I am so sick of crying. Deep breaths. In. Out.

More often than not, I was the one who clung. In spite of everything, my desire for everything to return to “normal” made me reluctant to let go of something I had worked so hard for. Many phone calls, but not many days, later I had convinced him that I would still fly over there and we’d give it “just one more shot” (this was my angle in many a conversation). We’d been married for over a year but had yet to live with eachother. I was convinced that it was the distance, the circumstances. We’d be better off together. We couldn’t call it quits without actually trying. What we had been doing wasn’t trying.

At one point, we’d actually decided to separate. I felt relief and, for once, I slept. I awoke, early morning, to a phone call and he pleaded with me that he’d make a mistake, that he couldn’t end it like this. Me? I was tired. I wanted to go back to sleep where none of this was happening so I agreed. And went back to sleep.

I justified and I denied and through those excuses and warped views I decided I would fly over. My world had flown out from beneath my feet. Everything had revolved around us for so long, all I could do to keep my head above water was to justify and deny. Justify and deny. It was like fighting paranoia when you know someone is actually following you. There was no way out. No one to turn to. The only thing I could do was move forward because, like it or not, I had no other option.

My path took an unexpected turn. I had never imagined I would even think about forgiving someone who would cheat on me, let alone trying to do it. I saw the world in black and white, not budging from my ideals, until it happened to me. The world became grey in confusion (and maybe a bit because it was so bleak). Yet, here I am, where my path has taken me. Still married. For better, for worse.

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Categories: Stories

Better Than Chocolate

September 21st, 2009

Better Than Chocolate

Better Than Chocolate
$89.90 from Amazon

Let me preface this with a great big thank you to Babeland for allowing me to review this luxury vibrator. I believe I am one of only five reviewers who had the chance, and I definitely appreciate it. Also, pictures will be coming soon. Apparently, something broke.

Jumping right in, I think it’s appropriate to say that anything named Better Than Chocolate had better be leaps and bounds above comparable items if it wants to come anywhere near its claim. I mean, it’s freaking chocolate, right? So I had some pretty high expectations for this vibe by Nomi Tang. It had better look great, be presented well, have all the details covered, be hygienically superior, perform well (including features and ease of use), and do all this in a way that is obviously unique. Let me run down this list and show you how well the Better Than Chocolate did.

Appearance: It’s only right to start with appearance because this is what initially drew me and others to this ergonomic clitoral vibrator. I’m always interested in uniquely shaped clit vibes, and the Better than Chocolate definitely fits the bill. In fact, it is somehow reminiscent of Star Trek and I know I’m not the only one who thinks so. I know I’m going to miss the mark by trying to describe this toy but, from the top, it’s roughly diamond shaped – wider in the center and tapering at either end. From the side, you can see that the wider middle also curves upward and each side curves up more than the rest of the toy, in a wing-like shape, creating a perfect resting spot for your hand while the bottom curves around your pubic mound. If you look at the vibe from either end, it actually looks a bit like a king cobra.

In comparison to other similar vibes, Better Than Chocolate is much larger. It’s definitely wider (2.5″ at its widest), longer (just over 4″) and taller(just under 2.5″) than the Laya Spot (and some people already find that too large for use during sex, so take heed). Their shapes are generally similar but the lines on Better Than Chocolate seem to be more exaggerated. My understanding of Lelo’s Lily and Nea is that they are also much flatter and smaller than the Layaspot so if you’re partial to that size/shape, you might be in for a surprise when it comes to Better Than Chocolate.

The longer end boasts a thin, plastic-covered, white touch censor, which also adds to the Sci-fi appeal, especially when it lights up blue or red. The other end has a small indentation of the power symbol, like a computer’s power button, which clicks the toy on and off but doesn’t add much in terms of visuals.

Available in either fuchsia or blue, Better Than Chocolate is sure to please most.

Presentation and Detail: This luxury vibe is definitely presented well. It comes in a heavy white cardboard box, like Lelo’s boxes, with the Nomi Tang logo in maroon on top (the logo is also printed, smaller, tone-on-tone all over the box). The box flips open from one end like a jewelry box, and the vibe itself sits on a velvet-lined cardboard tray within the box, which adds to the jewelry box feel. The box is also velvet lined and has Nomi Tang printed on the inside top. As is, the box would serve as a nice giftbox, if you gift a Better Than Chocolate vibrator to someone.

Upon removing the vibe from the box and tray, you’ll see it comes with an instruction book, a storage pouch and a message from Nomi Tang printed like a mini greeting card. Like anyone, I’m a fan of storage and because this vibrator is unique, an instruction booklet is a must. Of course, the inventive controls are definitely unique and show care/effort on Nomi’s part. Nomi Tang definitely paid attention to detail with this one.

Hygiene and Material; The booklet says that the surface materials are TPE and polycarbonate. I assume the censor is polycarbonate (a type of plastic), while the rest of the surface is made of TPE. I’m not sure what this means in terms of porosity because the TPE just seems to be a coating over a hard (plastic?) shell but I wouldn’t consider Better Than Chocolate something you can sanitize completely. This also means that Better Than Chocolate is quite rigid. You’d cause some damage if you threw it at someone’s head.

Performance and Features: I was a bit nervous about Better Than Chocolate because it runs on only 2AAAs (and, wouldn’t you know it, I was fresh out). The power button end twists off easily and twists back on very securely, which is important for any waterproof toy (it is!).

One click of the power symbol easily turns on the Better Than Chocolate. It’s easily felt and heard and the “NT” symbol on the touch sensor lights up. It seems that this vibrator starts on its highest setting which might disappoint some because if you’re a glutton for power, the impression is not just a taste of what Better Than Chocolate has to offer; it’s it. I was fairly impressed with the strength of vibration on this one. It’s right up there with the Laya Spot and definitely makes better use of the batteries than many toys. On the other hand, the lower settings are something I’d never have use for.

The vibrations are rather high in frequency but don’t make my hand tickle uncontrollably when holding it. They are focused in the tip but can be felt, mildly, through the rest of the toy. Better Than Chocolate never operates at much more than a low hum which I think is perfectly acceptable.

On to what you all want to know! How is the touch censor? It’s okay. It takes some getting used to. I found that I wanted to press it like a button instead of hold and slide my finger over it but, once I got over that, I quite like it. The censor means you don’t need 8 buttons nor do you have to press one button 8 times. It’s a very efficient way to control a multi-setting toy and I wouldn’t mind seeing use of this type of control more.

When it starts, on high, slide your finger toward the NT symbol to lower the vibrations or do the opposite from low. If you want something other than steady vibrations, hold your finger over the NT until it switches modes. From what I can tell, there are 2 modes: steady vibes, low pulsation and high pulsation. The high pulsation is a very enjoyable, throbbing pulse that surprised me by its power. If you find a setting you really like, you can hold your finger over the opposite end of the censor for 2 seconds to lock it; the NT logo will change to red.

In practice, I thought it would make more sense to increase vibes by sliding toward the logo and I tend to forget this. Also, because it’s a touch sensor, your speed, mode, and even lock status can be changed if something touches the censor on the Better Than Chocolate. My panties, thighs, and blankets changed the settings at one point or another. I think it might have been slightly more logical to make an actual lock switch somewhere on the toy because it’s absolutely necessary with a control as sensitive as this.

Although I will likely not use this vibrator in much water, you can, up to one meter. So if you ever need to get off in the pool or the ocean, go for it. It also means you needn’t be extra careful with cleaning so soap it up all over.

In Use: I found that Better Than Chocolate was just too large, too long. It’s not bulky per se but isn’t palm sized, either. It didn’t fit over my mons as well as I would like so it wasn’t effortless playtime. I don’t see how it would work well during sex at all.

I also found that the vibrating end was just too pointed and hard. I need something a little flatter and wider to provide adequate pressure, but Better Than Chocolate only provides pain if I press. I tried the other end, but the vibrations were much weaker, and this wasn’t any better. On the other hand, I was able to partially insert this vibrator and I found that to be enjoyable. If you like to stimulate the first couple of inches of the vagina and the surrounding area, Better Than Chocolate succeeds there.

I definitely needed to adjust to this vibe rather than use it in my typical way. This also means using lube, which I don’t normally do with clit toys. The TPE is finished soap that it’s sort of velvety, almost feeling like fabric and this creates a lot of friction. But once I applied a dab of lube, it was easy to move the tip of the Better Than Chocolate over, under, and around my vulva and clit.

Payoff: Although I did achieve orgasm, it was difficult and long in coming. After the initial orgasm, however, the following ones were almost effortless and came quickly. When all was said and done, I did feel quite satiated.

Final Thoughts: Nomi Tang’s Better Than Chocolate vibrator is solid and quality but not better than chocolate. It’s unique and, although the touch censor has some way to go before it’s perfect, offers a viable alternative to other vibrator controls. Although it gave me satisfying orgasms, I’d like to see it in a smaller size and perhaps rechargeable. Only then would I consider it to be a truly “luxury” vibe and be able to recommend it whole heartedly, especially at its current price.
Better Than Chocolate Luxury Vibrator Better Than Chocolate Luxury Vibrator Better Than Chocolate Luxury Vibrator

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

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