VixSkin Spur

September 30th, 2010

Spur Vanilla

Spur Vanilla
$82 from SheVibe

Recently, I finally decided to try a VixSkin dildo. It was different for me because I really don’t like flesh-coloured toys or ones that are realistically shaped. I have a number of glass dildos, a couple of silicone, and some metal ones as well, but realistic ones just never appealed. Still, everyone was totally into me getting something and Twitter agreed that I needed to go with VixSkin if realistic was the goal. I won’t lie; the lack of real dick in my life has been a bit disappointing.

So I requested the VixSkin Spur and it was quickly on my doorstep. It arrived in a cylindrical plastic container that I love. I’ve had a few toys come in similar containers; they’re great for things that are generally long and narrow. They offer more protection than plastic bags, and they’re ideal for permanently storing your toys.

I began to play with the Spur immediately. I understood this toy was dual-layered; intellectually, I knew there was a firmer inner core, but it was something else to actually feel it. I sat it on my desk and groped and stroked it for a few hours. I took pictures. I sent them to a friend who thought the spur looked huge. It’s not, really. I specifically picked a smaller toy because I don’t love banging the shit out of my cervix. Thus, Spur really isn’t the toy for size queens with its 4-¾” length and 1-¼” diameter.

Who might enjoy this?

  • Harness lovers: Spur includes a wide, flat base that is harness compatible. The inner core makes it functional for thrusting too but…
  • Packin’ folks may find that it’s soft enough to wear in clothes. This depends but when I sit the Spur on a flat surface, gravity tends to pull it down and exaggerate the slight curve in the shaft.
  • Folks like me who don’t want to beat up their cervixes.
  • Novices who may be looking for a non-intimidating toy.
  • Everyone who wants to play with fun, squishy silicone.

My first scene with Spur was quite enjoyable. I broke out the Liberator Throe and was also trying out Lelo Siri. Internally, Spur felt more realistic. It wasn’t fooling my hands, but my vagina couldn’t much tell the difference. I loved the realistic sensations, but being able to thrust at my own convenience, and I squirted pretty quickly.

The base makes for a great handle and the Spur is easy to maneuver, but I find I can squeeze my thighs around the base during orgasm to keep Spur inserted, too; I used this method during clitoral orgasm with the Siri. And this, in my opinion, is where Spur really shines. As my PC muscles spasm during orgasm, the Spur has enough give that they’re not clenching to produce a painful sensation, as is often the case with toys that are larger and harder.

Because my G-spot can be sensitive in an unpleasant way, even if I want something inserted, sometimes it’s simply too painful to do so. That’s not a problem because Vixen’s silicone composition is awesome!

Are there any downsides to the Spur? Well, sort of. It collects lint and dust because the silicone is so soft. Storing it in the plastic container it came in is a great idea because of this. And you should only used it with water-based lube. Typically, this isn’t a problem, but I accidentally used some silicone-based lube with the Spur, and it has become sticky, and I’m no longer considering it nonporous. Some folks suggest that VixSkin is more susceptible to these types of reactions, so be warned.

Back to the positives, VixSkin is especially susceptible to temperature play. It quickly warms to body temperature, and I found the opposite to also be true: when I played with an ice vibe, the Spur cooled down immediately even though it was inserted. You can use a bowl of warm or cool water, though.

Because it is silicone, you can clean with soap and water or boil to disinfect the Spur to swap between partners or orifices. I don’t share so soap and water it is, then off to the towel to dry.

So, if you can’t tell, I really like the Spur. I never knew I could like a realistic toy so much. It’s really quite awesome.

24 Comments

Categories: Dildos, Reviews

Multi-Orgasmic Man

September 26th, 2010

Multi-Orgasmic Man

Multi-Orgasmic Man
$14.99 from Amazon

It took me forever to read this book, and it was no fault of the book. You see, I requested to review it because I thought it would be interesting. It is interesting, but I tend to visualize the man in this book as the one who is currently breaking my heart, so that kinda sucks. Let’s get on with it, shall we?

Before I read The Multi-Orgasmic Man, I didn’t have a ton of knowledge about how a man could have multiple orgasms. I knew of one technique and had discussed it but not tried it. This book discusses a handful of techniques besides that one, and some are purely physical, while many focus on the idea of sexual energy (chI). Some of the reviews on Babeland have talked about this as being a bit new age-y. It kind of is, but it’s nowhere near as annoying as the touchy, feely crap that I couldn’t stand in Female Ejaculation & The G-spot. In fact, I think the authors do a great job of looking at the Taoist basis for these beliefs in a scientific manner.

The chapters flow quite well. The first introduces us to the concept of sexual energy in Taoism and multiple orgasms by suspending ejaculation. This is followed by a chapter that gives a rundown of the male body and sexual energy. This chapter includes information about becoming aware of the stages of arousal, which is quite important in achieving multiple orgasms.

Chapter 4 is quite long and describes methods to achieve multiple orgasms, including tugging on the scrotal sac, control the flow of sexual energy and pressing on a point that the authors, Mantak Chi and Douglas Abrams, describe as the “million dollar point.”

Part of the focus of The Multi-Orgasmic Man is how a many who achieves this can also be a better lover so the next chapter introduces the (female) partner’s body, arousal and orgasm. Becoming a Multi-Orgasmic Couple puts it all together and talks about the advanced techniques of pleasuring and “screwing” that can increase pleasure for the woman. There are suggestions for exercises to increase intimacy and I found it particularly useful that the authors discusses how female partners could use some of the chi-based techniques to essentially harmonize male and female energies. Specifically, there is some discussion about how the person on top is not necessarily the one in control but he or she is the one giving the most energy to the other person. The chapter ends with a few words about safer sex.

Chapter six is intended for women whose partners are attempting to learn to become multiply orgasmic. It’s intended to be read alone and repeats information in the previous chapters but that is to be expected. I found it interesting that the chapter suggests PC muscle exercises with an egg or stone. This book is over 10 years old now and an updated versions might suggest a more hygienic kegel exerciser from a toy manufacturer. I personally do not love the idea of tying dental floss to something I might stick in my vagina (if only because it can be painful to pull it out; this is why I hate the string on the Luna Beads).

Homosexual couples will find a chapter that speaks entirely to them as well. It’s shorter than the one for heterosexual couples, mostly because the techniques apply to both men in the relationship anyway. The authors take the time to discuss the Taoist view of homosexuality, which I found interesting (they’re all for it, yay!).

The book winds down with a chapter about sexual health entitled Before You Call the Plumber. There are a few words about premature ejaculation, impotence, sperm count, and even sex as a healing power. The last chapter is probably my favourite as it discusses sex throughout one’s lifetime. Chia and Abrams talk about sex and aging, keeping love alive, and “the seasons of our lifetime.” There are some sweet words about monogamy that I find touching but not preachy. The book goes on to describe how a father can use this book to pass healthy Taoist beliefs on to his son.

The Multi-Orgasmic Man wraps up with a page and a half about Taoism and sexuality in general. There are recommendations for other books by Chia. I have to say that this section seems a bit haphazardly thrown in. I might have preferred this to be an afterward instead of tacked onto the last chapter.

Because the book includes many footnotes, there is a “Notes” section at the end of the book. It goes a long way to defend the scientific and cultural beliefs that the authors have expressed. If you’re using the book as reference, there is also a list of exercises so you can quickly find one or another. The very last pages are dedicated to an appendix and bibliography, per usual.

Overall, the tone of this book was a bit conversational. It wasn’t intimidating or condescending. While based on Taoist beliefs, The Multi-Orgasmi Man wasn’t laden with them in a way that made it annoying or dubious. I wouldn’t be surprised if open-minded folks did more research on the subject of Tao after reading this book, but if it’s not your thing, you can easily just rely on the solid facts about anatomy to learn to be multiply orgasmic.

Like all sex books, there was a lot of related-but-not-quite-on-topic material, but I appreciated it. Unlike any other non-fiction sex book I have read, the organization didn’t piss me off. I always wonder who came up with the chapters, but The Multi-Orgasmic Man did not have that problem.

Nevertheless, I was disappointed in the physical quality of this book. I have several soft-cover books of a similar size on my desk as well, and it is obvious that The Multi-Orgasmic Man uses thinner paper for the covers and the pages. It almost feels like it’s not a book at all; more like a pamphlet (a very long one!) or something.

I wish I could say more about this book. I think it’s a good one. It’s totally useful. I just don’t have an actual use for it. I’d recommend it, if you wanted to sate your intellect anyway.

17 Comments

Categories: Books, Reviews

Touch your partner online with KIIROO

Wet Look Gloves

September 23rd, 2010

Wet Look Lingerie Soft Sexy Gloves

Wet Look Lingerie Soft Sexy Gloves
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued product. You can try these similar gloves or these (cheaper) gloves with whips

 

The Wet Look Gloves by  California Exotics 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 too big for these.

Which is a shame because they’re the first gloves 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 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 to 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 all of my typos actually come 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 me 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 scissors or pens. 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 off 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.

 

13 Comments

Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Lelo Siri

September 15th, 2010

Lelo Siri

Lelo Siri
N/A from

Lelo has since released the Siri 2.

Ah, the Lelo Siri. How I drooled over this little clitoral vibrator. How I e-mailed all my company contacts and practically begged to review it. How ecstatic I was when someone finally said “Yes, we can send one your way!” How I waited impatiently as it was on the way to my house. I opened the box and the package and was disappointed that it did not come charged. I charged it immediately.

This is not the norm for me, far from it. Sometimes, my excitement wanes so quickly while a toy is in transit that I don’t use it for weeks after I receive it. I used Siri the very first day I had it, as soon as it was charged in fact. Sometimes I use a toy once and then try to forget about it because I am disappointed. I have spent more time with Siri than that.

I very quickly developed some thoughts about Lelo’s newest.

The good:

  • Siri comes in pink, purple and the red I chose. It’s the same as Mona and I am in love with the shade.
  • The velvety silicone is offset by shiny, white plastic (again, like Mona or Ina), which makes for an attractive piece.
  • Siri is rechargeable, like all of Lelo’s buzzy things.
  • Siri’s vibrations are much deeper (rumbly) than those of Lelo’s previous clitoral stimulators (Lily/Nea/Mia). They’re comparable to Mona or Ina in Depth.
  • Siri is easy to use, with the same 4-button setup as other Lelo toys. Siri also features the ability to lock the toy when not in use (but not during use).
  • Siri offers three levels of continuous vibrations and multiple pulsation and escalation settings.
  • The buttons are more accessible, on the top of the toy, as opposed to the bottom where they were on the Lily.
  • Siri isn’t as flat as Lily. I find the rounder and broader shape to be a little more appropriate for what I like (pressure).

The bad:

  • Siri’s buttons might be too accessible. Although larger than the Lily/Nea, Siri is still pretty small, and there’s not a lot of room to place my fingers on top of the toy. Inevitably, I wind up pressing buses because I cannot lock the toy and changing the speed of mode when I do not intend to.
  • Siri still isn’t that strong. Because of my personal tastes, the rumbly vibes make up for this somewhat, but those who need strong and rumbly vibes or strong vibes, regardless of the frequency, will still be disappointed with Siri.
  • Siri has no cover for the charging port. I mean, WTF?! This is standard on most Lelo toys, including Mona and Ina so I’m not sure what happened with this. Does Lelo think it’s less likely this external toy will need a deep clean in the sink? Isn’t that a little presumptuous?

The technical:

  • Siri comes in a black Lelo box and is packaged in a cardboard and plastic package. It rests on top of a cardboard insert to make it look pretty.
  • Lelo includes a 10-year Quality Guarantee, a 1-year warranty, and an instruction manual in the box. There’s also a small white satin pouch for storing Siri.
  • Siri can be cleaned with soap and water if you are careful of the charging port; it is not waterproof.
  • When Siri needs charging, the LED light glows red. During charging, it pulses white and remains solidly lit after charging, which takes about 2 hours.
  • Holding the + and – button locks Siri. If it is on, it will turn off.

What does this mean, you ask?

I found Siri to be more effective than Lily. I have used it several times to achieve one or more orgasms per session on the initial charge, which took fewer than 2 hours. I find the shape to be better for stimulating my clit, but I am frequently annoyed by the placement of the buttons. I would definitely prefer the ability to lock the toy during use. Thus far, I’ve had no issues cleaning the Siri, but I’ve made an effort not to drown out the thing. While I wouldn’t mind if the vibrations were stronger, and I am sure others would agree, the rumblyness makes them quite pleasurable.

Siri is definitely an improvement over previous clitoral offerings from Lelo.

10 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

lingerie

Short and Sweet

September 10th, 2010

A hand on her hip. Fingers digging into flesh, grasping at bone. She gasps, ruby lips parting in a picturesque silhouette. The hand remains in place, holding her firmly and she remains still, aside from her momentary expression. His other hand roughly fondles her breast, the delicate flesh exposed to the exquisite agony of pinching and pulling and squeezing–all none too lightly.

As if on cue, the hand rests against her skin as he leans his body over hers, his mouth zoning in on her other hip. His breath is hot on her flesh and then his teeth are sinking into it, bruising and cutting her skin. He swirls his tongue inside his mouth, against her skin, before pulling away. His teeth leave marks on her skin as droplets of blood spring from open wounds.

She cries but cuts off shortly as he casts her a swift glance. She clamps her mouth shut as his finger traces the marks on her hip. The touch is gentle but every movement is searing in her imagination, worse than the bite itself. She holds her breath and, almost without realizing it, clenches her thighs. He feels the movement and is upon her in a second, roughly pushing her legs apart. Her vulva glistens in the lamp light, wet from her arousal. Yet, he knows she will be wetter still before the night ends.

Comment

Categories: Everything Else

We Vibe II

September 9th, 2010

This is an archived review. WeVibe now makes several options for couples vibrators.

The We Vibe was always a toy that interested me, but not the type of toy I was willing to spend my hard-earned money on. You know the type. But I quickly asked to review it, and it arrived at my door shortly after. GV packed the box with a ton a swag. I mean, damn! A sample GV wipe, refrigerator magnets, a packet of sensitizing lube, and even a sample of massage lotion by Jimmyjane. I think I may be missing something. Regardless, swag is awesome.

I was as surprised by the size of the We-Vibe II as I was by the swag. I shouldn’t have been. I’ve seen countless pictures and several videos but this thing is just.. tiny. Any other dual stimulator vibe I have would dwarf this thing. f course, it makes sense when you consider that you need to be able to insert this and a penis into your vagina.

The We-Vibe II is about the length of the palm of my hand and much slimmer. The “U” shaped design features a thinner, insertable arm with ridges on the inside. These will, ideally, stimulate the G-spot. The external arm, for clitoral stimulation, is thicker and has smoother ridges along the inside (where it will touch the skin).

At the very end of the external party is a tiny, raised circle that you press to operate the toy. It makes an audible click when you do so. However, it is small and a bit more difficult to use when the We-Vibe is in place, as opposed to just sitting in your hand. Fleshy ladies may find their labia blocks access to the button but even without anatomical issue, it is tiny and requires precise movements.

We-Vibe II has a total of 9 settings. High, low, and multiple modes. According to a product card with the toy, these settings are throb, wave, pulse, ramp, tease, ascend and cha-cha. There’s a good mix of pulsation and escalation. I stuck to the steady vibrations, as I usually do.

Let me tell you that the We-Vibe II does not have the strongest vibrations that I have ever experienced but they are damned deep and rumbly. IT’s like.. straddling an idling tractor. Not that I’ve ever done that but that’s how I’d imagine it. The We-Vibe II quickly made me squirt and squirt a lot!

I do have two slight complaints about the controls/settings: no medium?! It threw me off every time. I’d try to increase the vibrations and skip “high” right to “throb.” I enjoy that you can turn the toy completely off just by holding the button for 2 seconds but I’d prefer two buttons so I can cycle either way.

Now, not having a real live penis to fully test out this toy, I opted for a vibrator. I grabbed a ceramic G-spot piece. In hindsight, it may have been wiser to pull a straight toy out of the box as, you know, most penises aren’t rigid, nor do they have an angled head like that. If only I had received my Vixskin dildo a bit earlier. Regardless, I gave it a go.

The toy I used has a 1.5″ diameter. Insertion without the We-Vibe is easy, and I rarely use lube. Insertion with the We-Vibe was a bit difficult. The ceramic obviously offers a lot of rigidity and the core of the insertable arm on the We-Vibe is quite rigid itself. I want to say that insertion would be easier with an actual cock but I’m not sure if that’s actually true.

I can tell you that because the casing of the We-Vibe is made of silicone, you should only use water-based lubes and, because said silicone is sticky in a smooth way, I’d be wary of trying to use it with other sticky toys (silicone, jelly, etc).

After insertion, I found that thrusting caused the We-Vibe to slide further into me, past my G-spot a bit. The general rumblyness of the vibrations still hit the spot but I don’t need pinpoint G-spot stimulation. If you do, I’m willing to bet you’ll spend a lot of time holding the We-Vibe II in place. In fact, I’d say this is not the toy for a rough and rowdy round of sex.

Admittedly, it was a bit uncomfortable when the widest part of the We-Vibe was sitting against the widest part of the toy and my pubic bone, so when it slid further in, the thinner neck wound up against my bone, and it was more comfortable.

Externally, the We-Vibe II just didn’t provide a whole lot of pressure or targeted stimulation. The neck is quite flexible, so I didn’t get the pressure I loved. However, the rumbly vibrations did provide a lot of general stimulation. I probably wouldn’t get off–clitorally–from it, but assuming that I could make it work during intercourse, I think I’d enjoy it.

At least, I would have.. if it hadn’t broken. You see, I used this toy right out of the box (after soap and water washing, of course). It came with a charge already, despite the fact that the manual says to charge it for a day before use. I was talking to Jules, who said that hers came charged but was much stronger after charging so I inserted what I thought was the AC adapter into the little hole under the button. The problem was, it was not the right adapter and I didn’t realize this until after I had it plugged in for several hours–of course!

I unplugged it as soon as I realized this error but the damage was done. My We-Vibe no longer powers on. )= It probably didn’t help that one of the cats decided to use it as a chew toy during charging.

My bad.

But, it does bring to light the fact that the charging port is kind of weird and I don’t really like it. There’s simply a hole in the silicone, and the portal is somewhere in there. You can’t see the edges of the port, like you do on any other rechargeable toy. It’s completely possible to miss the port at all, which I think I did a few times. I kept wondering, “Is it in yet?” It’s not the most difficult thing ever but I found it annoying, probably more so because I was using the wrong adapter at first. d=

Anyway, if it hadn’t broken, I’d have cleaned my We-vibe and put it in the included cinch pouch to prevent it from becoming covered in cat hair like it has. That’s definitely one of the things that I hate about silicone.

As it stands, the We Vibe is interesting enough that I am considering swapping or using some major couponage to replace it.

2 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

lingerie

Happiness and Love, Totally Mutually Inclusive

September 7th, 2010

I know, I know. A post with a title like that has potential to be all sorts of fucked up. This one’s not. Trust me.

I’m not one of those people who needs love in order to be happy. I have been one of those people but I am not now. Being in love makes things better, I admit, but things can be pretty awesome with it.

Yet, when I feel happiness, I feel love. I feel more love for everyone and everything. My friends, my family, my cats, my possessions, Republicans. It’s true. I feel happy and, by default, I feel and give love. I also feel a lot of gratitude. It’s probably the most awesome way to confuse a group of emotions.

It makes me even happier to think there is such love, that it even exists in the world. That I ever felt it. That anyone else does. It’s kind of a positive catch 22, an upward spiral, if you will.

I think this is making me a better person but even more importantly, a better friend and loved one. That makes me happy, too.

Comment

Categories: Everything Else

Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.