Below you’ll find all of the sex toy reviews I’ve written at Of Sex and Love. Find my opinions on vibrators, dildos, media (sex education books, porn, DVDs and erotica), bondage and BDSM gear, lingerie, anal toys, lube, massage products, and more!
Considering sex toy storage? Look no further!
I’ve also reviewed sexual health goodies.
Don’t forget all those accessories and non-sex toy reviews.
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Scandal Control Cuffs
$18.13
from Of Sex and Love Store
I have got to hand it to California Exotics — wow! Who ever would have thought I’d use that sentence? When it comes to the entire Scandal line, the design is quite attractive. If I hadn’t already started a purple bondage theme, I’d seriously consider getting everything in this line. It’s got that sort of boudoir feel to it.
These cuffs have a red and black damask style exterior. It’s classy. It’s sexy. I like it.
The interior is a plush velvet type material. It’s classy. It’s sexy. It’s comfortable, too. I like it.
I suppose you could wipe clean any spots with a damp cloth. Blood might be an issue so be careful when playing.
The cuffs themselves are connect by a length of nylon. Think backpacks. You can adjust the length, and the box described it as a “handle.” Sure, you can grasp it, but to call it a handle seems a little like a stretch.
The cuffs themselves secure with velcro. This could potentially be a problem if the bound person pulls her wrists or ankles apart with enough force. People with long hands can also often grasp velcro straps with their fingers to undo their binds. This was my main complaint with the cuffs that come with the Under the Bed system.
The major downfall with these cuffs is that they only attach to the other cuff with the plastic buckle. It’s good for leverage during sex, but it’s not versatile enough that you’ll use them with other restraints. The Scandal line does intclude it’s own bed restraints, hog tie set and universal cuffs, but it would be nice if more of the items were more versatile.
Although the package suggests these as ankle cuffs, they’ll work just as well on wrists. The cuffs are 2.5″ wide and 11 inches long. You can adjust the circumference so that it’s a few inches narrower or wider. These probably won’t work well if you have especially wide ankles.
The handle adjusts to just under 3 inches, and stretches to 9 inches long. It’s long enough to grasp with one or both hands.
Overall, I like these cuffs. I’d prefer them to be more versatile, like I mentioned.
This is an archive post. SheVibe no longers sells the Revel Body or attachments.
What can I say about a vibrator that others have dubbed the “shit orb”? Seriously. I guess I’ll start by saying I don’t think this is necessarily a shitty toy. In fact, it uses some new technology and does some things in a way that make sense to me. However, as a whole, it’s a very peculiar vibrator that’s going to work for a very particular sort of person. I think the success of a sex toy often hinges on its versatility, but if the Revel Body doesn’t work for you, there’s no “plan b” about it. $180 is a lot of money for a toy that just might not work for you. Fortunately — unfortunately for the company — I expect a lot of these will go up for sale or swap as us reviewers finish with them.
But let me tell you what you need to know about this toy to see if you’d like it. The Revel Body is a spherical base with a cylindrical hole down the center. The hole and base of the attachments are magnified so they stick together when you insert it. This is brand new to me, and the magnetic attraction is amazingly strong. Don’t worry about it not working because it’s not going anywhere during use. This led me to stick the attachments to my refrigerator. So that’s kinda cool.
There are multiple attachments, and I’ll talk about them in another post. The main attachment has a rounded shape. It’s inconspicuous, boring perhaps. There head is made of silicone that’s squishier than the rest of the toy. The silicone sphere has a texture that’s quite easy to grasp. I rather like this about it. It’s not so small that it will cramp your hand. It’s not the first time that I’ve enjoyed a round toy.
The vibrations transmit through the magnetism so that the entire attachment vibrators in the hole. Of course, this means it’s the type of toy that you can’t achieve a lot of pressure with; otherwise, it dulls the sensation. This is absolutely a deal-breaker for me, which is a shame. I rather enjoy pressure, but I also like something about the revel body…
The vibrations. They’re rather deep and rumbly, and they’re designed to be that way rather than strong. I can deal with weaker vibrations if they’re strong. Interestingly, as you increase the strength of the vibrations, the frequency goes up. The manual explains that it’s the third setting or so that is the deepest. They feel buzzier as you increase them. In fact, you can continue to increase the frequency to the point where you can’t even feel it. This happened to me, and I could have swore the Revel Body was broken. I guess I don’t understand the point of these “higher” settings, like why do they even exist?
I was instructed to press the “-” button five times to fix it, which worked. However, the idea that the strongest/deepest vibrations are somewhere in the middle just makes sense to me. I just.. don’t need anything else. Nevertheless, you get both high and low power. Press the power button to switch — the light strength indicates high or low. At many settings, I didn’t notice a difference. In many ways, Revel Body just seems overly complicated.
Furthermore, I need to be able to apply some sort of pressure, and the Revel Body just doesn’t provide it. You get a sphere that doesn’t do anything when it actually makes contact with you. You have to hold it at a very particular location away from your body and this is just annoying. Obviously, this isn’t the type of toy where you just turn it on and stick it in or on wherever you want to stimulate. It’s sort of like the Eroscillator in that this is a toy that you have to learn, not one that learns you. And let’s be honest.. ain’t nobody got time for that.
Another issue is that it’s the loudest on those most rumbly settings. This is because the attachment is moving the most in the hole. It certainly makes sense, but the Revel Body is not whisper quiet in any way, not like the site suggests. It’s more like some of the wands, and your body won’t muffle this sound because you can’t press it to yourself.
If you do happen to like hte Revel Sonic, note that it’s fully waterproof thanks to the design. This makes cleaning easy, too. It charged on a donut-shaped base where contacts meet together. It looks kind of cool, sort of futuristic but that means jack if the toy doesn’t get you off. The vibe comes with a USB cable and an AC adapter, so you can charge it from an outlet or your computer. Yawn. This is expected now. According to the manual, 90 minutes get you a full charge, and you’ll get about 60 minutes of use per charge.
So what can I say? It’s interesting. There’s some ideas I like. The design is sharp, but Revel Body will probably never get me off.
D.1 Larvikite Stone Dildo
$100.00
from Tabu Toys
You know how it takes you forever to write a post when you feel like a sex toy is just mediocre? Yea, that wasn’t the case with the D1 stone dildo. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. I liked it so much from the very beginning that I knew I wouldn’t be able to express it well enough.
It’s just that good.
It’s just that gorgeous, too. I took a photo almost immediately, which I posted to Twitter. There is this subtle blue texture to the stone that probably makes it the most attractive toy I’ve ever used. Sure, I’ve joked about keeping things on the mantle, but I mean it with this one.
You wanna come over and look at my dildo? Okay, but don’t touch because it’s mine.
The website describes it as “blue pearl,” but it’s almost got this smokey appearance. I’m sure that every dildo looks just a little bit different because of the material. Black Moonstone is something I’m sad not to have known before. The product description reads as follows:
a blue-gray hue with flecks of black and silvery, light-blue reflections that catch the light.
I kind of put off using this dildo for the first time because I was afraid it was going to be all form and no function. Yes, I liked the way it looked in my hands, but what if that’s all it was?
Fortunately, that’s not the case at all! In fact, I loved if. The heft and rigidity are perfect. It’s compact and not unwieldy. There’s a balance that makes it easy to use. G-spot aficionados will appreciate the gentle curve. It took literally zero effort to reach my G-spot. The pressure I was able to achieve made me squirt nearly instantly. I won’t promise thecar same to you but this is one effective dildo for me because I know that my G-spot likes pressure. The D1 didn’t disappoint.
You know another thing that I like? The packaging. Not because it’s all sort of fancy but because it’s a simply cardboard box that you can recycle. The focus is on the luxury toy, and that’s what I like. Seriously. Lelo needs to get on board with this. There’s supposed to be an included storage pouch, but I totally threw it away by accident if there is. Oops. I guess I was too busy eyeing up the stone.
Now, this dildo is also available in a bright pink silicone. However, the stone version costs less than $20 more, and I think that this is probably the better deal. If you don’t think you’ll like the weight, go ahead and opt for silicone, but I absolutely adore the stone dildo. And, let’s be honest, it’s far better looking.
While I haven’t handled the silicone version to compare, I feel at those the “creases” would feel sharper with that material. Stone is ungiving — and porous, yay! — but the ridges seem smoother than they would with silicone. I’ve used silicone with creases like that and they were painful.
I wasn’t worried about stone being too hard because I love glass. However, the one end definitely comes to more of a point, so you’ll want to be careful when inserting it. Unlike most glass dildos, the texture is smooth and slick all the way. It’s easy to insert with a little lube, and you can choose to use either end if you want. Size-wise, you’re looking at 8 inches — plenty to stimulate the G-spot and control the toy. However, I do find the squared end to be better for grasping. The pointed end might slip out of your hand if it’s covered in lube.
The other end is a bit more squared off, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The pointed end is also slightly narrower, and rigid materials like stone can often feel larger than they actually are. Of course, you hopefully know this and you want a toy like this one, which will last you forever. This toy falls to in the medium range. The description says the diameter is just under 1.5 inches, but my measurements come up a bit smaller than that. The squared end has a diameter of under 1.35 inches, but it’s not perfectly round. The pointed end is more like 1.20 inches.
Like glass, stone is cool to the touch. You may warm it with water, but it seems to stay cooler than metal, for example. I like this, but you may not be such a fan. Not every material it for every person.
Care-wise, you can wash it clean. The packaging claims it could break if dropped on the floor. I’d be extra careful with this beauty.
So where does this leave me in this review?
Would it be too cheesy for me to tell you to go get laid?
Yea, I’m going to do it anyway.
Get laid.
Lelo Gigi 2
Lelo Gigi 2
The folks at Lelo wanted to send me a new Gigi 2 after my review. They suggested that it was defective, so I now have a cherry-colored Gigi 2, too. That’s a weird sentence, eh? So I charged them both up to full power to compare. One thing I noticed is that the second one holds charge a lot better than the original one I received in grey. That one died after a couple tests and one use. There was no life in it, so I had to charge it just to compare.
The second Gigi 2 I received seems slightly stronger, but it’s still a pretty buzzy vibe all around. Lelo has definitely made better IMO.
Sheer Lace Top Thigh High Stockings With Backseam
I also have to report some serious disappointment with the thigh highs that I reviewed shortly ago. I put them on for testing purposes, intending to wear them for my Halloween party. When I slipped them on, without catching on anything, I got a huge run down one of the stockings. Despite the fact that I had leg warmers over them all night so there was no way for them to become (more) damaged, they were ripped to shreds and hanging off my feet in my shoes by the end of the night. Just.. no. Ugh.
I mean, I don’t expect these things to last forever but.. c’mon!
Cheetah-Licious Costume
$34.99 - $51.38
from Amazon
Cheetah-Licious Costume
I’m something of a crazy cat lady, so this costume made perfect sense for me. Unfortunately, it’s just not a perfect costume. It’s all about sizing, but even though I ordered mine, this isn’t super flattering. It’s due to the sizing. It runs snug. Think original Star Trek uniforms. This is so small/tight as to be a top, and it might look cute with some leggings. I’m not a legging person, however. I was really hoping to wear it with the petticoat but there’s just no room.
So let’s start from the bottom up. The furry border on the bottom barely covers my own bottom (maybe some booty shorts would look cute). This is standing up. There’s no way it’ll cover anything sitting down. I like to wear petticoats to help cover my ass with costumes, but it fits like a second skin, so there’s really no room.
This is snug around the midsection in a way that I find unflattering. Period. The velour material seems thinner than other costumes I’ve worn, so this only adds to the issue. The costume isn’t for you if your middle is your trouble section and you won’t wanna wear some Spanx.
This costume has some problematic.. spots
The breast area probably looked the best, but it’s not without its own issues. The neck is low and square, so my bra wanted to show. A demi or shelf cup would be best. Even though the top was tight around my breasts, there’s only C cups, so the lace didn’t pull apart as much as you’d expect. I think there’s simply a bit much material and a wider V cut would help with this. Mine came laces backward, with the bow on the bottom, but it’s easily fixed.
The neckline leads you to the hood, which is huge. You’ll see it in the photos. It hangs down over my nose. I didn’t have the help of a partner to take a picture of this, however. While you can wear it further back, the ears so of become lost. The ribbons and balls that hang down are for looks only. They do not actually adjust the hood, so keep that in mind.
The arms are probably my favorite part. Long sleeves can sometimes be quite flattering on me. These were snug but with enough room to move. The fur at the ends was cute, but be careful not to drag it in your party dip. I’m only 5’2 and these were a tad long, but they may be short for taller women.
Of course, on a taller woman this would literally be a hoodie, and that’s the problem. Plus sized costumes usually are longer — as is the case with the petticoat — but this one just isn’t. It makes me wonder how long the other sizes are. The measurements follow:
These numbers certainly don’t suggest an XL to me.
If I were to try to wear this, I’d go with leggings under the leg warmers, which are also kind of a fail. They run long on my 5’2″ frame but tight. The elastic around the top stretches to around 8 inches, but it feels super tight. I have muscular calves. Around the bottom, it’s open to cover your footwear — 11 inches flat. The leg warmers are just under 18 inches long. However, they’re more easy to adjust than the rest of the piece.
Thigh highs always look sexy
Sheer Lace Top Thigh High Stockings With Backseam
I experienced the same “issues” with the thigh highs as I do other plus-size items. I tend to fall directly between one size and plus size. So these went on easily. They sat against my skin nicely. They didn’t cut in, but they also weren’t snug enough to keep up. This was especially true with the first garter belt I used them with, which has longer straps. There was just too much slack in the garters, so I switched it out to another pair with shorter straps. This worked fine but, as you know if you’ve ever worn a garter belt with stockings, it’s just a pain to get them into place. Fortunately, I did this before Halloween, so I know which one to use when it comes down to it.
Although this comes with a large band, which I think is more flattering in curvier thighs, there’s no elastic backing. So you’ll definitely need garters to keep it up. The lace band measures about 8″ across unstretched. It stretches to at least 10″, but I don’t have a third hand so that’s a fuzzy estimate. As for length, I found these a little long to sit at mid-thigh with my shorts legs. At 5’2″ I’m definitely on the bottom range. The thigh highs weren’t quite as taut as I’d like them, so these would ideally fit someone a little wider in the thigh and taller for me. However, that’s really good news for anyone who’s a little higher up in the “plus” size range.
The appeal of these stockings is definitely the backseam. It’s super sexy, but hard to photograph by one’s self with such short arms. You’ll have to adjust it after you pull them on, even if you think you’re pulling them on straight. However, it’s super visually attractive.
I’d generally recommend these but with a few caveats. There won’t last more than a couple wearings, even if you handwash. The nylon is delicate, but that’s really the case with all thigh highs. There’s no reinforced toe, so it might be especially likely to rip or run there. Of course, I found that the mesh and lace got caught in my nails, which is hard to avoid when you have nails. However, my garters didn’t immediately put holes in the lace, which is good.
Petticoat: also long and fluffy!
I’ve already got a pretty pink petticoat that I love, so I knew what I wanted when it came to getting on in black. In short, I want fluffy! This petticoat has two layers to offer some fluff. A satin panel toward the top helps with modesty, too. I generally like it; however, it’s far longer than the product images. This is likely due to the fact that the product page uses the one size model, and the plus size is cut longer/larger.
For reference, the petticoat is about 17 inches long at the longest point. The satin panel is 5 inches. The waist measures 14 inches flat/unstretched. There’s a lot of stretch to be had in this, so while it fits me almost loosely, it’ll go up to the 1x or 2x range, too, I’d think.
As for length, you can simply roll up the elastic band or pull it up higher if you’re wearing it under something else. That’s what I did.
The Adventurous Couple’s Guide to Sex Toy
$14.95
from Amazon
It’s interesting that I’ve read Violet Blue’s blog on and off for years without reading anything of hers in print (well, I did read books that she’s edited). Now, I can add that to my to-done list, which is my version of a bucket list — only I add things that I’ve already done. The Adventurous Couple’s Guide to Sex Toys is intended to be the book about sex toys, the Bible of sex toys. I’m not quite sure that I’d swear an oath on this book, but I’d probably recommend it to most people.
If you’re not familiar with the author, her work or her expertise in the field, the forward by Charlie Glickman talks about her experience working for Good Vibes. You can also check out her blog here. Charlie, who has asides through the book, co-wrote the Ultimate Guide to Prostate Pleasure, which I really liked. Both the forward and the content of the book really dive right into the subject. It’s a no-nonsense approach that could maybe be a little more “inviting” by giving some stats about how many people enjoy sex toys of something of that nature. If you’re curious but not quite adventurous, you’ll get the gist that sex toys are fun, but this book might not be as reassuring as you’d like.
This doesn’t mean that the book isn’t useful, however. On the whole, the things I had problems with were very specific and probably only bothersome to me because I do know as much as I do about sex toys. The gen– doesn’t mention not to use silicone The Adventurous Couple’s Guide to Sex Toys was just fine. Most people would be just fine if they followed the advice that I have to nitpick, and many people wouldn’t even notice what seemed like errors to me. You want examples? Okay!
Cons
I did find it curious that every.single.time Violet mentioned a website or brand that I was not familiar with, the website no longer existed. This was the case with Luv Seat and Clear Ecstasy. The latter is a glass dildo maker and while I can find items from the company on retailers, they’re unimpressive and not what she was talking about. Similarly, Violet mentions a programmable vibrator by Je Joue, which I believe to be the predecessor to Sasi, which the company no longer makes. A little fact-checking would have gone a long way. This is especially true when you consider that this is the second version, which means it should specifically correct those errors.
I didn’t hate the book, however. It’s just much better suited to someone who couldn’t have written it. In fact, I found that there was very little information that isn’t freely available online, some of it even on Of Sex and Love.
Pros
So, if that’s piqued your interest at all, you can buy the book on Amazon.
