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!
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Mona Red
$128.15
from AdultSexToys
In the past six months or so, I have increased my selection of Lelo toys fivefold. Previously, I’ve reviewed the Luna Beads and Lily, both of which left a little something to be desired so while I was excited when Lelo released Ina and Mona, I wasn’t sure if the toys would work well for me personally. I actually wound up purchasing Ina a while back and have played with her to limited success. I was a little disappointed and thought perhaps Mona would have been a better fit for me and AdultSextoys was kind enough to provide me with Mona (and right before my birthday, too!).
Ina and Mona are very similar, if you’re comparing. Essentially, Ina has a small clitoral stimulator while Mona is just an insertable shaft. Mona has an angled head for G-spot stimulation and it’s slightly bulbous but unique from most other G-spot vibes. It’s not exactly spherical nor is it ovular; at some angles Mona almost looks like a golf club (but which one? I don’t know. I don’t play).
Mona’s handle is slick white plastic while the insertable portion is velvety silicone. Mine is a gorgeous red (orange-based, not purple) but you can also get Mona in grape purple. The silicone is rigid, without any give. The shaft isn’t large and only has a diameter of 1.43″ but I find that it tapers a bit suddenly and, because of this, might not be a great beginner’s toy.
Mona offers about 5″ for insertion with another 3.5″ for the handle. The lines are sleek, making this vibrator look quite modern and attractive. The length was more than sufficient for finding my G-spot and I think most women would be satisfied with the design of Mona.
Mona’s vibrations are fairly strong but a little buzzier than I like. Mona feels drastically weaker than Ina because it only vibrates in one place. I was actually a bit shocked and at the difference in performance. I don’t think that Ina’s shaft is any stronger, it just seems that way when both motors are on. Regardless, Mona offers consistent pressure for G-spot stimulation and is easy to wield (she’s quite light!) if you’re into thrusting.
Mona has a lot of vibration variety, if you’re into that, but they feel a little lame after experiencing Ina. There’s 8 or so settings of steady vibration, slow pulsation, fast pulsation, escalation, up-and down escalation, and a mode of mixed pulsation and escalation. Everything is controlled with 4 buttons. Arrows page backward or forward through the modes while you can adjust strength with plus and minus buttons. You can lock Mona, when not in use, by pressing the plus and minus button simultaneous. I cannot specifically remember if Mona’s instructions were unclear on this point, but I know Ina’s manual did not properly describe how to do this.
I found myself having to press button multiples times with both Mona and Ina. I know others have complained of the same issue. My understanding is that some users could too easily press the buttons on older Lelo designs. It seems a bit like a Goldilocks thing. Too easy, too hard. Give us “just right.”
Mona is rechargeable and comes with an AC adapter. Initially, you must charge the vibrator. The manual explains that Mona’s light will blink when charging and remain lit when charging is complete. Lelo also says charging takes about 2 hours. Lelo claims up to 4 hours of use for every charge but I don’t buy that. Both Mona and Ina seem to die pretty quickly (about an hour, I’d say), especially when using the pulsation settings. There is a noticeable decrease in power when this happens.
If you’ve used other Lelo toys or vibrators with digital motors, then you may be familiar with the high-pitched whine that sometimes occurs. I noticed this only on the last setting of Mona.
Mona comes with a satin bag, typical of Lelo toys. *It also comes in a differently style of packaging. Mona itself is in a plastic and cardboard hanging display. I like the presentation of this but it’s not really practical for consumers; it’s better for stores that wish to display Mona. Ina had a similar package and my experience with them is different. Ina was a bitch to get out but the glue was practically useless on Mona’s packaging so it slid out effortlessly. Once you toss that, though, you’re left with Lelo’s traditional storage box.
Aside from storage, you’ll want to take care of Mona so this sex toy will last you a lifetime. I recommend only water-based lube (Mona is not very comfortable for me without lube) and taking care of the charging port when washing. Mona does have a little cover over hers and it’s fairly secure so this shouldn’t be too hard. Just make sure it’s not submerged or in the direct stream of water. Mona will pick up a little lint so you may want to use a microfiber towel and toss it in the storage pouch as quickly as possible.
If I had to toss all my G-spot vibrators save for one, I’d probably keep Mona. Even though it hasn’t made me squirt like Ina, I will definitely keep practicing. Mona does seem to be significantly stronger than other Lelo vibes (Lily or Elise, for example), which gives me high hopes in the direction they’re taking.
This sex toy review sponsored by Adult Sex Toys : over 8,000 sex toys and adult toys to choose from.
Wet Synergy
from Wet
Wet isn’t the first company to develop a water-silicone hybrid lube but they’re definitely advertising theirs more than other companies (say, Pink). I jumped on the offer to try the new products because they sounded interesting and Wet sent me two bottles: a “regular” version of Synergy and a tingling type.
Each bottle contains 1.9oz of product and is quite tall and narrow with a press-top for dispensing the lube. The regular version has pink detailing against black and silver while the other bottle has teal details. The bottles themselves are cute.
I tried the regular lube first and was pleased to see it was thicker than any silicone lube I’ve ever had. It’s slightly gel-like but definitely not solid. Texture-wise, Synergy feels like a silicone lubricant and doesn’t get sticky like water and lasted well after I was done. I don’t mind silicone lubes with toys–although, most of my toys are also made of silicone so I don’t have that many I can use with it. It’s also scent-free.
I have to be honest, though, I do not like the feel of Synergy for PIV sex. It feels too plastic-y. I never minded condoms but silicone-based lube feels like a physical barrier and reduces my pleasure. Of course, silicone-based lube leaves an interesting feel on your flesh, after use, and that is also true for Synergy.
The tingling version of Synergy is really, really effective. I mean, use with caution. I went a little overboard with it because I wasn’t thinking and my vagina damn near froze off. Toy play seemed to increase the sensation and it was a good 10 or 15 minutes of consistent tingles before it started to fade away. It also seemed to make me negatively sensitive and tender, maybe because of the peppermint, which you can definitely smell during use.
Overall, my experience with tingling Synergy was just a little too much. I think I might be extra sensitive to some cooling/tingling lubes and I would definitely recommend you try out just a bit before diving right into this bottle. I usually do but my mind was elsewhere.
Wet Synergy does contain one ingredient that some folks prefer not to see in their lubes: glycerin. Besides peppermint, the ingredient lists are identical and read as such:
Because I do not especially like the feel of silicone lube for intercourse and most of my toys are silicone, I probably won’t use Synergy frequently. I guess I just prefer water-based lubes and while I did enjoy the fact that this product is thicker than standard silicone lubes, it doesn’t deviate enough for my liking.
If you’re interested, you can request a sample directly from the Synergy website–which is pretty neat! Synergy is not yet for sale in most places so I’m not sure how much it will cost. Wet products are usually fairly reasonable, however.
Couture Collection™- inspire
$71.65
from Store.OfSexAndLove.com
Thus far, I’ve tried 4 or 5 different pieces from the Couture Collection by California Exotic Novelties and they have all been pretty weak if not somewhat attractive in design. The Inspire, however, is not pretty weak. Hell, it’s not even “pretty strong.” It is, by far, the strongest toy I own. In fact, it way well be too strong for me.
Inspire is the third wand style massager I own, after the Miracle Massager and Ideal (which I found to be less than). It’s both stronger and smaller than the Miracle Massager, a vibrator I’ve come to enjoy for its broad head and its strong vibrations. The head of the Inspire is much smaller and rounded which means I have to use the toy in a different way despite its overall genre.
Inspire is also kinda weird in that it’s an electric vibe but you can unplug the adapter from the port on the toy. Initially, I thought this meant that it’s rechargeable, but it’s not. Some people like being able to swap power sources or whatever but this is just kind of confusing to me.
Speaking of confusion, so was the control button, initially. There is a single button. One click turns it on. If you want to increase the setting, you have to press and hold it but a quick click turns off the power. I am constantly turning it off when I want more power or the opposite. It’s supposed to be a little intuitive but maybe I’m a little slow.
Anyway, I find myself really only using the lower settings because it’s hard for me to take a lot of power directly and the Inspire’s vibrations are much more pinpoint than those of the Miracle Massager. The spherical head of the Inspire has a diameter of 1.59″, definitely smaller than most wand massagers. It’s shorter, too, about 7.5″ in total length.
Another interesting aspect of the design is that the head of the Inspire massager is covered 2/3 of the way by a silicone cap. The cap offers a bit of give but the head beneath it is hard plastic. You can take this off to clean it and slip it back on when you’re done. The cap will “gap” around the head if it’s not correctly aligned, however. Just turn it until it sits smoothly. It isn’t seamless, though. Like all silicone, be careful with with silicone based lubes and prepare for lint.
The head of the Inspire is on a flexible neck. I suppose there’s a spring beneath the accordion-folded plastic (maybe silicone?) which coats the neck. It offers a nice range of flexibility; however, liquids can easily find themselves between the folds of the material and it seems a bitch to clean.
I mentioned before that I use this a little differently than the Miracle Massager because of size and shape. I find myself focusing on the left leg of my clitoral organ and move it in quick back and forth movements. I’ve done this with other toys, like the Lily, but it’s definitely easier to hold the Inspire because it has a bigger (but not huge) handle. There’s also a slightly curve to it but I’m not sure if I’d really call it ergonomic. It doesn’t seem to help or hinder my use.
I also mentioned used the Inspire on lower settings because the vibrations are so shaky, they’re almost violent on higher settings. Surprisingly, the Inspire isn’t nearly as loud as you might think. The lower settings are quiet enough to use with the door closed, maybe some white noise. You might have to make sure someone in the same house is pretty distracted with the higher settings, though.
I’m lucky enough to have my bed a few feet from the wall so the cord on the Inspire is more than adequate. It’s a bit over 8′ long, actually. The cord is thicker than those of Lelo style chargers. However, not so thick that my cats haven’t tried chewing on it. Yuck. When the Inspire is plugged in, a red light glows on the handle.
Ultimately, the inspire gave me a few good orgasms. The kind that leave you all sweaty yet you still want to get off just one more time. Or maybe that’s just me. But I don’t think it will be my go-to toy because it’s not quite my style.
Pure Sex Pheromone Spray
My first experience with pheromones was at a sex toy party at the last base we lived at. The company rep basically told us that because pheromones are registered in the nose but aren’t actually smells, we will think there is a smell and as the pheromones mix with your individual chemical makeup, that “smell” we think is there will be different for every person. So we dabbed some pheromones on our wrists and I “smelled” quite nice, thank you very much. But I forgot about the concept for a couple of years cause it wasn’t like I was lacking sex.
The idea of a his-and-hers type pheromone spray was attractive, though, as was the packaging. Pipedream did well with the black box (with silver details) contrasting with the bright blue and pink liquid. Unless you’re not very fond of hetero-normative implications, which the blue/pink dichotomy certainly suggests. Sorry. In the event that you didn’t notice the bright colours, the blue bottle has the “male” symbol and the pink has the “female” symbol.
So this narrow box houses a double-ended tube, like some lipgloss-type products. There is a magnetic flap on top, similar to Fun Factory toys that you can lift to see the product. The tubes themselves are clear glass, and the blue or pink liquid really looks awesome and kind of.. chemistry-ish. The silver band in the middle is the cap for both little spray bottles; you pull one off to use it. This means that you can’t separate the pair and still cap them both. It’s kind of a minor annoyance but something I couldn’t help but notice.
Spray bottles are pretty easy to use, right? So spray onto your pulse points (neck, wrists and some other place I forget) and let the product go to work. Except, it kind of smells like gross chemicals when you initially spray it. It fades, and then you cannot smell anything at all. I’d almost rather smell like chemicals, so I know it’s there.
Regardless, Pure Sex Pheromone Spray just doesn’t seem to work in practice. Only one time out of five or so seemed to elicit any response, and I’m willing to bet it was because I’m dead sexy or, at the very least, the circumstances surrounding it. That’s not a very impressive track record.
Honestly, I think it would help if this produced any sort of scent at all so it would have the “I’m so naughty, I’m wearing pheromones” thing going for it. I know products like these sometimes seem to work simply because of the power suggestion but Pure Sex Pheromone Spray didn’t even offer me that.
Much to-do about nothing, I suppose. I recommend you buy a nice perfume or cologne, instead.
Bunny Tickler Vibrator
N/A
from SheVibe
I was sort of surprised that the Bunny Tickler got me off at all. I mean, it’s so small (about the size of a pocket rocket but thinner). It’s only one speed and I don’t traditionally fair well with toys made of little shapes. When I use regular rabbit vibes, it’s always the body of the rabbit/bullet that I try to get against my clit, instead of the ears. But the Bunny Tickler is cute, like all the bright coloured vibes in the Tickler Line, and I thought it might work for G-spot stimulation cause mine is so shallow and easily stimulated.
Let’s get that out of the way. The ears on the Bunny Tickler can reach my G-spot (they’re about an inch long or so) but do not provide firm enough pressure to do much of anything. However, the silicone of this vibe–which isn’t quite shiny nor velvety–offers some firmness so it doesn’t flutter freely like jelly rabbits. I imagine many people would pick this specific vibe because they want that feature but they would be out of luck.
Still, you can separate the ears enough to surround your clit and this is an interesting sensation. It’s not how I got off, however. I found myself using the top of the bunny’s nose more because I like broader surfaces. Sometimes the ears simply wound up in the way and, for whatever reason, I had a hard time telling exactly where they were situated, too, but maybe I’m just not super sensitive.
And I did get off, more than once, with the Bunny Tickler, once I found a good spot. I used it in a similar manner to how I used Lelo’s Lily, except the Tickler is easier on my hand because it has a short handle. But I probably wouldn’t reach for the Bunny Tickler over most other toys.
That’s because I have a lot of clitoral vibes which have adjustable settings. The Bunny Tickler, which is powered by 1 N battery (which is included), only has one setting. It’s more high pitched than it is rumbly; although it’s not ridiculously weak. However, it’s extremely easy for the initial tingle of the vibrator to fade, leaving my body wondering “What’s next?”
The Bunny Tickler is easy to use, if not a bit fickler. There’s a single push button on the end. It’s not too hard nor too difficult to push. I have noticed that the battery cap, which screws on, needs to be at exactly the precise position for the Bunny Tickler to work, though. That’s a tad annoying.
But once it’s screwed on, the cap is secure and you can take this rabbit into the shower or tub, with you. I’m not a big bath-time-masturbater but I appreciate toys which are as least splash proof for cleaning. Because the Bunny Tickler is small and, coincidentally, pretty quiet (a light buzz), it might be something you could use in the shower, if you share an apartment. Although, you may not have great luck with water based lube in the shower. I’d also like the add, the specific type of silicone used in the Bunny Tickler doesn’t seem to collect as much lint as usual.
I guess this is a short post for a short toy. d= The Bunny Tickler is cute and functional, although not ground breaking of multi-function. It’s probably good for beginners or those who don’t need something super powerful. Some folks will find it does nothing more than.. tickle.
Corset Vibrator
$33
from Amazon
Like Juliettia, I wanted the Corset Vibrator from Babeland mostly because of looks. I like corsets and I like vibrators and was thrilled when Babeland offered it up for review again (they ran out of stock last time).
But something about the Corset vibe is just a little confusing and I’m not talking about the name change. The package actually calls it the Girdle Vibe and I suspect that makes sense because Touche is a European country. I get that Babeland would change the name because the idea of a girdle is just not sexy to Americans but, no, something else is more confusing.
It started with the batteries. Touche provided 2AAs which is pretty neat. I unscrewed the battery cap at the end and slid them in and then I spent about 5 minutes trying to get the damned cap back on. Now, I’ve talked to someone else who did not have that problem but I actually thought there was some defect issue with the threading on either the cap or the vibe itself. The inside of the cap doesn’t have continuous threading and it can be a bit tricky to get it lined up. However, I have gotten better at it.
So I get the cap on and I am staring at this beast. I mean the Corset Vibe is just much bigger than I expected. I figured the size would be similar to the Evolved Seduction which also has a similar shape but I was wrong. It’s almost 8.5″ long and its girth varies between 4 3/16″ and 5 5/8.” Definitely not something I’d suggest for beginners.
The design itself mimics a corset with the center of the shaft being the narrowest while the vibrator gradually expands toward either end. The insertable end also tapers to a slight point. There’s also a pattern embossed/engraved into the silicone, on the back of the vibrator. It is styled like the ribbons on the back of a corset–hence the name–so the overall design really works well.
The size genuinely surprised me but it wasn’t confusing. It came when I went to turn on the Corset vibe but nothing happened. So I switched batteries. Nothing. I switched back. Eventually I picked up the manual (actually, there are 2 and there are instructions in like a dozen languages) or something and I realized you have to press the button for several seconds before it turns on. It’s not a big deal now that I know it, but it was annoying having to figure it out and I know others had the same problem. I do slightly prefer vibes which turn on faster.
So I got it on but I wasn’t sure if it was working. Yes, my confusion continued. You see, the Corset Vibe didn’t seem to go on to a steady vibration setting like vibrators usually do. I played around with the settings but it seems like Touche really missed the mark. After some experimenting, I have come to realize that the first 3 settings are supposed to be steady vibration but the “low” and “medium” modes are extremely rumbly, almost spastic which makes them seem like they maybe aren’t steady. The highest mode of steady vibration is normal, however. These settings are followed by a pulsation and escalation setting (1 each).
The whole rumbly vibration thing makes it a little hard to gauge the strength of the Corset Vibe. The first 2 settings feel pretty strong but almost like they’re not performing how they should be. In comparison, the highest steady setting is a bit weak and I didn’t particularly care for the escalation mode.
The noise output from the Corset Vibe is a bit much. It’s not going to wake the neighbours or anything but I think similar vibes are a bit quieter. The Corset Vibe is getting up there a bit, like some rabbit vibes
So once my confusion was cleared up, I spent a bit of time with the Corset Vibe but I wasn’t blown away. The tapered head felt a bit pointy and although you can bend the shaft a bit, the shape didn’t do a whole lot for me. While the vibrations are centered right in the head, the Corset Vibe is long enough that it wants to slide right past my G-spot.
While I could feel the texture provided by the corset detailing; I didn’t like it or not like it. I suppose if you use a bit more lube (water-based, only) than usual, you can minimize this effect a bit. Be prepared to spend extra time cleaning up any lubes or liquids, however. The ribbon design provides a ton of nooks and crannies for gunk.
But it is pretty. If you’re a collector, the corset vibe will surely look pretty on a shelf or in your hand. It’s just a bit more novel than practical and I’m not sure that this is enough of a reason for me to have to struggle with all the quirks.
Rechargable Vibrator Aurora
$133.32
from AdultSexToys
I like attractive looking toys. I like rechargeable toys. I like high tech toys and the Aurora vibrator definitely seems to be all of those. I couldn’t help but notice this sex toy with its sleek lines and flashing lights.
Let’s get down to it, shall we?
Aurora is a straight shafted vibrator with an interesting shape. It’s not cylindrical like many insertables. Rather, it has 3 edges running the length of the shaft making it something like a prism. The edges tape to a very gentle point at the end, whereas the prismatic shape continues at the base as well. Aurora’s shaft is made of silicone. It feels velvety but is quite rigid for most the shaft (except for the very tip). This, in combination with the 3 edges simply makes Aurora painful.
Every time I insert Aurora, I have to turn it so it doesn’t feel like it’s cutting through my flesh. That’s not an exaggeration at all. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, either, cause the buttons are downward facing in use. So, if I turn them they’re more upward facing and thus more accessible. It’s still annoying to have a vibrator hurt, however.
The buttons themselves are also very interesting. Aurora has a total of 3 buttons–two opposite facing arrows and a square button in between. The middle button serves as the power button which first turns on continuous vibrations. You can control the intensity with the arrow buttons. Strangely enough, the power button also switches modes. I didn’t realize this as first because it’s just odd but when you want to turn off Aurora, you simply press and hold this button.
The vibrations themselves may not be satisfying to all. Some modes seem to be a lot deeper while others are ticklingly, high pitched. Like the order of the modes, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason for this but I do prefer my vibrations deeper.
There are 10 total vibration modes; at least, the product description says that but it’s really hard to tell. Even though each mode is represented by a different colour LED light at the base, I can’t tell what the order is. I have to press the square button a random amount of times (it has taken more than 2 dozen clicks to do this) to finally get back to the steady setting which is a real bummer if you accidentally change settings. It’s ridiculous that it’s easier and quicker to turn off the toy to get back to the setting you want.
Assuming you find the mode you want, you can increase the intensity which I do like. There seem to be about 4 or 5 intensities for both continuous vibration and the pulsation modes. Because there are 9 pulsation modes, I’m not going to name them all. Suffice it to say that they all blend together after a while. The light indicators would be more useful if I could figure out the order of the modes and, also, if the toy curved upward. I just don’t use toys in a way that typically allows me to see the lights and, because of the painful edges, I usually have them turned away from me, anyway.
The lights are more helpful during charging, however. They indicate charging status. I believe the lights change colour when charging but the Aurora glows a steady blue when fully charged. The manual instructs that about 2.5 hours are needed to fully charge to provide an equivalent amount of use. It’s quite neat to look at against the black or dark red (wine) plastic of the base (this plastic also has tiny sparkles you can see) but I feel as though this feature is almost gratuitous, wasteful.
The base itself is pretty but gratuitous. The shape is all contemporary but does not allow Aurora to sit on a flat surface like a table which is something I like to see. Of course, it does stand upright in its base/charging dock. The dock itself is light and cheap feeling. Maybe that’s just par for the course with charging docks, though. There is no other storage option included with Aurora. It seems as though the height of vibrator and charger might make it a bit more.. wobbly.
The vibrator itself is already quite tall at 9″, 6.5″ of which are insertable. It feels like much more to me. The awkward shape of the shaft negates my typical view of girth, too. Aurora is “only” 1.47″ in diameter at its widest but the angles are still (painfully) felt. Definitely wouldn’t recommend this one to newcomers (if I were recommending it at all!). Plus, it doesn’t taper very much.
Either way, the shape is a bit boring. Carnivalesque reviewed Aurora and suggested a G-spot curve would be more pleasurable. I have to agree. This vibrator just doesn’t hit the right spots for me.
On an ending note, Aurora has two seams running up the shaft. One of then follows one of the edges while the other is in the middle of a flat part. They’re easy to see and feel with a finger. I didn’t especially notice them during use but it’s annoying.
And when it comes to noise, Aurora is fairly quiet. Not silent but quiet enough to use with the door closed and perhaps some white noise.
I would recommend soap and water for washing but the manual doesn’t specify any care instructions except to “let dry in a shady area.” I certainly wouldn’t submerge this vibrator, either.
Aurora is another one of those toys that seems to be created by a graphic designer with no idea what makes a toy functional. It’s definitely frustrating for the user.
This sex toy review sponsored by Adult Sex Toys : over 8,000 sex toys and adult toys to choose from.
