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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I’ve also reviewed sexual health goodies.
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Petite Pink Ribbon
N/A
from
This is an archived review of a discontinued product.
The Pink Ribbon Petite arrived in very minimal yet classy packaging. The vibrator, instructions, and included batteries (AA, but it’s still nice) were nestled in a tiny cardboard box over which slid a plastic sheath with the product name. Although it wasn’t as nice as, say, Lelo’s packaging, it was definitely less wasteful, and I appreciate that.
The Petite truly lives up to its name (which translates to small), being only 4 inches long. Ideally, it should fit in your hand but I found that this small plastic vibrator was a little too ‘boxy’ in parts, like on the sides. Although it seems to be curved well for a woman’s body, I think a more pronounced curve would fit better in my hand. I was much more comfortable holding and using the Laya Spot. I think it significant to mention that my hands are pretty small so this may be a personal preference.
The Pink Ribbon Petite is a special vibrator, however. First, some proceeds will go toward the fight against breast cancer. I think this is a noble effort, but it would be interesting to know just how much a “portion” is. Secondly, the plastic is treated so that it feels velvety. Holding the Petite in my hand feels great because of its texture. The Petite is also feminine and cute, discreet, comes with batteries and is easy to operate.
The Petite is not, however, my sex toy of choice. Starting with the shape, which was just a little awkward for my hand and also did not work to lay this toy flat against my mons. The curve was just not enough. Because of it’s specific shape, it really doesn’t work so well holding it any other way (like with the controls toward my vagina rather than up toward my mons).
The controls are also something that makes little sense to me. First, they’re situated in a strange place. When holding this, the heel of my hand is over the controls rather than my fingers and I’m pretty sure I’m doing it “right.” This 3-speed vibrator caught me off guard when I realized the horizontal switch first moves to the highest setting, then medium, then low. So it’s Off-High-Medium-Low. I forgot one time, warmed myself up on the highest setting, thought I’d turn it higher and was disappointed when I realized that was the highest setting.
So you can probably guess my next point, which is that the vibrations are not so impressive. My clit isn’t super sensitive; I never get off from vibration alone and to even feel relatively stimulated, I need a decent vibrator. The vibrations in the Petite are rather small. In fact, rather than increasing in power when I turn up the settings, they tend to increase in frequency which doesn’t really do much for me. At the highest setting, it’s more like an annoying buzz. Because of this, I would only recommend using this toy directly on your skin (not through panties, which is something I like to do).
Nevertheless, vibrations aren’t usually the deal breaker for me. I love pressure and if I can rub a toy against me in the right way, I can get off without vibrations (I did this with the Laya Spot). I just couldn’t do it with the Petite. Natural Contours tried to create something that would work well for most females, and maybe I just don’t fall into that category, or maybe they failed. Although velvety on the outside, this toy is overall hard. When trying to rub the curved end around my clit and labia, it hurt if I applied any pressure. I think a combination of shape and material just makes this toy ineffective for that purpose.
As I wind down my review, I’m disappointed. I could not orgasm with this toy and I have had orgasms with some pretty crappy toys. I cannot see this toy working for anything more than warm up and it probably won’t even work well for that. It’s a looker but that’s about all. The biggest impression the vibrations left upon me was that of annoyance and the shape and feel just did not lend itself well to applying pressure. The controls are awkward, both in function and position.
In my opinion, the benefits (donation, batteries included, texture, look) simply pale in comparison to the disadvantages of the Pink Ribbon Petite. If you’re shopping for a clitoral vibrator, I would recommend any Siri over this one. If you want to lend a helping hand, a full donation to a charity would likely do more good.
Laya Spot
N/A
from
This is an archived review of a discontinued product. Fun Factory has released newer versions, the Laya II and III.
The Laya Spot might be small but it should never be underestimated. This toy’s tiny stature was both surprisingly small yet enough to get me off time and again. It has quickly rekindled the passionate spark in masturbation for me, causing me to increase my frequency. I would not be lying if this was the only toy I could for the rest of my sexual life, I would be satisfied and I think everyone with a clit should own one. Period.
No matter how detailed a toy’s description is, I am nearly always surprised at its size when it finally shows up. Perhaps it was because of the close-ups of the Laya Spot, but I didn’t realize it was so tiny. It’s no mini bullet but it easily fits in the palm of my hand, making masturbation much more effortless than before.
My Laya Spot is black and purple with the main body of the toy being a softer black Elastomed and the controls and battery cap a hard purple plastic. This makes it a fairly hypoallergenic toy which can be cleaned with soap and water but Fun Factory does not recommend boiling or wiping down with alcohol so I’m not sure it can be sterilized.
Overall, it’s a quality toy, which even the packaging suggests. I had heard that Fun Factory has impressive packaging, and I must concur. The Laya Spot came in a box which didn’t waste a lot of space or packaging. The box contained two “flaps,” with a bit of information about the toy. These flaps folded down and stayed in place with small magnets. My Laya Spot also came with a small instruction sheet (in several languages) and a sample of Fun Factory’s water-based (thus safe for everything) lube, ToyFluid.
The Laya Spot is a really unique shaped toy which I think is its best selling point. The rounded ends work perfectly for stimulation, and I think this toy would work well for women of all shapes and sizes, as well as perhaps even regular massages. With my fingers reaching toward the controls and the heel of my hand resting over the battery pack, I can easily control the Laya Spot. I use it like the instructions suggest, placing the Laya Spot over my mons. However, it could be used in a variety of ways – perhaps with the battery pack stimulating the vaginal opening, which I didn’t try. The placement I like would also work well during many sexual positions, but I’ve never tried that.
This position worked well when it came to using the controls. For the most part, I could reach and use the controls which include 2 buttons. Holding the + button turns it on (while holding the – button turns it off) or increases the vibration. After the highest level, which I thought was pretty impressive for this small toy, it begins a couple patterns of pulsation. So you have a lot of options, quite literally, at your fingertips.
Although the vibrations were very nice, I used this toy without having it on and also got off. I think the innovate shape is that effective. I also didn’t love the pulsation settings so I kept it on regular vibration most of the time. There are something like 7 levels of vibration so that certainly didn’t disappoint.
Most of the time, I used the Laya Spot through my panties. This wasn’t for any real reason, but it definitely worked out. I finally decided I wanted to try out this little toy with the included lube so I lubed it up, slipped out of my clothes and began my merry journey. The combination of no fabric and lube provided a sensational vibrating feeling, and the tip of the Laya Spot glided easily when I directed it with my hand. I soon came a handful of times.
I have yet to play with the Laya Spot and not orgasm so I’ve been pretty impressed. I also have had very satisfying orgasms with this toy and I am the queen of frustratingly unsatisfying orgasms so that says a lot. In fact, I feel so relaxed after playing with the Laya Spot. I’m usually so uptight about everything and something about this little toy just clicks with me and is extremely pleasing.
I also love that it’s small enough to take just about anywhere, which I imagine I will do in the future. It’s shape makes it fairly discreet so people won’t automatically know what it is. It is a little loud for its size, especially on higher settings but it’s not something you’ll hear through a wall.
So, is there anything I don’t like about the Laya Spot? The answer is “yes,” sadly. It’s only splash-proof, not waterproof. It would be damned near perfect if it were waterproof. The battery cap does seem pretty snug but I am not going to risk it. The battery cap is another issue. After inserting batteries (2 AAA), I didn’t close it all the way. The last little push you need to firmly close the cap, which twists on, is pretty hard so it can seem fully closed before it is. Before I realized this, the cap popped off a couple of inopportune times.
Finally, and I don’t know if it’s just me, but the Laya Spot had a rather offensive odor when I first opened it. It was something like super-condensed BO. It has gotten better as I have washed it a few times since then and generally keep it in the fresh air. I really don’t know what this is about. I haven’t really read any reviews where others have experienced the same thing, so I don’t know if it’s necessarily a material smell or what, but it’s really, really unpleasant. Luckily, everything else about this vibrator is so impressive, or I might have given up on it.
If you like clit stimulation, the Laya Spot is a great vibrator, any way you look at it. The unique shape made this an amazing toy, even when used without vibration, and I cannot recommend it enough!
Five Minute Erotica
12.86
from Amazon
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I sometimes feel as though I spend more time looking for masturbation material than I do actually using it. Although images and movies and literature are available by the truckloads online, it’s not always easy to find quality material (and, let’s face it, I’m cheap) which is free. While Five Minute Erotica isn’t necessarily free, it’s reasonably priced and will be your own volume to peruse on many occasions, which I believe you will.
Five Minute Erotica is full of – as you might have guessed – short stories and prose, also known as sudden fiction. Most of the nearly 40 stories range between one and five pages, so it’s perfect if you’re already revved up and just need something to get your engine going. Of course, if you want to read a handful of stories, this anthology will work well. However, this is probably not the type of erotica best for those who like lots of character development. While filled with characters and surprisingly powerful events and relationships, the point of this is not to be prolonged. If you know you want something quick and easy, this is it.
Also, while everything is sexual in nature, it’s not always about sexual things happening. Some of the stories simply show us glimpses into the sexual thoughts of characters, such as what they like or abstract memories. Sex isn’t always happening, but it’s there. When I began the book, I wasn’t in the mood, but a couple of stories helped to change it, and the short stories didn’t require much effort from me as a reader to do so.
I liked that the stories’ authors, themes, styles, and formats were varied. Some dealt with sex with strangers or lovers and even voyeurism. One story was in the form of an e-mail between lovers, while another used only commas for punctuation. Written in third and first person, by women and men, there really is a little bit of everything here. I would guess that most people would be satisfied (if they’re interested in this sort of thing) although I can’t guarantee you’ll like everything. I quickly skipped over a story that had toe-sucking in it (sorry, that’s a “No” thing to me), and, of course, there are some I forgot. Overall, however, I enjoyed this book, and it’s certainly of a higher caliber than what is readily available online.
Among my favorites was a story with tentacle sex, where a young woman who is driving becomes lost and abducted by aliens only to experience pleasure-giving mouths at the ends of tentacles. In A Closer Encounter, Blake C Aaren writes:
An infinite number of tentacles rove all over Tasha’s body. Stroking, caressing, inching. Nibbling. A tentacle of her own -of her wetness- trails down the inside of Tasha’s thigh.
This isn’t my normal flavor of erotica, but the writing did it for me!
I also really enjoyed a story in which a woman is dressed as a cat for a party and engages in intercourse with her partner. During the session, she acts and verbalizes as only a cat. I was intrigued by the role-playing in this story, Bad Kitty, told by Thomas Roche.
I wonder if it is a coincidence that the stories most memorable for me are written by men or, for that matter, that they are more unusual. I must say, though, that most of the stories are of a more vanilla style, which is fine by me but might be a little tame for some. Aside from some very light bondage, Five Minute Erotica does not cater to those with taboo or kinky fetishes. Still, it’s a good, light read.
Overall, I think Carol Queen did a good job as editor, picking high-quality stories by writers of all sorts of notoriety. She also contributed a piece herself – The Bounty of Summer – after which I will never look at fruit the same again. While I didn’t enjoy the first story being the one that uses only commas for punctuation (I found this a confusing opening piece), I found it easy to go from one story right into the next.
Other than that, I wasn’t distracted by language errors like I’ve done with amateur erotica in the past, which pleased me immensely. I did notice that the margins are rather small, and I wasn’t overly fond of the font used for headings and the table of contents.
Although I read this from beginning to end, you can easily pick up just about anywhere in the book, which is one of the pluses of such a gathering of stories. This would make a great book for partners to read aloud to each other (although I did not because it’s not our thing). Another plus is the author blurbs at the end of the book. If you really like an author, it can help to point you to their other published pieces.
The downfall of such a collection is that if you find something you like, it isn’t going to last forever. Also, if you want something, in particular, you might not find (enough of) it because this book does cram in such a variety.
This was a great foray into erotica for me. Now that I have read more erotica, I can confidently say that I look back at this book fondly–and keep meaning to reread it. If you’re looking for something to get you in the mood for some playtime, whether alone or with a partner, consider Five Minute Erotica. The dozens of wonderfully self-contained narratives in this collection are sure to start the libidinous wheels a-turning.
Luna Pleasure Bead System
$59
from SheVibe
Lelo now sells three versions of Luna Beads, including an updated pair with silicone cord, Mini Luna Beads, and Luna Beads Noir.
When I requested the Luna Pleasure Bead System to review by Babeland, I expected a high-quality set vaginal exercise balls to facilitate Legels and possibly add pleasure.
In reality, I got a quality set of vaginal balls which may well help strengthen my PC muscles, but that doesn’t soar above comparable tools.
What I think is that the value of having two pairs of weighted balls is somewhat exaggerated, and while it sounds novel, there isn’t much to back up the claims. I would have been a little more satisfied with one set of balls because this is a solid product. I wanted to badly to love my first Lelo product, but unfortunately, I only like it.
What worked for me are the baby blue and pink pairs of weighted balls, which look quite elegant in their stretchy silicone holder (and stay in place due to notched ridges in the beads themselves) and the subtle movement of the balls within to remind me periodically of the balls within myself. I also enjoyed the sleek, white cardboard box in which the product arrived. This contained a black storage box with a tray for both sets of balls which is nondescript enough to keep on your bathroom counter or nightstand without drawing notice to itself and, if someone is curious, the balls themselves do not look like sex toys.
The white satin pouch provides even more discreet storage options and works well if you are traveling with your Luna Beads. However, the instructions and pouch are both stored beneath the balls and I didn’t even realize they were there for nearly a week! While I like the storage box, the plastic cover on top of the balls is quite difficult to remove sometimes.
What didn’t work so well for me was the bare retraction string, which felt unhygienic without a coating and sometimes cut into my finger during removal. The subtle “vibrations” of the inner balls were not pleasurable. The large size of the Luna Beads made it unnecessary to use my PC muscles to keep them from falling out. Removal also was difficult because there was a suction effect between the “crown” bead and my vagina, hence the string cutting into my finger (however, the string has proved strong thus far).
It was also difficult to insert initially (insertion proved easier over time). Don’t try it without lube!
The biggest problem with the Luna Beads is that the idea of incremental resistance to increase PC muscle control is dubious at best. Starting with the lighter beads and moving to the heavier ones would make sense if one or both pairs were of different sizes. Because they are so large, it’s not any harder to keep the heavier balls inside. The heavier balls don’t really offer any more ‘resistance”. There is no way the Luna Beads are going to fall out of anyone during normal activities. In fact, because it’s easier to feel the “vibrations” of the heavier balls, it makes more sense to me to start with them and move on to the harder-to-feel vibrations of the lighter balls once your PC muscles are strong.
Furthermore, although the instructions simply say the vaginal balls will work best during activities like running or swimming, these are not a passive tool, in my opinion. The instructions include no actual suggestions for activities to do when the Luna Beads are inserted and I think this would be valuable material.
While using the Luna Beads, I masturbated, peed, walked, sat, lay, and did other activities. I found them fairly comfortable but often forgot they were even in, which seems a bit counterproductive. They do make an audible sound when you’re moving, but once you add layers of clothes or background noises, others will not hear. While peeing, one ball did slip out, but I was able to stop it from falling out completely. Orgasming with the Luna Beads inside did not feel all that different than without.
Overall, Luna Beads are a quality product but the effect of having two pairs of weighted balls is minimal. I expected more from the two sets of balls and feel slightly disappointed in that respect. I would be more satisfied if this were simply one set of balls. As a single set of vaginal balls, the heavier of the Luna Beads does seem to work well. After using them about five times, I do feel I have more control over my muscles and I will continue to use them periodically. However, I am not overly put off because I do not feel I need to use vaginal balls.
Sadly, this is an archived review as Phallix no longer appears to be available to buy. Glas makes a dildo with similar textures.
What did I do when I decided I wanted to try a glass toy, sometihng with more texture or get into more G-spot stimulation? I decided – what the hell – why not do it all. And that’s what I did when I requested to review the Double Happiness glass dildo from Tabu Toys. This small but mighty toy tackles all those new areas for me as well as one more: it’s my first dildo!
One of the reasons I had not tried a glass dildo before is the high price range. I know that they’re loved by pretty much everyone who tries them but I was wary of paying that much for something I didn’t know if I would like. I recall wondering if glass would be too hard because I have a tendency to clamp down on toys. Would it hurt? I’m glad to say that all of my fears were for naught. This double ended glass dildo by Phallix wasn’t painful in any way and the glass gave sensations different form any other toy in my collection.
At just 3/4″ in diameter, the double Happiness is not the biggest toy I’ve inserted. In fact, if you read my review of the Passion Wave, you will see that I’m a recent convert to the idea of bigger toys. But would this smaller, glass dildo do it for me? I’m happy to say “yes.” I experienced no negatives due to the size of this toy, proving once and for all that size isn’t everything.
What this toy is lacking in size it more than makes up for in texture. This dildo has a slight curve and each end is shaped with a head. One end is “wrapped” to create ridges while the other end contains more than a dozen pleasure causing bumps. These textures rise from the shaft about 1/4′ of an inch and do provide a slightly larger girth. This is also where the 24 Karat gold is contained. I must admit, images of this toy online make it seem like the wrapped end has a thin but clear strip of gold within the spiral wrapping. However, in person it would be nearly impossible to tell this glass dildo has 24 Karat gold in it. The “fuming” process which Phallix use does not make it appear as though gold is physically within the glass; however, there is a slight shimmer in the pink bumps and ridges when looking at the toy in the right light and from the right angle.
Although labeled as a double dildo, I find the 7″ shaft is much too small for partner play. The curve is also not enough that you would be able to stimulate the clitoris at the same time as the G-spot. Nevertheless, I was satisfied with this dildo. Its weight felt significant and the quality was high. I know this toy will be apart of my collection for many years to come.
I first used the Double Happiness in the shower. It easily slid between my pussy lips without any lube at all. It makes sense that glass would glide much easier than silicone and plastic toys but I was still surprised at the ease of penetration. I was relieved not to have to worry about functions and speed and waterproof capabilities for once. There was no pain, only a perfectly shaped dildo between my legs.
I experimented with this glass dildo and quickly came to the realization that I much preferred the bumps over the ridges (perhaps if they were spaced further apart). The texture of this dildo made thrusts that much powerful. Where, before, I was relying on fast and hard thrusts to find pleasure, the defined texture of this toy provided as much sensation with smaller, softer strokes. I could easily feel the little bumps moving against my G-spot and it wasn’t long before I was feeling pleasure much more satisfying than the ‘stimulation’ I’d felt previously from other G-spot toys.
I finished up my shower satisfied but without cumming. I cleaned off the dildo – which was extremely easy to do with the glass – and slipped it into its provided pink satin cinch sac. I love the sac because I know my toy will be easy to find and storage safely. I could do with the white lace trim which does remind me of something a grandmother might wear.
Another day eventually came and I tried this fresh out of the shower, in bed. I applied just a bit of lube and, again, the Double Happiness dildo slid easily into my pussy. Almost immediately, I was feeling pleasure from the ridges and it seemed to press against my G-spot perfectly. Again, I did not orgasm but I really enjoyed the sensations of this toy. I had no idea texture could do so much and the hard glass really helps define the bumps and ridges.
If I have any complaints about this toy, it is the packaging. The plastic clam shell packaging is very bland. In fact, the toy name is not on it. I suspect this is because Phallix uses the same packaging for several of its glass dildos. To me, doing this (and using plastic clam shells to begin with) doesn’t give the right impression. Phallix could easily afford to take measures which say “We are a company making high end toys.”
Overall, I was surprised at just how much pleasure this curved dildo brought. The combination of glass and texture felt divine and while I have yet to orgasm from this toy, I am not giving up hope for the future!
Passion Wave Stimulator
$127.71
from TabuToys
I have to admit that I haven’t test driven another toy like I have the Passion Wave Rabbit. I really like this toy. Really. I was a little surprised when I returned home and opened a box from TabuToys contain the Passion Wave and a few other goodies. I was ecstatic when I realized that this rabbit vibrator is cousin to the Passion Wave butterfly which I had been admiring in a sex shop not a week earlier!
As the name implies, rather than beads or rotation, the draw of this vibrator is a wavelike motion. I found it really cool. Just look at it and you will almost be mesmerized. It is a slightly neater effect through the translucent material of the Passion Wave Butterfly; the Passion Wave is covered with a slightly thicker, opage TPR material which is very red. Nevertheless, I think the Passion Wave might just become my go-to toy from here on out.
I was looking for something a little different from other sex toys and this vibrator certainly fits the bill. I also wanted to try some larger toys and at 5 1/2″ insertable and with a 1 3/4″ diameter, this toy certainly fits the bill. I must admit I was a bit shocked at just how large it is when I pulled it out of its plain, cardboard box. It seemed both too long and too large in girth but I was more than willing to give it a go.
I was really impressed when I first tested out the settings on this. The three settings for the clitoral bunny attachment are pretty powerful and I was impressed. I only really used it on the lowest setting and I was quite satisfied. The toy does seem to make a fair deal more noise as you turn up the intensity and that was slightly distracting. Like the bullet, the wave motion has 3 settings that increase in speed. I did not think the speed difference in the rolling motion was all the noticeable when I was just touching the toy with my hand but I did notice how whiney the toy became. It was certainly not the most pleasant sound.
Initially, I had to take a longer time to insert this toy than I normally would have even though I was using a fair deal of water based lube. While I generally like rabbit vibes, I’ve had some encounters where the angle of the shaft does not feel natural and I was worried that this would be an even greater issue due to the size of the Passion Wave. It was not. The fit was perfect. I felt wonderfully full and penetrated as I slid the slightly ribbed shaft inside and the clitoral attachment hit me perfectly. All along I had been worried about toys being too large and here maybe the opposite was true! LOL
I must admit that the wave sensation was not as noticeable as I would have liked, especially when used with the vibrating bullet. It would be nice if instead of the wave going faster, it went bigger or more but I’m not even sure how that would be possible. Because of this, I would recommend turning the wave motion on first before the bullet. However, I think it was definitely an increased sensation on my G-spot when I had this function on.
The way I’ve played with this toy is unlike any other toy I have. To put it mildly, I fucked the hell out of myself. I found it especially enjoyable leaning over the bed, reaching behind to thrust the toy in and out of my pussy roughly. I came easily and powerfully and I the contractions my pussy made as I came were very noticeable. The amount of time it took me to cum was remarkable shorter than even other toys I really enjoy.
Although I couldn’t detect the waves that well, and I even used the toy with just the vibration several times, I think it did add something that increased the intensity of my orgasm. In fact, as I finished and withdrew the shaft, I was surprised to find the Passion Wave was dripping with my cum. This vibrator may very well have helped me to ejaculate for the first time!
Honestly, I was too busy having an orgasm to reverse the motion of the waves or notice any sounds that the toy made and I have yet to use it in the shower to test out its waterproof capabilities but I look forward to a long life with my Passion Wave vibrator and can only imagine the quality time we will spend together in the future.
I was impressed with the power of this toy and both functions worked very well when they were on full speed. I should hope so because it takes 4 AA batteries which were a little difficult to install in the battery pack. For its size, it seems like there would be plenty of room for a C battery or 2. Another slight downfall to this toy is that it’s made of TPR which is slightly porous and cannot be disinfected. As much loving as I think I will give this toy, I think a higher quality silicone would ensure a longer life of my new bunny buddy.
If the Passion Wave is anything, it’s true to its name: I certainly feel passionate about this toy!
