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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Update: I have even accidentally put this through the washing machine, and it’s held up pretty well!
Since my husband’s return, I’ve made more of an effort to get into BDSM which meant I needed a quality blindfold (and more “hardcore” cuffs but that’s something else entirely). Kinklba’s Padded Leather Blindfold seemed to fit the bill. It was contoured to fit the face better than cheap “sleep mask” type blindfolds and was affordably priced in the $20 like many leather blindfolds.
The padded leather blindfold arrived in a functional plastic tube type container. On each end is a black plastic cap while the tube itself is clear. There is a paper insert with the product name and a picture of a woman wear it which isn’t explicit but does indicate the nature of the product. I thought I could pull off the top of the container by the little loop but it broke. Instead, I had to press in the sides to break the seal and then pop it off. It’s very secure which is good but a little bit of a hassle if you want to use it for storage; however, it’s a decent storage solution because the loop (if you don’t break it off) makes it able to be hung.
As the name suggests, this blindfold is padded and leather. The front side is a stiffer leather and you can see the stitches, in black, around the edge. The sewing is well done without any loose threads. The back, which sits against the face, has a softer padding where it would sit across the eyes. The edges are flush and flat feeling; they’re not silky soft or uber uncomfortable. The elastic strap is securely stitched to either side; on one side is also a clothing-style tag which the Kinklab label which also says it’s made in the USA.
During use, I found my eyes to be comfortable but the edges above the nose and toward the side applied pressure to my face. I could feel the stiffer leather around the edges where there was no padding. My husband did not experience this problem, however; I would attribute this to specific facial builds and the fact that the blindfold seems to be pretty big; at its widest, it’s nearly 3″ tall, which seems pretty big to me, and the bridge is over 1″ thick which I think is the cause of my personal discomfort. Of course, I do have a smaller face than some. This mask is bound to fit some people better than others.
This is especially true because it is secured by a simple elastic strap. Lying flat, the blindfold measures in at right around 20″ and I’d say you can get 4″ or so stretch from it but anyone who falls out of that range is out of luck. The blindfold could probably be sewn or otherwise manipulated for smaller headed folks but it’s not meant to be adjustable. Otherwise, this 3/4″ thick strap is made of a soft, elastic that’s fairly comfortable.
This blindfold is pretty effective at blacking out light. Because it is contoured, I can pull it a bit lower on my nose and I cannot see any light or movement around the eyes or nose. I could see the vaguest light toward the side of the blindfold but it’s really not enough to detect movement. Unfortunately, it’s more comfortable for me to wear this blindfold higher which negates that property but my husband didn’t experience that as an issue.
One issue I do have is that, no matter how you cut it, this blindfold is not foolproof. Because of the give in the elastic band, my husband was able to rub his head against the bed to remove the strap. This is perhaps not the best blindfold for a feisty partner. Then again, this freedom can work well for someone who is a bit anxious about playing with a blindfold. A buckle style blindfold might work better for my purposes.
Overall, the Kinklab padded leather blindfold is good quality and effective at blocking out light. I found it to be a little stiff initially so I hope it softens over time; this will definitely improve the comfort issues I had. Although it’s not super secure, it’s generally a good multipurpose accessory for BDSM play.
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Guilt Free Body Treats Set /p>
This sampler set is no longer available. However, Jaqua sells other Raspberry Buttercream products, including a lotion and body mist duo.
Jaqua’s sampler set of bath and body items is meant to be a guilt-free treat but I didn’t find myself being treated much at all, despite the attention to detail when it came to presentation. For starters, I wasn’t sure the choice of products was as varied as it should be to introduce the customer to Jaqua. Furthermore, the scent was a major draw to me as a fan of both raspberry and frosting scents. In use, the products were decent but combined with the strange scent, nothing knocked me off my feet.
As I mentioned, the Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Guilt Free Body Treats Set is packaged nicely. The 3 pieces – body wash, body butter and hand cream – arrived in a cardboard box decorated in shades of pink and pretty patterns. There are several different designs on the box that work together beautifully. You can see each item through a window in the front and the top of the box folds down in such a way that it secures the contents. The hand cream also sits atop the body butter and there’s a dab of glue between to keep everything in place. The back of the box describes the products and scent and lists ingredients for each item. The overall design is one that is well thought out and feminine. The box itself would make a good gift set for a special event.
The body butter comes in a 2oz, white, plastic jar with a pink label on either side displaying the name and ingredients. Jaqua is printed around the edge from the top. That ink had started to wear off from coming in contact to the lotion itself. The hand cream is in a flip up, 2fl Oz, squeeze tube. On the front is the product label in the similar pink square, surrounded by a background pattern of the Jaqua heart; on the back is an ingredients list. The body wash is packaged similarly to the hand wash but comes in a larger, 8 fl Oz tube.
Like the liquid hand soap I previously reviewed, none of the products really smell like raspberry buttercream. Most of them smell better than the hand wash, however; still, it’s not saying much. I wouldn’t call any of them exactly good. It just seems like the specific recipes for these products called for a more balanced blend of ingredients so the smell isn’t quite so overly saturated/heavy as it was with the hand soap.
I’ve gotten the most use out of the body butter (more so than other products I’ve tried). It’s thick and whipped and just a lot of fun to use. Like many lotions, it’s cocoa butter based. It feels really luxurious and has sat on my desk since I opened it. I’d say I’ve used about half of it and I generally enjoy it; although, I’d love it if it actually smelled how it should. Mostly, it smells like lotion with a hint of that odd scent to all the products (but which is definitely not raspberry buttercream). The thickness isn’t overly greasy or heavy and rubs into the skin nicely, leaving it moist. I’ve used it on my legs and feet and frequently use it on my hands simply because it’s there.
Which is why I’m not sure putting two types of lotion into this set is a good idea. Compared with the whipped formula of the body butter, the hand cream is sort of boring. Plus, it’s just a really similar product. Jaqua makes lip gloss or body mist that would add just a touch of variety to this set. The lotion is much thinner, as well. I found that it tends to come out of the tube fairly fast and I accidentally spilled some on my carpet. In use, it makes my skin feel a bit slippery/greasy – and in an odd way. It doesn’t really seem to rub in as well as the body butter. The overall feel is less desirable despite the inclusion of meadowfoam seed oil, fruit extracts and vitamins A and E. The hand cream also differs in that it’s a sort of medium pink. Actually, it’s just a tad darker than Pepto Bismol so it reminds me of medicine which, in turns, makes me feel a little sick. It’s perhaps an odd choice of colour.
Last, but not least, I tried the body wash which is probably my favourite product in this set. The scent is still a mystery but comes the closest to being pleasant out of all the products. It’s a similar shade of pink but has a metallic sheen so it’s pretty rather than sickening. It seems to be thicker than the hand cream so application is not a problem. Squeezed onto my shower puff, the Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Shower Crème lathers extremely easily and, when on my skin, it feels silky smooth. After rinsing, my skin also feels quite soft which is probably due to a combination of primrose oils and vitamins B5, A and E. Performance-wise, I have no qualms. Against, I just wished I liked the scent.
Thus far, my experience with Jaqua’s products has been a bit of a letdown. Besides the body wash, I could give or take the other products in the Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Guilt Free Body Treats Set. If I tried more products in the future, I would definitely choose a different scent and probably go with the bodywash.
Wave Purple
$26.49
from Store.OfSexAndLove.com
The Wave is a dual stimulator which is a little different than either your typical rabbit (or even the slimmed down styles like the Silicone Intimate Diver, which I’ve tried) or C-shaped vibes (Rock Chick, anyone?) but that is exactly why it drew my attention. The longer handle which extends up toward the body, instead of away, drew me by its maneuverability.
It also made for a good size reference, in my opinion. Sometimes those C-shaped dual stimulators are totally off base when it comes to size. Upon opening the package (a colourfully decorated plastic box), I noticed how long the toy was. From tip to tail it’s got some length – 10″ – and there’s the cord (which is a comfortable 27″ or so) and control/battery pack on top of it but that was to be expected.
What I wasn’t expecting was just how rigid the jelly material would be. I mean, jelly toys tend to be softer as a given. That’s precisely why some people prefer them but The Wave is definitely an exception. It’s not rock hard but it’s as firm or possibly firmer than some silicone toys I’ve tried. This really perplexes me because both the G-spot and clit stimulators have nubs on them, resulting in a potentially painful combination, especially if you like to grind like me. Furthermore, some people might find the nubs a hindrance to insertion so I’d recommend a water or silicone based lube. Otherwise, the firmness is something a lot of folks look for when it comes to G-spot stimulation. It just seems like a bad idea when paired with equally firm nubs.
The curve opening on this toy is also a bit wider (4″ from point to point) which contributes to the overall length. This will probably be good if your G-spot is deeper or if your clit is further from your vagina but I found that the nubby G-spot end slid right past my G-spot when the clitoral end was on my clit and vice versa. Although, the firmness meant I was still able to use the shaft for G-spot stimulation, I was never able to use it exactly how it’s supposed to be used, nor would I want to. I tried to press the clitoral nubs against my body but quickly stopped because I’m not a big fan of (that type of) pain.
In terms of vibrations, the Wave runs on 2AA batteries. The control pack has two buttons – up and down – and a light to denote each setting of vibration. It’s a velvety, rubber-cote style controller which is easy to hold but nothing special. The 4 settings are all steady and the higher frequency vibration is centered at the clitoral nubs. Intensity definitely decreases toward the G-spot stimulator. The Wave has a decent amount of vibration and my G-spot responded well. However, it’s worthy to note that my G-spot is much more sensitive to vibes than my clit. Within a matter of moments, I was able to squirt despite the shortcomings of the Wave.
As its name suggests, the Wave is waterproof. The battery cap screwso n tightly and there is also a rubber O-ring. The cord seems fairly secure where it attaches to the controller but not quite as secure where it attaches to the toy itself. Because of this, I probably wouldn’t submerge the wave. I’d stick to shower time.
The waterproofing makes washing with soap and water easy. I would recommend doing this before and after each use because of jelly’s porous nature. Swapping between partners or holes it something I can only suggest with condoms. While still tacky to the touch, the Wave seems less guilty of attracting lint as other jelly, probably because it’s so hard. Also, beware that skunky, jelly scent. The Wave is no exception in that department.
The Wave was quite successful at making me wet; although, not at getting me off and I expect at least one type of orgasm when it comes to dual stimulation vibrators. I think I would have been able to wrangle the Wave into an effective orgasm machine had Doc Johnson decided to make it either firm or nubby. As is, the Wave is no treat and I couldn’t even experiment with the handle because it hurt my clit. Still, I think Doc Johnson is on to something and, with a few modifications, this toy could make waves.
I had a lot of fun writing my review for Juliane by Lovemoiselle. After having such a good experience, I am definitely more interested in their products and ceramic in general.
Afterglow Candle (Cucumber Water)
$17.72
from Amazon
In my latest review of Jimmyjane’s Little Embers Massage Candles Set, I mentioned I was impressed by their packaging. I don’t want to inundate you by repeating that but, if anything, I was even more impressed with the packaging and presentation of the full size Afterglow candle.
The Afterglow candle comes in a paperboard box designed in white, grey and a seafoam-ish green. Overall, it’s clean and neat. This houses a paperboard construct which holds the candle and other implements steady. If you pull the entire thing out of the box, the construct folds away for easy access. I believe my instructions and other info was stuck to the top of the box to begin so, when I opened it, I saw the candle first. The candle sits on a box of stick matches and there is a pocket in the holder where an applicator brush sits. Once again, the attention to detail is immaculate.
The candle itself is in a cube-ish, frosted glass holder and, like my Little Ember candles, is sealed on top. During shipping, the candle must have been on its side because the uber soft wax has definitely shifted. The Afterglow is so soft it’s difficult for me to call it solid; it’s one of those in-betweens like jelly. I could dip in my fingers and use it like lotion, if I wanted. Because of the softness and shifting, the white wick was a bit difficult to find and I had to clear the area directly around the wick to light it. I know Juliettia had a similar candle and she had to dig into hers to find it. Mine wasn’t quite so difficult but, honestly, I’d forsake the all natural wick for a bit of dye so that I could actually see it.
All this playing with the wax allowed me to smell the scent. I chose Cucumber Water because I generally find cucumber to be refreshing and the “water” part sounded even more so. I was surprised at just how floral the scent was at all. I wasn’t expecting that at all, from the name. There was a crisp, wet smell but the cucumber was effectively drowned out for the floral smell. After lighting, however, the scent is more balanced. It’s still extremely strong and a scent which I don’t love. The smell was noticeable in my living room and even overpowered my air fresheners (which I’d just changed). After having the candle lit for only a few minutes (10, tops), I had a headache. I think I would better appreciate the strength of the scent were it something I liked more.
I must say that the candle looks quite sophisticated and classy when list. The flame produces a yellow glow inside the frosted glass and these candles could double as decor and ambiance setters, too.
There’s not much to say about the matches except that the box is designed nicely and it certainly adds to the flare of the candle. The smell of sulfur is quite overpowering, initially, but I don’t frequently use matches. I will probably use a lighter with these candles from now on.
After only a few minutes, the soft wax had pooled into usable massage oil. I tested a little on my arm, first, because my experience with the Little Embers made me cautious. I had no issues with the wax being hot at all. In fact, it was probably a little cooler than I expected. The oil was rather thin (thinner than most massage products I’ve used) and slick which makes for gliding ones hands over skin quite easy. It wasn’t sticky in the least and absorbed completely into the skin, leaving no residue.
Although the candle comes with a brush to apply, it certainly makes more sense to pour the oil straight onto the skin. You can better control how much and go for more right away, if you want. You’re also losing less product to the brush itself, which becomes somewhat hard after the oil dries back into wax. I’m not a fan of a lot of upkeep so I will likely toss the brush. However, the square candle holder isn’t ideal for pouring either and, like the Little Embers, the oil dripped down the side.
The information booklet says each 5oz candle will burn for 42 hours but I think it’s important to note that using it for massage oil will obviously detract. It also advises to burn the candle until the wax at the edges has turned to oil or about 30 minutes (to ensure even burning each use). I have probably only burned it for 20 minutes at a time so the edges were not quite melted. I only like to let it burn until there’s just enough oil to use and it seems like 30 minutes is a bit excessive, especially when you have curious critters or children around.
In general, we used most of the waxed that had melted into oil, but when I went to see if any was still melted, it had already hardened. I find it difficult to believe 30 minutes had already passed and suspect that this estimate is also if you let it burn for 30 minutes. While this isn’t a big drawback for me, it might be if you’re into long massages.
Overall, I was impressed with the function and feel of JimmyJane’s Afterglow candle. It looks great, is presented nicely. has a strong smell, melts into wonderful oil, performs admirably and doesn’t leave any sticky residue. However, my experience with JimmyJane’s scents seems to be hit or miss and my next product choice will be made more carefully.
Little Ember Massage Candles Set
This is an archived review. Jimmyjane no longer makes the Little Embers set. However, you might be able to purchase it from retailers like this one. You can also buy the full-sized Ginger+Date candle from Babeland.
This week shall be the week of JimmyJane, I think. It was pretty awesome because I got not 1 but 2 JimmyJane products in a short period, a while back. Enter double excitement over my first JimmyJane products! Onto the good stuff, shall we?
The Little Ember Candle set is a great introduction to what seems to be some new products from JimmyJane. Unlike the Afterglow candles which are 5 ounces each and come in familiar scents like Pink Lotus, the Ember candles are 12 ounces and feature a pairing of scents to create an overall ambiance. JimmyJane describes the candles as such “a base note that leads the way, plus a charismatic top note to set the tone.” Sounds pretty neat to me. Of course, you guessed that the larger size means a larger price tag; Ember candles are almost twice the price of an Afterglow candle and, if you’re not sure that you’ll love it, that can be money better spent elsewhere. That is where this set comes in so handy. You can experience some of the scents in miniature form and for a significantly lower price than a full sized candle. It’s a no brainer really.
Decision made, I assume most people would be pleasantly surprised by the packaging. I know it’s something other people have mentioned before but Jimmyjane’s attention to detail is something which really puts them heads and shoulders above the competition and what makes them a luxury brand. The Little Ember set comes in a white-topped box with the Jimmyjane name and logo in silver on top. On the top front, coming onto the front is a pink-ish red square which says the product name. A similar rectangle is printed on the bottom sides of the box (which is otherwise black) which can be seen through two rectangular cutouts which make pulling off the top a cinch. The candle scents are also listed on the bottom back of the box lid but aren’t in the way. I actually missed that at first. The simple design and colours are definitely a hit, very sophisticated.
Inside the box you see the candles as well as a white rubber band and a black book of matches, both branded with the Jimmyjane logo. In this kit are three .7oz candles in each scent: GINGER + DATE, TRUFFLE + GARDENIA, LYCHEE + LAPSANG. It is arranged so each candle is in a corner with the empty corner making room for the matches and band. It’s impressively impressed and, at this point, I would expect no less from Jimmyjane.
Each candle is roughly cube shaped (1.5″ deep and wide, a little over 1″ tall) and sits in what appears to be a white, ceramic holder. Each container is wrapped in a translucent plastic sticker, branded with the logo. This keeps the candles sealed before purchase and, because mine were shipped, I appreciated this. Although some of the wax may have shifted to the side of the container, it couldn’t escape so no product was lost.
And with the soft, soy-based wax, melting and shifting is pretty common. Soft wax is par for the course when it comes to massage candles; I imagine this is because it allows them to melt as lower temperatures. You can dip your finger in the candle, make a dent and rub a bit on as lotion but if it’s a nice pool of massage oil, lighting is in order. Of course, this is as easy as peeling off the sticker and lighting up one of the included matches.
Because the candles are mini, it doesn’t take long for them to melt to a usable pool of oil – a few minutes at most. Jimmyjane says you can get 4 hours of burning time out of these and it seems a stretch for the size and it definitely doesn’t take into account that these candles are actually, y’know, for using. The instructions also say to blow them out before pouring, never a bad idea. In my experience, the candle holders never became very hot but the provided band is for slipping around the candle to shield your fingers from any heat.
I would also recommend waiting to use the oil. For whatever reason, the Little Ember candles seem to get unreasonable hot; perhaps because of the size. The first time we used them, it was too hot to pour on his skin directly and hurt my hand a bit. Other than that, the oil is quite slick and makes for a good massage. I’ve never had a massage candle about which I can complain; however. Little Embers do nothing terribly wrong in my book. I might like a slightly better method for application because the oil never failed to drip down the side of the containers, onto my furniture. The scent is also quite strong. We started with Truffle + Gardenia which I quite enjoyed and the scent stuck around the room for at least a day and a half.
Which leaves me to discuss the scents available in the Little Ember Massage Candles Set. They’re quite the interesting combinations and, I must admit, I was completely unfamiliar with most of the components. I don’t know what lychee or lapsang even are, I’ve never smelled a date and I never knew a black truffle is a root. The scent descriptions on Jimmyjane’s site give some insight but don’t really prepare you for the reality of the scents:
TRUFFLE + GARDENIA: The dirty decadence of Black Truffle grounds the airy notes of White Gardenia. This pair of aphrodisiac scents swings between the earthly and the ethereal.
GINGER + DATE: The crispness of fresh Ginger is warmed by the burnt sugar hint of sun-drenched Date. This pair of aphrodisiac scents entices with its rich notes and warm embrace.
LYCHEE + LAPSANG: Tangy Lychee fruit mingles with the smoldering indulgence of Lapsang Souchong tea. This pair of aphrodisiac scents suggests intrigue, where the familiar meets the exotic.
Tackling this one by one, Truffle (which is apparently a root) and Gardenia is my favourite, hands down. It’s floral, of course, but a sophisticated floral and not perfumey in the least. The candle has just a bit of spice which balances this out perfectly. I can see where the scent description is going.
Although I knew ginger smells a bit spicy, I wasn’t prepared for just how spicy it would be. Also, the scents do vary a bit from just smelling the candle to burning and using it. I found this scent to be much too strong in the candle but, in use, it became bearable (although enjoyable would be a stretch). Ginger is noticeable but I can’t smell anything like burnt sugar; instead, it seems like the other ingredient is herbal.
Finally, lychee and lapsang is a scent which basically evokes what I think old Oriental ladies would smell like. It’s herbal, soapy, woodsy, pinesol-y and tea-like and doesn’t venture anywhere near pleasant. It’s a bold move; perhaps a move that should be left undone.
With that said, Jimmyjane definitely got one of these scents right and my nose is not all noses so who’s to say that my experience isn’t limited? I would still recommend the Little Ember Massage Candles Set to anyone who wants to get a feel for these candles and I did Ienjoy them for their massage properties. Because of the presentation, this set might even make a nice present, if you’re comfortable gifting someone massage candles.
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Soap
$16
from Jaqua
Whilst browsing PinkCherry’s new products, I didn’t even wonder what a hand soap was doing on a sex toy site. Instead, I saw the words “Raspberry Buttercream Frosting” and basically freaked out because I’ve been on something of a sweets kick lately. So onto my list it went and into my hands it was soon arriving.
Unfortunately, my dreams were dashed and my nose offended when I finally opened the package. Although packaged superbly (which I’ll discuss later) and gorgeously coloured, Jaqua failed to deliver a promising scent with their liquid hand soap. I expected something berry and sweet, right out of a bakery but I’m still not sure what I got and I’ve been using it around 3 weeks. It’s a much heavier scent than I expected, as though there’s much too much of a single scent ingredient. It might be raspberry because my husband says he can smell the berry but I’m not sure. It does leave a berry-esque scent on my hands but actually using it isn’t my cup of tea. There’s also no trace of any frosting whatsoever. This is odd considering as it’s “enriched with fruit and plant extracts” (as well as aloe and Vitamins E). I’d think that fruit enriching would make is smell.. like fruit or berries, to be exact.
However, I’d like to point out that my husband really liked the scent of this soap, for whatever reason. He thought it smelled somewhat like raspberry and wanted more after we ran out.
As I mentioned, Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Liquid Hand Soap is still a good looking product. It’s a typical, liquid soap bottle in cylindrical shape with a pump dispenser. You can see a dark raspberry coloured liquid inside but I’d say it’s a tad on the purple side; maybe it’s just because it’s so dark. The bottle is labeled quite nicely. The product name is on a solid square of raspberry red, and the ingredients are displayed on a similar panel on the back of the bottle. In between those, the stick itself is clear with light pink Jaqua symbols printed. for soap, it’s pretty sophisticated and you might even use it for decor if it matched your colour scheme.
Of course, using soap isn’t complicated. Give it a pump, add some water, lather. Rinse and repeat if you’re dirty. 😉 I found the soap to be rather thick, almost to the point of being solid. Sometimes chunks would like to fall right off my hands. Additionally, this made it resistant to lathering and my normal rather routine wasn’t sufficient. I realized this one day when I saw purple streaks on my white towels from drying my hands with stubborn soap residue. I’ve found I do have to lather longer and harder than usual. I have to be really purposeful about it, which is annoying. I do believe some of the water in the bottle sunk to the bottom as the last centimeter or so of product has been thinner and easier to work with. I wouldn’t call this “richly lathering” at all.
In terms of lasting time, I’ve had this bottle about a month and it’s nearing the end. That’s pretty average when it comes to hand soap and doesn’t stand out in any way.
While it’s not irritating and doesn’t dry my skin annoyingly (it neither makes my hands wonderfully soft), I’m not really enthused about Jaqua’s Raspberry Buttercream Frosting Liquid Hand Soap. I mean, it doesn’t smell as advertised and is difficult to work with. There’s not much else to redeem it. If all else fails, I want my soap to smell good and, considering as this was the draw, I’m pretty disappointed, especially for the price. At 8.5oz and 16.99, I could get several generic bottle of hand soap which, in my opinion, would smell much better. I have a wonderfully scented raspberry soap sitting at the kitchen sink which probably cost less than $1. If this is the best that Jaqua offers, colour me unimpressed.
