All expire 12/31/2011.
Pink Lace Babydoll
This is an archived review of a discontinued product.
Like my wardrobe, my lingerie collection has expanded in color. My newest addition is a pink lace babydoll, again from the manufacturer Seven Til Midnight. Their designs always catch me eye, perhaps because they are relatively simple but use unique patterns, colors or textures. To put it plainly, they’re not boring yet not so fancy that I don’t feel like I can pull them off. I’m not quite so adventurous that I would wear lingerie in public nor do I think I have the perfect body. Seven Til Midnight pieces always seem complimentary, at least at first.
If that sounds a little ominous, it’s because I don’t love this piece as much as I’d like. I don’t hate it, I’m just not tickled pink. Pardon the pun. You see, the lace on this one stretches around curves and the reality of bodies which is a good thing but it does so without offering any shaping. It’s a bit hard to see in the images but, when I took this out of the package, I saw seams on the sides that almost implied it would help hold me in. It doesn’t, not really. This wouldn’t be a problem if the trim fell right about the hips, to camouflage my problem area (the spare tire) but this piece lands over my thighs, instead. I’m a fairly short lady so it may appear shorter on you but if you’re trying to de-emphasize a larger middle, I just don’t think the pink lace babydoll is the piece for you. However, I think it would look fantastic on anyone who may be larger but fairly proportionate. I’m hoping to get to that point as my mid-section is slowly shrinking. I’m just not quite there.
On the plus size, the wired cups do offer some support. I found the XL more than adequate for my C-cups, offering nice contours. I imagine ladies a little larger wouldn’t have a problem but this isn’t intended for those extremely well endowed ladies, sorry. One thing I do like is that, instead of a full band that goes around the rib cage, there are two ribbons that you tie in back. The ribbons are thick (two inches or so) satin that are sewn into either side of the back, where there is a cut-out and you tie them together to secure the piece. I’m not always a fan of ribbons but these are large enough to be functional and you can secure the babydoll tighter or looser, depending on your size and preferences. Plus, it adds to the whole “unwrapping the package” show.
The shoulder straps are also adjustable–the typical elastic kind that most lingerie features. Where the traps meet the top of the cups, there are pink bows. In the picture, these seem to blend nito the piece but I find them to be distracting and perhaps.. gaudy in person. I feel a little silly with all the frills. There’s also a ribbon bow in between the cups but this isn’t something that I mind. The cups themselves have shaping seams up the front, like a bra, and the tops of the cu pare outlined with the same frills that you find along the bottom of the babydoll.
I find the lace to be more see-through in person. This may also be due to the fact that the piece fits more snugly against my skin. The larger floral pattern is pretty but the lace isn’t as soft as I’d like. This issue may resolve as I watch the piece several times but it definitely makes it a little less comfortable than some of my other lingerie. The back of this piece consists of a super soft mesh that is comfortable, however. Nevertheless, I couldn’t feel comfortable wearing this to sleep. I would worry about the cups being uncomfortable and ripping the ribbons in back as I’ve had bad luck with ribbons in the past.
Per usual, the thong is pink mesh with elastic sides. The fit is hit or miss. This one seems rather large for me but I’ve always been to get away with medium to large panties.
For its price, the pink lacy babydoll really is a steal–even if you don’t completely love it.
Mia Black
N/A
from
Lelo has since released the Mia 2, which you can buy for under $100.
Lelo has recently revved up the motor in their USB-charging, lipstick-style vibrator, and I figured I’d give it a go. I hadn’t ever given a lot of thought to lipstick vibrators until I recently tried to We-Vibe Tango and, as it turns out, I loved it. I decided it was time to feed my inner geek with another high-tech gadget. Generally, I put off writing reviews or even using my new toys for some time, but I was pretty excited this time around and gave Mia a whirl as soon as I could.
Charging was as easy as inserting the device into an open USB port. It sits there and could maybe pass for a flash drive or other USB adapter/dongle. Lelo also includes a few inches of USB extender cable if your setup doesn’t allow for the dongle-style charge. This is a pretty handy accessory in and of itself and I’ll probably steal it for use with my other hardware. The light on the Mia blinks during charge and turns solid when charging is complete. It may be that I wasn’t paying attention, but the charge didn’t seem to take long at all. The website claims you can get 1.5 hours of vibration out of a 1-hour charge.
When you’re not charging the Mia, you’ll want to replace the cap. Obviously, you can’t have the USB plug out in the open during playtime or for washing. The cap fits snugly but not so much that this toy is waterproof. It’s splash-proof enough for cleaning with soap and water, however. It’s angled in a way that really adds to the lipstick presentation. This adds discretion and aids portability. This is the type of sex toy that you could easily toss in your purse or bag.
Use is extremely easy. Lelo has created just two buttons, the standard + and -. Holding these simultaneously will lock or unlock the device, which is nice for travel and storage as well. The vibrations are buzzy, as I suspected, and located in the rounded tip of the Mia. The We-Vibe Tango definitely has this one beat. If the claims that this model is twice as strong as the original are true, I feel pity for anyone who had the original. The highest level of steady vibration that the Mia has to offer is probably around the medium setting of the Tango but feels less impressive because the vibrations are more shallow. The vibrations are deeper than a lot of the CEN toys that I’ve sampled, however. The pulsation settings are more effective because of this.
Still, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Mia. Its cylindrical design was thin enough to slip between my lips and I could rest the vibrator in my panties while doing something else, such as reading erotica, for instance. Mia provides more acute stimulation than I usually go for but it still got me off, several times, and with varying degrees of satisfaction. Much of this is probably due to the amazing erotica that I was reading, but I quite liked the shape of this vibrator despite how different it is from my heart’s favorite, the Laya Spot, or something like Siri.
The noise level is quite minimal. In this area, Mia succeeds.
After my first use, I wiped Mia down with a cleansing wipe but I noticed some gunk had gotten under the cap around the charging area. I wouldn’t go overboard with lubes and would even be careful with this vibrator if you’re a squirter because of this. I haven’t had any issues with the cap coming off; it’s just not that seamless.
Like other Lelo toys, Mia comes with a satin storage bag. Unlike other toys, the box is much smaller because there is no need for space for the charging adapter. While I initially liked Lelo’s boxes because they added something extra to presentation, I quickly found them to be bulky and less functional than I realized in the beginning. Mia’s box is much shorter, so I might actually consider keeping Mia in the box.
I didn’t expect to like Mia as much as I do. I figured it would be novel–and it is–but it works, too. It’s probably not the most effective toy in my arsenal, but I can see myself reaching for it in the future.
Little Su Natural
This is an archived review of a discontinued item.
I was attracted to the Little Su by Joya as soon as it was released. I was, at that time, really into dual-stimulation products, and the novelty of a dual-stim dildo–as opposed to a vibrator–intrigued me. That it comes in a cool, faux-book box was only icing on the cake. However, the reviews were a bit lackluster and I put it on my back burner. When I got the chance to review one for SexToy.com, I said “It’s time. Sign me up.”
This silicone dildo is intended for dual stimulation and has a very modern look. The internal portion consists of a firm shaft that gradually grows in width and tapers to a slight point, while the external portion is quite narrow and features ridges that stimulate the body There’s a small, flared point at the end (think the Devil’s tail ;)) It was pretty obvious, out of the box, that the external portion wouldn’t really work for me. It seems like the toy is meant for rocking to create a back-and-forth sensation, but I like something more firm and frenzied, and the thin neck on this piece wasn’t going to do it. I prefer something more broad, more smooth. More spherical, in general.
I was also unpleasantly surprised at how large and firm the insertable shaft felt but this is almost entirely due to the fact that I haven’t been playing with penetration that frequently as of late. With more lube and some patience, I found a much more comfortable position but the result was more along the lines of “There, I can’t feel it” rather than “That feels nice.” That’s usually not what you want with a sex toy. This is due to the fact that the Little Su Natural has edges that run the length of the shaft and end in a rounded point. I just don’t like this as a design feature (as you saw in my review for the Aurora vibe).
Furthermore, the angle where the two parts meet doesn’t cradle my pubic bone the way that I like.
Frequently, I wind up having a lot to say because dual stimulation toys tend to work in one place but not the other. Unfortunately, as with the Little Su Natural, neither part really worked for me. I think this just goes to show that sometimes, unique packaging, quality materials and a thought-provoking design do not work for everyone or.. maybe anyone. I admire Joya’s efforts but still feel like this toy fell short, especially considering the price tag. I suspect I’d like vibrators better, with their more rounded design, but they still have a lot of molded designs and this is another complaint of mine. I don’t like to spend a lot of time cleaning my toys, thus I prefer them to be smoother. Little Su has ridges that face the body, on the external portion of the toy–ridges that also make it more difficult to clean and dry.
Thus, this review ends. I have little more to say about the Little Su dildo. It’s simple and it simply doesn’t work for me.
Lights Outs Glow Shower Gel Raspberry
You can no longer purchase this product.
If you’ve ever thought “I want to glow in the dark” or “I bet it would be cool to shower with no lights on” or if you’re just a dork, like I am, then this product might interest you. You’ll probably have to ignore the fact that the entire design is reminiscent of mini-golf courses or Chuck E Cheese but, who wouldn’t with glow in the dark body wash?!
First things first. In the image, this appears white. It’s really not. The raspberry scent is a very pale, sickly looking pink. I could do with something a little prettier but I don’t know how realistic that is, given the glow in the dark properties.
Second, this bottle is pretty damned small. The Exotic Fruit Show Gel by Shunga is exponentially larger. This is a problem when you consider how poorly this product lathers. It’s super thin and washes away so easily that I always have to reapply to my bath poof. The bottle is almost half gone after only two weeks or so of use.
Thirdly, the raspberry scent is very unsophisticated. It’s not the subtle and finely crafted scent that I prefer. Rather, it’s run of the mill and too heavy because it’s not really good. Read: cheap.
But, it does glow in the dark. After sitting in the light (my bathroom has a window so this occurs all day), the bottle will turn a light green and cast off light. It’s pretty neat and makes finding your bath products easier if, you know, the power is out. Once you start to lather, however, this quickly disappears. You can’t make any glow in the dark hand prints on your mirror or chase people around like a ghost. This is kind of a failure, in my opinion. Who wants the glowy fun to end?
So, I will be retiring this bottle until such time as I a) run out of good body wash (Skinny Dip Shower Gel is a better product) or b) plan to shower with no lights on or c) just wanna show it to someone. Not using it is the only way you’ll get your money’s worth anyway.
Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise Plus Size
This is an archived review of a discontinued item.
Ah, another Seven Til Midnight piece, you ask? Yes, indeed. I just love the style of their babydolls and chemises (if you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed that I pimped out their new items, too!) But all was not love with the Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise as this is simply a case of what-you-see-is-not-exactly-what-you get. You see, in real life, without double-sided tape and strategically placed lighting, and picture-perfect proportionate curves, this chemise simply does not make the cut. Here’s a breakdown of my complaints.
In photographs, the chemise seems a dark, red-hued purple and the print almost appears textured or velvety. In real life, the colour is blue-hued and much lighter. This is not altogether bad, but the black floral pattern contrasts more than it does in pictures, and the color just isn’t one that I love. Furthermore, the black floral print is not simply against a solid purple background. There is a tinier print going on in the background that is honeycomb-like and absolutely hideous. You cannot see it at all in the picture and, I think, that if this alone were changed, I would like the chemise much more. It just seems so busy, and the design is far less sophisticated than pictures would have you believe. I wouldn’t have purchased the Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise if I had had the chance to see it in person first.
In photographs, the three ribbons that stretch over the cleavage look hot. In real life, the halter-styled top really offers no support, and as my breasts tend to fall outward, the piece just kept stretching. I looked much flatter than I actually am. A bra remedies this but who wants to wear a bra with her chemise? Additionally, even my C cups felt ridiculously heavy as the halter pulled down against my neck and it was nearly impossible to find a good length at which to tie it and to duplicate that tying length when wearing it on different occasions. So, to make this work, I’d imagine you’d need Ds or DDs but I wouldn’t want to deal with the strain on your neck. Some supportive stitching wouldn’t hurt because this piece really has no shape.
In photographs, the corset-y ribbon that laces across the back is sophisticated and naughty, but, in my experience, this isn’t the case. I guess my ribcage is simply too small for the queen size (odd…) but I wound up pulling the ribbon so that the back of the chemise nearly touched in the center of my back. Otherwise, it was too loose, but this caused it to bunch up where the ribbon crisscrossed. In addition to this, I had quite a long length of ribbon left over, and it looked sloppy instead of falling daintily. I may try tying the ribbon at the bottom to better fit my shape, however. Again, it was difficult to tie without help.
In photographs, the model doesn’t have a spare tire. She’s super proportionate. In reality, this chemise doesn’t pull you in, and the length makes it obvious if you have extra weight in the middle or, like me, your ribs like to stick the fuck out. It’s much better suited for someone who is straight throughout the midsection than I am.
But let’s take a look at some of the positives of this piece. The polyester/spandex blend is silky and cool against the skin. The stitching between the elastic and the fabric (around the back edges) or the lace around the neck and hemline and the fabric is superb. This will definitely hold up if you hand wash in cold water, as the tag suggests, but it would probably even be safe in the washer on the gentle cycle. All the elastic is well sewn and there’s no fraying to be seen. The same is true for the ribbon, which is pretty run-of-the-mill, but the extra length makes it easy to customize the fit–if you have the patience.
The included thong fits well and is well-made. Like the other chemise and thong set I reviewed from this manufacturer, the front panel matches the chemise while the straps are a stretchy black material that is comfortable and secure without cutting into my skin. It’s something I would wear–and have worn–under street clothes and has held up fine with washing.
I enjoy that Seven Til Midnight uses silky tags on their products instead of the scratchy, white ones that most clothes contain. The tags are bright pink, so can probable be seen through Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise and matching thong but they’re kind of stylish and allude to the fact that this is a good brand.
This is technically a set as it included a blindfold featuring the same patterned material, detailed with lace and secured by straps. This is completely dysfunctional and only looks good in the pictures because the model is holding it so that it stretches vertically and actually looks like a blindfold. If you just saw it lying around, you would have no idea what this piece of fabric is intended to do. In reality, it bunches up and pulls horizontally so that it becomes really thin and it’s not functional at all. The ribbons do not facilitate a secure fit and the sheerness of the material does not block out much. The best use it for a photo shoot, really.
The Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise is really not just intended for my body size and shape. It would be best for someone who has largest breasts and/or wider ribs, a straight midsection and is taller (I believe). Still, I have to warn you that the pattern is not nearly as attractive in person as it in in photographs.
Shower Gel Exotic Fruit
$10.93
from Store.OfSexAndLove.com
This is an archived review of a discontinued product.
Perhaps it is appropriate that my previous review was for a very well-known manufacturer of sensual, erotic goods, as is the case for the manufacturer of the Shower Gel in Exotic Fruit. Shunga is a brand that I’ve heard rave things about but never had a chance to try. After all, what’s a single girl going to do with all those massage products? (Seriously, I have so much!) But anyone can enjoy shower gel–and enjoy I have.
This bottle is huge (16 ounces)! Easily beats out all my other shower products in size, save for shampoo. While the price point seems a bit high, it’s really not bad when you consider how much you’re getting in the bottle and how long it’s likely to last.
It comes in the typical, cylindrical bottle with push-top opening. Squeezing the bottle releases the shower gel, which is a red color (it matches my shower poof perfectly!). It’s quite silky on the skin and leaves mine feeling smooth and moist. I usually suffer from dry elbows in the winter air but this hasn’t been the case while using this shower gel.
I’m not sold that the scent is exactly “exotic.” It’s quite banana-berry to me but others may disagree. It’s pleasant enough but not really overpowering. I don’t really notice if it lingers on my skin but, then again, I don’t go around sniffing my skin. d=
I do wish the bottle were slightly more discreet, however. The image of the man and woman in some sort of pool of water, all naked and such, while not exactly rated X, is something I’d want to tuck away if I had visitors. I don’t but, you know..
Interesting enough, this product is billed as made from edible products but I have yet to taste it because the idea of suds on my tongue is a major turn off. I think others might enjoy this but I’d rather use it to soap up myself, my lover and squish around against one another.
[edit]
After writing this, I did take the time to taste it. It’s sweet and not awful but I feel super weird licking soap.
