SheVibe Deals & Steals

As part of my effort to blog more regularly, I want to share some awesome sales with you from my friends at SheVibe. I like to shop at – and review for – SheVibe because they’re always looking for ways to do things better. They’re really part of the next generation of sex toy retailers, ones who care about the consumer. Having met their team in person, I could not be happier being associated with such an awesome group of people. (Disclaimer: This post does contain affiliate links, but all opinions and endorsements are entirely my own. I love me some sex toys.)

First up…

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I haven’t had a chance to try any of their products (my laughably small disposable income generally goes to cheese), but I have my eye on the Linger, texture fiend that I am. Epiphora, someone I would trust with the safety and happiness of my genitals any day, absolutely loves NobEssence. If I can ever get my vagina to stop being such a pansy when it comes to girth, I’d love to try the Seduction.

Next, and possibly even more exciting for those of you who prefer vibration near your nethers…

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Dude, you can get a Mia 2, the updated version of my absolute favorite travel-friendly clitoral vibe, for $52. The Mia charges via USB port, comes with a discreet satin pouch, and is whisper quiet. Or, if you prefer something with a bit more size and oomph, get your mitts on a Mona 2 for $95.99 (definitely on my wishlist).

And, for anyone looking for a double header…

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That includes the famous FeelDoe  and RealDoe from Tantus, the crazy-fun-looking New Wave from Fun Factory, and the popular Nexus Junior from Vixen Creations (makers of one of my favorite dildos, the VixSkin Mustang). Bonus: If you’re looking for a bit of beginners pegging fun, I recommend the FeelDoe Slim.

Happy shopping!

Support Dildology.org

Last week, I posted a link to Dildology.org, along with a simple explanation of what they do. Today, I want to get deeper into that, since I’m proud to be part of the Dildology.org Blog Carnival!

So what is Dildology?

In their own words… “The sex toy industry is on the rise, yet it remains largely unregulated. Dildology.org intends to provide material verification services and maintain a public database of the results, adding transparency and oversight to the industry while educating the public about the science behind pleasure products. We stand on our own, unaffiliated and uninfluenced, and we are dedicated to protecting the health and well-being of the dildo-loving population at large through education (and maybe a little entertainment).”

Crista, Lilly, and Crista’s partner V want to know what the hell is in our sex toys, and they’re tired of relying on faulty manufacturer information to find out. Did you know that absolutely nothing – no one – stops manufacturers from claiming “phthalate free”, even if their product is actually 30-50% phthalates? Are you as angry as we are now? You should be!

The goal of Dildology.org is to provide 100% comprehensive, independent testing, which is very expensive. Testing for each toy is $200-$450, which is quite a chunk.They are purchasing toys directly from locations around the US, and are refusing toys offered by manufacturers so as to remain 100% objective. (They are, however, taking product donations from third-party retailers – if you run a store and want to help, hit them up.)

At this time, they need $20,000 to start this amazing project, and you can help. They’re offering some awesome rewards to get started, including a 15% off SheVibe coupon when you donate $15 or more and a baller Dildologist t-shirt when you donate $50!

In addition to their donation perks, if you are a blogger and donate more than $15 to Dildology, I will give you a code for a free 1 month advertising slot, which you can use now or for the month of June (or, if a ton of you donate, I’ll queue you up and let you know when your month will come). Shoot me an email after you donate, and once I confirm your donation, we’ll get you set up through PassionFruit.

Blog Love

Well, it’s not Sunday, but another one doesn’t roll around for a while, and you all deserve some lovely links.

& Did you know that there is literally no regulation within the sex toy industry? Like, none at all? If you’ve ever seen me mention flame testing materials, I do it because you simply cannot trust that every package that says “100% silicone” really does contain 100% pure silicone.  Fucked up, right?  Thankfully, the brilliant minds of Dangerous Lilly and The Pinkness bring you… Dildology.org!

& Epiphora and SheVibe have teamed up to give away a FunFactory Stronic Eins pulsator! What is it, you ask? Why don’t you read her review!

& I’m really late to this party, but Jes of the Militant Baker is AWESOME. I feel like at some point, I found her blog, forgot to Bloglovin’ it, and sadly it slipped through my sieve of a brain. NO MORE! I’m linking her amazing Body Image(s) project here so you can all check out the glory of her blog!

& Sarah of SillyGrrl is launching her Nerd School ebook on May 21st, and you should probably register to get an email notification. Why? Because she knows her shit, and unless you’re already a professional web designer, your blog will thank you. (I’m on the list, ’cause this girlfriend needs help.)

& The Onion is sometimes spot on, and sometimes… Plainly, they really fucked up with this one, and Britni brilliantly called them out. (Trigger warning: Abuse, assault, Christ Brown’s asshattery.)

Kristen is participating in a Blog Every Day in May challenge, and today, she answered the questions “What do you do?” and “What are you most afraid of?” How would you answer those questions?

& In case you missed it, I now work at my local Lush shop, so you know I’m basically spending every waking hour smothering my body with vegetarian goodness. Let me tell you though, if you were to walk into Lush and purchase just one product, I would suggest you pick up a Buffy. My backside has never been smoother, and my arms have never been so soft.

See you soon!

G-Spotting, Like an O.G.

Before CatalystCon, I was lamenting to Sandra of SheVibe that I could not manage to have a G-spot orgasm. I love using my Vixen Creations Mustang in tandem with some of my favorite clitoral vibes, but pure G-spot satisfaction had eluded me.  I couldn’t do it during sex or alone, and I’ve been reviewing toys for almost a year and a half now.

Enter, Marc Dorcel.  I received a So Silicone Dildo and an Expert G Vibrator, both pink and both 100% silicone.  Piph may not be a pink fan, but I have to say, I love the hue Dorcel chose for these toys.  It’s the kind of pink I’d want my hair to be if I thought I could pull it off. Both toys are absolutely 100% silicone, because as I am wont to do, I lit them on fire with a Bic, with stunning results: Ash, but no change to the materials otherwise. A++ for quality!  I do find the silicone a bit more matte than I like, but not nearly as grabby as WeVibe’s silicone. For either toy, water-based lube is a must (I used Good Clean Love and Sliquid Sassy).

Before we go any further, we need to have a quick discussion about dildos.  I know a lot of toy novices look at dildos and wonder, “WHY?” We need to get one thing straight right now: It doesn’t have to vibrate to feel awesome. Your vagina (or anus) has tons of nerve endings, and vibration is only one of many sensations that can feel pleasurable.  Some people don’t enjoy internal vibration because it’s either too much for them or it just doesn’t do the trick.  A well constructed, and especially a nicely textured, dildo can be fantastic addition to your toy box.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get more specific.  I absolutely love the design of the Marc Dorcel So Dildo at first glance.  It’s beautiful, and the dual-ended design makes it easy to hold onto from either end.  Unfortunately, it’s also very flexible, which makes it difficult to really pinpoint the G-spot as well as I would like to.  I tried using the smaller end to stroke my G-spot, but the mega-flexible neck made it impossible to get the pressure I needed. The larger end is just too much for me.

If I were to improve the So Dildo, I would suggest making it dual-density.  I realize that this would raise the price but I think it would be worth it, especially if the beautiful shape were retained.  By making the core of the dildo more firm, it would be much easier to actually stroke the G-spot and provide the necessary pressure.

On the other hand, the Expert G Vibrator was a home run. It is multi-speed, complete with patterns, but like most of my toys, I actually only used it on the first and second constant-vibe settings. What can I say? My vagina is a lightweight. The Expert G’s head is just bulbous enough to be perfect for the G-spot, but not so large that it’s uncomfortable.  The egg-on-a-stick design is very popular for G-spot toys, but this one is executed particularly well because the shaft is not much thinner than the bulbed head. So instead of getting great G-spot stimulation but feeling awkwardly empty otherwise, the Expert G gives your vaginal walls something to clench against during orgasm. And if my usage is any indication, you will orgasm. I did, even without clitoral stimulation, and it was phenomenal.

Thanks so much, SheVibe!

Visit SheVibe!

Leaving Adult Retail

After almost exactly a year, I’m leaving adult retail (for now).  I’m not really sure if or when I’ll get back into it.  Obviously, I’m not done with the industry.  I have a lot of reviews to catch up on, and I don’t plan to quit reviewing any time soon.  But I could not be more burnt out from answering the same questions and having the same sales frustrations, day after day.

I’ve learned that I’m just not someone who thinks in sales dollars.  I will not ever lie to you to get you to purchase something, and if I think a product is shit, I will tell you that (nicely).  A lot of products in the adult industry are absolute shit.  Phthalates, parabens, porous rubber…  It gets to be exhausting trying to wade through the sea of utter crap to help someone find a toy that’s well made and body safe.  In a mainstream sex shop, that’s fucking difficult.  (To clarify: I was never, ever asked to lie.  But saying anything good about a jelly rabbit is impossible for me, I can’t just gloss over the toxicity issue.)

I’m so, so thankful for shops that are paving the way toward a higher standard of quality products and sex education.  There are a lot of people standing on the shoulders of folks at Babeland and Good Vibrations, and if Catalyst Con was any indication, things will  get better.  I would absolutely love to work for any of the amazing sex-positive retailers, like SheVibe or Tantus, that I’ve met during this journey.  And yes, maybe I am name-dropping to plant the seeds for someone awesome to throw my name in the ring.

But, I digress.  What does this mean for you?  It means I have time and motivation to do shit like write reviews!  And spend the required time with myself to formulate opinions, to write those reviews!  Also, I’m going to try to bring back Lazy Sunday links, which I didn’t know was a Lonely Island song until someone thought I was clever.  In hindsight, I bet they were being sarcastic.  Hm.

I will be back for tomorrow’s resurrection of Lazy Sunday linkfest!