I’m normally not a big fan of round bases on anal plugs. I prefer my plug bases to be oval or rectangular, longer on one dimension than the other, so that they can nestle perfectly between cheeks and not irritate the wearer. For this plug I make an exception, however, since I absolutely love the look of it, it’s butt jewelry, how could I not love it! It’s actually not nearly as uncomfortable as other plugs with round bases that I have worn, too. This seems strange to me, since it’s glass and therefore a harder material (the others were silicone) but perhaps it is the rounded edges of the plug’s base that make it much easier to wear.

I just couldn’t pass up a well made glass plug with a gorgeous red Swarovski crystal in the bottom. It comes in two sizes, regular and small, both with the same size bulb on the end but with different “neck” lengths. The small or shorter one came about because reviewers were noticing that they couldn’t get the long plug to sit right, it was sticking out at the end and uncomfortable. The great owner, Shellie took this complaint and made a shorter toy! That’s the sign of a great company right there.

I asked for the long version of the plug, hoping I wouldn’t have that issue because I know I tend to prefer long plugs to short. Luckily my plug fits just right and feels wonderful. Like I already mentioned, when I got it I expected to dislike the base for wearing, but tolerate it because of the look of the toy, and I was super pleasantly surprised with how comfortable it is. Really this plug is delightful for wearing any fine afternoon⁰¹… I mean any time you want something in your ass. I love the firmness of the glass and had no problem laying down or sitting up with it in, and didn’t experience any issues with the length of the neck.

The only time it’s a little uncomfortable is when I try to add something else that is hard in my cunt along with the plug in my ass. While I can do it, the entry especially is a little uncomfortable, and takes a little work. Softer materials such as flesh and squishy silicone are not a problem.

I also had Onyx try out the plug, since it’s glass it’s non-porous and can easily be shared between partners as long as it is disinfected between uses, especially since it’s an anal toy you don’t want any of that bacteria that is natural and healthy in your body but might be harmful to another person to be spread. He said it felt exceptional, especially when orgasming since it’s hard and feels great to clench around. It didn’t quite hit his p-spot in the way other curved toys have, but it was still wonderful.

The plug also comes with a black padded roll-up suede and leather pouch with band closures kind of reminiscent of a moleskin. The pouch itself does not indicate the contents which is a good thing if you care about sort of thing and you’re not the type to go talking to just about anyone about sex toys. Plus it’s super protective so you don’t have to worry about damage being done to the toy.

The Crystal Delights Plugs come in a rainbow of colors (well, just about) including an Aurora Borealis color that is multicolored itself, so if red isn’t one of your favorite colors like it is mine, you have your pick. I even have a Blue one that I will be giving away on Pleasurists soon!

Much thanks to Crystal Delights for sending me Red Magma to review!

Name: Red Magma Anal Plug.

Manufacturer: Crystal Delights.

Material: Medical-quality Pyrex glass.

Type: Butt Plug/Anal Toy.

Length: 3 1/2 inches.
Width: 1 1/2 inches (diameter), 5 inches (around).

Lube: Any! Glass loves every type of lube equally.

Care: General cleaning: toy cleaner, anti-bacterial soap. Sterilization: wipe down with 10% bleach solution. Unfortunately you shouldn’t boil or put this toy in the dishwasher due to the crystal in the base, don’t want it popping out!

Rating: 4 Lotus (out of 5) – Very Good & Highly Recommended

1. seriously, every time I think of or use this toy I think about and sing Afternoon Delight in my head, I blame the name of the company. Go watch the video if already! [↩]

• Anal Toy Review: Tantus B-Bomb
• Anal Toy Review: Sidekick 1
• Anal Toy Review: Njoy Pfun Plug
• Anal Toy Review: Nexus GPlay Trio
• Dildo Review: Sensual Bulb Glass Dildo
• Fun Factory Week – Anal Toy Review: Bloomy
• Dildo Review: Tantus G-Force Wand
• Dildo Review: RubyGlass21 Red Pleasure Wand
• Dildo Review: Melon Crank
• Anal Toy Review: Rude Boy

Despite the extremely unappealing name the Erotic Elder Sister is Onyx’s favorite masturbation sleeve to date. There’s at least a little logic behind the name, as ToyHeart also makes the Innocent Younger Sister, which is nearly identical in look but not in sensation. This doesn’t really make the name any better, though, and for the most part it’s best just to ignore the name while using it.

I will say that Onyx was pretty wary of it when we first were told it was being sent to us, but he agreed to try it out, and was glad he did. It simply has the best sensation of the toys he has tried so far (though he hasn’t yet been tried out a Fleshlight) and it is the easiest and most comfortable to use.

The Erotic Elder Sister is made of Soft Skin, a material that is supposed to feel like actual skin, and it does a fairly good job at it. It’s pliable and stretchy, and the ToyHeart website insists it’s “so fleshy.” While not an exact replica of skin (which might be a little creepy anyway) it does feel fairly realistic, especially sticking a finger inside while lubed up. I was impressed with the feel of it, actually, and Onyx says it’s definitely the most realistic feeling of the products he has tried.

Safe Skin is ToyHeart’s own TPE blend and is phthalate free, of course. However, it is porous so be sure not to share this toy without a condom. It’s best to always use a condom with this toy, really, to discourage bacteria from making it their home and to make for a much easier cleanup. However, if you don’t just follow the simple care and feeding instructions below. It’s super easy to turn this toy inside out so cleaning is pretty simple.

Inside the Erotic Elder Sister views looking at the side and top. It has a g-spot!

The inside itself is moderately simple, especially compared to the Tenga Flip Hole for example, but it does have quite a few bumps and ridges. ToyHeart says it has “all the grooves of a real vagina.” What does this really mean? It actually has a g-spot bump. Yes, that’s right, this masturbation sleeve has a g-spot. Not only is that fantastic because, well, it’s a g-spot, but Onyx says it really makes the difference sensation-wise. He can feel the g-spot bump while using it and it feels wonderful. Win! You can see it in the picture above near the middle of the sleeve.

The last pocket in the inside is supposed to be the suction controller. Basically to control the suction you squeeze the end of it while inserting your finger/cock/dildo/whathaveyou and it creates more or less suction depending on how much air you let out. This sort of works on my fingers, but not quite. I attempted to use this suction feature with my Mr. Man⁰¹ but have not yet gotten it to work. I will try again, though, as I think that would be fantasticly awesome.

Onyx says this toy is the best masturbation sleeve he has tried and that he would recommend it to anyone hands-down. I say it feels pretty damn good around my fingers and I love the g-spot bulb inside of it. You just have to try to ignore the name of it (if you can).

Much thanks to Toy Demon for giving me the chance to review the Erotic Elder Sister.

Name: Erotic Elder Sister.

Manufacturer: ToyHeart.

Type: Jack Off Toy.

Material: “Soft Skin” aka a TPE (Thermal plastic elastomer) blend made to feel like real skin. Phthalate free but extremely porous, should not share without the use of a condom. For ease of clean-up and to make sure it doesn’t get bacteria in it’s pores use a condom at all times.

Dimensions: 5 1/2 inches (length) x 3 inches (diameter)

Lube: Water-based only! No silicone lube, it could mess with the TPE material and make a mess of the toy. While some TPE toys can handle silicone lube it’s best not to risk it. Or, if you must, test the lube on a small part of the toy before using it inside.

Care and Feeding: Flip inside out (fairly easy to do). Wash with warm water and antibacterial soap or toy cleaner. Let air dry. Dust with corn starch. Store until next use.

Rating: 5 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Exceptional & A Must-Have

1. The awesome dildo with a hole in the shaft to allow suction against the wearer’s clit. Since Jollies (the maker) site is down and they discontinued this item I don’t have somewhere to link to for this. [↩]

• Jack-Off Toy Review: Tenga Flip Hole
• Jack-Off Toy Review: Tenga Double Hole
• Jack-Off Toy Review: Tenga Squeeze Play
• Vibrator Review: Waterproof Wabbit Vibe
• Vibrator Review: Tuyo
• Vibrator Review: The Odyssey Tickler
• Vibrator Review: Tantus Deuce 2
• Vibrator Review: Silver Bullet
• Vibrator Review: Remote Control Butterfly
• Vibrator Review: Ophoria Bliss No. 12

I’ve had my bottle of Aloe Cadabra Lubricant for far too long. Embarrassingly long. In fact, I lost it for quite a few months and just recently found it again. The wonderful thing is even after all this time it still works just as well as the first time I tried it. It is quite similar to the other aloe-based lube I tried and absolutely loved in feel, use, and ingredients, but it is easier and cheaper to obtain if you are in the US (you can use the discount code “TOUCH” to get free shipping on your first order).

Aloe Cadabra is mostly made up of the obvious: aloe. It’s basically organic aloe vera gel with a little bit of organic vanilla essential oil and some preservatives. Does this mean you could go out and buy aloe vera gel to the same result? Maybe. If you could find one without added nasty ingredients, which is part of the whole purpose of Aloe Cadabra and why it was created. A lot of aloe vera gels out there include things like alcohol, coloring, parabens, and probably more.

It contains no parabens or glycerin. While the additives citric acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate have been documented as having the potential for negative health effects they only come into play in large doses. They are also all natural ingredients, not man-made chemicals, and I have not experienced any irritation or negative effects from use.

I have the Tahitian Vanilla scented version, Aloe Cadabra also comes in French Lavender and Natural/Unscented. The scent is definitely noticeable but not distracting or unappealing. For the most part it tastes and smells like aloe, so mildly plant-like, but again not distracting or unappealing. It is actually kind of nice, but that might be my inner hippie talking.

I also really enjoy the feel of this lubricant. It feels slick, is quite thick and really does feel quite natural both on the fingers and the vulva. Aloe is an anti-inflammatory and naturally soothes and heals skin making this lubricant especially wonderful should you have any sort of vulval irritation such as razor burn or anything equally unpleasant.

Since it doesn’t contain glycerin it’s not sticky in the least bit. It does absorb into the skin a little bit and does need to occasionally be reapplied, but much less frequently than some of the water-based lubes I’ve tried. Since it’s fairly thick it makes a wonderful anal lube, as long as you keep in mind that it will absorb into the skin a bit and use accordingly.

Overall I really love this lube, it feels great, tastes great, doesn’t get sticky, and is very body friendly. I wish I hadn’t lost it for all those months because I definitely would have been using it that entire time, and would probably need another bottle by now!

Much thanks to Live Well Brands for sending me Aloe Cadabra Tahitian Vanilla to review!

Name: Aloe Cadabra Tahitian Vanilla

Manufacturer: Live Well Brands / Aloe Cadabra

Type: Water-based Lubricant

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: Mostly (95% organic aloe, organic vanilla essential oil)
Vegan: Yes

Ingredients: Aloe Vera gel*, xanthan, vanilla essential oil*, citric acid, potassium sorbate (food grade), sodium benzoate (food grade)
*indicates certified organic ingredient

Smell: Mostly like vanilla and aloe vera, so slightly plant-like but not at all unpleasant.
Taste: Again, like aloe vera, rather plant-like, not a strong taste at all, not unpleasant.
Sticky? Not at all! Not even a little bit!

Rating: 5 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Exceptional & A Must-Have

• Lube Review: Yes Pure Intimacy
• Lube Review: Sliquid Organics Natural Gel
• Lube Review: Intimate Organics Hydra
• Lube Review: ID Moments
• Lube Review: Wet Naturals
• Lube Review: Sliquid Original H2O
• Lube Review: Pomegranate Vanilla BabeLicious
• Review: Strawberry Cheesecake O’My Lube and G-Spot Dream Massager
• Lube Review: Boy Butter
• Lube Review: Babeland Entice

While I’m happy that some of the larger manufacturers like ID and Astroglide are now making glycerin- and parben-free lubricant I was horribly disappointed with ID Moments specifically. This supposedly hypoallergenic lube has produced a burning sensation on my flesh every time I have used it. At first I thought it was a fluke, so I waited a few days and tried it again. Same result. I used other lubes within this time frame without any burning sensation, but every time I have used ID Moments it has not been pleasant.

While it is glycerin and paraben free it also includes fun ingredients like:
Propylene Glycol – better known as Antifreeze, classified as toxic in Canada, classified as an irritant, and linked to cancer and reproductive, brain, and nervous system issues.
Hexylene Glycol – classified as an irritant by the EU, linked to endocryne system disruption, and an immune system toxicant.
PEG-45M – classified as toxic in Canada, is a known irritant, and linked to cancer and reproductive problems.
Phenoxyethanol – classified as an irritant by the EU, restricted in Japan, and linked to cancer, organ issues, and brain and nervous system issues.

No wonder I was being irritated by this “hypoallergenic” lube! I don’t even understand how ID justifies classifying this as “hypoallergenic” when it includes known irritants and toxic chemicals. Unfortunately there is just not enough regulation on chemicals here in the US, and even less so in sexuality products.

Looking at other reviews of ID Moments it is clear to me that not everyone experienced this lube in the same way I did. Not everyone had a burning sensation on their vulva at first contact that was then made worse with friction. I was not the only one, however, so it’s also not just me. Perhaps my largely chemical-free lifestyle has made me even more sensitive to the nasty chemicals included in this lube.

Either way, however, I can’t in my right mind recommend this to anyone. If you’re looking for a good water-based body-friendly lube, go with Sliquid instead.

Much thanks to PinkCherry sex toys for sending me ID Moments to review. This bad review of ID Moments is in no way a reflection on the fantastic sex toy store PinkCherry.com (and no, they don’t make me say that), but it is a reflection on the company ID.

Name: Moments

Manufacturer: ID

Type: Water-based

Compatibility: Works with all toy types. Latex safe. Body safe.

Glycerin-free: Yes
Paraben-free: Yes

Organic: No
Vegan: Yes

Flavored: Sort of? Not marketed as such, though “flavor” is the last ingredient in the list. Huh?

Taste: Sickeningly sweet due to the ingredient sucrolose (Splenda), a strange almost alcohol-like aftertaste, unpleasant.
Smell: A little sweet, but not unpleasant.
Sticky: Not at all!

Ingredients: Water/Aqua/EAU, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acrylates/C10-30, Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-45M, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylendiamine, Sucrolose, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Flavor.

Rating: 1 Lotus (out of 5) – Horrible & Avoid At All Costs

• Lube Review: Yes Pure Intimacy
• Lube Review: Aloe Cadabra – Tahitian Vanilla
• Lube Review: Wet Naturals
• Lube Review: Sliquid Original H2O
• Lube Review: Sliquid Organics Natural Gel
• Lube Review: Pomegranate Vanilla BabeLicious
• Lube Review: Intimate Organics Hydra
• Lube Review: Boy Butter
• Review: Strawberry Cheesecake O’My Lube and G-Spot Dream Massager
• Lube Review: Babeland Entice

I love gags, especially evil-looking ones that keep the mouth open rather than blocking it. I don’t know what it is, maybe the helplessness of it, the way it makes it difficult to swallow, the accessibility of the mouth while wearing the gag, or maybe for all of those reasons and more. I’ve been attracted to the look of dental gags for quite some time, but this is the first one I’ve actually acquired.

The Whitehead Gag really fits the bill for my gag fetish. It looks quite impressive during use while also being fairly comfortable to wear and easy to use. Most gags are easy to use, really, insert in mouth and go, but this one does have the added bonus of an adjustable size, so it can work on a variety of people, rather than the one-size-works-on-most gags.

It has two little ratchets (is that the right word? I’m not sure) on either side of the mouth, bars with little teeth which hook on to the bottom of the gag and control the height of it. The gag can be used anywhere from closed together to about two and a half inches apart. The main controls for opening or closing the gag are really quite simple: the ratchets as I mentioned are used to lock the gag in place and can be pulled together to close the gag; the levers on the side open the gag wider with an easy press of the fingers.

The only strange thing about this gag that I noticed when I received it is it doesn’t have a head strap or anything to secure the gag to the wearer’s face. This isn’t unusual for these dental-type gags, most places sell them without head straps, but it’s something to keep in mind and may be a deterrent to you. I was definitely surprised, I assumed it would come with a strap. Luckily you can use just about anything to keep it in place, just depends on your imagination, even a single band of elastic tied to either end would work well and would be cheap and easy to put together. I made a makeshift one out of some leather cord I had lying around and it works quite well. You can purchase the gag from other retailers with a head strap, but it is usually more expensive that way.

Since the gag is made out of metal (stainless steel) and the little dip in the front rests on the teeth you have to be very careful while wearing it or having someone else wear it. The wearer could do some damage to their teeth if you’re not careful.

Really every time I think about this gag I want to use it. This can be partially chalked up to my gag fetish, but I don’t feel that way about every gag, this one is just gorgeous/evil-looking, comfortable, and makes me feel all sorts of helpless when wearing it. I don’t know about you, but that’s definitely something I look for in a gag.

Much thanks to Kinky Medical for sending me the Whitehead Dental Gag to review!

Name: Whitehead Gag

Type: Mouth gag.

Material: Stainless Steel.

Dimensions: 6 inches wide x up to 2 1/4 inches high (or 5 inches wide x up to 2 inches high).

Rating: 4 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Very Good & Highly Recommended

• Fun Factory Week – BDSM Toy Review: Cuffies Freestyle
• BDSM Toy Review: Twisted Love Ties
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• BDSM Toy Review: Siren Red 36-inch Spreader Bar
• BDSM Toy Review: Rose Crop
• BDSM Toy Review: Red Wide-tipped Riding Bat
• BDSM Toy Review: Kinklab Adjustable Spreader Bar
• BDSM Toy Review: Fur and Leather Flogger
• BDSM Toy Review: Electrosex Pleasure Clamps
• BDSM Toy Review: Electrosex Deluxe Power Box

sex toys

Ever since I reviewed the Fairy Mini Mini I have said the only thing that would make the Fairy Mini Mini better would be to make it rechargeable. With the Fairy Pocket Mini they have done just that. FPM is also quieter and smaller, if you can believe it, about the size of a pocket rocket (hence, I think, the name). Unfortunately FPM has lost the best feature of the FMM, in my opinion.

FPM isn’t just rechargeable, it charges via USB port, an added geeky bonus to an already awesome toy. I only have one other USB rechargeable toy, but it does seem to be an awesome geeky addition that is popping up more frequently now. It comes with the USB cord but if you have a USB adapter you could also plug it into the wall and charge it that way.

When charging a blue light comes on opposite to the charging port. It doesn’t blink or give you any indication when it is done charging, but at least it gives you some indication that it is charging. Unfortunately there is nothing to cover the charging port, so it is very easy for dirt to get into it and very difficult to clean. This also means the toy is far from waterproof, though you could still clean it with water if you are careful not to get any in the charging port.

As I already mentioned, FPM is smaller and quieter than FMM, about two inches, making it by far the smallest massager-type vibrator. Really it’s some sort of freak combination between a massager and a pocket rocket, which I’m okay with. I don’t have a huge amount of experience with pocket rockets (I own one) but the big difference that I can tell is the flexible head that FPM has. Pocket rockets tend to be a straight shaft with nubs on the end in one direction so you don’t have a wide variety of angles you can hold it at, but FPM can be held multiple different ways and you can use the sides or the tip to get off with.

While FPM is quieter it is also not as powerful as FMM, although that’s not a completely fair comparison because FMM has crazy strong vibrations. Stronger-than-Hitachi crazy strong vibrations. FPM is about equivalent to the Acuvibe Mini in strength, and like most massagers it only has two available speeds. This is the most disappointing thing to me about it because FMM is amazing and has a dial speedometer so you have a ton of speed options to choose from, and I was hoping FPM would be the same way. Alas, it is not.

That doesn’t mean it’s not my second favorite massager-type vibrator now, because it is. I still think it is far superior to any other massager-type that I have tried aside from FMM. It is also more portable than FMM, since FMM is either attached to the wall or dragging around a 4×3″ battery pack on a cord coming out from it at all times during use. FPM is definitely the smaller more portable and convenient option.

If you don’t want to be attached to a wall or use batteries FPM is definitely the best super-strong massager (slash pocket rocket) and an excellent toy. One last warning, it may actually be too strong for folks out there, but those who require massager-level vibrations in order to get off are sure to love it. Did I mention it also comes with a handy wrist-strap?

Maybe the best part of either of the Fairy products is the Engrish on the box. FPM has wonderful phrases like “Fairy Pocket mini for Women’s.” Yes, that’s right, women’s. Women’s what? We’ll never know. Also: “Fairy series final-type handy vibe revolution. It is a settled small size in the pocket. Electric massage machine of minimum in the world pocket size.”

From top to bottom: Miracle Massager, Hitachi, Acuvibe Mini, Mini Wanachi, Fairy Mini Mini, Fairy Pocket Mini.

Much thanks to My Pleasure sex toys for sending me the Fairy Pocket Mini Wand!

Name: Fairy Pocket Mini Wand.

Type: Clitoral vibrator/Massager.

Power: Rechargeable via USB.

Material: Elastomer head, plastic body.

Length: 5 1/4″
Width: 1″

Weight: 2.4 ounces

Lube: Any (silicone-, water-, or oil-based)!

Care: Toy cleaner, anti-bacterial soap & water. It’s a little tricky to clean under the head and in the grooves on the head, but it can be done.

Rating: 5 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Exceptional & A Must-Have

• Vibrator Review: Fairy Mini Mini Wand
• Vibrator Review: Acuvibe Mini
• Vibrator Review: Waterproof Wabbit Vibe
• Vibrator Review: Tuyo
• Vibrator Review: Silver Bullet
• Vibrator Review: Remote Control Butterfly
• Vibrator Review: Nomi Tang’s Better than Chocolate
• Vibrator Review: Miracle Massager
• Vibrator Review: LELO Nea
• Vibrator Review: LELO Mona

I’m a sucker for hearts, so the moment I saw these restraints I knew I had to have them. I actually already had the matching collar, and also requested the matching cock ring from Adult Sex Toys for my upcoming Cock Ring Week feature.

These cuffs are well made with two straps of sturdy leather, one as the base width and the other thinner strap with the inlayed hearts, and quality metal connectors. Each restraint has an O-ring attached to the thinner leather strip via D-ring. They have red stitching which matches the color of the hearts perfectly and is an excellent elegant enhancement to these already gorgeous cuffs.

I’ve had the matching collar for over a year and a half, possibly two years, so I can speak to the long-term durability of these as well, which is quite high. Unfortunately one of the hearts has come out of the collar I have, though that was due to rather rough use. I wore the collar 24/7 for quite a few months and it still looks great aside from the lack of a single heart.

They are quite comfortable to wear, even for long periods of time, the insides are soft against the skin, and easily adjustable to fit large or small wrists. My wrists are fairly large at around eight and a half inches and these fit easily around them. I especially love to use these in conjunction with my Under the Bed Restraint System, though they don’t come with connector clips so you have to provide those on your own.

What else is there really to say? If you like the look of these they are definitely worth the money, not as expensive as other high-quality cuffs but more than the cheap stuff that doesn’t last too long anyway. In addition to the collar and cock ring there are also matching Ankle Restraints and a matching Flogger! Someday I hope to own the whole set.

Much thanks to Adult Sex Toys for sending me the Red Heart Wrist Restraints to review.

Name: Red Heart Wrist Restraints

Type: Wrist Cuffs/Restraints

Materials: Leather (cuffs) and metal (connectors).

Length: 8 3/4 inches (total)
Width: 2 inches

Rating: 3 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Good & Recommended

• Fun Factory Week – BDSM Toy Review: Cuffies Freestyle
• BDSM Toy Review: Leather Hogtie
• BDSM Toy Review: Twisted Love Ties
• BDSM Toy Review: Three Restraints and A Blindfold
• BDSM Toy Review: Sportsheets Heart Impressions Crop
• BDSM Toy Review: Rose Crop
• BDSM Toy Review: Red Wide-tipped Riding Bat
• BDSM Toy Review: Leather Leash
• BDSM Toy Review: Kinklab Adjustable Spreader Bar
• BDSM Toy Review: Axovus Ankle Cuffs

Now, I am an avid chocolate fanatic, but I was still underwhelmed with the name of Nomi Tang’s Better than Chocolate in general, as if chocolate would automatically win over normal vibrators? Sorry, no, my cunt would choose getting off over chocolate just about any day of the week barring soreness or other impeding factors. The name aside I was intrigued by it’s ability to be used in a shower or bath and the innovative control strip used to set the vibration pattern. Unlike other reviewers I was able to get off with it and therefore it has strong enough vibrations for me, but being able to get off with it is only one part of the puzzle.

BtC comes in a small and elegant white box with a slip-cover and reminds me very much of other luxury toy packaging such as LELO or Njoy. The toy is presented well in the box, nestled in a divider and includes a product manual and white velvety bag beneath it. The storage bag is a little strange for the toy, in my opinion, the drawstring is on the long side rather than the short side of it and barely larger than the toy itself, which makes it odd to close.

The controlls of BtC really are fantastic. Instead of buttons or switches like most vibrators it is controlled by a touch strip. Onyx remarked that it’s what Apple would make if they weren’t prudes, of course. Well, it does have one power button on the opposite tip of it’s diamond-like shape which simply turns it on and off, very handy to have and much easier than having to cycle through the vibration patterns like some other toys require you to do.

There is a little Nomi Tang logo on the touch strip which lights up blue when the toy is turned on. A touch to the opposite end of the touch strip and the logo turns red indicating it is locked, and when there is water or lube covering the touch strip the logo turns purple indicating it has auto-locked. A touch over the logo on the strip changes the vibration pattern and depending on the pattern the light blink. By stroking your finger up or down the touch strip when it is not locked you can increase or decrease either the vibration strength or pulse speed depending on the vibration pattern. BtC has three vibration patterns: constant and two pulses.

The manual gives you all of the needed information, such as how to operate the unique controls of BtC, what the different colors mean, vibration pattern information, various tips, and that it can be submerged in water up to one meter (three feet), which is really quite awesome. I have used it in the bath a few times and it had no water or damage to the battery compartment when I did. I did notice some odd behavior when submerged, however. It would occasionally unlock on it’s own while under water even if I had manually locked it, causing the vibration pattern to change mid-use which was mildly annoying.

While I was able to get off with it, as previously mentioned, I wouldn’t say it was nearly as satisfying to play with as other toys. The vibrations just aren’t that strong, though they were stronger than I expected. If you don’t need much in the way of strength, however, you wouldn’t have a problem.

I was really disappointed that a vibrator of this elegant unique design and high luxury-toy price is not rechargeable. It is powered by two AAA batteries which directly contributes to it’s vibration strength or lack thereof. If it was rechargeable (or less expensive) I think that would fix the problems I have with it and make it that much more fantastic of a product.

Much thanks to Kama Sutra Closet for letting me review Better than Chocolate!

Name: Better than Chocolate.

Manufacturer: Naomi Tang

Material: Non-porous Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE).

Features: Waterproof/submergeable, non-porous, phthalate-free, body-safe, can be sterilized & shared, touch-pad controls.

Type: Clitoral Vibrator.

Power: Two AAA batteries.

Length: 4 1/4″
Width: 2 1/2″

Lube: Any! (water-, oil-, or silicone-based)

Care: General cleaning: toy cleaner, anti-bacterial soap. Sterilization: wipe down with 10% bleach solution.

Rating: 2 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Okay & Indifferent

• Vibrator Review: Waterproof Wabbit Vibe
• Vibrator Review: Tuyo
• Vibrator Review: Silver Bullet
• Vibrator Review: Remote Control Butterfly
• Vibrator Review: LELO Nea
• Vibrator Review: LELO Mona
• Vibrator Review: LELO Mia
• Vibrator Review: LELO Liv
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If I had a crush April Flores before watching Glamazons I fucking love her now. It’s hard not to, after watching this porno film slash love letter to April. There’s no wonder in my mind why she was awarded Heartthrob of the Year at the 2010 Feminist Porn Awards. While there were plenty of things about the film that didn’t quite work for me, April sure wasn’t one of them.

Glamazons is an “art porn film,” and from what I gather is the third film by Carlos Batts featuring (his wife) April after Alter Ego and Voluptuous Life. From Violet Blue:

Carlos wrote me saying, “April and I first thought of this as an extension of the photography we’d created the first 4 years of our relationship. We shot so much, all the time; we just needed another medium to help document the speed at which we recorded our lives. After making Alter Ego we were hesitant about doing another video project because we were not trying to make a pseudo artist adult film, or gonzo porn. We just wanted to try to document our lives for artistic reasons. The video camera became a natural extension of the art.”

There are sort-of six scenes, or, really, five sex scenes: two partner scenes and three solo scenes. Every scene except for one features April Flores.

Title: Glamazons
Director: Carlos Batts
Studio: Heartcore Films

2010 Feminist Porn Award Nominee

Cast: April Flores, Ruby Violence, Jerry

Length: 118 minutes
Year: 2009

Extras: Behind the Scenes

Trailer

Synopsis

Does art imitate life? It does in the lives of big, beautiful, adult film star April Flores and her husband, the director Carlos Batts. Experience the artistic interpretation of their fervid fantasies. As a multimedia muse, April’s erotic encounters are captured on film, in photographs and sketches. Various vignettes authentically document an ardent tryst with Ruby Violence, the pole-dancing contortionist crew, a self-gratifying solo scene and Jerry’s Polaroid-inspired passion play.

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Although I am a fan of cheesyness in general I’m not big on cheesy adult games, and I’d never seen any done intelligently, so when I first found out that I was getting Truth or Dare: A Game of Passion from Good Vibrations to review I was far from enthused. I thought I would look at it a few times for review purposes and then toss it into a box and forget about it.

While I can’t say for sure if I am going to be using it over and over again I do think it is one of the best and most intelligently thought out adult card games I have ever seen. I have a couple adult games that were given to me as gifts over the years which are extremely basic and cheesy asking questions that sounded like they were written by a giggling teenager who thought it was really funny to say “sex.” This ended up making the games not very fun to play.

Truth or Dare: A Game of Passion is different, however. It is gender-neutral so people of all genders can play easily, though it does use terms like “opposite sex” and does not leave room for the possibility of multiple partners, but those are just about the extent of my problems with it.

The questions encourage thought about sexuality and sexual desires as well as bonding between partners and exploration of the current relationship. It doesn’t leave room for basic one-word answers, the questions are often long and in-depth to evoke in-depth answers.

The dares incorporate some of the classic dares such as prank phone calls (with sex-related twists), role playing, exposing yourself, and so on. They are often cliche but set out in a manner that actually makes them new and fun to do. The cards themselves range from innocent to kinky but I haven’t yet read one that I thought was overly stupid or unintelligent. Some examples:

Truths

• If you were the teacher of a sex-ed class, what would be the one lesson you would teach your students that no one ever taught you?
• If you and your partner were to shed your clothes this very instant and use your discarded clothing as impromptu bondage material, which one of you would get tied up, and which one of you would be in charge? Describe, step-by-step, which items of clothing you would select and how they would be used.
• Do your best to articulate the difference in feeling between a climax achieved orally and a climax achieved during intercourse. Which do you prefer?
• What is your partner’s most amazing sexual skill? While your partner parobably already knows how much you enjoy that particular skill, take the time to go into details, describing the last time he or she used that skill, from start to finish, and what exactly you loved about it.

Dares

• After selecting a racy adult movie or Internet clip, play a random segment on the TV or computer with the sound down. While the movie plays, create your own sound effects and impromptu dialogue, playing all the characters. You can have your partner join in on the fun for additional character voices.
• This isn’t the hot potato you remember from childhood! Turn your television on and switch to a channel that is broadcasting a commercial. As the commercials play, toss a sex toy back and forth between you and your partner. When the commercials end and the station’s programming begins, the person holding the sex toy must use it on themselves until the station breaks for another commercial. Your partner may aid you in this task.
• Go to the kitchen and fetch an object (such as a whisk, rubber spatula, or pastry brush) to be paddled or flogged with. Bend over, drop your pants or lift your skirt, and let your partner take at least five swats. You might find this dare gives a whole new meaning to the joy of cooking!

As you can see above the suggestions range from goofy to sexy to kinky and back again, and while they are cheesy they are also extremely detailed and thoughtful. Choosing a card or two at random would be a great way to spice up any night of the week, or set aside a night to play multiple rounds, that is if you can get back to the game after performing some of the tasks.

This would be perfect for someone who wants to become more intimate with their partner(s) in a fun and interesting way, or the perfect gift for someone for a number of occasions from anniversary to bachelor(ette) party to birthday or holiday depending on how well you know the person. It’s informative, intelligent, entertaining, and, best of all, designed to actually enhance intimacy between players.

A big thank you to Good Vibrations for providing me with Truth or Dare: A Game of Passion!

Name: Truth or Dare: A Game of Passion

Type: Adult card game.

Components: one six-sided die (options on die: two truths, two dares, two wilds), truth cards, dare cards.

Rating: 3 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Good & Recommended

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