Editorial TeamWith the holidays JUST around the corner, we’re feeling like it’s high-time to have a little fun! We all can be a little ‘naughty and nice’ from time to time…as well as all things ‘sugar and spice’! Let’s give them something unforgettable and unexpected! There’s something for you, your partner and your friends. But we know, shopping for sex and pleasure items can be overwhelming. Where do you start and what’s out there?
We checked in with Luna Matatas, Sex & Pleasure Educator and Lovehoney Canada Expert to ask her about what we should know when shopping this exciting category. Known as the sexual happiness people and brand – Lovehoney is on a mission to make a fun and fulfilling sex life available to everyone.
The Lovehoney brand is all about sexual happiness, empowerment, inclusivity, and body positivity. Established in 2002, Lovehoney Group Ltd designs, manufactures and distributes its own branded and third-party pleasure products globally with over 150 products developed in-house each year. It is the UK’s biggest online adult retailer with 8 other websites globally including France, Germany, Spain, EU, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
BTW, you’ll want to keep an eye out for Black Friday sales!!!!
For someone who’s interested in buying a toy for personal pleasure, what should they look for?
Luna: If someone is new to sex toys I recommend they consider a few things:
Functions and features: Though we have many places on the body to use sex toys, most people are going to be using them in their anus, on their penis or vulva. While bells and whistles can be awesome, it’s important to find a sex toy that has varying speed or intensity levels since you might not know what sensations you like right away. Consider if you want it to be waterproof (if you will be using it in the shower or bath) and if you have a specific goal in mind – are you exploring prostate pleasure? G-spot orgasms? There are toys that are specifically designed to stimulate the pleasure anatomy for prostate and G-spot orgasms. Wand style vibrators, like Doxy X Lovehoney Die Cast 3R Rechargeable Massage Wand Vibrator, are versatile (can be used on anyone’s body) and deliver powerful, rumbly vibrations to our external hot spots (e.g. clitoris, penis, perineum, butthole, nipples). It’s a great toy for solo pleasure or partnered sex – where you can grind against the toy during other sexy activities like kissing or penetration.
Check out: Doxy x Lovehoney Die Cast 3R Rechargeable Massage Wand Vibrator($249.95)
Noise and Size: If discretion is important to you, you’re going to want to consider how noisy a toy is and how large it is. If you live with very little privacy because of children or roommates, you might need a whisper-quiet toy like Lovehoney Silencer Whisper Quiet Classic Vibrator 7 Inch. Luckily sex toy technology is getting great at packing powerful motors inside of smaller toys. Mini wand vibrators like Lovehoney Deluxe Rechargeable Mini Massage Wand Vibrator don’t compromise on delivering mighty pleasure.
Check out: Lovehoney Silencer Whisper Quiet Classic Vibrator 7 Inch ($29.95). Lovehoney Deluxe Rechargeable Mini Massage Wand Vibrator ($64.95)
Material: Not all sex toys are created equal – look for sex toys made of body-safe materials like silicone, hard plastic, glass or stainless steel. Toys made of porous materials like rubber jelly are impossible to properly clean since their micro-pores allow bacteria to remain inside the toy despite external cleaning.
Does price point matter?
Luna: Sometimes. Higher priced toys sometimes means a higher quality – they might come with more features and functions, enhanced warranties and longer-lasting parts (e.g. motors in vibrators). You can start with whatever toy is in your budget and make sure that your body and mind are in a state of arousal when you’re trying it out. You’ll learn what sensations are best for your body through trial and error and paying attention to what speeds and pressures feel best for you.
What about for couples who may have tried a few entry level toys (no pun intended) what would you recommend to take things to the next level?
Luna: The We-Vibe Chorus App and Remote Controlled Couple’s Vibrator is next level pleasure. It’s a toy that can be used during penetrative vaginal sex. It is remote controlled so you have the option to use it hands-free or even play with who has control of the remote! It’s a powerful couples’ toy that you can also use for long-distance play through the We-Connect app.
Check Out: We-Vibe Chorus App and Remote Controlled Couple’s Vibrator($229.95)
What about care, cleaning and storing?
Luna: It’s easy to get lazy with your sex toy care, but you should be cleaning your toys after each use and allowing them to dry before putting them away for storage. It’s easy for bacteria to build up on sex toys. Sex toys that are electrical or motorized should not be submerged in water. You can cause damage to the mechanisms inside through improper cleaning. The best way to clean your vibrator is running it under warm water and using a mild and fragrance-free soap. Stainless steel, glass and silicone toys can be boiled or put in the dishwasher for sterilization. Sex toy cleaners are convenient, but some contain chemicals that can be an irritant to sensitive genitals. Consider using condoms on dildos or vibrators if you want to minimize the clean up. Use sex toy storage pouches or boxes to minimize dust in between uses.
What about the latest technology in the category. Anything interesting here?
Luna: Movable parts in sex toys has led to a lot of innovation for toys for penises, anuses and vulvas. Thrusting sex toys,prostate massagers, and suction sex toys are all changing the way we receive sensations from sex toys with their moving parts. The Fifty Shades of Grey Greedy Girl Rechargeable Thrusting Vibrator is a dual action vibrator that also thrusts for G-spot stimulation. It’s taking some of the manual work out of moving the toys ourselves, increasing accessibility of using toys and allowing for more targeted and continuous stimulation of prostates and G-spots. Whisper-quiet technology, heated toys and dual-action sex toys are meeting our pleasure needs better than ever.
Check out: Fifty Shades of Grey Greedy Girl Rechargeable Thrusting Vibrator ($149.95)
What is a common myth about sex toys that you’d like to debunk?
Luna: You can’t get ‘addicted’ to your sex toy. There’s a myth that using sex toys makes you less likely to enjoy sex with a partner without sex toys. Some people get used to a particular kind of stimulation from sex toys and because their body responds to that stimulation with pleasure, it remembers it. If you want to change up that pathway to pleasure you’re familiar with, you can always take a break from toys, try stimulating a different erogenous zone or using sex toys a different way that you normally do. You can also bring your sex toys into partner pleasure, because the more tools for pleasure – the better!
We often think about pleasure toys for women but what’s popular for men?
Luna: Sex toys are for penises too and we’re seeing more sophisticated and innovative toys for penises. Most sex toys for penises simulate handjobs, blowjobs or vaginal/anal penetration. The Blowmotion Warming Rechargeable Vibrating Male Masturbator takes it up a level by providing vibration AND heat. It’s compact and it’s easier to clean and maintain that other penis masturbators.
Check out: Blowmotion Warming Rechargeable Vibrating Male Masturbator($114.95)
What’s a good one you would recommend for women and travel?
Luna: My favourite vibe for women traveling would be the Desire Luxury Rechargeable Clitoral Vibrator. This external vibrator can discreetly pass as a neck massager because of its shape. It’s soft silicone – so it’s easy to keep clean. It’s USB rechargeable, which means you can plug it into your laptop to charge. Its buttons are minimal, which means it’s highly unlikely for it to accidentally turn on in your luggage. The motor is powerful for a toy this size and it can also be used on other hot spots on the body like the perineum and nipples.
Check Out: Desire Luxury Rechareable Clitoral Vibrator ($79.95)
Would you recommend any additional products to support a toy?
Luna: Definitely lube! Lube creates a silky texture to decrease friction and improve pleasure when using a sex toy. Choose the right lube for your sex toy by keeping in mind that silicone lube is incompatible with silicone toys and water-based lube can pretty much be used on any toy.
What else do you wish us to know about sex toys?
Luna: Sex toys don’t compete with our partners, they are co-operators in our pleasure. They offer us sensations that build arousal in our bodies that we might not otherwise experience. Whether you’re playing with sex toys by yourself or with a partner, you’re investing in learning more about and expanding your body’s pleasure.
The Lovehoney website and sex toy brands are known and loved around the world. To learn more about Lovehoney, visit www.lovehoney.ca, or follow on Instagram @lovehoneyofficial, Twitter @lovehoney, and YouTube @lovehoney.
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OHHHH A CONTEST:
Let’s make the holiday season an extra happy one! Enter for a chance to WIN a LOVEHONEY HAPPY HOLIDAYS prize pack valued at approximately $200 Canadian. The prize consisting of:
1 Womanizer x Lovehoney Pro40 Rechargeble Clitoral Stimulator ($149.95)
1 Lovehoney Enjoy Water-based Lubricant 250 mL ($19.95)
1 Lovehoney Bliss Orgasm Balm ($16.95)
1 Lovehoney Oh! Vanilla Massage Candle ($9.95)
1 Lovehoney Tote bag ($5)
TO ENTER:
There are FOUR ways to enter…
1. LIKE this post and comment below and tell us if you’re sugar or spice or a bit of both.
2. On the official AuburnLane Facebook, LIKE the corresponding post and in the comment section tell us if you’re sugar or spice or a bit of both.
3. On the official AuburnLane Instagram, LIKE the corresponding post and in the comment section TAG a friend who’s sugar and spice, and everything nice! (Each separate tag entry counts!)
4. On the official AuburnLane Twitter, LIKE the corresponding contest tweet and retweet!
Contest closes on December 3, 2021 at 12:00 pm noon EST.
*if you’re entering through our social media channels please make sure you’re following us so we can contact you if you’re a selected winner!
RULES:
No purchase necessary to enter. There is one (1) prize available to be won. Contest is open to Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority (19+) excluding Quebec. Enter as often you like. Winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries. Winners will receive an e-mail or direct message from our administrator that will include information to claim the prize as well as a mathematical skill-testing question. Selected entrant will have one week to respond from the time they are contacted. Skill testing question must be answered correctly in order to be deemed winner. The prize must be accepted as awarded. AuburnLane.com and Lovehoney Canada, Lovehoney affiliates and brands reserve the right to discontinue this contest at any time or switch out any item for equal or greater value. AuburnLane.com, Lovehoney (Canada & International) and affiliated partners will never ask for any payment information in order to enter or claim any prizing.