Tantus Vamp Super Soft Review

It’s no secret that I adore soft, squishy silicone toys. So when Tantus announced a super soft version of their popular Vamp dildo, I just about squealed. Historically, very soft silicone has been found only from small indie dildo crafters and on fantasy toy sites. It’s been damn near impossible to find a large company making high quality toys out of soft silicone. It’s also hard to find realistic soft toys made out of safe materials, because generally that’s not what fantasy companies are producing. I’m so incredibly excited that Tantus has stepped up to the plate to fill this market.

Tantus has made a Vamp out of their firm silicone for years, and it’s one of their more popular toys. I never owned it because I know how hard their firm silicone is, and that I can’t handle a 1.75″ diameter toy in that density. Firm toys feel bigger and more intense than soft toys, and my vagina prefers things in the smaller and/or softer range. If you are a card carrying member of size royalty and/or a person who enjoys very firm toys, this is probably not the dildo for you. There’s going to be very little overlap in people who love the original firm Vamp and people who love the Vamp Super Soft, because density really makes a huge difference in use.

First and foremost, this toy is quite squishy. Tantus did not let me down with the super soft! It’s not the softest silicone I’ve ever encountered; it falls in the “slightly stale gummy bear” range of densities and is comparable to Damn Average’s Soft. It’s both bendy and has a decent amount of give when you squeeze it. I’m again reminded of an artist’s eraser when squeezing this toy, if that helps anyone.

As you can see in the photos, the Vamp has pretty prominent vein detailing on it. However, in silicone this soft, that texture goes completely unnoticed in my vagina. My vaginal walls just aren’t as good at picking that stuff out as my fingertips are. If you want a vagina to notice texture, it needs to be really big, quite firm, or both. As it is, it’s just a pleasing visual detail that adds to the realism. I mean, as realistic as a vaguely penis-like toy can get when it only comes in copper and purple.

In use, I really love the tapered tip followed by the bulge at the coronal ridge. The taper makes it easier to insert, which my delicate flower of a vagina thoroughly appreciates. The bulge at the end of the head means the toy kinda locks into me and doesn’t want to slip out, which is something that I personally quite like. Something to note is that the Vamp has a completely straight shaft, which matters if you’re trying to target an internal erogenous zone such as the G-spot or prostate: it probably won’t do that. G-spot stimulation is also possible with bulbed heads, but I find that the head of the Vamp is moderate enough and soft enough that it doesn’t really do much to my G-spot. Admittedly, my G-spot is not very sensitive and likes very firm pressure, so your mileage may vary.

The thing I love this toy for is having a big squishy thing inside of me to clench around. I know that’s not going to do it for everyone, but boy does it do it for me. I don’t typically thrust dildos very much. Call it laziness, or possibly that I’m usually holding my phone with one hand and my vibe with the other. Or maybe I just like clenching on dildos. Especially during orgasm, when the vagina contracts involuntarily, I really like having something large and squeeze-able to contract around. The shape of this toy is pretty darn simple, but it works beautifully for that in ways that curved or bulbous toys don’t.

I think the other thing this toy is great for is size training. If you are someone like me, who’s pretty comfortable with dildos of 1.5″ diameter and wants one step up size wise, I can’t recommend this toy enough. The tapered tip combined with the squish makes the Vamp Super Soft a perfect introduction to larger toys. Soft materials make big toys easier to take, but they can make small toys feel underwhelming. Definitely take your own definitions of “small” and “big” into account when considering this toy, because they can vary so much from person to person.

If a great, squishy, moderately large, straight dildo sounds like your kind of party, pick up a Vamp Super Soft at Tantus or SheVibe!

The Vamp Super Soft was provided to me free of charge by Tantus in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Thank you Tantus!

Tantus Little Flirt Review

If you’ve read my other butt plug reviews, you may recall that I’ve been searching for the perfect everyday plug for quite some time now. For me, the perfect everyday plug would be easy to insert, stay put, not dry out too quickly, be comfortable for long term wear, and still provide some kind of sensation. I gotta say, the Tantus Little Flirt comes pretty darn close.

If you aren’t aware, I have strong feelings about butt plug bases.  The Little Flirt has the same anchor style base as the Tantus Neo, and I love it. It’s small, unobtrusive, and comfortable. It also has the same silky smooth texture as the Neo, which I also love. It’s soft and luscious and causes much less friction than either a glossy or a matte finish. If Tantus ever makes a dildo with this finish, I’ll be first in line. This is the updated version of the Little Flirt, and I think it’s a great decision Tantus is redesigning all their butt plugs to have this “satin” finish and the anchor base- it makes for really good butt plugs.

It’s a very small plug, with a max diameter of 0.8″. Tantus calls it “beginner friendly” and I have to agree. The diminutive size paired with the tapered tip and gentle increase and decrease in size makes it ideal for someone who’s just getting started with this whole butt stuff thing. My butt quite enjoys being stretched, so I was more looking for a plug for warm up and casual wear.

I was really missing having a very small plug for warming up; it makes life a lot easier. Sometimes I can take the njoy Pure Plug Medium with no warm up, some days it’s uncomfortably large and firm without a solid warm up. The Little Flirt fills this niche in my toybox perfectly. It’s really easy to insert due to shape and texture. I let it stay there for a while as I get more aroused and get used to the feeling of something up my butt, and then I can take it out and move on to something bigger. There is a flipside to this: If I leave it in my butt while masturbating, there usually comes a point where I’m so turned on and relaxed that it doesn’t give me much sensation anymore. Also, I don’t always need it. There was one day when I pulled out the Little Flirt to be a warmup plug, and ended up skipping directly from fingers to my Neo. My butt was being a champ that day and didn’t need that extra warming up step. Butts are fickle, and I like having multiple sizes around so I can easily cater to my butt’s unpredictable whims.

So how does this plug fare for casual wear? Well, I’ve worn it around the house, doing dishes, sitting, etc. It went pretty well. It doesn’t stay in place quite as snugly as a front-loaded plug with more of a bulb shape. The bottom half of the plug and the neck kind of meld together, and the larger middle can slide down a little, prompting me to push it back all the way into my butt. I find that sitting straight on it puts uncomfortable pressure on my insides, so I tend to avoid sitting directly on the center of my butt while wearing it. The Little Flirt is very comfortable to wear for long periods of time, without getting pokey or an unpleasant too-much-stretching feeling. The silicone toy + water based lube combo does dry out fairly quickly and I occasionally need to remove it to reapply lube. You might remember from my njoy Pure Plug review that I loved the Pure Plug for intense stimulation, but for walking around, it didn’t feel like it was going to stay in and quickly became uncomfortable. The Little Flirt is pretty much the opposite of that. It’s easy to insert, doesn’t feel very intense, and stays put and feels comfortable while walking around.

This plug is great if you’re new to butt stuff, prefer small toys anally, need a warm up toy, or want something to wear while you fold laundry. If you need something larger, try the Tantus Neo, and if you’re looking for G-spot/prostate stimulation, try the njoy Pure Plugs. The Little Flirt is a comfortable, reliable little plug, and I’m happy to have it in my collection. You can find the Little Flirt at Tantus and SheVibe!

Godemiche Ambit Review

Edit 8/14/17: Due to recent actions on the part of the owners of Godemiche, I can no longer support their company or their products. The Big Gay Review wrote a post which sums up my feelings on the situation; you can find that post here. The following review will remain on my blog in its original unedited form with one exception: I have removed all affiliate links to Godemiche products.

Y’all have no idea how excited I was to get my hands on the Godemiche Ambit. Godemiche is a two-person operation based in the UK, and when I discovered them, I was stunned by the gorgeous colors in their silicone toys. Unfortunately, their trademark dildo is out of my girth comfort zone. I emailed them asking if there was any chance they’d make a smaller one, and was told one was in the works and would be out in a few months. I was super excited, and proceeded to wait. Now, here it is!  I got the Ambit as a Christmas present from my partner, and I squealed an awful lot when I saw it.

First of all, this toy is so pretty. Mine is in “Bubblegun,” a marble of pink and silver. I initially thought that would be a weird combination, but I like the way it turned out. The pink peeks out from under the silver, and mine has a splash of pink down the center that I’m really into. Godemiche’s whole thing is simple dildos in beautiful colors: they have sparkly Gleam and Effulgent collections, tiny hearts suspended in the silicone, and, my favorite, their Galaxy and Nebula dildos. I’m a sucker for hand poured marbles and pretty colors, so big points for that.

The silicone has just a little bit more give than Tantus’s firm silicone; it’s more like Vixen Creations’ single density. It does have a tendency to get turned around in the vagina. There’s a small imprinted G at the base that I use to keep it lined up, but it’s difficult to think about that while there’s thrusting happening. For me, a dildo this size is in the “filling but comfortable” category. I’m a fan of the tapered tip because it definitely makes the Ambit easier to insert than similar sized toys with blunt heads, like the Tantus Echo.

This toy does good G-spot things. I like doing quick small thrusts on my G-spot with the ridge below the head, which delivers focused pressure and makes my G-spot very happy. The silicone is fairly bendy, so I sometimes need to push down on the base to get more direct contact with my G-spot, but it’s usually not much of an issue.

The design is similar to the Tantus Acute, with the flat head and small sloping curve. You might remember that I wasn’t super impressed with the Acute’s G-spotting abilities. It worked sometimes, but could be tricky to line up correctly and was too thin and bendy to apply very firm pressure. The Ambit is bigger, has more of a curve, and has a more dramatic ridge, which makes it a much better G-spotter.

The suction cup is very effective. I didn’t realize that the Ambits sold at SheVibe came with suction cups, but they do! It is a little picky about which surfaces it wants to stick to: it likes flat walls, smooth hardwood floors, and big tiles, but it won’t stick to tiles that are smaller than the suction cup or textured walls. Suction cup dildos aren’t my personal jam, I’d rather lie in my bed while masturbating than standing or crouching to ride a dildo. I’m a lazy masturbator. I tested it out though, and it stays put through vigorous thrusting and side to side action, and has to be peeled away from the wall. If you’re looking for a body safe dildo with a hardcore reliable suction cup, this is a great option. Or you could stick it to your head and pretend to be a unicorn, whatever floats your boat.

The Ambit has an intuitive design. It’s a solid G-spotter. It comes in pretty colors (including glitter and custom options). It’s made by an awesome small company that listens to their customers and takes them into account. Also, it’s only $35! That’s an excellent price for a hand poured silicone dildo. If you’re wanting an inexpensive moderate-sized G-spot toy, the Ambit is the dildo for you.

You can find the Ambit at SheVibe!

L’amourose Prism V Review

One of my sex toy goals going into 2017 was to try more vibrators, especially G-spot vibrators. So naturally, I jumped at the chance to review the L’amourose Prism V, a luxury silicone G-spot vibe that’s received enthusiastic feedback.

L’amourose has been lauded for its rumbly motors, so I had high expectations for the Prism V. Rumbly vibrations are so, so important to me. Honestly, I think the Magic Wand Rechargeable and Doxy Don have entirely spoiled my clit and skewed my perspective. The Prism V, while not as hardcore as either of those powerhouse vibes, is moderately rumbly and quite powerful. For a rechargeable vibe that’s smaller than a power tool, it really does hold its own.

I’m not in love with the Prism V internally. Several other reviewers noted that they preferred the Prisms clitorally, and I was so sure that I would be the exception. I’m a big fan of vibrations on my G-spot and I thought the Prism V would be just the ticket. It turns out, I have mixed feelings. You could hardly accuse the Prism V of being weak or buzzy, which is a huge point in the pro column. I do love the sheer power and nice rumbliness on my G-spot, but the shape is not perfect for my body. I think I need a slightly more dramatic curve in a G-spot toy, so it can really push into my body.. That’s why I love the Tantus Echo with its sharp ridges, and c-shaped dildos like the Pure Wand. In the Prism V, the curve angles up too much. If they made it so the curve of the neck was the same, but the head was more bulbous and stuck out farther instead of slimming down and tapering into a point, I’d be much happier with it. As it is, the Prism V has more of a gentle s-curve, so  it’s much trickier to get any firm pressure on my G-spot. I really need that firm pressure. Without it, it kinda feels like the Prism V is vibrating on the outside of my G-spot, instead of directly into it. Vibrations inside of my vagina don’t do much for me unless they’re targeting my erogenous zones, no matter how powerful or rumbly they are. They need to make contact. If your G-spot is more sensitive than mine or likes indirect stimulation, you’ll probably be happier with the Prism V as an internal vibe.

Clitorally, it’s big enough to give me the broad stim I like on all but my most sensitive days. I tend to turn it on its side to give myself more surface area to work with. I’m less picky with my clit vibes, because shape isn’t nearly as important here. Is it large? Will it give me indirect stimulation? Then the shape is just fine by me. Here is where the motor becomes vitally important. Clitorally, the motor in the Prism V really gets its chance to shine, cause when it does make direct contact, the quality of the vibrations blow me away.

The Prism V is a great luxury vibe. It’s powerful, moderately rumbly, and pretty. Yes, I am very swayed by aesthetically pleasing sex toys. It’s also small enough to be easily portable and maneuverable, which is a big plus. Also, it’s only $99 at many stores, and that’s an excellent price for a top of the line insertable vibe. As a G-spot vibe, it might work for folks who like internal vibrations generally, or indirect G-spot stimulation, but it’s not going to cut it for direct, intense G-spot stim. However, I wholeheartedly recommend the Prism V for clit use and for taking #aesthetic sex toy photos. If what you need is clit stim that is neither pinpoint nor broad, with a solid motor and a handle to boot, in a moderate price range, the Prism V is the toy for you.

You can buy the Prism V at SheVibe, Peepshow Toys, or Betty’s Toy Box!

The Prism V was sent to me by L’amourose free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Thank you, L’amourose!

Doxy Don Review

The Don is a silicone plug-in vibrator made by Doxy. The bulb bit at the toy is 2.5″ long by 1.27″ wide, the toy overall is 7.5″ tall, and it has a 12 foot long power cord.

The motor in this toy is just astonishing. It’s jaw-droppingly good. When I first felt it, in my fave brick and mortar sex toy store, I couldn’t believe how deep, low, and rumbly it felt, and I’m thrilled to be able to report that it translated to feeling good on my bits. On lots of toys, as you increase the vibration strength, the quality of vibration gets more and more buzzy. This is why I generally tend to use lower settings more, the rumbliness just feels so much better and more stimulating, and gets me off better. The Don somehow manages to keep the rumbliness on its higher settings, and even if you turn it all the way up, never gets uncomfortably sharp and buzzy. The first setting on the Magic Wand Rechargeable has been my gold standard for strong, rumbly vibrations for months now. One day during testing I switched from the Don to the MWR, and I was stunned by how much less rumbly the MWR felt in comparison. The Don’s lowest setting is also much less strong than the MWR, and I really appreciate that. It gives me a gentle place to start, instead of shocking my vulva with intense vibrations right off the bat. The body of the toy does vibrate quite a bit, but I didn’t find it bothersome to hold because the vibrations didn’t make my fingers itchy or numb. The shape of this toy may be odd, but it would be hard to dislike any toy with a motor this good.

I really like broad stimulation on my clitoris: think rubbing with the heel of your palm instead of one fingertip. For me, putting just the bulb on my clit felt really pinpoint and intense, and if I wasn’t ready for it, it was overstimulating and painful. Especially for warming up, I  like to use the Don with the wider part against my clitoris and the bulb elsewhere on my vulva, usually around my vaginal opening. As I get more aroused, then I can place the bulb directly on my clit, enjoy the focused stimulation, and have strong orgasms. It takes a bit more time to gently work my way up, so the Don isn’t very good for quickies. If I have the time and the patience, the strong rumbles deliver deep, strong orgasms, which is a pretty good trade off.

The Don is marketed as an anal vibrator, so naturally I had to stick it up my butt. It is anal safe, but the design isn’t like any other butt toy I’ve ever seen. With the bulb portion inserted, there’s this big thing hanging out of my butt. It’s way too big to sit down or lay down with this giant cylinder in between your butt cheeks, so I just kind of crouched awkwardly. The nubby bit on the flat top pressed against my perineum in that position, which felt nice, and the rumbliness is also good inside the butt. But it’s just awkward and uncomfortable to hold this big old toy just to have a small one inch part of it up the butt. The insertable portion is too small and bulbous to thrust, so it just kinda hangs out there. If Doxy wants to put this motor in a more anal-friendly design, I’d be all for it, but the Don is not successful as an anal vibrator.

I also tried the Don with the bulb in my vagina and the nubby bit on or near my clit. The angle required for this means the bulb doesn’t hit my G-spot because it’s pointed towards the back wall of my vagina instead of the front. Internally, the bulb doesn’t do much for me. The nubby part does reach my clit just fine, and I can get off that way. But if I’m gonna put something inside my vagina, any of my favorite dildos are going to be more stimulating and more comfortable than that hard short bulb.

A couple of quibbles: I don’t really understand why the toy starts on the middle setting, and then I have to turn it down to get to the lowest one before I start. The controls are separate from the toy itself, so they often get turned around and I end up turning the Don up when I meant to turn it off. The cord that connects the toy to the controls is constantly tangled up with the cord that connects the controls to the plug. I love that the buttons are large, clearly labeled, easy to push, and light up when pushed and when the toy is plugged in, but the above three points mean I still get confused by or frustrated with the controls sometimes.

Overall, the Don has the best, most rumbly motor I have ever come in contact with. It’s a bit odd to hold and a bit awkward to insert anally, but the vibrations are delicious and do excellent things to my clitoris. If you want deep, rumbly vibrations with a wide range of strength settings, stimulation that is neither super pinpoint nor super broad, and have an outlet within twelve feet of where you’ll be having sex, the Don is a great choice.

Additionally, the Don has a fabulously low price for a vibrator this good: you can pick one up for $89.99 USD at SheVibe!

Thank you to Doxy North America for sending me the Doxy Don free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Doc Johnson The Li’l End Butt Plug Review

Oh lord, this toy. Let me tell you a story. Over a year ago, I found myself wanting to buy my very first butt plug. I had a very small amount of anal experience: enough to know that I like it but not enough to have inserted anything larger than a single finger. So of course I wanted a small beginner’s plug. I made a trip to Self Serve Toys and I ended up buying two (they were having a BOGO 1/2 off sale). I got the Doc Johnson Li’l End as well as the Doc Johnson Mood Naughty 2 in small during that shopping trip, and for a few months they were my only anal toys.

Li’l End compared to Tantus Little Flirt

The Li’l End is a pretty shimmery pink, 1″ diameter at the widest point, and very inexpensive, only $13 at SheVibe. It’s made of soft squishy silicone, very bendy and pliable. This was my first soft silicone toy; all the silicone I had encountered previously was rock hard. As evidenced by later toy purchases, I ended up loving the softness because it’s very comfortable and forgiving. Butt plugs made of harder materials are often more noticeable and more stimulating, but they can quickly grow uncomfortable. Toys with a curve have the same effects. To give some examples, my njoy pure plug, which is both curved and made of steel, is strictly a playtime plug for me. The Tantus Little Flirt, which is made of a firm but flexible silicone and is small and straight, can be worn for much longer periods of time. I also quite liked the shape of the Li’l End, even though it’s a very simple classic shape for a butt plug. The small tip and gradual increase in girth made insertion a bit easier than it is with front-loaded toys. I found thrusting to be easy with this plug, as it’s a bit longer than some other plugs and has no texture or curve that might impede thrusting. When in motion, the largest part of the plug slid in and out, which gave a stretch at my opening that I very much like.

However, this toy has a few fatal flaws. Firstly, for the life of me I cannot get it to stay in. I do not have this problem with any of my other small plugs of this size. Instead of remaining in my butt, like plugs are supposed to do, this plug is forever slipping right out. I think this has to do with the largest part of the plug being only infinitesimally larger than the neck. Without a small neck for my butt to close around, it just falls right out. Secondly, goodness gracious that base is huge. I understand now why other reviewers make such a fuss about butt plug bases. They make all the difference in whether or not a toy is enjoyable. This base does not fit between my butt cheeks. I have doubts that it would fit between any human’s butt cheeks. I have tried to fold the base to the sides in order to squeeze it between my butt cheeks, but it inevitably unfolds and pops out. With the base all the way on the other end of my butt cheeks, the plug is barely inserted, which also leads to the plug falling out. So, that base is two kinds of unpleasant and inconvenient.

As much as I loved the squishy silicone, I just can’t recommend the Li’l End Butt Plug because it does not function as a plug. If you want a small butt plug, I recommend the Tantus Little Flirt if you want a tapered tip, the Mood Naughty 2 in small if you want something curved and front loaded, or the njoy Pure Plug in small if you want lots of prostate or G-spot stimulation.

KinkCraft Figure-8 Cuffs Kit Review

Y’all, I’m really excited. Look at these gorgeous cuffs that I made! For those of you who aren’t familiar with KinkCraft, they’re a small business based in the UK that makes handmade kink gear, and what makes them special is they also have online courses that teach you how to make said kink gear yourself! As a person who likes to be tied up and also likes crafts like knitting, their whole concept makes me really happy. The way it works is you can either buy the online course by itself, or a kit that includes all the necessary materials as well, and it’s a kit that I’m reviewing today. I previously tried and reviewed their Mini Flogger and Connected Cuffs kits, and while I really liked how easy to make and fun to use the Mini Flogger was, I really struggled with the Connected Cuffs and ended up with a pair that is too small for me to use. To be fair, the Connected Cuffs are listed as an intermediate course, and were maybe not the best to start out with. KinkCraft was kind enough to send me their beginner cuff kit, the Figure-8 Cuffs Kit.

Making the braid

Finishing the cuffs

The Figure-8 Cuffs were in fact easier to make than the Connected Cuffs. Like all their other kits, all the supplies came in a pretty gift box, with tissue paper and a ribbon to boot. One thing I liked about the Figure-8 Cuffs as compared to the Connected Cuffs is that for the Figure-8 Cuffs, all the hard parts are at the beginning and the end. Getting started can be a bit tricky, as that’s when you have to do all the measuring and make sure that everything is precisely the right length because you can’t fix it later. Also, I managed to put my o-ring in upside down and had to remove it and do it over. Finishing the cuffs involves using a lighter to seal the knots, you only have a couple of seconds while the paracord is molten to push the ends together and seal them. As you can see in the picture above, I didn’t do the neatest job. However, for most of the two hours that I spent working on these cuffs, I was just braiding. Like last time, my favorite part of making these cuffs was the braid. I enjoy the meditative repetitiveness of making the knots over and over again and watching my work materialize. I listened to music and sang along while doing the braid, which was lovely. While there are tricky parts, they are comparatively fewer than for the Connected Cuffs, and you spend a much larger portion of the time making knots. I liked that I didn’t have to stop in the middle of making the braid to worry about measurements and buckles this time. Overall, it was a much easier and less stressful experience.

I have to admit that I didn’t actually understand how the Figure-8 Cuffs work before I made them. I thought that the o-ring was permanently attached to both sides of the cuffs, and couldn’t understand how I was supposed to get my hand in and out of the side without the buckle. Well these cuffs aren’t nearly so poorly designed, rest assured. It’s one long straight piece of paracord braid: you bring the other buckle through the o-ring to make the cuffs. It’s quite brilliant, actually. If you want to make your cuffs tight, you can do that, and put them on someone’s wrists by wrapping it around one wrist, then pulling the buckle through the o-ring and around their other wrist. I like my cuffs secure, which is one of the reasons I originally opted for the Connected Cuffs, thinking they had to be much more restraining than the Figure-8 Cuffs. I made my pair a little bit bigger than necessary, so I can wriggle my hand in and out without unclasping them. That’s a totally valid option if you like the added safety feature of being able to get free in a pinch, but you can also make them tighter so that it’s not possible. Hurray for having options! In use, the Figure-8 Cuffs work nicely: they keep my wrists together and don’t get in the way. I can turn my wrists around inside of them, which is convenient for positioning, and again, depends on how tight you make them. Paracord is not the softest material, and can cause some chafing. Personally, I don’t mind at all, as I enjoy the roughness. Just be aware of the potential for rugburn and proceed accordingly.

Overall, I’m thrilled with the Figure-8 Cuffs Kit. KinkCraft makes quality, durable products, and the kits provide the ability to customize your gear as wanted. It was significantly easier to make than the Connected Cuffs, and I think the Figure-8 Cuffs are a much better option for those of us who aren’t paracord craft experts. If you want the easiest craft possible, the Mini Flogger is the way to go, as it is both simpler and less time consuming. If you want to make your own cuffs, definitely go for the Figure-8 Cuffs Kit.

If you want a pair of Figure-8 Cuffs, you can get the kit, the online course alone, or buy it ready-made, all from KinkCraft’s site.

I was sent the Figure 8 Cuffs Kit in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

Review: Damn Average Pawn

This is a sweet, simple dildo. It’s made by Damn Average, who I first discovered through Ninja Sexology’s epic guide to buying sex toys on Etsy. Damn Average is run by Sheep, who makes hand poured silicone toys in beautiful marbled color schemes. Personally, I am a huge fan of toys that are shaped like penises but not colored like penises. My vagina enjoys the general shape of a penis, while my eyes love pink and blue cotton candy swirls and streaks a lot more than shades of beige. This dildo is modeled on a life cast with a base added. It feels a bit odd to critique a toy that’s based on somebody’s body part, but hey, that’s what we do around here.

My toy also came with a small silicone heart, which you can see in the picture above. It’s pretty and shimmery and lives on my desk. To my knowledge, Sheep isn’t including squishes with orders right now, but you can still buy non-sex toy silicone stress relievers from their store.

My Pawn is in the Soft firmness, which Sheep compares to “slightly stale gummy candy.” I think this is a pretty accurate description: It’s got a decent amount of give, but it takes some force to squeeze it and it provides some resistance to being squished. It reminded me of a soft art eraser, if that helps any of you. It’s nowhere near as hard as Tantus’s firm silicone, but it’s significantly less soft than Tails and Portholes Solid Soft. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, Sheep also makes toys in Hard, Medium, and Super Soft.

Compared to the Tantus Echo, the Pawn is more girthy, much shorter, and definitely squishier.

This dildo is on the short-and-thick side. Its usable length is only 4.25″, and it has a maximum circumference of 5.25″, which is around 1.7″ diameter. I have a relatively short vagina, so this is usually a pretty good length for me. It doesn’t poke my cervix in an uncomfortable way like some longer, harder toys can do. Occasionally, when I’m very aroused, I wish the Pawn was just a tiny bit longer. In an unfortunate coincidence, being very aroused is the best time for me to use a toy with this girth. The shape is pretty simple; it doesn’t stimulate the G-spot  or have crazy texture. It provides a nice sense of fullness, and I’m a fan of just leaving it in my vagina while I do clit stuff. It also makes a great warmup for using a very large or very textured dildo. I really like the finish on the Pawn, it’s sort of matte and creates much less friction than glossy silicone.

All the pretty colors!

There’s one part of the Pawn that I am just not a fan of. It has a weird ridge towards the base that juts out towards the side. This makes it uncomfortable for me to thrust very much with this dildo, because the ridge is constantly popping in and out of my vaginal opening. If I try to thrust so that the ridge stays out of me, the Pawn becomes too short to be satisfying. I don’t know if this was part of the penis that this toy was cast from or a quirk of the mold or what, but it’s awkward and pokey.

You can see the ridge on the lower right in this picture.

A quick note on the base: it’s pretty small, as bases go. It’s really close to the size of the shaft. In this firmness, at least, I don’t think the base would prevent the toy from disappearing into an anus. I don’t feel comfortable recommending this toy for anal use.

Overall, the Pawn is a nice, basic realistic dildo that comes in all kinds of gorgeous colors. Also, it’s only $30! It’s hard to beat that price for a one-of-a-kind handmade piece. If you like short, moderately girthy toys in pretty colors, you would probably like this toy.

You can buy the Pawn from Damn Average, along with lots of other unique, colorful designs!

 

Review: Tails and Portholes Leviathan

The Leviathan is made by artisan dildo maker Brandie Harris of Tails and Portholes on Etsy. All the toys are hand-poured, unique, have gorgeous colors, and are mermaid themed. The Leviathan is her tentacle dildo- you can’t have a deep-sea creatures themed dildo store without a tentacle toy! This one is pink and white with glitter, in a solid soft firmness. It has a usable length of 5.75″, the head is 2″ diameter and the shaft is 2.25″.

The Leviathan is my first fantasy dildo! I have abstract toys and penis-shaped toys, but this is the first time I’ve tried anything based off a fantasy creature. This toy is so pretty. I love the way that the white part is striped down the front, where all the suction cups are. It makes it look as though it were really some kind of cephalopod, which I’m into. If you’d rather something else, Brandie does all kinds of custom colorations. Check out her tumblr to see all the pretty dildos! The Leviathan is quite heavy for a silicone toy, probably due to the large, chunky base. This is the softest silicone that I have ever encountered, it’s just amazingly squishy. It’s even softer than New York Toy Collective’s bendable toys, and that’s saying something. This toy also comes in dual density or in solid firm.

It comes with a sheer shiny storage bag.

This is a really interesting design. There are many tentacle dildos, but they are usually long, thin, and pointed at the end, like an actual tentacle. The Leviathan has a pointed tip, but then it has a flared head with pointed sides, the likes of which I’ve never seen on a sex toy before. The girth increases rapidly as you get further toward the base. Personally, I cannot insert the toy all the way to its base, I get about halfway. I’m really  okay with that, because I think the weird head is the star of this toy.

 

So let’s talk about this head, because it’s pretty freakin unique. It’s angled forwards and has two fins that jut out towards the sides. The front of the head curves in. There’s a decrease in girth immediately below the head, so there’s a distinct pop when the head pushes in. You might remember that I wasn’t a fan of sharp popping sensations with firm materials in my butt. In the vagina, with softer silicone, it’s not nearly as intense of a sensation, and I don’t find it unpleasant at all. It’s more of an achievement. The sides to stick out quite a bit, which causes some stretching of the sides of my vagina that I wasn’t used to. That’s the point of fantasy toys, though: to try out new and interesting sensations. In any case, it didn’t bother me, and created a nice sensation of fullness.

 

Because the silicone is so soft, the curve at the head can easily be straightened out. If you looked at that head and thought “g-spotting!” well, maybe. In harder firmnesses the head might keep its shape better and push into the g-spot. In solid soft, the head gently pushes against my g-spot due to sheer size.In my sessions, I liked to insert the head, line it up with my g-spot, and squeeze around it. There’s something very satisfying about squeezing something and feeling it compress, it’s like playing with a stress ball. It’s extra fun when squishing the thing causes it to gently nudge the g-spot. It’s not an intense g-spot tool like my Tantus Echo, and if you need firm, targeted pressure, it’s probably  not going to fit that bill. If you like fullness and soft pressure on your g-spot, this toy is a good time. This also isn’t a dildo for thrusting: because it’s rather floppy, has such sharp angles, and the base is hard to get a good grip on, the best I could manage was little wiggles. Personally, I preferred keeping it still and clenching.

In this firmness, the toy can be bent in half, which led to a fun discovery. While the head was inside of me, I bent the base towards my vulva so that I could feel the suction cup texture. That was a fun sensation, and I recommend trying it to anyone else who enjoys grinding on things. On the inner wall of my vagina, the texture is pretty undetectable, at least with silicone this soft. If you can insert this toy all the way, you might get more texture internally, because the suction cups are larger and more pronounced towards the bottom. Otherwise, I suggest going for the solid firm option if you’re really interested in feeling suction cups inside you.

Overall, I think this is a great toy. It’s definitely a departure from penis-like toys, it’s well designed, and it created some cool unique sensations. You can also get a harder firmness or the mini version if big or soft dildos are not your kind of party. I recommend this toy to anyone who’s comfortable with the size, enjoys funky bulbous heads, and wants a custom tentacle of their very own.

You can get the Leviathan from Tails and Portholes!

The Leviathan was sent to me free of charge in exchange for an honest unbiased review. Thank you, Tails and Portholes!

 

njoy Pure Plug Review

A couple of things made me want to try the medium size njoy Pure Plug, besides that it’s heartily endorsed by the blogsquad and that njoy as a company makes high quality, beautiful toys. First off is the size. It is very strange to me that while there are a lot of plugs with a max diameter of 1″ (usually marketed to butt stuff newbies) and a lot of 1.5′ diameter plugs, there are hardly any in between. The njoy pure plug comes in three sizes, 1″, 1.25″, and 1.5″, respectively. While I can take toys of 1.5″ up the butt, especially well designed ones, it takes a significant amount of prep work and warmup to do so comfortably, which I’m just not always up for. 1″ toys are great for the no prep side of things, but not terribly stimulating. Sometimes I completely forget that I’m wearing a small silicone plug while masturbating: it’s so unobtrusive that once I got very aroused I couldn’t feel it at all. I was hoping for a happy medium. Secondly, the material: njoy makes toys out of stainless steel, which is smooth, shiny, and heavy, does not generate a lot of friction, and can be used with silicone lube. One of the difficulties I have with silicone plugs is that if you want to wear them for a long time, you have to take them out and re-lube them, or else you get rugburn in your butt. This is not always convenient. Steel has a lot less drag, and silicone lube lasts longer than water-based lube, which I was hoping would make for excellent long-term wear.

The size turned out to be great for me. I can take it without any warmup (on a good butt day, if I’m gentle and go slowly) and it’s much more noticeable than lightweight, flexible silicone. I used this plug as an initial warmup for anal sex, before moving on to a larger plug and then full-on butt fucking, and it worked great. It does have a tendency to pop in, especially if you try to push it in very quickly. Keep that in mind and maybe try going at a slower pace than normal if you’re not used to hard, unyielding steel in your butt or don’t like dramatic changes in size very much (like me). The curve nudges at my g-spot indirectly. It’s a gentle heaviness, like the weight of several blankets. After a while, it makes me a bit fidgety, like I need to do something about it. (The something is masturbate). I’ve found this to be an excellent technique for turning myself on when my genitals need a bit of coaxing.

When it comes to long term wear, I was right about the lack of friction and the excellent long-lasting slipperiness of metal with silicone lube. There is one thing that I failed to take into consideration, however: the weight. Steel is really heavy, which makes it much more noticeable than silicone. My butt muscles are just not accustomed to trying to hold something that heavy for a long period of time, so they get tired really easily while wearing this plug. This is a weird problem to have, but I’ve had it pretty consistently. Lots of people have talked about how secure the pure plugs are, how they couldn’t possibly fall out, but I always feel like it’s trying to fall out. It never does, it stays perfectly in place. However, it’s just so heavy, gravity is in effect, and it feels like it’s about to drop right out. As a result, I’m always clenching to keep it in, which results in some well-exercised, sore muscles. That’s not super ideal for a plug I’d like to wear all day. It also makes walking around with it in nerve-wracking, as I’m always checking to make sure it’s staying put. Keep in mind that steel is completely unyielding, which can translate as “hard pokey thing in my butt” if you aren’t sufficiently aroused or warmed up. Speaking of warm ups, steel at room temperature feels pretty freakin cold to the butt, which can be an unpleasant shock. Running the plug under warm water for a minute helps a lot, but that’s not always practical if you’re in a shared living situation like I am.

Overall, the pure plug is a high quality toy that’s very good at what it does. If what it does isn’t your body’s idea of a good time, it could be quite uncomfortable. I love the lack of friction and the size, but I don’t find the weight to sit well while walking around. For me, this is a playtime-only plug. When I am sufficiently aroused, not rushing, and in a bed, the pure plug can create some fun, intense sensations. When I want something up my butt while doing laundry, I’ll stick with a small silicone plug and re-lube in between loads. I’m still on the hunt for an all-day-long plug, and I’ll keep y’all posted on that front. For now, the medium njoy pure plug is a solid medium toy that packs a punch for it size and pushes into my g-spot in a good way.

You can pick up an njoy pure plug in any size at SheVibe!