Posted by Lilly | 2 Comments

Review: Hold on to Me Kegel Exerciser from Bedroom Kandi

The Bedroom Kandi line’s Hold On To Me is a kegel exerciser set that is similar in execution to the Lelo Luna Beads. There are a lot of differences between the two products but a lot of similarities, namely, the ability to gradually increase the weight of the beads as your muscles get stronger. Both products feature 4 ABS plastic spheres/balls/beads, the ability to use one or two at a time, and a silicone “holster” for when you want to use two at a time. Since I do a lot of comparisons in my reviews it’s only natural that I’ll be doing a lot of comparing in this one to the Lelo Luna Beads because it is a product that has been around for years and so many are familiar with them. The Hold On To Me spheres are a lot more femme-y and girly looking whereas the Luna Beads look more plain. This is a type of product though that, for me, design is a far distant second to function.

 

While the Luna Beads are only 2 different weights (the pink beads are 28 grams each and the blue beads are 37 grams each) the Hold On To Me set contains 1 bead each of 4 different weights. All beads look identical, but there is gold paint on the outside to differentiate between them, like dots on dice. The bead weights are: 25 grams, 30 grams, 35 grams, 40 grams. A big different between the HOTM and Luna beads is the size. Luna Beads are 36mm while HOTM beads are only 30mm. 6mm might not seem like a lot but it matters. Users of the Luna Bead system who found that the beads were a little too big for comfort might enjoy the smaller size of the Bedroom Kandi Hold On To Me set. The holster for the HOTM beads is also more diminutive and a lot more flexible – this can be a good thing or bad. I personally found that this floppiness made the 2-bead set harder to insert than the more sturdy Luna Beads. Also, for the Luna Beads the retrieval cord appears to simply be cotton string but it is a nylon coated string. It doesn’t absorb fluids or stain, and it is attached to the bead itself. For the HOTM set, the retrieval cord is part of the holster – and it is very stretchy. In fact, it stretches out to double the original length. This is bad. You do not want stretch on a removal cord. Why?

It’s like a rubberband. Literally. The sleekness of the material combined with the small size and stretch is a recipe for disaster when met with slippery fingers. And your fingers will be slippery because in most women the use of kegel beads increases their natural vaginal lubrication. I had an issue with this and it resulted in a rubberband-like painful snap to my labia. Yes, you’re all cringing and crossing your legs right now as well you should be. I’m not the only reviewer who had this problem, Sada K did as well.

Another problem with the design is this “dot” system for designating the weights. The paint is on the outside of the plastic spheres, not the inside. And it does indeed rub off. I used my double set twice and washed them 4 times. You can see below that the gold painted dots are completely gone and the BK logo has faded considerably. Where did this paint go? What is it made of?? I don’t know, and it concerns me. Sada had this same problem as well.

The spheres look quite a bit different in the online photos than in person. Online they appear to be mostly magenta but in reality it is a clear ABS plastic sphere with a magenta colored weight inside that rattles around. When reading about how the Lelo Luna Beads work, they specifically state that you don’t have to do anything, that it is basically a passive exerciser. As the weights “vibrate” (they don’t really, it just sorta feels that way) and rattle around inside the plastic outer ball, that whole motion is tapping your kegel muscles, making them contract slightly without intervention. I can confirm that is true because one time I just stepped right up to using both of the blue Luna Beads for a few hours (stupid) and the next day my kegel muscles were sore. Like “too many sit-ups” sore. Except, ya know, not my abs. Some people don’t like that obvious rattling feeling of the Luna Beads; those people would perhaps appreciate the Hold On To Me spheres better. The plastic sphere is smaller but the size of the weight appears to be the same so you don’t get that somewhat-pronounced rattle that the Luna Beads produce, the HOTM is more subtle. So subtle that for me it didn’t really do anything. I tried the 2 lighter weight beads at first and then the next day the 2 heavier ones and I never felt the “whoa too much” soreness.

However, the manual never claims that the spheres will work that way. The manual actually tells you to do active kegel exercises while wearing the beads. Which, to me, defeats the purpose. Other kegel exercisers that you are meant to work against are larger, more solid, somewhat like a dildo. You clench around it, and well….I don’t know how they work exactly, I’ll be honest. But I know that you don’t insert them up inside the vaginal canal completely, like you do with balls/beads/spheres. So judging from the manual, the whole thing seems very pointless. I did do kegel exercises while wearing these and couldn’t discern that they were helping me in that way. And it’s not like you have to walk around all clenched up lest they fall out.

Speaking of the manual and instruction, I ran across some very troubling information in the exercises section. OhMiBod/Bedroom Kandi was actually recommending that if you’re unsure how to clench the PC muscles, you repeatedly stop and re-start the flow of urine while on the toilet. Repeatedly. As an exercise, not as a “training” guide to familiarize yourself with how and where and what to clench. That is not healthy! I can remember hearing from Ducky Doolittle (whom I consider to be the kegel master, she knows more than the average doctor) that it is problematic because it can cause infection and it can also bring about “overactive” bladder, which is the opposite of what you want! I immediately emailed BK via OMB about this, and heard back from Brian, founder of OhMiBod. According to him there was only a small run produced and many of these went to reviewers and such so a change in the manual is possible; he said they would change that part, I hope they do.

Finally, my biggest problem with the HOTM product is the material. It is stated that the black holster is silicone. I questioned Brian on this after I performed a flame test (which failed spectacularly) and he has held fast to the statement that the material is silicone, food-grade. I questioned if it might be a blend and he claimed that he consulted the lab paperwork to find that it was not a blend. He also tried the flame test himself and says that he did not have the results that I did. I don’t have proof of this, but he came off as a fairly honest individual. However, I took the item in question with me to MomentumCon knowing that there would be retailers and manufacturers present. I showed my holster to them and no one hesitated to say that it didn’t appear to be pure silicone. You can see the destruction of material in the photos below, but a video and more in-depth post will be published very shortly is up explaining the flame test and showing various results. The behavior of the HOTM “silicone” material matched exactly that of the Screaming O Studio Line Vibrating Makeup Brush, which I know now to be a “silicone elastomer blend” product.

All in all, I’m not a fan of this product and I can’t recommend it. Silly name aside, the material safety issues and ineffectiveness of the weighted balls leaves me cold. The color scheme is pretty (to me, but then I love black and magenta). The box and packaging is nice and reminiscent (at first) to a cross between Njoy and Lelo. Except that it’s not. When you first open the container you see the spheres all nestled in a cloud of black satin. This is achieved by a cardboard riser with holes in it that are just barely big enough for the spheres to lay partially in but not fall through. They’re held in place firmly, though. Too firmly. In fact I had trouble pulling the ones in holsters out (that damn stretchy cord) so I had to remove the whole thing and push them out from underneath. After that the magic was lost and I tossed that part. However if you’re willing to forgive it, it would make for a decent travel case – albeit large – because they wouldn’t rattle. They do include though a satin drawstring pouch for travel.

I really think that the idea of gradually increasing the weights is ingenious and so I’ll continue to recommend the Lelo Luna beads instead. 

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Posted by Lilly | 5 Comments

The Boss Lady Vibrator from Babeland via Fun Factory

You guys know that I am nothing if not honest. So contained herein you get my very honest review. I hope that it gets read by potential buyers and by the reviewing community, as well. I also want to note that I did not have to review this toy – I was given the option not to, or to receive another of the same toy that perhaps might not be defective. I declined the replacement toy but I wanted to write the review anyways.

Also….yeah I know. Overload of reviews lately. It’ll be over soon, you can skip them, whatever. There is reason for it though, I promise.

The Boss Lady is apparently a Babeland Exclusive vibe, made by Fun Factory. Therefore, you won’t find this anywhere else.

There was a very strange and confusing mix-up regarding this toy which went out to the reviewers that did not get resolved for a few weeks, or noticed. I’ve decided not to go into it here. If you really want to know, just ask. The bottom line is that what I have is different yet the same as what is now being sold by Babeland. The circumstances though have not only driven home my decision to not review for Babeland anymore, but also I  do not feel comfortable fully endorsing them. That right there is MY opinion, not the opinion of many other reviewers.

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Posted by Lilly | 1 Comment

Bnaughty Review

 

A bullet vibe is pretty straightforward. But yet some are made better than others. And some just suck.

The Bnaughty is made better. Do you know why my past bullet vibes have died? The cord/wires get ruined where they go into the bullet or handpack. When my last bullet died, I took apart the handpack and saw WHY I was having problems – the coated wire went into a hole in the handpack, which then was naked wires inside just wrapped around the contacts. So if the wire at the handpack got pulled or pushed in, it was going to affect the wire at the handpack. This bullet solves that problem. At both wire points, the wire is engulfed in a bit of plastic, I think, to stabilize it where it should be – it can’t pull out, it can’t be pushed in, and water won’t get in either.

I’ll compare this one to the Silver Bullet. First, the Bnaughty is about twice the price. What are you getting? Well, it looks nicer. Comes in a few colors (you know I like black!). The egg is coated in a velvety smooth hard plastic (the Silver Bullet isn’t metal, its just a metallic plastic coating. Since mine is always in my work bag, that coating is taking a beating.) and feels a little nicer than the Silver Bullet. The Bnaughty also comes with a little microfleece drawstring pouch.

The Bnaughty is just a smidge weaker than the Silver Bullet. It’s enough to matter to me, but for many other women it won’t matter. The thing that I personally prefer about the Silver Bullet, and aside from the intensity this is the only plus for me, is that the handpack control is a slider bar. The slider bar of the SB is much easier to control without looking at it (again, for stealth use at work) – the Bnaughty has up-down buttons, 4 levels, but also has a little red light to show it’s on. For travel use, the Bnaughty would be a lot less likely to accidentally turn on in your handbag – the slider bar on the SB can get nudged way too easily if it is in your bag and the batteries are in.

I know that the cost is twice that of the SB but….it will also last you at least twice as long because of how it’s made. I really wish this could be THE bullet vibe for me, the be-all end-all, but the intensity is what is keeping me on the fence, and the buttons.

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Posted by Lilly | 3 Comments

Pleasure Tops and Eco Sexy Kit Review

 

Pleasure Tops – It’s a weird shape, I know. It’s smaller in reality than you would assume, I know I expected it to be just a bit bigger. Its possibly similar to The Cone? But it has the ability to have internal and external stimulation at the same time. It’s an excellent ride….I sat it on my office chair, straddled the chair and dropped my pussy down onto it….I leaned forward to rest on the wall for leverage while I fucked it. Some cowgirl action, some rocking my pelvis back and forth action… it provides internal stimulation but not necessarily gspot attention. That big “thumb” clit stimulator is the type that I’m going to stick with for any future “Rabbit” or dual-stim vibrators. It makes that much of a difference to me.

*Edit: I realized by Tracer Bullet’s comment that I didn’t clarify…I meant my home office chair, not work!! No way could I pull THAT off at my desk!!!

A downside is that the base turns like a big dial to turn it on and increase/decrease vibrations…if you move too much while fucking it, it could turn. A big downside is that the base is hard plastic, and it can hurt if you use it in a fashion that your legs are closed somewhat. I liked it because I have short arms and I find it hard to fuck myself with something internally; I just wish that the head then was more like a dildo and less cone-shaped, i.e. something with a bit of girth to hit the gspot.

All in all it felt -really- good. The play session was longer, and provided a slow build to orgasm. For women that have a more sensitive clit it can be a more explosive ride. The action however that brought me to orgasm was laying on my back and holding it….I pushed it in as far as it would go and the moved the base in a small circular motion (kinda like a joystick, lol) – which made the thumb massage my clit in just the way I would do it with my own fingers. I’ll be using this again.

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The Eco Sexy Kit came in a very cute bronze organza gift bag, plus the Layaspot box. It’s a great deal, being only $10 more than the Layaspot alone!

Layaspot is a fun toy, made by Fun Factory. Even the box for it is pretty cool. I’d like it to have stronger vibrations, honestly. Just a bit. But it has this shape that molds to the pubic bone a bit, and so it might be nice to have there during sex? I haven’t tried that yet. The buttons on it are something similar to that of the Lelo toys, in that there’s the up-down for various speeds, and there are different pulsating settings but they are only achieved at the highest vibration level. Once you’re at that highest level you just push in on the “up” button to cycle through. It didn’t get me off yet but it has promise as another slow-burn-orgasm toy. Toy takes 2 AAA’s and is made of elastomer (next best to Silicone, IMO).

The kit comes with a few Mamba condoms, but I have not tried this yet as it claims to be a snug-fit condom and my partner… well…..that sort of condom is like a torture device on him. I will try these out though in the near future and I will report back! I can tell you that they are latex, and “produced by a well-regarded Swedish non-profit whose testing process is 15 times more stringent than any other condom company in the world”.

The Babeland Massage Candle smells nice, comes with matches, which is a big plus. It didn’t melt the wax (soy wax) as quickly as I expected but then again I’ve never encountered a massage candle. I let it burn for about 20 minutes to get a good puddle in there, blew out the candle and then carefully poured it onto his back. So long as I kept the wax to a small portion, where the warmth and friction of my hands kept it at the proper state, it was fine. At first I used it in a bigger area and then I soon noticed little wax balls as I rubbed over it. Getting it off my hands required warm running water and a microfiber washcloth. I rubbed the wax off of his back in the same way, and then had to brush some wax pieces off my bed. I’ve got some here on the back of my hand right now, to see what happens, but it’s not hardening like a regular wax would. Perhaps soy wax has a lower melting point? I don’t know. But I can’t leave it on. So in conclusion it’s a nice smell, nice feel but unlike a massage oil it requires a washing up afterward. I had the Chocolate Hazlenut fragrance, quite delicious!

The Emerita Natrual Lube is decent. Tasteless in small amounts, had a very very slight odor but not offensive. It is “Natural”, with Vitamin E. I put a nickel-sized amount (it’s fairly thick) on his cock to jerk him off for a bit, but it seemed to dry quickly to be quite sticky. After a generous amount on his cock and then a very generous amount between my tits, he had a very heavenly tit-fuck. My skin feels nice and soft now, lol. I wiped the excess off afterwards, as did he, but truth be told his cock is fairly “tacky”. I am thinking that because this seems to absorb into the skin after a few minutes that it might not be so good for anal. I have not tested that theory, however. On the description on Babeland, it’s described as “silky”. I disagree because of the viscosity. The lube is safe for all types of toys. When applied in the intended application for lube, it did a nice job of staying slick, but I generally do not need lube ;)

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