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Review: Ocean Breeze Glass Dildo
First, an aside. I’ve been feeling lately that I’m not being a very “good” reviewer in that I’m not producing happy, sparkly reviews. Expensive, cheap, and everything in between I’m honest to a fault, perhaps. But I don’t review just to receive toys, I review so that others may know something about a sex toy before purchasing. So I can’t gloss over things, I won’t bullshit and I won’t be Glinda the Good Witch.
So you know what’s coming, right?
Yeah.
A bad review.
But this time I don’t feel it’s my fault (and I use the term “fault” loosely). You see, SSA Glass is the manufacturer of this dildo and other glass sex toys that EdenFantasys carries. And SSA’s first run of this dildo looked like this:
What I received is….the work of a drunken apprentice. And lest we chalk it up to a one-off, I’ve read at least 2 other reviews which state the exact same thing. The design has changed drastically, the quality changed drastically and it’s downright UGLY. In the original run of the Ocean Breeze dildo, those pretty little raised dots accented in red look like little jewels. The base is symmetrical and the dildo has a nice curve with some somewhat-realistic veins and head-shaping.
This is what mine looks like:
Razor burn.
Rash.
Disease.
In short: UGLY. And one of the primary reasons that people purchase glass dildos is because they are PRETTY. I truly can’t even stand to look at this thing so it doesn’t ever get used – even if the shaft had been up to par. Which it wasn’t. They changed the curve so that if you hold it like it should be held, the curve points away from your g-spot. Mine isn’t thick enough to make up for the curve issue with girth. The texture is irrelevant. Oh and those raised dots of red? Not all are raised dots. Some are just flat splatters of red glass, um, paint? I can’t tell what the red spots actually are. Colored dots of glass? There’s no rhyme or reason or pattern to them, the symmetry is gone. It just looks like a freak accident.
The packaging is nil, but as I understand it, that’s the case with all SSA Glass dildos. It’s up to the discretion of EF to include any sort of pouch – other reviewers stated getting one, I did not. Mine was simply wrapped up in packing paper. That’s truly it. Nothing else to tell me anything about the company or the dildo. Luckily all care information is on the site, or you can refer to the care & cleaning of glass dildos section of my site. All of the standard tropes of glass toys apply here: Good for temperature play, you can use any kind of lube that you like, it’s body-safe, non-porous, etc etc yadda yadda.
But it’s so ugly, such poor quality, that I’d be dead embarrassed if anybody saw it in my collection.
I’ve talked with other glass dildo owners and others who’ve owned other SSA Glass dildos have had no problems as far as workmanship and it looking like the photo on the site. But you get what you pay for – SSA dildos are less expensive, which is why there’s no packaging. No frills of any sort, not even necessary frills like a padded pouch.
For a better g-spot glass sex toy in the same price range I’d recommend trying out the Bent Graduate instead. If you want the “pretty” aspect, go for the Color Tip Wand. Despite not hearing anything else bad about other SSA Glass dildos, I’m still reluctant to recommend trusting them as a brand. The change to the Ocean Breeze was recent, sometime in the last 4 months, and if other people got a dildo with the affliction of uglyitis as me then there’s something going on with the company on a production level.
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Ask Lilly: Holiday Sex Toy Gift Buying Guide
I get a good number of people who contact me for advice on buying a sex toy as a gift for their partner as a surprise. This really isn’t an easy feat unless you and your partner have already owned multiple toys and you know what they like.
Consider the Size
If you’ve never used toys, the judge by the size of your cock of your fingers. And keep in mind that hard materials like plastic, ceramic, glass, wood and metal can seem a little bigger than they are just because there is no give to the material. If you’re new to toys, don’t go overboard with the girth. If you’ve had a few and want to take things up a notch then do so but with caution.
Consider Sensitivity
Hopefully you and your partner are open and communicating, honest about orgasms and how things feel. Unless you already own vibrators that you know are not powerful enough, always choose ones with more than 2 speeds.
Consider the Price and Quality
Sex Toy Snob Warning: For the love of Pete, don’t buy a questionable brand (like CalExotics, for example) as a gift! But on the other hand, don’t drop a huge amount unless you’re pretty certain they’re going to love it. Reviews, reviews, reviews. Read them! Hunt them down! And don’t always go by the 1-liner blurbs directly on the sites because you never know who really left that comment. Before you weigh the prices and think about going for a cheaper jelly toy, read about phthalates and the possible side effects.
Things to avoid
Specifically, I’d advise against things like the We-Vibe, the Sqweel (or however it’s spelled, the one that’s rotating tongues, ick), anything that looks like a human tongue, and new-to-the-scene companies that seem too good to be true (like the Zini Roae). As tempting as they are, avoid wireless remote controlled bullets/panties, as they are fraught with glitches problems and a serious case of the unimpressives.
Glass Dildos Make Great Gifts
Why? Because they appeal visually, and unless you’re an advanced toy user/owner, it’s something new and exciting. You get to experiment with temperature play and different sensations. They can be so artistic sometimes that you’d feel comfortable leaving it out and they are therefore non-threatening to a novice. Here’s some recommendations:
I love this one for the curves, it would be awesome for g-spot play. Currently it’s $69.99 and it qualifies for free shipping.
The Pink Rotator from EdenFantasys.com
This one offers more girth and a shorter length, with a handle for you or your partner (works best partnered, I think) to help rotate the dildo and massage the g-spot.
Sapphire Falls Graduated Glass Dildo from EdenFantasys.com
I love this one for it’s color, the slight curve, the bloops of shape and the fact that you can use either end – it’s graduated in size so if they can’t handle the 1.5″ then start at the other end and work up to it.
Buy a Vibrator that is Multipurpose
And I don’t mean a “rabbit” style. By this I mean get one that doesn’t require you to have your anatomy laid out a certain exact way for it to work, get a vibrator with varying speeds, and one that can be used internally or externally. Stick with silicone and reliable brands (to see more about this, see my post on How to Buy Sex Toys Online). Here’s a few of my recommendations:
The Climax Twist Vibrator from Babeland – On sale!!
I love this vibrator, it’s probably my favorite rechargeable vibrator. It’s like a massager, but it bends to a 90 degree angle and has two working ends. (review here). And Babeland has it on sale as of this writing, so hurry! It’s a great sale, down to $59.99.
Harmony Bullet Vibrator from EdenFantasys
I love this bullet because it can get me off at any speed due to the type of vibrations – deep and rumbly and lovely. Buy it in black, the issue I talked about it my review with it glowing was only true of the white one (I now own the black).
Fun Factory Rechargeable Mini “Bubbles” Vibrator from EdenFantasys
Internal, external, short yet fat it gets great reviews and seems very versatile. Silicone, reliable company and rechargeable all boost up its cool factor.
LELO Mona Vibe from EdenFantasys
EF sells it for $135, so while it’s generally more than I’d recommend spending I think it can be worth it. I like the Mona better than the Gigi for g-spot stimulation; the vibrations are really similar to the Gigi but just a hair better – just a hair deeper/stronger, and enough for me to get off clitoraly with this. It’s great internally, it’s great externally and it’s reliable.
Want to Wow them? Can you splurge? NJOY.
I don’t care if you get an anal plug, the Pure Wand, the Eleven or the Fun Wand just invest in Njoy. DO IT. You’ll love it. I promise.
Need more?
Read up on how to choose a dildo for beginners and get some recommendations on those. And anything in the Men’s Toys category are ones I’d recommend for a guy in addition to a Tenga Egg as a stocking stuffer.
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Posted by Lilly | 4 Comments
Review: Greta, by Vamp (or, one very large dildo)
When Shevibe.com asked me to review this, my first instinct was to say no…..that I’m taking a break from reviewing so much. But then I looked at this dildo and I just couldn’t resist. I tend not to review many dildos ever since discovering the Pure Wand, but I’ve been in the market for another specialty – the very large dildo category.
Suffice to say, no matter my opinions in this review, I recognize that the Greta by Vamp is not a sex toy for the masses. This is not a dildo that I can go around blithely recommending to every woman who reads this. I know that there are some women who feel that they have a “small vagina” and could not accommodate such girth. In reality, it’s likely a condition called vaginismus making it seem smaller but every vagina can stretch to fit a 10-pound baby. Anyways. Moving along to the review.
I won’t lie. I consider myself a size queen (when it comes to dildos only) and I also wanted large dildos to help work me up to being fisted; however, Greta is a bit painful at first insertion.
It was painful enough that I nearly stopped the first time, thinking I couldn’t use it. I brought out the lube and tried again and while the initial pain was there, it quickly went away. Within a minute I was easily thrusting the dildo. The shape isn’t really anything special, nothing like the Pure Wand for sure, the selling point to Greta is Girth. Girthy Greta. And you know, girth is lovely. It massages my g-spot in a very different way.Vamp’s Greta measures in at 2.25″ at the widest point, which is .25″ more than the largest dildo I already owned. It’s not 2.25″ for the whole length, though. Just at the widest portion of the head. The remainder of the shaft measures in at 2″. This is one of those times when a quarter of an inch makes a big difference, as when thrusting I generally didn’t like the head coming fully out of my vaginal entrance, at least not for the first few minutes.
There’s a lot that I like about this dildo, and about Vamp as a company. For one, it’s silicone (refer here for care and cleaning). Two, it’s hand-poured, and the colors are GORGEOUS. The photos on Shevibe just don’t quite do it justice. I would really love to see the red in person some day. The Black Pearl is what I received and the photo on their site just barely hints are the pretty blue-black swirliness of the silicone. There’s really not a lot of “give” to this silicone, but there is some. It’s listed as their “softskin” silicone which I believe is a little less firm than their standard silicone.
The site and the manufacturer list this as a strap-on-capable dildo. The look of Greta is a bit different from what is currently on the site, it’s the latest version. The version on the site appears like it could handle a strap-on better than this one. You can see below just how bendy the base is. It’s not as thick and sturdy as I expected it to be. I don’t own a harness though so I couldn’t test it. Vamp makes other strap-on-compatible dildos though that most definitely would work as they have large base (usually molded to look like testicles). I’m a little torn on recommending this toy as anal-approved – it does have a base, but it’s a bendy base.
My first go round with this dildo was solo, and I found that I needed the extra force of sitting on it to get it inside of me. My second use was a round of foreplay with my husband and he was using it on me. I know he said he encountered resistance at first and I had to assure him to continue, albeit slowly, with insertion. As we lay in a modified-sideways-69 position, I sucked his cock and kept the bullet on my clit while he fucked me with the Greta, watching every thrust. He absolutely loved his view of my cunt stretched wide around this gorgeous but large dildo.
As an aside, I don’t know why I’d never heard of this company before, but from what I’ve seen thus far, Vamp makes very good quality toys. Their website seems quite a bit out of date, as the photos of the toys do not at all match the photos that SheVibe has, and I know their photo of the Greta is nothing like the one I own.
If you’re looking for a larger dildo….I highly recommend this. If you really like the color and such but want something smaller/bigger/more harness-compatible, look at the other Vamp dildos carried by SheVibe.
An update from the lovely Shevibe.com: The Greta that I’ve linked to on their site is, for now, “Generation I”. The base is thicker, possibly a little better suited for sturdiness in a harness but consider the thickness of the base. The “Generation II” is what I have here. Both versions will be sold on Shevibe.com. Also please note that Vamp is a small company and their dildo coloring will vary. So the Black Pearl you get may be more black than blue, or whatever. Just expect a little variation, is all.
Thanks goes to the wonderful SheVibe.com for providing this toy in exchange for my honest review.
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Review: SinFive Burgono – A Suction Cup Dildo
Do you know how *few* sex toys there are out there that are both suction-cup AND body-safe material?
Not many.
Tantus has a suction cup modifier that could be used on their vibrators (remove the vibrating bullet and shove in the suction cup modifier and voila its a suction cup dildo). Some of the Fun Factory dildos have a suction-cup-esque base but I don’t know if it’s as good of a “hold” as a true suction cup.
But the somewhat-upscale company from Germany called SinFive has two suction cup dildos that, while not quite the perfect material that is silicone, are still very body safe made from WTP material – read about this material type here. Today’s dildo, the SinFive Burgono, is their smooth, texture-free version.
But wait. You’re wondering what the big deal is about having a suction cup dildo, aren’t you…..
- Credit link: http://bit.ly/aj5O6Q
- Credit link: http://bit.ly/bhoBxX
Attach it to a window; tiles (must be texture-free and the size of the tile must be bigger than the suction cup); wood floors or furniture (must be flat where the suction cup goes); basically any surface that is relatively texture-free, paint-free and flat. Et voila, your hands are free to be doing other things – to yourself or your partner.
The Good
~ Suction cup base which is removable – it screws firmly into the base – and provides a very strong suction grip to the proper surface
~ A body safe material
~ Versatile for vaginal or anal use
~ The funny looking base? Actually VERY ergonomic and fits well in your hand.
~ Comes with nice extras
~ Unique texture – very very subtle texture to it, but it’s not slippery smooth like hard plastic or some shiny silicones.
~ Tapered for easy insertion if you do not do well with large toys, or are a beginner.
The Bad
~ Personally I didn’t think it was good for g-spot play, given that the slimmest point is in the middle – where I’d want it to get bigger
~ The measurements on EdenFantasys (provided by the manufacturer) aren’t exactly accurate – they just list 1.5″, which is the widest girth….but you don’t see that width until you’re farther down the toy, about 4.5″ down in fact. The slimmest points aren’t even at an inch wide, and the top portion’s widest is at 1.25″
~ The SinFive logo band at the bottom of the insertable portion and above the base leaves a bad spot for lubes and bodily fluids to hide out, making cleaning and keeping it germ-free a little darn difficult. Teeny, tight crevices.
Bonus Round
~ Comes with a functional, plain but handy ribbon-drawstring pouch that is more than big enough for the toy by itself.
~ Comes with a sample pack of massage “oils” in 1 unscented and 4 various scents. All come in a little box and are teeny tiny adorable glass vials with reusable, leak-proof caps. The SinFive site doesn’t give a whole lot of information as to the ingredients of this stuff so if you’re particularly sensitive then I wouldn’t use these as lube, just massage stuff. Oil-free.
The material is pretty firm and doesn’t have much give when you squeeze it but it is a bit bendy in the center. It comes in Raspberry, Light Pink, and White. Despite it’s lack of girth for most of the toy, I’d still recommend this one over the Pikilo which scared the crap out of me. Those little bumps feel a lot more painful than you’d think just by looking at it.
Read up on WTP and all Thermoplastics here to find out how to best care for it, and what types of lube to use. For cleaning I’d recommend either Dishwasher Method or Wipe Down Method.
Thanks to EdenFantasys for providing me with this toy in exchange for an honest review.
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Ask Lilly: Choosing a Dildo for Beginners
Look at any given sex toy retailer site that offers a half-decent selection and you are bound to be overwhelmed at the sheer number of dildos to choose from. Dildos that look like penises, rockets, or nothing at all. One thing that’s difficult to decide upon when choosing your first dildo (or even insertable vibrator) is size and shape and affordability. After all, you don’t really want to drop $50 or more on a toy you end up hating. And every woman’s body is different, so the toys I love are going to be toys some hate. There are women who just don’t like the Pure Wand. It makes my heart sad, but there you have it.
My first dildos/vibrators were the typical ones chosen by those who are overwhelmed. And also even just 10 years ago silicone and the safer materials weren’t quite as prevalent on the online sex toy shops. I had this hideous jelly vibrator that looked realistic, if by realistic you mean translucent, pink, glittery etc. It had the “realistic shape”. Another was a simple jelly dildo that I never used past the first try or two. Then I chose a typical hard plastic “slim-line” vibrator and while it was mostly sufficient, it did nothing special for me. Avoid my mistakes, people.
Size
Choosing the size for your dildo should depend upon what has already been in your vagina. Think to your most pleasurable sexual experience (solo or partnered) and what felt so good – was it the sensation of fullness, being stretched my something larger? Was it more about the zing of pleasure that came from the head of it stroking your g-spot? Take a look at a ruler. Actually look at how wide 1″, 1.5″, 2″ is on the ruler. If you liked the feeling of fullness, then I’d suggest starting with a 1.5″ at the most. If your focus was on the object/cock hitting a certain feel-good spot, and especially if you’d not had experience with dildos/cocks, go for 1″ or 1.25″ around.
Material
For the love of pete if you’re going to take any advice it’s this: no jelly, no rubber. They smell funny, they’re not very well made, most of those will have phthalates in them, they’re porous so they can’t ever be shared or fully sanitized unless you’re donning your toys with a condom and they’re just plain ole not worth it. Beginners should stick with materials that are not rock-solid (like metal, ceramic, wood, glass) and look for toys made from any of these materials:
- Silicone
- TPR Silicone
- non-porous TPR
- Plastic (can be pretty rigid, though)
Shape and Features
For some reason, a lot of women split off into two very different camps when purchasing their first toys. One side runs to the cutesy child-toy-like items or “incognito” items. The other side will pick the most realistic dildos. Unless you’re going to drop big bucks on a Vixen or Tantus silicone cock, most realistic dildos are made from questionable materials, which means stay away! “Realistic” dildos also usually aren’t very slim.
My suggestion is to go with something simple. The Tantus Silk Small or Tantus Silk Medium are good for beginners. They’re silicone, and so if someday you decide that the Small is too small for your vagina, you can upgrade to a bigger dildo and experiment with anal penetration with the Silk Small. If you think you’d enjoy something that is specifically for the g-spot, try out the Tantus Charmer or even perhaps the Lelo Ella dildo which you can use either end of it. Pretty sure you want something a little more substantial? The Fun Factory Amor is an affordable, silicone option that’s a little bit bigger than these others, almost 1.5″ wide. The prices listed below are the standard non-sale prices – be sure to check out the links because you’re bound to find any of these on sale at some point on these sites. I had previously linked to sextoydotcom, who had competitive prices (but no sales) however I am no longer supporting this company.
Buying Guide
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