Now that we’re in the midst of the Holiday season of 2014, we’re all scrambling to find the perfect gift for our special someone, or even just a treat for ourselves! Kids aren’t the only people who look forward to finding toys under the tree, so I visited Philadelphia’s Kink Shoppe, a sex positive and gender neutral adult toy and fetish boutique and spoke to Caitlin, a sex educator and customer service representative. She gave me a run down of how to go about shopping for your significant other and had dozens of great gift ideas!
“When it comes to purchasing something for a partner, a lot of people either tend to think about what they want to see their partner using or what they think their partner would like, and if they haven’t had a lot of experience using toys with their partner, that can often backfire. They might buy something and say, ‘You know, I bought this dildo because it looks like me.’ It can sometimes not be what they want. Usually I’ll tell people that if you don’t have a lot of experience using toys with your partner to think about what they like or ask them what they like and what they want. In terms of buying things for yourself, it’s the same thing. Think about sensations you like. It’s good to experiment with your body and feel around.”
Caitlin also recommends taking into consideration what materials are in your sex toys so as to avoid risk of injury or disease. “Toxins in sex toys are becoming less of a problem now. I know that a lot of toys now use less pthalates, which is a really toxic material that softens plastic and can cause irritation and can possibly lead to problems with your endocrine system. But there’s still toxic materials and porous materials in general; jelly, elastomer, TPR, things like that are still going to degrade over time and get certain bacteria trapped in them. They could potentially transmit an STI or a bacterial or vaginal yeast infection. So generally I tell people that it’s better to keep with non porous materials like silicon, glass, metal, stone, ABS Hard plastic, ceramics, and treated wood.”
We-Vibe Touch
Keeping in mind the who, what, where, when, why, and how in mind, I asked Caitlin what sex toys would be good for men to gift to a female partner, especially someone who has never used sex toys before. She recommends, you guessed it, vibrators! “A lot of women can’t orgasm without clitoral stimulation, and vibrations are really good for that.” She showed me We Vibe’s Tango and Touch vibrators, two cute-as-a-button bullet style vibes. The Tango is a hard-plastic bullet that can also fit into toys with bullet sleeves, including We Vibe’s own Pleasure Mates collection, making the versatile Tango perfect for whatever mood strikes you and your lady. The Touch is wider and covered in silicon, thereby giving We Vibe’s powerful motor a softer transmission of sensation.
Lelo Mona 2
If you’re looking for a vibrating toy that can be used either internally or externally, Caitlin points towards the strong and waterproof Lelo Mona 2, whose powerful vibrations will hit both the g-spot and clitoris.
We-Vibe
What about toys that you and your lady can use together? “Any toy is a couple’s toy,” said Caitlin, “but a toy made specifically as a couple’s toy would be the We-Vibe, which is a c-shaped vibrator that can be worn during penetrative sex and vibrates against the clitoris and g-spot.” Not going to lie, the We-Vibe is my current dream toy. However, Caitlin does caution that the We-Vibe “doesn’t work for everyone. It might not sync up with everyone’s anatomy, and not everyone likes how it feels, but that’s any toy. There’s no guarantee that somebody’s going to like it.”
Tantus C-Sling
We then talked about a couple’s toy that I have a little more experience with: cock rings! These guys can give you a harder, more sustained erection and you can wear it while your lady is present or while you’re having some alone time. In terms of non-vibrating rings, Caitlin recommends the Tantus Super Stretch C-Ring, a stretchy silicone ring that is super inexpensive at about $10. You can also try the Tantus C-Sling, made with a firmer silicon than the C-Ring. This guy has a teardrop shaped base that will stimulate your perineum (taint, grundle, gooch, fleshy fun bridge, etc.) for added orgasmic possibilities!
Jejoue Mio
Vibrating cock rings have gotten me into trouble in the past; whenever I put them on my boo’s cock and turn it on, the ring’s goofy space-age look and the loud vibrations make me think that his dick is a rocket ship, sending me into a fit of giggles. I don’t think that I would have that problem with the elegantly designed and whisper quiet Jejoue Mio. According to Caitlin, “It’s silicon, waterproof, rechargeable, has a really stretchy ring, and it’s really strong. It’s top of the line because it’s more comfortable than other rechargeable cock rings that I’ve seen on the market.”
But gentlemen, what if your Holiday wish is to have something that you can use all by yourself? Caitlin recommends a few masturbation sleeves and penis-friendly vibrators that you can put on your list for Mrs. Claus this year!
Cobra Libre
Vibrators aren’t just for the ladies anymore! If you’re looking to buzz your boy bits, check out the delightfully named Hand Solo, which has a comfortable hand grip and uses a bullet vibrator. There’s also Fun Factory’s Cobra Libre, which fits over the head of your shaft.
Tenga Eggs
Ladies, if you’re looking for a stocking stuffer (there’s a pun in there somewhere, and I’m not going to look for it,) give your man Tenga’s Egg or Cup! These masturbation sleeves with keep your man happy while you’re away. The Egg can be washed out and used a few times, while the pre-lubricated Cup is for a single use. These are especially great for a guy who isn’t ready to commit to a more serious sleeve. “The cups would be a good one to start out with because they’re similar to the bigger ones like the Tenga Flip Hole… which opens up so that you can clean it out.”
Tenga Flip Hole
Most of these toys, and many more, are available at Kink Shoppe in Philadelphia or at your very own locally owned adult store! So head into the New Year with a spiced up love life and a satisfied partner!
