HELP, DELIVERED
I’m Not Sure That’s My Vibe
By: Allie White
The beginner’s guide to self-love essentials.
Welcome, neophytes and the self-love-curious! Dipping a toe into the world of sexual wellness and accessories can be overwhelming: so many shapes! So many colors! So many speeds! So many promises! But with the right guidance, you’ll find a sea of pleasure (literally) — one that’s accessible, enjoyable, safe, and entirely your own.
So let’s take a gentle stroll through some introductory essentials, hand-picked to ensure your journey is both comfortable and fulfilling. From lubricants to partner toys and everything in between, let’s drive into these delightful tools designed to enhance your intimate experiences.
So let’s take a gentle stroll through some introductory essentials, hand-picked to ensure your journey is both comfortable and fulfilling. From lubricants to partner toys and everything in between, let’s drive into these delightful tools designed to enhance your intimate experiences.
NAUOX PERSONAL LUBRICANT
Starting with the basics: A good lubricant can make all the difference. With its gentle formula that’s a-ok for sensitive skin (thanks, aloe!), Nauox’s Personal Lubricant is a game-changer. No too-quick drying time, no sticky residue, no gloopy texture. Just comfortable, enhanced pleasure. And if this stuff is going to end up in or around your mouth, you’re in luck. Not only is the smell incredible (choose-your-own adventure amongst their three scents: Agave Nectar, Sweet Haven, Yin-Yang), they somehow manage to taste really good, too.
FORIA TEASER SET
If you want to get all five of your senses involved, consider Foria’s Awaken Arousal Oil. This all-natural botanical oil is formulated with kava root, a “euphoriant herb” that creates feelings of relaxation and bliss. So basically, aphrodisiac in a bottle. Be warned: This doesn’t pack a quick, immediate punch. Rather, the effect is subtle, with a tantalizingly luxuriant build up to a more relaxed and open state.
And once you’re ready for the main event, reach for Foria’s Sex Oil with CBD, which contains both the Arousal Oil and Sex Oil with CBD. Intimacy in a bottle, the Sex Oil is designed to keep things feeling incredible, slippery, and juicy with just two clean ingredients: 400mg broad-spectrum CBD and organic coconut oil. All-natural lubrication and enhanced arousal…what more could you want?
COCO DE MER MASSAGE OIL
If the idea of introducing toys into your sex life is intriguing but maybe also a little anxiety-inducing and you feel like you might need some help relaxing, what better way to quiet your mind and calm your nerves than with a massage? Whether it’s sensual or purely for relaxation, taking the time to connect with yourself or your partner before the main event can do wonders for your mental state, intimacy and connection. The Massage Oil from Coco De Mer is one of the most luxurious ways to unwind. Infused with fig and orange blossom, this oil is sweetly scented, rich and uber-moisturizing for an ideal massage experience.
UNBOUND PUFF
The next stop on our pleasure walk comes with whimsy and surprise. No shade to traditional vibrators, but might I suggest a foray into the world of suction vibrators? These small-but-mighty toys use airwaves and pulses to nearly-replicate the unique feeling of oral sex and the queen among them is Unbound’s Puff, which is waterproof, palm-sized, rechargeable and comes in several very appealing colorways. What makes this perfect for beginners, specifically, is the fact that there are five different intensities/speeds, so you can start slow and figure out what works for you. Puff is also ergonomically shaped — perfect for solo or partner play — and the tapered suction nozzle means easy maneuvering to find your perfect spot.
LELO TIANI 3
If the Unbound Puff is a pleasure stroll, the Lelo Tiani 3 is cave spelunking. It’s adventure, it’s intimacy, it’s a remote-controlled couples toy that vibrates internally and externally simultaneously. Not only can both partners use the toy, but they can both feel it, too. The eight vibration modes can be accessed via remote or on the sleekly-designed toy itself, and the Lelo Tiani 3 also boasts “SenseMotion Technology,” which means the toy responds to your body while you use it. Pro tip: You don’t need a partner to use this; can confirm it works extremely well in solo play as well.
MAUDE BAND
If the idea of shared partner toys is appealing but the Lelo one above feels a little too intimidating, consider the Maude Band, a vibrating silicone ring worn at the base of the penis for shared pleasure. Depending on the orientation of the ring, it can either offer clitoral or testicular sensation and adds a whole new level of pleasure during penetrative sex. (Note: You do not need to be in a hetero relationship to make the most of this toy.) It’s also stretchy and so can accommodate a range of shapes and sizes.
LELO ENIGMA
When you’re ready to up the intensity, consider the Lelo Enigma which may seem a little intimidating but is well-worth it once you get past its futuristic look. Dual action in the truest sense of the term, the Enigma is designed to simultaneously stimulate two different erogenous zones: external and internal. And that interesting shape mentioned earlier? It’s to accommodate the toy’s three motors that make the vibrating, rotating insertable tail and sonic wave-emitting nub possible. Blended orgasm, here we come!
UNBOUND SQUISH
Arguably the cutest item on this list, the Unbound Squish is like nothing you’ve seen before — and that’s a good thing. This ultra-unique squishy silicone toy looks like the top of a soft-serve ice cream cone if an ice cream cone used haptic functionality to mirror your needs and increase the intensity of its vibration based on the intensity of your grip. In other words, you’re in total and complete control of what this thing does and how it does it.
Remember: There’s no right or wrong way to explore your desires. Follow your instinct, communicate openly with your partner(s), and prioritize pleasure and self-exploration. Oh, and maybe invest in a bigger nightstand to fit all your new accessories.
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