Currently in Testing:

I'm thinking I'll make this a staple of the blog: those who follow me on twitter see pictures and thoughts on items I've received, but the blog doesn't hear much until the actual review is out. Depending on how often I get new items for review, you'll get a sneak preview with pictures and thoughts.

What I have in testing right now is the Tantus Little Flirt in Copper (currently in their Closeout section for only $15!), a Crystal Delights Plug, and White Hemp Rope from the Bedroom Bondage collection at Lovehoney. 

First up is the Tantus Little Flirt. I was lucky enough to score this 100% Pure Silicone plug for under $20. Seriously, I say it all the time: check out Tantus' closeout section. It will improve the quality of your life.

In the various pictures of the Little Flirt to be seen above, you can see it in it's packaging, by itself, and with some other toys (Lelo Gigi, and the Fun Factory Booty and Laid P.3 Cockring which haven't been reviewed yet because they belong to my partner- he got toys before I did, because I'm nice and like giving him presents. There will be reviews eventually). There's also a picture of it with the Crystal Delights Plug below.

Thus far, I've only used the Little Flirt once. I'm new to anal toys, and as excited as I am about these new additions, they're still intimidating to me. Insertion was ridiculously easy with a little Sliquid Organics Gel, and the sensation was different but not unpleasant. I used the Gigi in tandem and my butt spit it out when I reached climax. I'm assuming this is normal, especially considering how smooth this toy is.

The Little flirt came in a completely discreet box- no one would have known what was going on if I hadn't told everyone and showed it off, because that's how I roll. It doesn't even say Tantus anywhere on the address, so unless other people have memorized their address like I have (creepy, I know- but in my defense, I have sent them something via mail and I tend to memorize things like phone numbers and addresses without really trying) no one will have any idea.

Next up is the Crystal Delights Plug. This beautiful borosilicate glass plug can be described as eye candy, shiny, ooooooh, ahhhh, and pretty. Words are not enough for the in-life beauty of the thing. I can't stop taking pictures of it- it is definitely the most photogenic of my collection.

I haven't used this one yet, but my partner has used all three of the anal toys we have and it seems his bum greatly prefers glass to either silicone toy. He'll be co-reviewing this one with me (and probably the other anal toys) so look forward to that.

I don't know what shipping is like; Shelly herself stopped by my store to drop this off to me. I really appreciate the gesture, and loved meeting her- it was great to show her around our little store and talk about adult products and glass and all sorts of other things. I look forward to be able to meeting her again in the future.

The toy comes with a storage pouch which is certainly beautiful, as well- you can see part of the quilted interior in the second solo picture of it. The black silky material has a pocket for the toy and you then roll it up and secure with elastic loops- the layers of fabric protecting the toy inside. It also included a product card certifying that it's authentic, includes a product ID# and the month in which it was inspected. Shelly explained to me that it's so people know it's a genuine product, and because apparently in Asia genuine US Handcrafted products are greatly sought after- including the product card helps assure buyers that they're getting the real deal.

Last but not least (though this is the newest addition to my collection, so there aren't really pictures of this yet) is the White Hemp Bondage Rope from Lovehoney's Bedroom Bondage line. 

Packaging was discreet and it arrived soon after I was told it was being sent to me. Upon opening it, I was transported back to my childhood; this rope smells strongly of earthiness and well, barns- it reminds me strongly of the various barns I explored as a child- our neighbor's, that of family friends. A slight kerosene smell is below the earthiness and the smell of the actual fiber, not sure if that's a coincidence or has something to do with a treatment applied to the rope. 

We unraveled it yesterday and it's really quite long- stretches almost from our kitchen in the back of the house to the front of the house (not that that's a particular feat- out house is a Philly row house and not very large)! According to the product info, it's 10 Meters long. 

I haven't used this one yet (been under the weather), but I really like the scent memory it holds for me and the material seems soft yet sturdy. Looking forward to playing with this! It's the first 'bondage' addition to my collection, so exploring it's possibilities will be interesting. I feel like we should get a book on Shibari... 

My Collection as of Now.

I'll be gaining a new member to my little collection tomorrow, so I figured I'd take a family portrait in the meantime.

Seen here are the Fun Factory Booty, Laid P.3 Silicone Cockring, Lelo Gigi and in the lube section: Hathor Organics Lubricant Lickeurs in Hazelnut Caramel, Jo Premium Cooling Silicone Lubricant, Sliquid Organics Gel, and Sliquid Swirl in Pink Lemonade.

I'm sure that whenever I get the new addition, there will be pictures all over instagram and twitter, so keep an eye out for those.

Also, I ended up really disliking the Hathor Organics flavored lube. It has ginseng in it, and the sensation ginseng gives in my mouth and throat is really unpleasant. If anyone is interested in trying it- let me know! I'd consider sending it to you if you have something to trade.

It tastes like Summer: My Review of Sliquid Swirl Pink Lemonade Flavored Lubricant

I'm just going to come out and say it: this stuff is tasty. 

The details:

The Product: Sliquid Swirl Natural Intimate Lubricant in Pink Lemonade. 

Size: 4.2 oz./125 ml. 

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What it Says on The Back:

Sliquid Swirl

-Lemon zest with a hint of grapefruit

-Water-based and water soluble

-Glycerine free and Paraben free

-Hypoallergenic and non-staining

-Latex, rubber, and plastic friendly [note: also silicone friendly, No silicone products mentioned in the ingredients.]

-Uniquely blended to emulate your body's own natural lubrication

-Formulated to last longer than most Hollywood marriages!

"Created by Sensitive Women, For Sensible Women"

To reactivate, reapply or add water. 

The Sliquid Promise

Our products are always FREE of DEA, gluten, glycerine, glycerol, parabens, PEG, propylene glycol, sorbitol, and sulphates... 100% Vegan Friendly. 

Vegan Ingredients:

Purified Water, Plant Cellulose (from Cotton), Cyamopsis (Guar Conditioners), Lemon & Grapefruit flavoring, Aspartame, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid.

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Ingredient Breakdown:

Purified Water: Water, pure and simple. Of course, I can't know what kind of purified water they use or what might be in it (I hope not flouride, I get enough of that in my tap water as it is...), but I think this is pretty straight forward. 

Plant Cellulose (From Cotton): Cellulose has many uses, from making paper to creating cellophane and rayon; Cellulose is also the main ingredient in "Dietary Fiber" digestive aids as it acts as a 'bulking agent' in humans, who cannot completely digest it. In this application, it is most likely used as a thickening agent. 

[cited: Wikipedia, GMO-Compass.Org] 

Cyamopsis (Guar Conditioners): According to Sliquid, Cyamopsis is an additive that helps the plant cellulose in their product move and feel "incredibly slippery." [1] Guar, or Cyamopsis tetragonoloba,  is an annual legume, usually grown in India or Pakistan, that produces Guar Gum. Guar Gum is used in many applications including in the Paper and Textile Industry, and even in the production of explosives and hydraulic fracturing. I'll stick with my lubricant, thanks. 

[cited: 1:Sliquid, Wikipedia]

Lemon & Grapefruit Flavoring: Likely as simple as that. Probably just fruit extracts by my estimations. 

Aspartame: Something I have a slight allergy to. Thankfully, I don't get headaches when consuming it in this application- I was very happy when that was the case. Aspartame is a sugar substitute frequently used in things like diet sodas, but is also great because since it's completely sugar-free, it won't cause yeast infections. Yay!

Potassium Sorbate: Primary use is food preservation, so this is what's keeping your lube from going bad. As far as the internet can tell me, it isn't harmful to your health, though like many chemicals, you can become sensitive to it over time. It can also cause eye irritation, so be careful there! 

[cited: Wikipedia]

Citric Acid: From citrus fruits. Sliquid themselves says it is a natural astringent and antiseptic preservative, which they apparently mix with the potassium sorbate to effectively keep your lube from getting moldy or some such thing (who wants moldy lube? I don't). It also keeps away bacteria and extends the shelf life of the product.

[cited: Sliquid]  

One of the great things about Sliquid: their ingredient lists are incredibly short. Most of the ingredients on the list are very straight-forward and all are naturally derived (one of the main ingredients in Potassium Sorbate comes from certain berries). A+ as always with these folks. 

Packaging:
Sliquid always comes in these sturdy plastic (marked 1 in the triangle on the bottom) bottles. This one is clear, but the Organics come in brown tinted bottles to keep the organic essential oils and other ingredients from incurring light damage. The bottle itself is not only simple looking, but great because the lubricant doesn't come pouring out when you squeeze the bottle- in fact, there's quite a lot of resistance in the plastic when you squeeze it, so you only ever get a little bit-never more than a quarter-sized glob- which is all that's needed in most cases. Thereby, I don't get dispensed too much lube or waste any. 

My Review:

You can already tell that I like Sliquid. As a company that is definitely dedicated to being natural and body-safe, it's hard not to love them. As far as I've seen, they're also one of the most easily accessible glycerine/paraben free lubricants and definitely the most accessible glycerine/paraben free natural lubricant. In every adult store I've been to (which I admit, aren't many, but they are varied in quality)that has a lubricant section (all of them, funnily enough), I've found Sliquid. The same does not go for other natural and glycerine/paraben free lubricants like Yes, Good Clean Love, Hathor Aphrodesia, Blossom Organics, etc. I like that I can recommend Sliquid to people and feel confident in their ability to find it conveniently. I always recommend a Sliquid lubricant to customers, no matter what they're looking for; whether it be a water-based, gel water based, sensation, flavored, silk silicone/water based hybrid, or silicone-based lubricant, they have it all. As the only brand my store carries that is glycerine/paraben free as well as natural with the option to go completely organic, there's no way that couldn't be the case for me. 

As to this particular product- I find it fantastic, and that's not just because I already love Sliquid (I try to keep as un-biased as possible, as hard as that can be sometimes). A vagina-friendly flavored lubricant that's also glycerine and paraben free as well as natural? Yes, please. 

The taste is very light and lemony; clean would be a good descriptor. It definitely evokes warm summer days, even if it isn't as mind-bendingly sweet and tart as a fresh-squeezed lemonade. Because the flavor is so subdued, it melds with your partner's flavors and rejoices in them, rather than masking them. Does that sound as cheesy as I think it does? Probably, but this lube takes oral to another level, without trying to hide what you're really doing.

The lubricant itself goes fast, but the flavor sticks around for awhile, gradually mellowing and fading out all-together, though by that point I wasn't really noticing the taste so much. When my partner tried it on me, I could taste it on his lips after he had finished: a little lemony tang that just seemed like a thoughtful touch. I wouldn't necessarily recommend using it as lubricant during intercourse (mainly because it doesn't seem to last as long as a regular lubricant), but it wouldn't cause any damage. You can definitely transition from oral to intercourse without worrying about having to clean up before hand.

I tried to get my partner to give me some sort of report on how he felt about this lubricant, but he felt he hadn't used it personally enough times to give a proper review. I do, however, know that he liked it the few times he had used it- so that's something, right?

Long story short: this lube is vagina-safe (and approved personally by mine) and tasty- and lacks many chemicals that people are sensitive to or could possibly cause long-term damage. I haven't found anything bad about this lubricant other than that it's 'slipperiness' doesn't last long enough for penetrative intercourse, but it's not meant for that- and all you need to do is add a dollop of any other sliquid lube and BAM. You're all set. 

I recommend it. 

Check out Sliquid's website to learn more.