Sex Toys

Njoy

Today we are going to take a look at sex toys manufacturer Njoy toys.  Njoy is relatively new to manufacturing sex toys. They started operation with a philosophy to create luxury products that enhance enjoyment of our bodies and our sexuality. They use only the finest grade materials including 316 grade stainless steel hand polished to a mirror shine and are guaranteed last almost forever.

The use of steel is one of the latest innovations in sex toys materials. It has a great number of qualities that make it very suitable for use in toys. Steel for example, is quite malleable when it is hot so it can be cast into a wide variety of shapes and sizes. This means you can manufacture a larger variety of steel dildos, vibrators, plugs and other penetrators and toys. Steel is also nonporous, making it so that it is difficult to get dirty, this means there is no place for all that little microscopic junk to build up over time that makes your other sex toys discolour or smell. This also makes it extremely easy to keep clean. Because steel has such a high melting point, you can pretty much wash it with whatever you want at any temperature as long as it does not melt steel!  Steel is also incredibly durable as it is very difficult to bend, break, shatter or deform in any way. 

Perhaps their most famous product is the Pure Wand. The Pure Wand is shaped a little bit like a hook bent a partially flat.  The Pure dildo has a bulb on each end and is good for a direct connection to your favorite spot G or P. Is long enough to give you great reach and comes packaged in a gorgeous looking wooden box.  As it is steel is will feel cold to the touch at first, but will quickly warm to your body’s temperature.

One of their newest products is they Njoy Eleven dildo. The Eleven is a larger and thicker sex toy designed to kick things up a notch, thus the clever name. The Eleven starts with a thick bulbous base and then slims towards the top where there are three ridges and then another bulb. It is one of their largest toys and instead of coming packaged in their traditional box it comes with a elegent leather carrying satchel.  Check out video below for more details:

Njoy has won or been nominated for a variety of awards over the years. In 2011 they won the outstanding non-powered product award for the pure wand during AVN's first annual “O” awards.  They were also nominated in the 2011 best sex toy company category during the same awards.

While relatively new to manufacturing sex toys, Njoy has made a big impact on the industry. They make outstanding products that really differentiate them from the rest of the pack. Their materials and attention to detail along with presentation impact and quality are second to none. If you are looking to add to your collection of sex toys I would highly recommend checking out Njoy.

Sex Toys

Rubber

Over the past few weeks, we have discussed a variety of different materials that may be used for sex toys.  We have included glass, chrome-plated steel, plastic, CyberSkin and others.  Today we will take a look at rubber and its use and sex toys.

When looking at rubber you need to understand there are typically two things being referred to, these are natural rubber and synthetic rubber. Natural rubber is derived from plants by tapping them, essentially an incision is made in the tree to drain out some the sticky latex sap and then the sap is refined. Synthetic rubber is made entirely from chemicals. Most often synthetic rubber is preferred for sex toys as it can be modified to improve material properties as required to make it softer, firmer or to give it complex structure.

An advantage of rubber is that thus far it has been found to be non-toxic for use in sex toys. This means you do not have to worry about the rubber material breaking down or leaving behind materials when you use it for stimulation.

A downside of rubber is that it is not very temperature resistant.  Very small amounts of heat will in fact distort or melt products made from rubber. However, there is no issue with making rubber colder except it will lose much of its elasticity. Whether this fact is a pro or con you yourself will have to decide.

Rubber as the material for sex toys is quite porous. This means that there are millions of tiny microscopic holes on its surface, which can be filled with all kinds of different junk, which will make your sex toy possibly discolor or start to smell. As such, I would highly suggest paying the proper care and attention to all rubber sex toys. This means that you should wash them with a good antibacterial soap and water before and after use. If you would like to ensure your toys are completely clean many sex toy manufacturers will provide or sell you a specialized cleaner for their entire line of products.

Price is an important factor when considering rubber as a material for sex toys.  Whether you are considering natural rubber or synthetic, either option is relatively inexpensive. When compared against some of the premium branded materials like CyberSkin, SuperSkin or UR3 rubber is typically one half or one quarter the price.

Rubber can also be molded into a variety of shapes and sizes. Due to its malleability and ability to melt and be molded into a huge variety of shapes you will find sex toys from the very small to the very large. Really, the only limit with rubber is the imagination.

In regards to durability rubber scores adequately. As mentioned previously it is not very resistant to heat so you must be careful not to boil it or melt it or otherwise expose it to high temperatures as this may distort it. However, due to its viscoelasticity it is quite durable and very difficult to break or shatter as it will stretch and distort but then snap back into its original shape through normal use.

In summary, I would say overall rubber is great for use as a material for sex toys. It is alternately durable and inexpensive. You can mold into a variety of shapes and sizes which is a huge advantage, and as long as you treat your sex toys well they will last you a very long time.

Sex Toys

Plastic

The next topic in our discussion over materials for sex toys is plastic.  Sex toys can be made out of a huge variety of different materials, each with their own pros and cons depending on what you personally like.  Some people prefer a real to life experience; others are looking for something that is easy to keep clean or more durable and long lasting.  Some are looking for a sex toy that is a bit more for a premium or luxury experience.  PVC plastic is typically valued for how inexpensive it is to manufacturer with.  Plastics are used for practically everything in society because it is quite durable and easy to manufacture into a variety of shapes but most importantly because it is extremely cheap!

Plastics are broadly defined as any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids.  There are a large volume of different kinds of plastics used in the manufacture of plastic items depending on whether they want something that is rigid like parts for a model or something that is flexible and durable like containers for food.

Most if not all plastics used in the manufacture of sex toys today are non-toxic.  There was a bit of a scare a few years back when it was discovered that many plastics were leeching or transferring phthalates through normal use.  Further study on the harm of phthalates found some higher than expected levels in toddlers who chewed on their plastic toys and ended up ingesting the chemical.  While we are not exactly sure of the effect of high levels of phthalate exposure the sex toy industry decided to make the switch over with all of their products to be phthalate free, and most now proudly proclaim it on all of their packaging.

Plastics are quite porous so they require proper care and attention when it comes to cleaning.  Sex toys get dirty when all of those microscopic holes fill up with junk like bacteria and other unpleasant things.  This is why it is important to regularly clean your sex toys with at least an anti -bacterial liquid soap and water.  If you would like to go the extra mile, most manufacturers of sex toys market cleaning products specific to their toys you can purchase for relatively cheaply.  The last thing you want to do is not clean your toy and end up giving yourself an infection or have to throw out your expensive sex toy because it has become discolored or smelly.

A huge benefit of using plastics in the manufacture of sex toys is its flexibility.  It is extremely easy to mold plastic into a large variety of different sizes of dildos, vibrators, masturbators or whatever.  Through chemical manipulation the plastic can be made to be quite hard and rigid or to be as soft as skin.

Plastic is relatively durable.  The main thing to avoid is any great amount of heat, as you will melt it.  This means you should only clean your sex toys, dildos, vibrators, etc. by hand.  Definitely do not put them in the dishwasher or boil them, as this will deform them.

Thankfully, if you do happen to damage your plastic sex toys they are extremely inexpensive to replace in most cases.  A simple plastic vibrator can be found for as little as ten or twenty dollars.  The more fancy ones with advanced textures, multiple motors or actions will obviously be more delicate so be sure to pay them the necessary care and attention to keep them vibrating for as long as possible.

There are a large variety of materials available to manufacturers of sex toys including rubber, jelly, glass, steel and of course plastic.  Each one has its own pros and cons depending on your personal preferences.  The great thing is that we have choices!  Do your homework, think about what you like and dislike, then choose!

Sex Toys

California Exotics

Today we will take a look at another one of the big brands in sex toys, California Exotic Novelties.  These guys are one of the biggest players in the industry, being in business since 1994.  They are originally from California, currently calling Chino their home.  As of today, they are one of the largest sex toy manufacturers in the world with distribution and manufacturing facilities located globally.

Californian Exotic novelties was originally founded by a woman, Susan Colvin, which is pretty remarkable given that the industry has always typically been dominated by men.  When she started the company, most sex toys were geared towards complete realism.  Everything was either black or white and pretty plain in design and purpose.  She was the first manufacturer who decided to mix things up with a little colour, to make everything a little more pretty.  She has now built it into one of the largest manufacturers in the country, currently employing over eighty people.  She has grown it thus far by being personally involved in every aspect of the company, travelling around to all of her manufacturing and distribution points regularly and having a say in every aspect of design from start to finish.

California Exotic Novelties also has another claim to fame, they are most often attributed as the original manufacturer of the Jack Rabbit vibrator as popularized on Sex in the City.  This is the vibrator with the dildo portion, a shaft with beads in it that rotate and finally a clitoral massager with little rabbit ears that vibrate.  Rabbit vibrators are designed to give more intense stimulation than a traditional dildo or separate clitoral simulator as they will stimulate both simultaneously.  It may be used both for solo activity or as a toy for couple or partner sex.

This manufacturer of sex toys is headquartered in Chino California, having a 200,000 square foot operations centre there.  Chino is a city in San Bernardino County with a population of roughly seventy-seven thousand people.  California Exotics do a tremendous amount of their product development and manufacturing in house and that means keeping a great deal of jobs local.  They are never running out of ideas for product development and often have a backlog of hundreds of completely unique and new products at some stage of development.

California Exotic Novelties has won multiple awards over the years.  Most recently, they were honored at the StorErotica awards as Manufacturer of the year, which is the highest award available to sex toy manufacturers at this event.  This award actually came as a result of voting amongst their peers, so clearly they are well respected in their industry.

Manufacturing sex toys for the last seventeen years, California Exotic Novelties is clearly a brand you can trust for your vibrators, dildos and other sex toys.

Sex Toys

Chrome-Plated Steel

Over the past couple of weeks, we have discussed a multitude of materials used in the manufacture of sex toys.  For example you can used plastic, jelly, rubber, acrylic and glass, plus there are a huge variety of proprietary options out there.  The one we will be discussing today is chrome-plated steel.

Chrome-plated steel is a newer addition to sex toy materials.  While you may not think of sex toys when you think of steel, due to steels properties they can make highly desirable sex toys.  Firstly, steel is extremely tough, that is why we use it in the construction of buildings, cars, ships, etc.   We expect steel to be tough and last for an incredibly long time no matter what we do to it.  This same property is valued with sex toys.  Another advantage of steel as a material is its malleability and flexibility when used in manufacturing.  For example, you can create molds for steel in practically any shape you can imagine.  This has led to a huge variety in steel dildos, vibrators and other penetrators and toys.  Further, with chrome-plating added to the steel it gains additional corrosion resistance, easy cleaning and it also increases surface hardness.

Due to the chrome plating and the properties of steel, this material is completely non-toxic.  That means that chrome-plated steel will not transfer any materials into your body through normal use.  For example, there was a scare a few years back about certain plastics leeching or giving of phthalates, which many think are harmful to the body.  With steel, there is no risk of this at all, so this means it is safe for use in the manufacture of sex toys.

Steel is also obviously extremely resistive to temperature change.  This means if you have a sex toy such as a steel butt plug, dildo or vibrator you can boil it to sanitize it, or wash it in your dishwasher to keep it clean.  This makes steel ideal for those who are concerned about cleanliness and health when it comes to their sex toys.

Also due to its non-porous nature chrome-plated steel is less likely to pick up any weird smells or textures.  Often with the various rubbers and plastics that are very porous, all the little microscopic junk and gook can hide in those pores and require a great deal of care and attention to keep clean.  This is not an issue with steel dildo sex toys.

There are huge varieties of materials used out there in the manufacture of sex toys.  As we have discussed chrome-plated steel may have a wide variety of properties that make it a good choice for you next sex toy.  Only you can decide what is right for you!

Sex Toys

Cleanliness

Have a bunch of sex toys?  Ever thought about how clean they are?  You clean them regularly, right?  Well if you are not, you should be!  Sex toys, like anything else, get dirty with use.  Sex toys in particular with the kinds of contact they typically have and the materials they come in contact with can get particularly dirty in a hurry.  Once they are extremely dirty, they can be much more difficult to clean.  Also with a dirty sex toy, there is a greater chance of giving yourself or a partner an infection of some kind.  Finally, there is the whole aspect of appearance and smell.  Who wants to use a sex toy that has turned a funky colour, lost its texture and smells like a pair of old gym socks?  Thankfully, there are wide varieties of things you can do to keep your sex toys clean.

Unclean sex toys can be a haven for various bacteria and diseases.  Many sex toy materials are quite porous which means that there are a bunch of microscopic nooks and crannies for these bad things to hide out.  You could catch a sexually transmitted disease like Chlamydia, cure yourself by following your prescribed drug regimen from your doctor yet re-infect yourself with an unclean sex toy!  Cleaning your sex toys regularly before and after each use may decrease your risk of infection and often also have the benefit of increasing the life expectancy of your toys.

You know your sex toys are dirty typically in a variety of different ways.  The first thing you will probably notice is that the texture has changed.  Most of the porous sex toys when they get dirty you are filling up all of those tiny pores; this will make the texture feel different.  The next one you will start to see after the first will be some sort of general or overall discoloration.  Finally and perhaps most disgustingly, a dirty sex toy will start to smell.  Nobody wants a stinky sex toy.

The kind of material your sex toys are made out of will often determine how easy they are to clean.  Most of the oil and silicone based sex toys must be cleaned very regularly as they are quite porous which is part of what gives them that realistic feel.  Plastics can be a bit easier to clean, but not much.  The big winners for cleanliness are glass toys made out of borosilicate glass and those made out of chrome-plated steel.  Both of these materials are quite tough, non-porous and best of all quite resistant to heat.  This means you could boil them to sanitize them, or even chuck them in to the dishwasher.

There are a wide variety of things you may clean your sex toys with.  Many will use just soap and water.  A good liquid soap is safe to use on most toys and will do a good job of removing any buildup of materials or bacteria.  Using an anti-bacterial soap is even better.  Beyond that there are a wide variety of sex toy cleaners out on the market that have specific anti-bacterial properties and also carry the recommendation of their manufacturers for use specifically with their toys so you know they are safe.

When cleaning your sex toys be sure to always remove the batteries if it is not water safe, as you do not want it to short out.  If it is not water safe, you will have to make sure not to submerge it, and only clean the parts of it without any joints that lead in to the electronics.  If you are not careful you could destroy your toy in your attempts to clean it.

If you would like to avoid making your sex toys dirty in the first place you may want to consider always using a condom with your sex toy.  Using a condom provides an excellent barrier plus they are disposable so can be in fact be much less hassle than regular cleaning, but of course provide a bit different experience due to their different texture.

Cleaning your sex toys is extremely important if you want to avoid an infection.  Further, if you want your expensive sex toys to last for a long time then you have to clean them regularly.  Nobody wants dirty, smelly sex toys!

Sex Toys

Fleshlight

If you are up on the latest sex toys you’ve probably heard of Fleshlight.  Fleshlight it one of the original masturbation sleeves, developed way back in 1998.  The original was just a simple plastic sleeve and vagina like opening with basic texture.  Now as of 2011 they have sold over four million units and come in a range of orifices, textures, colours and materials.

The materials are the first big part of the Fleshlight story in sex toys.  The outer case is made of black plastic and designed to look nondescript, and kind of resemble a flashlight.  It has a cap on top to cover the orifice and a cap on the bottom that is adjustable to allow for airflow and which moderates suction.  On the interior, you have the patented Superskin material which is designed to feel like the real thing.  The original Superskin is made of an elastomeric gel, and due to its specific chemical composition must only be used with a water-based lubricant as oil based lubricants or soaps will damage the material permanently.  Recently Fleshlight has come out with their new Ice material.  Ice is designed to feel just like the original Fleshlight Superskin but be completely clear including the case for enhanced visual stimulation.

Fleshlight sex toys also come in a huge range of orifices, including the obvious vagina, butt and mouth, but also in a range of different porn stars modeled after the actual actors and themed ones that follow popular movies like the blue alien version, pirates and a new samurai themed one.

Textures are where the Fleshlight really differentiates itself however.  The original texture is just straight and plain, but was the one that built the Fleshlight name.  Since then they have also developed Super Tight, Vortex, Wonder Wave, Speed Bump, Super Ribbed, Crystal and more!  For example in the Fleshlight Girls series, each girl literally has their own custom texture.

The Fleshlight Girls range of sex toys is the best combination of their ingenuity in both textures and orifices.  Each one is modeled after actual porn stars like Misty Stone, Jesse Jane, Jenna Haze, Katsuni and more!  Each has an orifice modeled after the actual actor.  Some have just the vagina version while other have all three custom orifices.  Then each girl has a custom designed texture that is either a combination of an existing popular texture with her own twists or something completely novel and unique.  The range and variation is incredible.  They have even started a new Fleshlight Girls Euro line for those interested in the European ladies.

Fleshlight, the number one selling product in male sex toys!

Sex Toys

CyberSkin

There is a constant quest in sex toys to come up the latest and greatest in sex toy materials.  When people use sex toys they are typically trying to somewhat simulate the real thing to help out with a fantasy or provide a little extra thrill.  As of today there are a huge range of different materials used for fun in the bedroom including silicone rubber, jelly, glass, PVC, UR3, SuperSkin, the list goes on and on!  Today we will take a closer look at Topco Sale’s CyberSkin product and its various pros and cons.

CyberSkin is made out of a soft elastomer material, which is a polymer with viscoelasticity.  A polymer is essentially a large molecule composed of repeating structural units.  There are both naturally occurring polymers like rubber and synthetic ones like PVC plastic.  That it is viscoelastic means that you can bend, move and strain it and it will retain its shape.  These two properties combined give it that real to life feel we are looking for with our sex toys.

Cyberskin was designed by Topco sales to as closely mimic human flesh as possible.  It warms through a small amount of friction and is soft but firm and with elasticity to mimic actual skin.  Further, due to its makeup it is quite resilient to abuse and will always retain its shape and texture through normal use.

Another innovation of Topco’s is their revolutionary Dual Density molding process.  This allows them to provide different densities of CyberSkin throughout their products, which helps with the simulation of real body parts.  For example, imagine a product shaped like a vagina with soft lips and canal, but also feeling the hardness of the pubic bone.  For a simulated penis, you can feel the softness of the skin but also have the rigidity of erectile tissue underneath for a true to life sexual experience.

As far as price goes, CyberSkin is relatively affordable when weighed against its benefits.   While CyberSkin products are not as cheap as jelly or PVC plastic products, they are typically only a little bit more but provide a much better experience.

Care and maintenance of your CyberSkin sex toys is extremely important.  To retain all of its positive features you must be certain to wash it after each use with a liquid anti-bacterial soap and water.  Dry it by patting it with a towel and allow to air until completely bone dry.  Topco also recommends using their CyberSkin renew power to maintain the finish on their products, otherwise they may get sticky.  In addition, a word of warning be sure not to use any oil based product for lubricant as they may cause deterioration of the CyberSkin which is irreparable.

Considering the pros and cons of CyberSkin, I would say it’s a pretty solid product.  When you are out shopping for sex toys, you should check it out!

Sex Toys

Glass

Have you heard about the big change in sex toys?  They are making them out of glass these days!  I know what you are thinking, how could you possibly make sex toys out of glass?  We have all dropped a glass or dish on the floor and seen it shatter into a million tiny pieces.  No one would want that to happen when using a sex toy.  This is a little different kind of glass however.

Glass sex toys are typically made out of a special toughened glass called borosilicate glass.  This is the same sort of glass used in Pyrex brand dishes, so you know it is ultra-tough.  Virtually all modern laboratory glassware is made from borosilicate glass because of its toughness and resistance to extremes of heat and cold.  If it is suitable for these conditions, I am sure they are good enough for use as sex toys.

Borosilicate glass is also greatly desired because it is non-interacting which also makes it non-toxic.  Despite extreme temperature changes and whatever labs happen to throw at them, they are up to the challenge.  What does this mean for sex toys?  This means there is no chance that your use of glass sex toys will in any way harm your body by breaking down, or transferring chemicals.  This is good as we have found some plastics and rubbers do have an impact on the body or break down and transfer chemicals over time.  Glass sex toys will not do this.

Because borosilicate glass can resist temperature extremes, you are safe to treat it how you like in regards to temperature.  For example, you could warm it to give yourself a comforting feel when using your favourite dildo, or even make it hot for something a little more daring.  These sex toys may also be chilled if you want to use an icy touch in your lovemaking.  Finally, they are so durable you can literally chuck your glass sex toys into a dishwasher to clean and sterilize them so long and they do not bump or smash around in there.

Another huge advantage of glass sex toys is that they are non-porous which means they do not have all of those microscopic holes that materials like latex or rubber do.  This means they will not pick up any funky odours or colours through use, which I am sure we can agree is not typically desired.  This also makes them much easier to clean up, often with a little soap or water or as mentioned earlier, chuck it in to the dishwasher!

Glass sex toys can also be made in a huge variety of shapes, colours and sizes.  Remember the huge variety of marbles you had as a child?  Imagine that sort of creativity brought to your dildo.

Despite all of their benefits listed previously, I should still warn you, glass sex toys are not unbreakable!  They will break if abused, but are completely safe through normal use.  So, take the plunge, pick up a glass sex toy today.

Sex Toys

Lelo

When shopping for sex toys typically brand will play a part in your selection.  Each brand has different pros and cons, some target volume, looking to have a toy to suit every imagined need, in every colour, material or configuration you can dream of!  Others focus on a particular material or marketing approach, or focus only on specific countries, languages or markets.  If you are shopping for something a little more luxurious then you should definitely take a look at Lelo.

Lelo as a brand only started back in 2003.  They first began with what they call “intimate massagers” which is their classed up term for vibrators.  Founded originally in Stockholm, Sweden, they came about through the efforts of three people, Filip Sedic, Eric Kalén and Carl Magnuson.  Filip’s background was as an engineer.  Eric and Carl both came from industrial design.

It all began with a shopping trip to find the perfect present for a 40^th birthday.  Shopping around everywhere they came up empty so on a whim they decided to stop by their local sex shop.  From browsing around, they saw a complete lack of any luxury brand, the sort of product that incorporated any sort of design aesthetic or functionality.  I am sure you can imagine what they were met with, walls of coarse, disgusting, rubbery in your face sex toys without an subtlety or nuance.

The three of them decided to take a risk and jump in to a market already dominated by big players.  They thought they could be different however, and bring to market a class of products with such inherent value that they would reform the industry.  They would use the highest in quality research, design and manufacturing standards, rather than take the approach of their competition, which was focused on volume and the cheapest possible price no matter the cost.

In the beginning, they focused purely on design and quality.  They had no money for million dollar advertising campaigns so if they were going to break in to this market their quality and design had to speak for itself.  Their efforts were quickly rewarded however, as the Lelo brand name in sex toys began to grow. 

Lelo also has one of the best guarantees in the business, including a one-year warranty and a ten-year quality guarantee to reassure you of their reliability.

If you are shopping for luxury sex toys, Lelo should be your first stop.

Sex Toys

Pricing

How much of a factor should pricing be in your decision when shopping for sex toys?  With the economy in the state that it is in, more and more consumers are carefully considering how the best spend their hard earned dollars.  It is tough to get a good paying steady job these days, we cannot afford to fritter our money away!

When considering price for your sex toys you must first look at quality.  While you may be thrilled with the prices on your bargain bin sex toys that you found in a cardboard box marked “sale” do you know what you are getting?  What materials are the toys made of?  What guarantees is the store you are shopping at providing?  There are many great sex toy brands that have affordable, high quality toys.  For example, California Exotic Novelties is one of the largest and well know toy manufacturers out there.  They have a huge selection of toys from the ultra-affordable to premium luxury stuff.

Availability should also be considered along with the price of your sex toys.  You may find a really cheap advertised price on a sex toy only to arrive at the store and find that they are all sold out.  This was probably what they call a loss leader promotion. This means the store brought in a limited quantity of a particular item, marked it down to an incredible sale price and advertised it.  Once they sold out, that was it, but man does that sale price bring in the business!  They do this because they know that if a person comes in to their store for an item that was on sale but ended up being sold out they will still probably end up buying something.  Pretty sneaky right?

There can also be a big difference in price between purchasing locally or online.  Most local stores will be a bit more expensive because they have the additional costs of maintaining a physical store in a prime retail location.  Those costs include rent, advertising and staffing to make sure they can cover their advertised business hours.  Online store however are typically located in cheap rental space in warehouse districts because all they are worried about is making sure they have easy access to couriers so that they receive their shipments on time and anything the ship out also goes out like clockwork.  Also they can afford to operate with less staff as work with customer orders can be queued and handled as a group at the end of the day rather than as people drop by.  When you can schedule work efficiently, you always lower costs.

If you order online, shipping may also be a factor in the pricing of your sex toys.  There is a large variety of stores, each with their own approach to shipping.  Many stores offer free shipping if you hit a certain dollar amount or purchase certain products.  Typically, if shipping is offered free, they may be shipping via a budget carrier so your sex toys may take a while to arrive.  There are often expedited shipping options also made available, but they can be quite expensive.  You must carefully weigh the cost -benefit of instant gratification versus saving your money!

A final consideration with your sex toy pricing is the customer service and returns aspect.  Most of the budget sex toy resellers will not accept returns under any circumstances.  This is firstly, to protect the customer as there is a large risk in taking back sex toys that might have been used.  If a sex toy shop decides to take back a product, they are most likely taking it as a total loss and disposing it as used sex toys are not saleable for obvious reasons.  That said, you may have better luck with returns at a more expensive sex toys store as they have a little more margin worked in to their product to help compensate for the occasional loss to keep a customer happy.

Sex Toys

Stock and Availability

When shopping for sex toys availability often plays a factor in your decision.  We are living in the time of the now, when people want instant gratification.  Have you not every found yourself in the mood to purchase?  It is that time when you are going to buy something, no matter what it is, even if it is not exactly what you wanted.  For this reason it is very important when you are shopping for sex toys that you take availability into consideration.

The first thing to consider regarding availability when shopping for sex toys is whether the item is in stock or not.  Often sites will promote product that they do not in fact have in stock.  They do this by having an ordering page promoting the product, but they do not indicate stock levels anywhere or even worse, they indicate that a product is in stock when it is not in stock at all!  This can be extremely frustrating when you have placed an order in good faith and find that your product hasn’t even shipped from your supplier a week later.  You must be extremely careful when shopping to check to ensure the item you were looking for is in stock or not.

One of the dirty little secrets of the internet is drop shipping.  Often when shopping online you think you are shopping at a normal little online store, where everything is in stock and is coming from what you think is their store or warehouse.  In fact this may be a drop shipper site!  Drop shippers will promote a product like it is their own and in stock and then once they have your money they pass your information over to a third party company which actually facilitates the order.  This means they take care of the picking, packing and shipping of everything, including generating the final invoice.  The site that you trusted with your personal information just passed it on to someone else which you had no chance to consider before your purchase.

Another consideration is where are your sex toys coming from?  You may think you are shopping on a Canadian site, but how do you really know?  Well maybe they have Canadian flags everywhere, or even have a .ca domain name.  Neither of those cues necessarily mean that the site is in Canada or ships from within the country.  In fact, the issue is quite murky and difficult to determine.  For example a Canadian reseller could go with an American web hosting company, but still have a store and location inside of Canada.  On the flip side an American reseller with their warehouse in the states could have a fully Canadian site, but ship from the states, or even drop ship from China or wherever in the world they want and you may have no idea unless you look closely!

Are you a Canadian?  Well you had best pay attention to this part.  If you shop for sex toys online and accidentally order from an American site, even though they are cheaper, you may end up paying much much more in duty, taxes and brokerage as your shipment crosses the border.  I am sure we have all had the experience of ordering something online, getting a great deal and then being shocked when the item also arrives with a huge COD or other charge.  If you order from a Canadian store however you do not have to worry about that at all thankfully.

The final thing to consider is shopping online versus shopping at your local sex shop.  Online store typically have much more inventory in stock, and many more options to choose from as they are not limited by space in the same manner as your local store, which typically has to worry about expensive rent in a prime retail location if they want to get the walk-in traffic.  However your local store will also have a person right there to give you a hand in case you have any questions which for some can be a huge help.  Online stores something have live help via a chat window, but not always.

So, consider availability carefully when shopping for sex toys!

Sex Toys

Privacy Online Versus In Store

Are you shopping for sex toys? Have you ever wondered about the difference between shopping online versus in your local sex store?  Each approach has different pros and cons depending entirely on what you like and do not like.  Stay tuned while we run down the benefits and issues found with privacy when shopping for toys online versus in store.

Privacy is a big deal to most people.  We all have little or large aspects of ourselves that we would like to keep discreet.  Each person has their own unique personal privacy level that they would like to maintain.  Some of us can be quite open about who we are and every little detail of ourselves, others like to control every aspect of their life that people may or may not have access to.  Typically, the degree to which people expose their privacy depends on how the people they know might perceive the things that they want to keep private.  What is most important however is to have the power to control your privacy.   Without that power anyone could have access to those things that you would like to keep secret, and nobody would like that!

Obviously going over to your local sex toys store can be a bit intimidating or embarrassing, especially if this is an aspect of your life you would rather keep private.  Whether you are a guy or girl there may be all sort of things you encounter that you may find that make you anywhere from a little uncomfortable to extremely grossed out!  There is a great range to the variety of ways people like to express themselves sexually that are not always safe for the faint of heart.  Now imagine if you happened to bump in to your boss or a good customer of yours while you were there?  Feel like discussing your new big project in front of the extreme dildo section?  Maybe it will be something you end up bonding over and you will end up with a customer for life!   On the other side, perhaps your boss may not appreciate your interest in whips and harnesses, even if it is just for a gag gift.

When you shop online you shop in complete privacy, nobody know what you are looking at except for you.  It does not matter what your interests are, be they straight, homosexual, or bisexual, BSDM or other.  You can shop for the whole range of Fleshlight masturbators, check out a new Lelo vibrator for that special someone, all without any risk to your personal privacy.  Most online shops are so serious about their privacy with sex toys that they include special sections on their site that go over each and every way your shopping experience will be safe, secure and private.  Most will guarantee your visit by encrypting your shopping experience so that no one may snoop on what you are looking at.  Others will bill your credit card discreetly, often with the name of their parent company or some initials, which cannot be tracked back to the sex toy site.  Finally, most ship in discreet, plain packaging.  This includes a plain brown box, the invoice is always tucked inside rather than on a blister pack on the outside and the ship from address is always something plain that does not lead back to the site in any way.

There is a lot to consider when trying to decide whether shopping online for sex toys or shopping in your local sex toy store.  Weigh your options carefully, but make a decision, shop for sex toys!

Sex Toys

Phthalates and Sex Toys

Are Phthalates safe for use in sex toys?  The jury still seems to be out on that one.  Phthalates are extremely common in our modern environment as they are used as plasticizers, typically added to vinyl plastic to make it soft and flexible.  For example, many children and pet toys have been manufactured with phthalate containing plastics in the past.  While we know that Phthalates are common and easily released into the environment because there is no covalent bond between the phthalates and plastics in which they are mixed, we are not sure of their effect on humans when used in the manufacture of sex toys.  We do know that we are commonly exposed to them in our environment however as most Americans tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have metabolites of multiple phthalates in their urine.  How does it enter our body?  It can penetrate the skin but it most probably ends up there via being inhaled or ingested.  As plastic ages and breaks down it releases more phthalates and can easily leach and evaporate into food or the atmosphere.

In Canada we have taken steps to control children’s exposure to phthalates, introducing “limits for allowable concentrations of di 2-ethylhexl phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) to no more than 1,000 mg/kg (0.1%) in the soft vinyl of all children's toys and child care articles”(Phthalates Regulations - Health Canada Fact Sheet 2011-01).  Children are particularly vulnerable to exposure as their levels can be typically quite high do to their tendency to “mouth” and chew on items, which will lead to both more phthalates released and ingested.  When tested, toddlers exposure levels in the previously mentioned CDC study were almost double that of adults.

So what does this mean for you as an adult?  It is difficult to say as while there are many preliminary studies indicating that phthalates may affect us in a range of ways, it is difficult to tell until more data is collected.  Many countries have moved to set limits on or phase out the use of phthalates in products including the United States, Canada and the European Union just to be on the safe side.

So what are the alternatives?  Well it depends on the sex toy.  For masturbation sleeves there are a large variety of phthalate free options available at sex shops including Super Skin from Fleshlight, Cyberskin, metal and various jellies and rubbers that are specifically engineered and marketed as phthalate free.  As for dildos and vibrators, there is even a larger variety of materials including Sil-a-Gel, silicone, metal, Realskin, phthalate free plastics, and glass.  While glass may sound scary at first, these kinds of sex toys are actually made from a clear medical grade borosilicate or hard glass and are completely safe.  Better yet, they can be warmed with water and chucked in the dishwasher for cleaning!  The key point is that there are tons of options for the savvy consumer so be sure to ask.

What should you do?  Better safe than sorry I would say.  Chuck out your old in doubt toys and pick up one of the many new phthalate free alternatives.  On the other hand, if you are not prepared to replace all your sex toys consider using a barrier like a condom to protect yourself.  I would rather be on the safe side than part of the statistics.

Sex Toys

Sexual Health

Did you know that the quality of your sexual life is related to your health? In both men and women it has been shown that there is a positive association between sexual activity, quality of sexual life and interest in sex, with health in middle age and later life (Lindau & Gavrilova, 2010, Conclusions and Policy Implications section). This was determined on a study of a nationally represented group of participants ranging in age from twenty-five to seventy-four from a randomly selected sample of 3032 respondents. This cohort was then surveyed about their sexual activity and this was compared against their age and life expectancy based on activities of daily living, disability, dementia and many other health indicators. The results found were that health was strongly associated with sex! Further, those that had sex later on in life were more likely to have continuing sexually active life expectancy (Lindau & Gavrilova, 2010, Sexually Active Life Expectancy section). Further there was also a positive correlation between sexual partnership and health!

Given the above it is reasonable to assume that to remain healthy we must be sexually active and make sex a large and important aspect of our lives for both our health and longevity. No one wants to be that old dried up prude who isn’t willing to experiment or be a little adventurous! Today there are a wealth of books on sex and sex toys and sex accessories available to add a little fun or explore your wild side. For male sex toys there is the best-selling Fleshlight line of products, which use their patented Superskin technology which is designed to look and feel like the real thing. There is also the wildly popular Sue Johnason Head Honcho series, to round out the masturbation sleeves. Some men also like to experiment with anal play, including dildos, butt plugs, prostate massagers and even vibrators. For women there are dildos and vibrators of a huge variety of materials including rubber, jelly, plastic, glass and a whole host of proprietary, patented material from manufacturers like Doc Johnson and California Exotics. Some girls also like to experiment with ass play, and as for men there is also a huge variety of sexual toys to choose from.

Now with the advent of the internet there is no longer the need to don a heavy coat and sunglasses to go shopping for your sex toys! There are a huge variety of online sex shops that cater to every different kind of interest. Shopping for sex toys online has never been easier. Most adult toy store ship in discreet, non-descript packaging and bill to non-descript business names so that every aspect of your shopping experience is private. Prices are better than ever online as well, as these business do not have to maintain an expensive brick and mortar store, so you’ll find a wealth of cheap sex toys and often with options for free shipping to top it all off. These sites are like small communities, with regular people just like you participating, writing reviews and providing feedback, all safely and anonymously.

The quality of your sex like is directly related to your health and longevity. The more sex you have and the longer you have it the happier and healthier you will be. Chose to spice up your sex life today with some sex accessories, you will not be disappointed!

Sex Toys

California Exotic Novelties Named

Toy Manufacturer of The Year

California Exotic Novelties was named Toy Manufacturer of the Year during the annual XBIZ awards at the Hollywood Palladium this February 9, 2011.  California Exotic Novelties is the leading manufacturer of adult toys and novelties in the United States, operating since 1994.  They manufacture such products as the  Waterproof Jack Rabbit Vibrator, Sue Johanson's Head Honcho Masturbator and Waterproof Crystal Flex Vibrator.

Sex Toys

Sue Johanson Head Honch Masturbator

Who hasn't heard of Sue Johanson?  If you haven't, you must of been living under a rock!  She was on the air for years in Canada as host of Talk Sex with Sue Johanson.  She`s 100% Canadian as well, so of course we have a high opinion of her (and admit just a little bit of bias).  In 2005 in concert with California Exotic Novelties she created her own line of sex toys including the Head Honcho.  The Head Honcho is made of soft jelly with a bunch of stimulators inside and three distinct suction areas.  It`s open on both ends as well which makes for easy clean-up.  Finally, it`s DIRT CHEAP at under twenty bucks!  Check it out, you won`t be disappointed...