Better Than Chocolate–Maybe, But Not Quite

I have had my eye on the Better Than Chocolate ($80 $64) designer vibrator by Nomi Tang for quite a while–since I had first seen the Sasi come out and started researching cheaper alternatives to the seemingly all-knowing, human-like clitoral stimulator because I’ll be the first one to stand up and say that paying up to $150 for an orgasm, albeit what is being said to be an amazing orgasm, but still an orgasm just the same, is pretty insane–especially if you take that conversation up with my bank account. The Better Than Chocolate had me at its name alone; me and chocolate have always had a very close, personal relationship and I wonder if Nomi Tang had this in mind when giving this vibrator a name, but it is also the name of my second-favorite movie of all time (it’s a fairly unknown, independent, lesbian niche film so if you haven’t heard of it, it’s okay, I forgive you.)

As you can probably imagine, I was on top of the world when Eden Fantasys gave me the opportunity to review the Better Than Chocolate vibrator. After lusting after it for so long, the time had finally come; I would have the Better Than Chocolate in my possession and my anticipation built day by day as I waited for it to arrive. But after a few rolls around in the hay with it, I am very sad to report that the Better Than Chocolate does not live up to its name–in the form of decadent, lovely chocolate treats or to its film namesake.

The general consensus among reviewers of the Better Than Chocolate is that it is futuristic in its visual appeal, high-tech in function and generally beyond the realm of technology we usually encounter in vibrators. These all describe it pretty well and are all true in their own way but I would also like to add confusing and frustrating to the mix. Confusing in the respect that this is the only sex toy I have ever owned that I had to read (and re-read) the user manual to figure out how, exactly, the batteries fit inside it. The one side of the vibrator twists and is supposed to come off. I got it to twist and soon realized I had no upper body strength whatsoever as I attempted to remove the side in order to expose the compartment which contains the batteries. It did, however, provide a deep sense of accomplishment when I figured it out. The word frustrating comes to mind with this vibrator because it provides you with every element of a truly sensational sex toy and will arouse you to the point of climax and then it keeps you there and regardless of the different sensations it provides with its vibrations, it is just not enough to push you over the edge.

Putting aside the fact that this vibrator does not deliver in the terms of a toy that can bring you and then send you over the hilt, I was very much impressed by its shape and how it functions in terms of changing vibrations and speed while using it. The Better Than Chocolate was molded by a person who has a truly deep understanding of the female body in all of it’s curvaceous glory. It fits perfectly against your body and allows you to simply run your hand down the length of it in order to change the settings, which is definitely much easier than having to twist a knob or pull a lever in order to get a change of sensation.

Better Than Chocolate is the toy to take out when you are in for a long, sensuous and thrilling time with a partner, in my opinion. One of those nights where you are just enjoying each other and exploring each other’s bodies as if it were the first time you were coming into contact with it; a time when an orgasm isn’t necessarily on the menu, but a toe-curling surprise at the end of a truly romantic night. The volume of its buzz is quite low, compared to other vibrators, so it isn’t going to sound like you just started up your car when the mood is just right, and contrary to the fact that its design and sensations are meant to cater to a woman’s body and pleasure, men can also enjoy this toy! In fact, my partner tried the Better Than Chocolate out before I did. Now keep in mind that he is a curved man, so the Better Than Chocolate fit against him quite well, and being a man who hardly ever has an orgasm on the menu, but instead enjoys the sensations of a vibrator against him, he thoroughly enjoyed it and I suspect he will continue to put this vibrator to more good use on himself–and also on me when the mood is just right. The Better Than Chocolate is also completely waterproof, so feel free to take your romantic night into the bathtub.

While I wouldn’t generally recommend this vibrator as a go-to for masturbation, it does make for one of the best partnered play toys out there and can truly compliment a romantic night. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Eden Fantasys has discounted this item so pick it up now for just $64 instead of it’s regularly-priced $80.

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Nipple Clamps: the Good, the Bad and the Terrifying

Nipple clamps have always intrigued me. With most adult toys, most specifically vibrators and dildos, you know what you’re getting. While the material its made out of may be different and its curves are solely its own, when it comes right down to it, you know what it’s going to do and you have somewhat of an idea of how it will feel when it’s doing its thing. Nipple clamps are the complete opposite. If you’ve never felt them before, you have no idea what to expect, hence my intrigue. Being a woman who is all about breast and nipple play, it seemed only logical that I would have some nipple clamps in my arsenal of toys; but it wasn’t until recently when I took the leap and really checked them out. The reason for this is because with most sex toys, again mostly with vibrators and dildos, you can check out the product information for it’s length and girth and know it’s pretty much going to fit. With nipple clamps, you can’t really make sure they are going to fit you right. Nipples come in all shapes, sizes and forms and they are all a little different. With the variety of different nipple clamps out there, there are those made for bigger nipples, others made for smaller ones and regardless of how many nipples you’ve seen in your lifetime, when you look down and try to determine what category yours belong to, well, it gets a little confusing. You find yourself thinking ‘Well, how big is big anyway? How small do they have to be to fit in these? Throughout my research on nipple clamps, I was really very close to taking a picture of mine and sending it to some discussion board asking for insight on what nipple clamps would accommodate what I’m working with.

Luckily, I did not have to bare most for the sake of picking the right clamps for me, because Eden Fantasys came to the rescue, sending me three different sets of nipple clamps to make sure I found at least one pair that I was delighted with.

First we have The Terrifying:

Endurance Clamp nipple clamps by Spartacus Enterprise

The Endurance Clamp nipple clamps ($14.99) only lasted about five seconds on me and I’m pretty proud of myself for lasting that long, albeit yelling the entire time. Before encountering these clamps, I thought I had endurance. I am fairly seasoned in the BDSM world, would consider myself a bit of a masochist, and lastly, hell, I used to have my nipples pierced; if that doesn’t show a level of endurance when it comes to pain, please enlighten me as to what does. I swear, ever since the very first time those nipple clamps came into contact with me, whenever I think of giving them another chance my nipples retract into themselves in protest.

My reaction to these clamps is astonishing to me because the review of them on the site makes them seem quite mild, saying that they provide lighter and wider teasing action. They feature wider alligator tips compared to traditional tips found on most other nipple clamps and are said to be perfect for people with big nipples to experience the fun nipple clamps can provide. Now perhaps my nipples are giant and I was just never informed about this, but in all honesty, I’d say that they are pretty average. Not small or insignificant in the least, but definitely not taking over my entire breast. This is exactly where the confusion over the size of one’s nipples and the hypotheses of the functionality of nipple clamps come into play–right from the product description. They were a little difficult to get on and absolutely nothing about the sensations felt from these clamps could be compared to the word light. These clamps are absolutely terrifying and someone would have to beg, plead and pay me to endure another five seconds because oh my goodness, ouch.

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Secondly, let’s take a look at The Bad:

Nipplettes nipple clamps by Cal Exotics

I had pretty high expectations from the Nipplettes nipple clamps ($24.99) for one sole reason–how can you possibly get any better than nipple clamps that vibrate? Well, the Nipplettes sadly did not live up to my expectations of them–not even close. First of all, they are adjustable and at first, I thought this was a pro, until they wouldn’t fit or stay on even adjusted to be the tightest they could go. They are a velvety plastic material, which doesn’t give too much of a bite to your nipples; they just kind of hang there for a few seconds and then slip off. I tried holding them on with my hands and even pushed down on them to get some sort of mildly enjoyable feeling, but no avail.

When you get right down to it, Nipplettes were very frustrating and provided very little sensation at all; however, they are extremely gratifying when used on other places of your body that also enjoys a little vibration and for that, I’ll most definitely be keeping them handy.

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Luckily, out of the three nipple clamps I was sent, one pair really did get the job done in a fantastic way, so let’s take a look at The Good:

Fresh Jaws Nipple Clamps by PHS International

Fresh Jaws Nipple Clamps sound a lot more terrifying than they are. They pack a great bite that skirts right on the verge of too tight, passing a message through your head that screams ‘Oww… wait, that feels really good!’ They are not clamps you can attach all in one fell swoop, but over the course of a few seconds to help your nipples get acclimated to their strength. While the product description says that they are not to be used by those who have not had moderate to heavy BDSM experiences, they are a lot more easy-going than the terrifying Endurance Clamp nipple clamps and so I will just come right out and say that the person writing these product description totally lies. Yeah, I said it. I find these extremely enjoyable, although at first, and please keep in mind that these products were my very first in the nipple clamps category, I could not figure out for the life of me how they opened and if left to my own devices, would have probably tried fitting my nipples into the little open slots that turned out to be what you squeeze together to get them to open.

The chain linking the clamps together is a great way to deliver shocking pain to both nipples at once and with these clamps, as soon as they are biting down, you can roll around, jump up and down, run a marathon, or do whatever else you want to do without worrying about them slipping off–once they’re on, they’re on until you release them, which is a gigantic plus! Lastly, these clamps are super cute. They are vibrant, happy and extremely satisfying.

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Rocket Balm isn’t Just for His Pleasure

Rocket Balm is a balm containing a mixture of oils, but the main oil used that you can feel within seconds wherever applied is the peppermint oil.

On a man, its main recommended use is to be applied on the head of the penis and frenulum. Within just seconds, this balm sends a cooling sensation to the body and heightens arousal. It can be used for masturbatory purposes and also for foreplay. What may come as a shock is that when the initial foreplay is over and a woman moves down to give oral sex, she is pleasantly surprised that the Rocket Balm is also stimulating her lips and mouth but not numbing them, which is a nice change from many massage oils that are on the market that tend to numb whatever it is applied to within a few seconds. Because a lot of women find that when they have a little more going on for them, they are happy to go down on a man for a longer amount of time, Rocket Balm works phenomenally for just that. When the oral is finished, you may move on to intercourse and the worst thing you could do at this point is wash the Rocket Balm off of yourself before having sex.

Rocket Balm, when used during sex, is a sensation no one should ever miss out on; male or female! Because of the internal rubbing going on, the balm intensifies and because it is stimulating you, an orgasm comes a lot sooner than expected. This can also be used and equally as effective during anal sex; the sensation is intense and downright wonderful. After just a month or so of using it I’m going to have to get another container soon because I cannot get enough of it.

If you’re a single woman or just feel a little weird using something called Rocket Balm, check out the female version of this amazing balm–Flower Balm!

So Good Sex and the City Made it Famous

The Rabbit Habit, made famous by the hit television show Sex and the City, is by far the ultimate sex toy for women.

With a shaft that moves in a circular motion, a collection of beads that rotate against your vaginal opening and a rabbit-shaped vibrator positioned a bit closer to the shaft than the original Rabbit Habit toy for clitoral stimulation that is more direct and aggressive than the original proves to be just the right combination of touches to stimulate an orgasm that you simply do not know is possible until you experience it.

In the show Sex and the City, Charlotte becomes obsessed with her Rabbit to the point where she cancels time out with the girls and basically everything else in her life and begins to treat her Rabbit Habit like a relationship based purely on sex. While some may snicker, laugh and make jokes about this, I can completely understand it as the Rabbit Habit is so good that you never want the enjoyment to stop–And as long as you stock up on AA batteries, it doesn’t. The Rabbit Habit is like that must-have-packed item if you’re going away for a few days; it is the item that sits right below pants on your checklist: “Okay so we have underwear, pants, Rabbit, toothbrush, check.”

The Elastomer Rabbit Habit from Babeland is a must-have sex toy for either yourself or something to add to a couple’s sex life. It is made of 100% premium Elastomer, a high-quality material that is both latex and phthalate free but still incredibly soft, well made and also very cute, which yes, is important even when it comes to sex toys. This toy is a nice shade of light purple and also has glitter which makes it super girly, attractive to look at and amazing to use.

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Don’t Get Stuck in a Sticky Situation

Bondage can be a great experience between two consenting adults who of course, trust each other to the point where bondage can be an exciting, positive experience. Most people who don’t know much about bondage or who have thought about it but haven’t read up on it too much yet may think that a lot more goes into bondage play than what actually does.

When it comes to restraints, there are many different options available. Many people don’t want to handle heavy, difficult equipment, especially those just starting out in their bondage experiences. The thought of this type of play may scare someone who has never engaged in it to begin with and the last thing someone of this nature wants to have to maneuver is heavy equipment and rope has a tendency to dig into your wrists and ankles, leaving them raw and sore for hours or even days after. Tape is another viable option, but who wants to rip tape off of their bodies after play time is over? No one! It’s like ripping off 100 band-aids at the same time! But now there’s a new type of bondage tape available that has eased more people into bondage play with their partners and has been satisfying bondage enthusiasts just the same.

This bondage tape is unique in the sense that it clings to nothing but itself. No more ripping tape off of your skin or out of your hair and pulling a few hundred strands of hair out with it. No more ropes cutting off your circulation and digging into your skin and no need for heavy and complicated equipment. This small product will satisfy any couple engaging in bondage play–Enthusiasts and beginners both will have an overall pleasurable experience with this lightweight, quick, easy, and reusable 2″ wide tape.

For just $20 this bondage tape is an absolute steal. You receive an abundant amount and the tape is also reusable so you are sure not to run out for quite some time. The tape does come off very easily and does not affect your skin whatsoever since there is no sticky glue anywhere. The tape clings to itself very easily and is extremely secure so when you’re in the heat of the moment, the tape isn’t going to budge; I’ve had under the bed restraints that didn’t work as well as this tape because this tape doesn’t break and if it does, I haven’t reached it’s breaking point yet.

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Please remember that whenever engaging in any variation of bondage play to only participate with a partner you know and trust and to use a safe word so your partner knows if and when you need to stop.

The Multi-Orgasmic Man

On the topic of sex, most men will say that the act and finishing touch, in particular, is a bit unfair. After sex, my partner will complain that I had multiple orgasms, can’t move and demand a sandwich afterward while he had one orgasm. I can argue that perhaps my multiple orgasms are the equivalent to his one, but I wouldn’t know since I am not a man and admittedly have no idea what the male orgasm feels like. I do, however, know that having multiple orgasms is a gift that I would love for him to be able to share with me. While a huge percentage of men simply believe that having multiple orgasms is impossible, I have a secret to share with you that has the ability to rock your world; especially if you’re a man–All men have the ability to achieve multiple orgasms.

For the man who believes male multiple orgasms are impossible or for men who have heard about these mysterious male multiple orgasms and want to know more (ie: my partner) I couldn’t recommend The Prostate Pleasure Kit from Babeland more.

The Prostate Pleasure Kit contains everything your man (or you, if you’re reading this and happen to be a man) needs for complete prostate pleasure and achieve multiple orgasms: The classic sex guide The Multi-Orgasmic Man by Mantak Chia & Douglas Abrams, The Aneros Prostate Stimulator, Maximus lube, Babeland’s favorite anal lube in fact, and Rocket Balm, good (and safe) for a nice, tingly feeling during masturbation, oral sex and even intercourse.

If you’re thinking to yourself “Ha! My husband/boyfriend/manfriend/life partner would never let anything near his butt; it just isn’t happening and what, exactly, does prostate pleasure have to do with multiple orgasms?” I have to tell you, my partner was just as apprehensive! With the looming fear of pain as well as the fear of bodily functions, a man may think to himself at first “Nope, not happening. Ever. Get it all away from me.” But perhaps after reading through the book that comes with this kit, The Multi-Orgasmic Man, they may be even more curious about prostate pleasure and perhaps even get over the initial fear and anxiety that comes with something being near their prostate.

The Multi-Orgasmic Man is a complete guide of sexual secrets of every should know. This book gives every man the ability to experience multiple orgasms and dramatically enhance his sexual relationship, which they have printed on the cover of the book. Within the first few days of having this book, me and my partner read through parts of it together and it really brought us closer together in our relationship because I began to fully understand how everything works when it comes to men; most of which I wasn’t aware of before. If you’re not one to accompany your man while he reads through this book, there is a section specifically for women which helps women fully understand how the foreign male parts work and how to help your partner as well as yourself become a multi-orgasmic person. The book and prostate tools that come with this kit go together very well because throughout the book it speaks of the prostate, how to fully know yourself as a man inside and out and gives you methods to use in order to prolong orgasms by holding the prostate. By using the prostate toys that come with the kit, you become more aware of reaching the point of no return.

The partner’s thoughts:

The book is very well written and covers both sides of the techniques given in the book to achieve multiple orgasms; spirituality as well as logic and physiology. As a person who leans more towards the logical and scientific side of things, it was nice to have scientific facts back up Asian spirituality.

While my partner isn’t a multi-orgasmic man yet, the journey to multiple orgasms will be broken up into a series that will outline his progress and eventual success, so be sure to check back frequently because you never know when he will hit a milestone that will need to be reported to our readers, especially those who are men looking to achieve multiple orgasms. Consider subscribing to our RSS feed so you don’t miss anything!

The Essential Couple Toy

Foreplay is an essential part of a couple’s sex life; without it, you run the risk of not really being fully “there” during sex or coming up short–literally. Without the art form of foreplay, sex has a tendency to do a whole lot of nothing; for us women, anyway.

And so I present to you lovely ladies out there looking for just a little something to spice up the act before intercourse or something just a whole lot of fun to play around with–The Remote Butterfly from Babeland.

The butterfly is worn by a woman the same way panties are, just slip your legs through the elastic straps and pull the butterfly up to you so it rests just the way you like it. The remote control ranges from 15 to 20 feet so even if you and your partner aren’t in the same room, you can still enjoy tingling sensations the butterfly sends to your clitoris and know that your partner is thinking of you when they press that magical button on the remote.

With a range of 15 to 20 feet, the Remote Butterfly sets up a whole new range of options for play time and not only that, but play time can now be done virtually anywhere; and that is the first thing I thought of when I had first stumbled across this product. Imagine the possibilities! Perhaps you and your partner need a date night–After even a few months of living together, couples sometimes fall into the pattern of wearing sweatpants all the time or just not really paying a lot of attention to themselves anymore because hey, it’s your house too and you’re going to be comfortable! I am the same, exact way; hell, it’s a special occasion if I get out of the shower and don’t put pajamas right back on. So for you couples out there like my boyfriend and I who really need a date night every once in a while, why not strap the butterfly on under your dress or your pants? It can be worn under your panties or you can really spice your night up and skip the underwear completely. When in use, the butterfly sounds exactly like a cell phone on vibrate, so using it in a movie theater is a fabulous idea, perhaps to dinner if the restaurant is a little loud, or even a bar. The possibilities are virtually endless; running errands will never be the same again, just imagine asking your partner to go grocery shopping with you and if they refuse, hand them the remote and I bet their tune changes.

The first time the boyfriend and I had the pleasure of using it, we decided that because I am always working–and I mean always, it was about time that I was given a little reward for all of my hard work and not just that, but work needed to be fun again. I’m a freelancer and work from home on the computer, so sitting at a computer all day can be one of the most mundane tasks there are and the afternoon we used the butterfly throughout the day was surprisingly the one day in the past few weeks where I actually got a ton of work done. See, a little motivation goes a long way!

The vibrations the butterfly releases on your clit are described by Babeland to be medium-strength and while it is a pleasant feeling, the vibrations weren’t enough for me to be brought to orgasm; however, it did work phenomenally to bring me to full arousal, which can sometimes take a little while for most women anyway.

The only thing that I don’t like about this product is that the batteries go way, way too fast, so if you have rechargeable AAA batteries, stock up. The elastic waist works great, but the butterfly may need to be adjusted every now and then because it really does its best work while tucked “inside” so it has a direct connection with your clit.

Overall, this product is great and definitely something I would recommend to anyone wanting to either spice up their love life or want something that can be worn discreetly and allows you to have some fun alone time and engage in some kick ass partnered, foreplay. Although, on the con side of this vibrator, the vibrations are just enough to bring you to the level of being incredibly turned on, but it didn’t pack enough punch to get me “over the edge.”

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Babeland Knows Women

When you think of sex shops, most often you’re probably thinking of shady-looking shops off the corner of a highway with a large “Do not come in here unless you are over 21 years of age” sign on the front of an entrance that looks more like a garage door. These shops are also the ones that have those creepy private booths in the back that most definitely cannot be too hygienic, given what men do in there. These are the sex stores that are targeted more towards men and of course, are the standard because only men like sex, right? Wrong!

The success of these types of shops can only be measured by the amount of competition surrounding them, which in most cases aren’t many, if any at all. If you live in a suburban neighborhood, you most likely have one sex toy store in your area or even one shop for several areas and of course, these are the “male-ego” shops; the shops with jizz rooms, blow up dolls and many, many videos all building up the fantasies that women enjoy sex with their twin sisters, having cum adorn every inch of their faces and several, several different men at the same time.

As a woman who lives in a town with no sex toy shops whatsoever and having to drive an hour to the nearest one, which of course is a disgusting-looking shop catered to men, I wondered, isn’t there a place out there that doesn’t objectify women? A place that celebrates the libido and doesn’t treat it like something dirty that women should be ashamed of, but for men, it’s the standard? I wanted a place that had the nerve to treat me as sexual being and as a woman without objectifying me.

Because of the status of the standard shops, I normally look online for any bedroom toys I may be interested in purchasing and because of that, I stumbled upon Babeland.

The title alone may lead men to think “Oh wow, hot sexy babes? I’m in!” and for women, it could make you think “Babeland! Woman land! My land!” which is what is what I first thought. Their website alone is very woman-oriented. It’s sleek, shiny, it doesn’t have ads or pictures of women dressed in bondage and being treated purely as sex objects so their man can have a good time. It’s straight forward, but has a womanly touch, which is to be expected since Babeland was founded by women for women with the motto Sex toys for a passionate world.

With their fifth store opening nation-wide in Brooklyn, New York, positioned in between a maternity store called Bump and an organic restaurant that sells an herbal formula to boost your libido, Babeland gave the press a deeper look into what Babeland is all about.

They are a woman-friendly store where strollers are welcome, there is a baby changing station in the restroom, kids are more than welcome, the founder being a mother herself, since the store is set up so nicely and so friendly that kids are welcome due to the inconspicuously detailed products. They also have events scheduled which include seminars for women on sexuality and body image, private workshops and parties. It does not get any better than Babeland.

Our New Category

When I had thought up Woman Tribune with a friend of mine, I had many ideas on what I would write about, what I would cover and what I wouldn’t touch. As most people know, I run another website, a political feminist site where not only can I be uncensored, by now it’s pretty much expected of me. But what that site does not represent is just how pro-woman I am. While yes, I am a feminist and while yes, I do write about gender equality, equal pay, sexism and the objectifying of women, a lot of women who do their recreational reading online already had their dose of cynical and disheartening news along with their morning coffee. I did not want this site to be like that site.

So what I have done here thus far is try my best to offer recreational reading for the women who are sick and tired of hearing about politics; of hearing about women being objectified in the media and how women are still making a high percentage less than their male colleagues. While I stand firm on the fact that those are important issues, they by no means have to be involved in every part of your day; it’s okay to take a little break and indulge yourself in some frivolous and just plain upbeat entertainment.

While that covers why I chose to make this website a little more mainstream, I realized that I was missing a big category that all women talk about with each other and something that a lot of people won’t always publish on a website in fear of offending others. Sex and the City is a prime example that pure and honest sex talk is what people crave.

Well we’re stripping the fear away right now and here I am to introduce our brand new category–sex. In this category, we will be covering love, sex, relations, sex advice, sex toy reviews and much more!

If you have any ideas for posts or would like to see something here, let me know in the comments!