I am one of the rare few who don’t own a Hitachi. Before you start throwing things at me, please let me explain… I was never attracted to it much when I was first getting into sex toys, and I’ve aquired some pretty awesome things since, so I’ve never felt the need to get one. I know there are women who worship the Hitachi Magic Wand, but I honestly haven’t felt like I’m missing out on much. When I got the chance to review the Acuvibe Mini, I figured I’d give the ever-popular back-massager-turned-vibrator a try.

The Acuvibe Mini is a smaller version of the regular Acuvibe, just as the name implies. Both are manufactured by Human Touch, a company that produces high-end massage chairs and various massage tools. Marketed for soothing muscles in backs and necks, the sex toy industry has latched on and claimed it as one of their own (much like the famed Hitachi). The Acuvibe Mini is a cordless, rechargeable massager which comes in two colors: pink and blue. Its small size and light weight makes it great for travel and use during partner sex. Unlike the full-sized Acuvibe (which has two settings), and Hitachi (which has three), the Acuvibe Mini has one setting, which is said to be comparable to the low setting of the Hitachi.

The Acuvibe Mini must be charged for 8 hours before its first use, so please plan for that in advance if you get one! There’s a blue light on the base which indicates that it is charging, but the light stays on the entire time it is plugged in meaning there is no way to tell whether the Acuvibe Mini is fully charged or not. I’ve had some trouble with easily lining the charger up with the grooves in the Acuvibe Mini, which leads me to dislike the design somewhat. It is not waterproof (duh) so I use toy wipes to clean the head.

My first foray with the Acuvibe Mini was during missionary sex with my partner. It was small enough to easily hold up against my clit and not get in the way too much. Thanks to the strength of vibrations, I got off fairly quick and was impressed with my new “massager”.  (Yes, I have used it to massage my neck. It worked quite beautifully, thankyouverymuch.)

I would like to point out that there have been instances where people have reported that their Acuvibe Mini will no longer hold a charge after a few months of use. (The Acuvibe Mini does come with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty.) Also, on Babeland.com, the Acuvibe Mini is a tad more expensive than the Hitachi. If you are interested in purchasing your first massager-style vibrator, I would personally recommend getting the Hitachi before the Acuvibe Mini. The Hitachi is close in price with more settings, and also the has option of buying extra attachments (which you cannot use on the Acuvibe Mini). Otherwise, if you’re looking for a smaller massager to travel with or use during sex, I would recommend the Acuvibe Mini. You can get your own at Babeland.com for $60.00. Thank you Babeland!

You can officially add me to the long list of Bootie-lovers. No, no… not that kind. (Well, I do love a nice ass, but that’s not exactly what I’m referring to.) According to Twitter and other reviewers, there is one word to describe the Fun Factory Bootie: fun. Before the Bootie I was never much of a butt-play kind of person. Don’t get me wrong, I really wanted to like it, but the few experiences I had with butt plugs didn’t leave me craving more. The Bootie changed all that.

The Technical Stuff: The Fun Factory Bootie is a pure silicone butt plug, meaning all of the standard silicone statements apply. (Can be sterilized by boiling, 10% bleach solution, or washing on the top rack of a dishwasher. Please don’t use silicone lubricant. It picks up lint like whoa, so wash it before and after use.) It is available in two colors: black and Fun Factory’s signature purple. The silicone is the same matte finish as the Fun Factory Share. As much as I didn’t like the matte silicone while using the Share, I have grown to love it on the Bootie. The Bootie comes in classic Fun Factory packaging, along with the instructions, a FF brochure, and a sample of FF Toy Fluid lubricant (which FF includes with all of their products).

The Fun Stuff: After hearing about the Bootie’s greatness from fellow reviewers and toy lovers, I had built up quite an expectation for the little thing. After some shipping trouble, it finally landed upon my doorstep and I wasted no time in introducing it to my ass. I will admit, my first reaction was “okay, what’s so great about this now?” but I didn’t realize my ass needs to figure out what’s up before liking something. Yes, I have a picky and judgemental butt. Once I had relaxed and given my ass and the Bootie some time to bond, I knew exactly why everyone praised this particular butt plug. It really is fun. It sits perfectly in between my cheeks and makes its presence inside of my ass known, without being annoying or uncomfortable. The only thing that I can find wrong with the Bootie is that the base is just a tad too long for penetrative sex and could possibly get in the way.

I use Maximus lube with the Bootie, since it’s thick and I can coat the entire plug without making a huge mess. I have worn this butt plug to work, while napping, and am even wearing it while writing this review. Anal play newbies and experts alike will find the Bootie to be a nice addition to their toy box (or butt), and the curve provides for light prostate stimulation (if you have one, that is). I bought my partner a Bootie when he expressed interest in butt plugs, and he loves it just as much as I do.

As I sit here with the Bootie in my booty, I beg you all to try one if you haven’t already! This is, no doubt, one of my favorite toys. You can get your own Bootie at Babeland.com for just $32.00. Thank you Babeland!

When I found out I would be getting the Fun Factory Share courtesy of Babeland.com, I was pretty excited. My partner and I had just begun talking about pegging, and I figured this would be a good goal to work up to. Since we don’t yet have a harness, the Share seemed like the perfect toy to help us decide whether we should invest in one or not, and whether we wanted to continue this journey to pegging-land.

The Share is 100% silicone, phthalates-free, and great for partner play since it can be sterilized by boiling, throwing in the dishwasher (top rack, no soap), or wiping with a 10% bleach solution (make sure to rinse after!). It comes in three colors: black, pink, and purple. The Share is surprisingly heavy, weighing in at 1.5 pounds. It features two insertable ends, and can also be used as a solo toy, with the longer end better suited for thrusting. The fuckee end has an insertable length of 6 ¼” and encompasses a semi-realistic phallic head and two ridges on the underside running the length of the shaft. The fucker end has an insertable length of 4 ¼” and features a bean-shaped bulbous shaft.

When I took the Share out of its distinctive Fun Factory packaging, I was immediately surprised by how floppy it was. The connection between the two parts is the thinnest part of the entire toy, causing the long shaft of the fuckee end to bob up and down when the Share is held by the bean-shaped fucker end. Since receiving the Share, I’ve realized that this simply will not work for pegging my partner without a harness, which was the entire point of the toy. Along with that, the fucker end is just too big for me and very uncomfortable once it is inserted.

As far as solo play goes, the Share is pretty middle of the road. I won’t be reaching for it on a regular basis, but I didn’t completely hate it either. The silicone that Fun Factory used not only collects lint like crazy, but also seems to be a magnet for static electricity every time I touch it. The silicone seems to grip and causes more friction than other dildos, making it slightly uncomfortable during thrusting. On a more positive note, while the Share is bulky and hard to maneuver for partner play, it handles much better when used solo. The thin connection point makes a great handle, which makes controlling the Share on your own a snap.

While the Share didn’t live up to my expectations, I have a feeling it would be better suited for partner play with a harness. To get your own Fun Factory Share for $119, visit Babeland.com. If the Share just isn’t up your alley, Babeland has a great variety of body-safe toys to choose from. Thank you Babeland!

For a few weeks now I have been saying how much I need a simple waterproof vibrator. When Babeland offered the ShowerBabe up for review, I happily obliged to take on the task.

The ShowerBabe is a bright pink traditional vibrator, perfect for the bath or shower (obviously). It is constructed out of hard plastic, which means silicone lube is allowed (and let’s face it, if you’re masturbating in the shower then silicone lube is the way to go). The ShowerBabe has two settings, low and high, which are controlled by a red push button on the bottom of the handle. Oh, let’s talk about the handle! The handle is uniquely designed with large hole right in the middle, which makes it really easy to hold on to in the shower. (I’m sure you could even put it on a rope: think soap-on-a-rope, sex toy style!) The ShowerBabe takes 2 AA batteries, which are very easy to insert and remove. (No fighting with getting batteries out on this one.)

I mainly wanted the ShowerBabe for clit stimulation, although it is a very nice size for penetration if that’s more your style. At first, I was a little concerned that two settings wouldn’t be enough. The ShowerBabe has pleasantly surprised me though, and is pretty powerful. With that power comes noise. This vibrator isn’t discreet, but if there is water running the noise is pretty much drowned out (no pun intended). A big concern that most people have with waterproof vibrators is whether they are actually waterproof or not. Let me tell you- this one is. The thick o-ring completely seals the battery compartment off and no water or condensation can seep in.

Are you looking for a straightforward vibrator that can keep your shampoo and rubber ducky company? The ShowerBabe is a great option. Do you want a fancy-shmancy vibrator that rotates, vibrates, and kisses you goodnight? The ShowerBabe won’t help you there (but heck, it’s cheap enough that you could get one just for fun). Head on over to Babeland.com and pick up your very own ShowerBabe for $20.00.
 

 Thank you Babeland!

Babeland is giving away a Cry Baby and $100 gift card. My entry “Table for Two” has been posted, and you can read it here, as well as find out how to enter yourself. Good luck to everyone who has entered!