I’ve tried and reviewed my fair share of sex toys and lubes, that much is obvious. What I haven’t tried much of (and by much, I mean any) are “female enhancement creams,”"arousal gels,” or any other odd-sounding concoction that boasts promises of heightened senses, better orgasms, or other brouhaha one would be tempted to laugh at. That’s not to say that my curiosity hasn’t ever been piqued by their outlandish claims, I’ve just never felt like shelling out my hard earned money for something potentially bogus. I’ve heard wonderful things about Shunga products, so while browsing Play Passions, the Shunga Secrect Garden Female Orgasm Enhancing Cream caught my eye. Shunga is a well-known and trusted brand, so what could be the harm in trying, right?

The cream (and by cream, Shunga really means gel) comes in a small black bottle, which is packaged in a Shunga box. The back of the box made me roll my eyes with its over-the-top innuendo of “apply with fingertips to your Secret Garden.” Look Shunga, it’s my clit, not a secret nor a garden. Inside the box is a brochure of various Shunga products, as well as a small paper with suggestions of what to do if the resulting sensation is either too weak or too intense. My eyes rolled once again. I appreciate the suggestions, but does ”You’re unique!” have to be front and center on said suggestions? (Between “IMPORTANT” two times, bolded and underlined, mind you.) I am unique. And special. And beautiful. My mother has already taught me these things, but thanks for the pep talk before being “taken to the limits of the female orgasm”.

Unlike the laughable literature of the packaging, the text on the bottle is more direct. It actually says clitoris. Finally! What Shunga was trying to get across with the “you’re unique!” stuff is that each woman will react differently to the cream. While it might be too intense for some, others may need up to 3 applications on 3 consecutive days for it to fully take effect. It might feel cooling to one woman, and warming to another. The cream is meant to increase blood circulation to your clit, therefore increasing sensitivity. It smells strongly of mint. If you dislike mint, consider yourself warned. It does contain both glycerin and parabens, so if you shy away from either, also consider yourself warned.

Now it’s time for me to tell you about how it worked for me. At this time, Shunga would want me to remind you that “you’re unique!” and that just because it worked a certain way for me, that may not be the case for you. Repeat after me class: you’re unique! Got that? Moving on… Did the Female Orgasm Enhancing Cream actually enhance my orgasms? Well, no. It really doesn’t alter my orgasms at all, in fact. It is fun though. It slightly cools and sort of tingles, which is nice. I’d even go so far as to call it neat. Mainly, it’s fun for my clit and that’s about it. While fun for my clit is a good thing, I want more from something that claims it will enhance my orgasms. 

All in all? I don’t regret trying Shunga’s Secret Garden Female Orgasm Enhancing Cream, but it didn’t exactly change my mind about “female enhancement” products. It could work better for you, but the only way you’ll find out is by trying, because remember… you’re unique! Want to see for yourself? Head on over to Play Passions and tell them MKT sent you!

If you know much about me, you know I love massages and massage candles. I have lusted for a Bwarm massage candle for quite some time now, especially since so many people have seemed to love it. Play Passions was kind enough to send me the Bwarm Soy Massage Candlein Rose Patchouli, and finally fulfill my desire to get my hands on one of these babies. When I first opened up the packaging, the scent was immediately noticeable. It reminded me of my grandmother’s perfume, no joke. Not so sexy. My partner asked for a massage before bed one night, but decided against using the Bwarm candle after smelling it. Honestly, I avoided trying the candle until the weekend, just so I wouldn’t be left smelling like a grandma if I had to go somewhere.

After a few days of sitting on my coffee table, the candle no longer overpowered my senses. My partner lit the candle, laid me down, and let his hands roam my back. The scent turned out to be a tad more pleasant than I had expected. After blowing the flame out, he poured the warm oil on me freely. The great thing about the Bwarm is the design of the candle holder, allowing the oil to be poured directly on the skin without the need of tiny spoons or a roll of paper towels to clean up a mess.

The first thing I noticed was how waxy the oil felt on my skin. It was not as smooth and silky as many other massage candles or oils. The first thing he noticed was the absence of the white film that usually covers my skin when using other massage candles, which is a good thing. (That white film drives him crazy!) The scent, once again, was better than I had been expecting. Unfortunately, the friction of his hands moving across my back and shoulders was noticeable. The oil is much thicker than I had thought it would be, and I’m sad to say that this isn’t the best massage I’ve ever had.

After my massage, I hopped into the shower to wash the Rose Patchouli balm off of my skin. To my surprise, I could still feel the oil on my skin after my shower, although I didn’t smell like a garden anymore. I have never had a massage oil stick to my skin after a shower, including silicone-based massage oils. Although it’s not a completely unpleasant feeling, I am somewhat bothered by the fact that the oil won’t come off in the shower.

The Bwarm Soy Massage Candles are available in three scents; Amber Amore, Rose Patchouli, and Fig Leaf. The signature candle holder is flexible, well-designed, and elegant enough to leave out after massage time. The candle itself is composed of natural cosmetic-grade waxes and plant extracts. It has a base of palm wax, beeswax, and soy wax, and includes coconut oil/wax, shea butter, jojoba oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E oil.

While I’m left impressed by the candle holder and its inventive yet beautiful design, I’m not so sure about the candle itself. It’s definitely not the best I’ve tried, and I wasn’t incredibly fond of being reminded of my grandmother while settling in for a sexy massage. (If you like floral fragrances, there’s a chance you would absolutely love Rose Patchouli though.) All said and done, at only $16.95 I would probably recommend the Bwarm Soy Massage Candle based on the candle holder and appearance alone. Just be prepared to scrub, scrub, scrub in the shower.

A big thanks to Play Passions! A note to my readers: I highly recommend this store! They have exceptional customer service, great prices, and genuinely care about the people they serve. What could be better?