Author: Kate Sloan

Sharing the Sexy #9

Kate Sloan

• A study was done to determine average penis size by country.

• Would you buy alcohol that gets poured over a model’s naked tits as part of the production process?

• Looks like Tokyo is opening a bar devoted to female masturbation. You can buy vibrators over the counter and discuss your solo sex life with fellow bar-goers. Would you go?

• I had never heard of figging before this week, but it’s such an interesting BDSM practice!

• This month, the more boob videos you view, the more money PornHub will donate to breast cancer research!

Review: Bodywand

Kate Sloan

The Bodywand is trying to compete with the Hitachi, and when you do that, you better be damn good. And guess what? The Bodywand holds up.

Like the Hitachi, it’s electrically powered, about a foot long, incredibly strong, blue and white, and super buzzy. However, there are reasons why you should get a Bodywand instead of (or in addition to) a Hitachi, and I’m going to list some of those reasons now.

1. It’s stronger. No, seriously, it is. I did a side-by-side test with both vibes on their highest setting (frankly, I’m shocked I didn’t blow a fuse) and the Bodywand wins. Not by much, but by enough to be significant and noticeable. Power queens, rejoice!

2. It has a dial instead of a switch. This is excellent news for vibrator users who, like me, prefer to move up in small increments rather than just flicking from low to high. The dial lets you move exactly as gradually as you like. This is the factor which makes me prefer the Bodywand over the Hitachi – I can get just a little more power, when that’s what I need, and I can also back off just a tiny bit when I start to get overstimulated. And it’s all as easy as a quick, intuitive turn of the dial. All vibrators should be like this.

3. It’s easier to hold. I don’t know the exact weight of either toy, but the Bodywand feels about two-thirds as heavy as the Hitachi, maybe less. Definitely a plus if you like to use your vibrators for a long time or if you have physical issues that make heavy toys inconvenient or impossible to use. The Bodywand’s shape is also more ergonomic; it tapers at either end and the blue plastic in the middle is textured for easier gripping. Bravo!

4. It’s cuter. A lot of people say the Hitachi is ugly, and while I don’t agree, the Bodywand absolutely wins in the looks department. The design is feminine without being cloying. The combination of white and robin’s egg blue is adorable.

5. It’s safer. Well, presumably. It has air vents on the back, so it doesn’t ever overheat, unlike the Hitachi which can start to get warm after prolonged use, especially under a blanket. I’ve never been seriously afraid that my vibrator might cause a house fire, but for all you worrywarts out there, the Bodywand seems less likely to set your bed aflame mid-wank.

The only good reason I can think for choosing the Hitachi over the Bodywand is if noise is a big factor for you. On its lower settings, it’s a lot quieter than the Hitachi, but when you get up to the higher settings, it’s louder (despite the website’s claims that the toy “never sounds louder than an easy hum” – sorry, but that’s bull). I have to say, though – if you’re considering buying a wand-style massager, odds are good that you’ve already accepted loudness as par for the course.

At $70, the electric version of the Bodywand (as opposed to the rechargeable or mini versions) is a bit pricier than the Hitachi, but I think it’s worth it. It’s more appealing in every way that matters to me. And it can get me off, no problem, every single time.

Review: Laura Berman Kona

Kate Sloan

There’s so much to like about the Laura Berman Kona. But it’s all ruined by the lack of a proper handle.

I wanted the Kona because it has the thing that makes my G-spot swoon: a big, round bulb, followed by a skinny shaft. And indeed, that part of the toy is perfect. It’s a “hits the spot immediately” kind of toy.

The trouble, though, is that when a toy hits my G-spot that well, it makes me want to thrust it in and out really fast for extended periods of time. And that is completely impossible with the Kona, unless you have the world’s shallowest G-spot.

I don’t think mine is excessively deep, but I just can’t make the Kona thrust the way I want it to, because it’s too damn short and it has no handle. The entire length of the toy is 5", which seems to be exactly the depth of my vagina. It doesn’t take very long at all for my genitals to swallow up the Kona, almost completely. And there’s no way I can do any serious thrusting if the amount of “handle” I’ve got to work with is an inch or smaller.

The Kona is also marketed as a kegel exerciser. In fact, this is the primary usage that’s listed in its description, which – in addition to Laura Berman’s insistence on calling it a “vaginal stimulator” instead of a dildo – just annoys me. But nonetheless, it’s a decent kegel tool. You insert the bulb, squeeze your muscles tight, and try to pull the toy out with your hand. It provides some solid resistance and a bit of G-spot stimulation – more than can be said for a lot of kegel toys out there.

The Kona is supposedly pure silicone but it smells rubbery/plasticky. I’m too much of a nervous nellie to do a “flame test” to check the accuracy of its silicone claims, but I have my doubts.

If you’re shopping for an inexpensive silicone G-spot dildo, you could do worse than the Laura Berman Kona. It hits the spot wonderfully and doubles as a cool kegel device. But please only buy this toy if you know for certain that you don’t like fast thrusting, or you have an exceptionally shallow G-spot; otherwise you’ll just end up with a pussy full of useless silicone.

Top 5 Winter Sex Saviours

Kate Sloan

If you’re in the northern hemisphere, be very, very afraid: winter is coming!

I don’t know about you, but I truly hate being cold. Not only does it make me miserable, but it tends to suck the libido right out of me – because who wants to shiver uncomfortably throughout an activity that’s supposed to be hot and fun? Not me.

As a girl who lives on the icy third floor of a house in Canada, here are my top tips for keeping warm while having sex in the wintertime.

1. A good duvet. The great thing about duvets is that they work by reflecting your body heat back at you – so actually, I find that they work best when I’m naked! And of course, this effect is doubled if there’s another naked body under the duvet with me. Goose or duck down is standard, and super warm, but if you hate the thought of using an animal for personal gain, they make artificial varieties as well.

2. Socks or slippers. I know, I know. Wearing socks during sex is seen as pretty much the dorkiest thing ever. I don’t give a fuck. Studies show that having cold feet cuts your chances of reaching orgasm, and I’ve found this to be true. Frankly, no one’s looking at my feet during sex anyway!

Socks are extra important when you’re receiving oral sex, because you can’t exactly cover yourself in the duvet and leave your partner to suffocate underneath. My standard trick is to wrap only my upper body in the duvet, and wear warm socks (double- or triple-layered, if necessary). My thighs and calves might get a little chilly, but that’s not a big deal.

3. A space heater. I’m told that these are bad for the environment, because they use a lot of energy, so I do my best to use them sparingly. I’ll turn on my little space heater for about an hour, with the door closed to lock in the heat, and then turn it off to save power. The room stays warm-ish for another couple of hours, and it makes a huge difference.

You can even have sex next to the heater, if you’re really freezing… but be aware that this might dry out your condom, if you’re using one, potentially leading to breakage.

4. Fairy lights, also known as Christmas lights. You know, those ones that you string up on your tree in December? I don’t have strong feelings about Christmas trees, but I do love the lights. They’re dim, sweet, romantic. Even if there’s a snowstorm going on outside, my bedroom feels somehow quaint and welcoming if it’s adorned in fairy lights.

(Even better? Wrap your naked body in a string of lights and wait for your partner to get home!)

5. Massage oil. I’m a fan of sensual massages, either as foreplay or after-play, and I don’t know about you, but massages are more of a winter thing than a summer thing for me.

You can use straight-up massage oil warmed up in your hands, or if you’re reeeeal smooth, you can have a candle or a bowl of warm water at the ready to help you heat the bottle of oil before you use it. The contrast of cool air and a partner’s warm hands is almost too impossibly sexy to handle. And relaxing, too!

What are your favorite tricks for staying sexy in the wintertime?

Sharing the Sexy #8

Kate Sloan

• Caitlin K. Roberts (creator of Body Pride, doer of sexy things) wrote about arousal and fantasies from a psychological standpoint. Interesting stuff. What are your most disturbing, fucked-up fantasies that you would never want to act on?

• I love a good sexual phobia round-up. So glad I don’t have eurotophobia – it would make my job so hard to do!

• A polyamory-focused blogger I’ve been reading for a while, “K” of Taken But Available, announced she’s calling it quits because polyamory doesn’t work for her after all. She also dropped the pseudonym and disclosed her identity. Brave lady! I wish her the best of luck with her newfound monogamy.

• Rachel Rabbit White profiled a sexual psychic and attended an edgeplay seminar. (Trigger warning: the edgeplay article contains mentions and descriptions of consensual “rape play.”)

• A video series called Hysterical Literature shows women reading from books while an offscreen vibrator is being used on them. Reminds me of Beautiful Agony, but with a literary bent. Hot!

• I really think you need to know about MakeLoveNotPorn.TV. It’s my informed opinion that this is the future of the porn industry: real amateur porn, or as Cindy Gallop calls it, “real-world sex,” bought and sold using a revenue-sharing model. Listen to Cindy discussing the project with Dan Savage and then get thee to the website to request an invitation to the beta. I’m not in yet, but I have zero doubts about the eventual epicness of this project. Get in on the ground floor!