Sexual Sunday: Ann Summers Vibrating Bullet

Sunday is the day dedicated to all things sexy. I might not post every week (even I need time out from sexy things) but Sexual Sunday was born with the idea that I would tour the sex shops of Dublin so you don't have to. And thats what I've been doing all this week, you'll be pleased to know. But I'm going to save another shop review and this week instead talk about an Ann Summers sex toy. (You can read my review of Ann Summers on O'Connell St over here.)

Now don't gasp, yes we all know that I'm not the biggest Ann Summers lover. But that doesn't mean they don't have some really good qualities about them too. This week its all about a deadly looking shiny pink bullet vibrator. 'Cheeky clit slim that no handbag should be without', or so it says on the back. Its lightweight, palm sized and waterproof  with one speed. 

This is like any other bullet, theres really nothing overly impressive about it. I like that the battery - 1x N (LR01), comes with it and that the packaging opens up to explain in detail about the product and how to care for it. The packaging itself isn't over the top and dare I say even classy. This comes in other colours, but I'm a big fan of the shiny pinky shade. Its a simple press on and off button at the top of the bullet and you are good to go.

But lets get to why were all here. Does the thing actually work and if so, how well? In short, I've bought way better and cheaper bullets from Ann Summers before. It was one of my first ones and it rocked. (Until it gave up the ghost and I almost cried) This has only one setting, an extremely powerful one at that. Holding it in my hand for under 5 minutes and I could feel it starting to hurt and go numb, which is never a good sign considering its meant for your delicate bits. I find toys that have a few speeds are much easier to deal with, so you can work your way up through the more intense vibrations and not almost leap out of it when the toy makes contact with skin. That said, if you can deal with really powerful vibrations, you might be alright.

Another thing that bothered me was the hard plastic. It bullet is shaped so the main focus is the tip that you hold to your clit. This was just too hard and I found it a little painful (not in the good way) so I tended to use the length of the bullet instead. I know Ann Summers stock bullets with silicone topped tips, so I would recommend looking out for these instead if your shopping for a new bullet. 

Overall for €15 I don't think its worth it. It looks cute, is fairly quiet on the grand scale of loud toys, but its vibrations are too intense for my liking and the hard plastic tip caused more pain then it did pleasure. (But naturally I can't speak for everyones tastes.) I have to pass on this, but I'm not ruling out all Ann Summers bullets as I know they have some really good ones. I might even replace the one I had years ago, just for the craic!

*I did not pay for this item, it was a PR gift.  Please see my disclaimer here.

Sexual Sunday: Grand Tour of Dublin

A new year means a few improvements and it comes in the form of Sexual Sunday. Since starting to write about all things sex on the blog, they have been scattered over the months with no real structure. So this year any toy reviews or topics I think could come under this heading will always be posted on a Sunday - it makes for easier searching too.

The main topic that I'd like to talk about will be my grand tour of Dublin posts. I want to wonder the city of Dublin week by and and give you an in depth account of each sex shop I visit. Why do this you ask? Well, to start with there are so many sex toy shops in Dublin, its just crazy that so many people aren't aware of them. And secondly you can price compare online and perhaps email the company directly without having to come face to face, but in the real world there is a shop door you must walk through. There will be people who work there and even a few customers who will all give you a passing glance - just to see who has walked in, like people do in any other shop. Its a scary thing, so I want to make it easier by playing guinea pig and doing all the hard stuff for you. Who knows, if this goes well maybe I can take tourists around in the summer and entitle it as 'The Tour Of Dublin Sex Shops'. I think it would be a smashing success. For each shop I will have several categories that will be judged from 1 to 5 stars, and explained below like so:

Appearance of the outer shop: No one is going to want to step into a shop thats unappealing or looks a little dodge. This applys to both sexes, but as a woman I am bias and can feel preyed on at times, walking into a shop with bondage gear in the window and dildos popping out from all corners can give a certain impression.

Appearance of the inner shop: I know some sex shops have vases of flowers and bright inviting wallpaper that is covered in strap ons, while others are dark, cramped and the floor hasn't seen a hoover since it opened back in the 90's. You wouldn't buy clothes or books in this type of environment, so why sex toys? 

Friendliness and helpfuliness of staff: Each time I go into a shop I will talk to the staff about some of the toys or ask for help. As a rule I generally remember and nearly always come back or avoid a shop if it has rude or unhelpful staff. This is especially true for sex shops as there are so many people who might not feel the most comfortable asking questions.

Price range of toys: I'll have a good nose around and see if the shop is ripping us off or is being fair about its prices. I'll eventually build up a price list from going into them week by week, but also keeping in mind that online prices could be better or worse as a side note. I always want to support and keep Irish businesses up and running. 

Selection of products/Specialists: Do you only want to buy porn, or maybe a gimp mask? Not every shop will cater for specific needs or fetishes so I will be looking out for anything that might not be stocked in every shop. It can be nice to go and buy something in person instead of having to wait for it to be shipped to you from the big old interwebs.

Now this is going to be a trial and error kind of thing, so please feel free to give feedback or even suggestions of added questions/categories - it would be wonderful! If you don't fancy tweeting me (over here) or leaving a comment below, you can email me at bigblondegirl1@gmail.com. My first sex shop review will be up at the same time next week, so come back soon!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Irish Christmas #BuyIrish

I bet your all sick to the feckin teeth of me banging on about buying locally and buying Irish. But when I find a company thats passionate about what they do, its hard to pass them by. Quality stuff that has some serious lovin' going on behind the scenes and shockingly enough, a lot of the time a single handily run business, Irish is the way to go. Sure why wouldn't you buy something gorgeous thats made almost right on your door step!?

With all the festive cheer thats happening this time of year I headed to the RDS National Crafts And Design Fair. I armed myself with 4 tinfoil sambos, 3 sets of warm tops, 2 sparkly sets of fingernails and 1 granny. I was set for the day to roam about and see what amazing things the good folk of Ireland had to offer me. Heres a little list of some quality things I found on the day and others I discovered online. Perfect pressies for all!

Avokado&Co: I just happened to stumble upon this site on the Twitters a while ago and my god I'm in love with everything on it. All 100% Irish, they make signs and other bits that have Irish saying on them. I think these would be a great gift for a loved one who might be over seas, as they are flat and easy to wrap and post. A little bit of home right on your wall. I want one of everything. Seriously, mammy!!

Chic Treat Box: Do you know a lady that has everything? Then a subscription to the Irish Chic Treat Club is just what you need for her! Each month she'll get something new to try, delivered right to her door. The gift that keeps giving! You'll be in the good books for ages after.

The Purple Pantry: I know lots of foodies, or even the odd friend who just really loves different jams. This company has everything a food lover could ask for, all bundled into gorgeous packaged boxes with purple ribbons! Yes, I'll take one of everything thank you very much. *grumbling tummy starts*

Daisy Chain Crafts: This lovely lady hails from Wicklow and is an utter delight to talk to. She makes the most beautiful soaps, candles, bath and body treats for next to nothing. Just mind blowing considering the time and effort thats put into everything! Make sure and give her a call or an email to see what lovely new sets she has especially for Christmas. You wont be sorry!

The Irish Fairy Door Company: I saw this on the LateLate Toy Show, but I was aware that they were taking little people of Ireland by storm. These are cute fairy doors that you apply to the skirting board in your house. Your little people can leave or receive gifts, letters and anything you would like. Their imagination runs wild - I've seen it happen lots with my little nieces and nephews. Big winner to get this Christmas for little ones.

Emmas So Naturals: Someone asked if this company pays me to talk about them and I promise you they don't! I just love them that much, that I talk about them all the time. I think these are some of the best Irish candles on the market and theres not one scent I don't love. I could talk about their limited edition Christmas scents for hours.

Holos: Niamh is the lady behind Holo Skincare. Its a recent discovery for me, but oh mammy I can't get over how beautiful her products are. There are the most lovely gift sets for daughters to grannies and even the men of your life! I can safely say, I'll be asking for a set or two from Santy this year. The facial oil I currently have is being got asap when it runs out!

Ambri Boards: This is the perfect thing to impress the in-laws with or the chef in your life. Irish crafted Irish wood chopping boards all the way from Kerry, one of my favourite places in Ireland. You can personalise them and there are gift sets too.

 Secrets Ireland: I bang on about Secrets like theres no tomorrow, but really how could you not love a good old Irish sex toy shop run single handedly by one lovely lady! Naturally not all these toys will be Irish, but supporting small Irish businesses instead of big companies is important. And the man or woman in your life will be thanking you too if they receive something sexy under the Christmas tree.

Blank Canvas Cosmetics: If you've not heard of this Irish company then you must be living under a rock. All the beautiful brushes and make up palettes you could ever dream of and all only a stone throw away from any part of Ireland. I personally have an eye shadow palette on my santy list this year! 

EmerMcLysaght Jewellery: Its not often I come by hand made jewllery that makes me stop and do a double take. Everything on this site is handmade by Emer who hails from Dublin. From leaf necklaces to top hat cufflinks, theres something for that very special man or woman in your life. I am in love with the lot. 

Nima Brushes: Some of the most gorgeous brushes that you'll ever come across are the Nima brushes. Owned by Irish gal Niamh Martin, you needn't look further then one of her beautiful sets. With so many to choose from, theres something for everyones pocket.

Paw Pals: These are a new Irish pet company. I always buy my pets a special something at Christmas and give friends pets a little present too - please tell me other do this too and I'm not totally mad! I thought the idea of different hampers was a brilliant idea! I'd love to get the cat one for my two.

Bia Beauty: A brand I regularly use and love, this lady is from Cork. She makes the most beautiful natural products you could want, all in beautifully presented gift boxes. Theres nothing I love more then the cleansing face scrub. Top quality and all Irish. 

Don't be afraid to ask when your in a shop or send a quick email online when you see something you like thats marked as Irish. How Irish is it really? Is everything that can be, from the little emerald isle? From the sticker to the lavender in the ingredients list sourced in Ireland. If your happy to just go by the sign or site information, then happy days. But if your into really supporting your local, then don't be afraid to question it. Most of the time people are delighted you've the interest in their products and are happy to tell you.

You can see my 20 stocking fillers under €20 over here. Theres lots of Irish brands there that haven't been mentioned in this gift guide, so have a gander!

DOXY! Sex Toy Wand

It feels like an age and some since I've posted about anything sex related. Try as I might to fix this, theres always a lipstick or cream that distracts me slightly. After all, you can't have I-feel-sexier-then-sex, sex without a little help, so the beauty side of it goes hand in hand. (Look at me trying to justify my rooms full of products and crazy spending habits.) But I couldn't hold out any longer, I have to tell you all about *DOXY. Christ on a bike this is some sort of  black magic, and I hate to be cliche. But I am bewitched by it. To begin with, I was slightly unsure if I wanted to spill this secret, but why keep this wand with its magical powers hidden when the world needs it? (Anyone suddenly get a superhero vibe there? just me...)

Secrets Ireland kindly sent this out to me after asking if I'd like to give it a whirl. It came in the most discreet packaging and I can't get over how quickly it came either. It was all no fuss and nothing out of the normal. That was until my gran appeared. I occasionally get post from PR companies and she can never wait to see what it could be, bless her little socks. But the day I got that she hounded me, for what reason I'll never know. Perhaps as the packaging was so plain, she was more intrigued then normal. It ended with me legging it to my room shouting about secret Christmas presents. Grannies, eh? But once I opened the packaging I was met with extra measures to ensure the buyers blushes were spared. It was in the most beautiful pink soft tissue paper. If for some reason the outer plastic packaging was to break, no one would ever know what was inside with all that paper. Major thumbs up to Secret Ireland for going to all this trouble. Love it!

So, what is it that made me give such a glowing report in my opening paragraph? Well, to begin with I love that this toy doesn't require penetration. I think its a stereotype to a certain extent that in order for it to be a 'good' toy, it must perpetrate the person in order to get pleasure from it. This toy is a perfect example of how those ideas are thrown out the window, and I love it. There are those who don't find any pleasure in penetration and also, sometimes I personally just don't feel like having something inside me. Maybe its my claustrophobia, maybe its something else. But itsn't it wonderful that theres such a wide variety of toys like this that I can choose that option and still know I will get just as much pleasure from it? I think its a sad thing that I don't actually have more non penetrative toys like this. Truly a new leaf has been turned for me by this massager.

Not only that, but both sexes can enjoy this, its a wonderful unisex toy. I find that most toys can be unisex, but particularly with this toy I know the question 'but how?' was asked a lot when I talked about DOXY with friends. I can honestly say that men would (and do. Testing it out in the name of science and a well rounded review, don't you know!) get just as much from it as you would expect a woman to. Now, thats a statement I don't say too lightly at all. High intensity  vibrations to your clit is the obvious one. But what about the anus, nipples, sensitive thighs and penis, to name a few? If its an exterior body part, this can be used on it. Or simultaneously feeling the vibrations with your partner while you have sex is another option, this isn't just for solo use. As always, skies the limit with toys if you just think about it.

This is really easy to use, there are only three buttons. And believe me, when your 'otherwise occupied', three buttons is all you can handle. An on/off button, and the other two to control the speeds. You can also hold the on/off button down to set it to a pulse setting. A few things that I want to nit pit over are things like the speeds. When you turn on a toy it normally starts off on the slowest speed and then you can gradually make it speed up. But with DOXY it starts off on a mid speed and if your like me, every time you use it you've forgotten this and leap away from it in shock. Its not a big thing, but I'm Irish and entitled to say 'Jesus, me nerves!' without judgement. (Cos' who would ever judge me for writing about sex toys and masturbating on the internet!) It also gets hot. Use it for over 12/15 minutes and it starts to heat up. I'll admit thats the one 'scary' thing about DOXY, or any sex toy for that matter. But it does give you warning in the booklet that comes with it. And lets be honest here, unless some sadist is your partner, your not going to have the toy turned on for a extended period. (Unless you do, you lucky person, you!) But its one to keep an eye on.

A few more wonderful things to note now. Its super easy to clean, and although it doesn't say it in the instructions as something it can do, I take off the smooth grey cover that is made from hypoallergenic medical grade material that is free from latex or phthalates, to clean it and pop it back on. I think this is one of of my easier toys to clean, if theres such thing! Theres no small fecky parts to try and get the warm soapy water into, lifes made a littler easier. Its also got a cord that is the length of today and tomorrow, so your not restricted to being pressed against the wall in order to reach a socket. Instead, you can have the pleasure of being pressed against the wall for an entirely different reason.

DOXY is a loud and proud thing. I take back any toys I've crowned as jack hammers, this beats the best of them. Going from extremely quite - for a sex toy, to utterly glass shattering in a few presses of a button, this isn't one to use while the house is full. Having said that I've used my fair share of toys by now to expect that unless they only vibrate inside you where its slightly soundproofed, there is going to be a certain level of noise. 

My one major, I mean major issue with this toy? DOXY is marketed as a sports massager. And while I like to think of sex as a sports (God knows, its the best form of exercise I ever get!) I wish that DOXY was shouting from the roof tops that this is a sex toy by name, considering how amazing a product they have here. Sure its sold on sex toy sites, its Twitter picture even has a girl pressing it against her clit, but its not sold as something sexy, fun or even informing the general public (read: me the daft slow cow) that its actually for your fun bits. Its won awards since starting out in the UK in 2013, boasting to be the worlds most powerful wand massager. Thats something to be proud of. 

So, would I buy it at €97, knowing full well that I'm the queen of bargains and skimping on money? I'd feckin' buy two. Seriously, I can't get over how this thing works its black magic. Theres not a bit of me that doesn't wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I'm sorry I didn't know about it back in 2013 when it was first released. And we all know how much I love a good bitchin' if I'm not 100% happy with a product. Bonus points, it now comes in purple too. If anyone is stuck for a Christmas present, I'd suggest investing in a toe curling, scream inducing, dehydrating and exhausting-you-in-the-best-possible-way, DOXY. 

You can get yours from Secrets Ireland.

*I did not pay for this item, it was a PR gift.  Please see my disclaimer here. 

Fifty Shades Of Grey: No Peaking

When I sat down to write this I wasn't sure if it should be a short and sweet little review, or if I should go off on one of my rants. If your a fan of rooting through my blog for the 'dirty' posts then no doubt you have seen my last Fifty Shades review over here. But if not, let me briefly repeat some of my first thoughts about Mr Grey and his sad excuse of BDSM, kinky and lets face it - sex in general.

I can't abide the thought of people reading these books and thinking that this is the way 'kinky' sex works. How in the name of god could anyone find a girl who barely has a personality attractive? Personally I look for someone who pushes me to the max, whose mentally stimulating and is full of life, questions and fun. Basically the opposite of that little girl portrayed in those books. Not to mention the scary and just a tad rapey Mr Grey. This is not the textbook for people to learn kink and BDSM in any way. If anything people should read it so they know not what to do. But it seems that many people decided the best and most sexy sex toys are those with Fifty Shades stamped all over them. Not stop to question what materials are used to make them, what kind of quality they are or even if they are from a trusted brand within the sex toy community. No, thats just mad talk... But lads, if theres one thing you should listen to me about, its those types of questions. Look it up, ask the websites that sell the product your not sure about. Hell even contact the companies directly who make and distribute the toys! Knowledge is power, don't you know.

The *No Peaking soft twin blindfold set is, I'll admit, one of the less scary products that are sold to novices of the sex toy world. At least this wont break off inside you, or burn the clit right off of you. These blindfolds come in shiny black and a gawdy looking sliver with really annoying Fifty Shades tags sewn into the sides. I'm not sure about you lot, but the thought of sharp corners of material possibly poking me in the eye does not do much for me. However the one redeeming feature of these blindfolds, is the softish material on the inside so its comfortable against your skin and eyes. The long and short of these two? They in no way are made to fit the contours of a persons face and therefore are relatively useless. Its nothing but frustrating trying to have some fun sensual sexy time with someone and in the silence they comment 'ehhmm. Babe? I can see everything thats going on. They aren't covering my eyes properly'. All of the grring and foot stomping, because I am a Mature Adult. Like every product from the line, it has a quote from the book on the box. This one is;

''He reaches down, lifts my chin, and plants a soft kiss on my lips before slipping the blindfold over my eyes. I can see nothing. Oh my, I'm so aroused.. Already. I am ready, eager to feel his touch''. 

I think Grey and Steele bought their blindfold from a different company, clearly. Apart from adding a little sensory deprivation for sexy time - or the lack of, you can't even use these blindfolds to sleep with. They let in far too much light and don't cover your eyes properly. But for the sake of testing it out properly I got a few friends to do the honours and they all came away with the same complaints. You could see out the corners and it wouldn't sit on anyones face right. This product has one purpose, to make the wearer essentially blind, but it can't even do that. Why is this being sold?

It annoys and saddens me that for many, Fifty Shades toys and accessorises are a household name and therefore assumed to be the best. And again, for many its all that they know when they look it up online or quickly buy it in a shop. I noticed this very brand plastered all over the window of a sex toy shop in Dublin the other day and it bothered me greatly. There are so many safe and amazing brands out there, why show this crap off? (Le sigh)

Like the other Fifty Shades review, my thoughts on the packaging haven't changed. I still think it looks cheap, tacky and flimsy. Theres nothing intriguing, sexy or classy about the boxes which many sex toy brands get spot on. I'm not preaching all toys are classy, not tacky or poorly named, but this entire company does nothing for me, but have me continuously tutting at them. Now for the shocker, I mean are you sitting down and ready for this? These two badly thought out, malfunctioning blindfolds cost roughly €17. Personally I didn't know if I should bend over in pain laughing or cry for the poor souls who forked out real money for them. I have seen them come down in price on many sex toy sites, but if you decide to buy them in person on your way home from work, then be prepared to pay the big bucks.

As the young ladies say: I can't even.

What do you think of the Fifty Shades toys, would you buy them?

*I did not pay for this item, it was a PR gift.  Please see my disclaimer here.

Cat The Sexpert?

I took a crazy leap a few months ago, in the form of writing about sex related topics for all who care to see. (Oh, hey mom!) Since then I have, for the most part, not looked back too much. Yes I get judged, I get the occasional email saying I am a dreadful person and even one or two lovely people taking the time out of their day to read my posts and then email me to say they will pray for my soul - I kid you not! (big shout out to you guys by the way.) And yes, I get hit on online because I must be 'that' kind of girl if I'm openly writing about sex. 

I kind of expected the villagers to picket at the kitchen door, sure. But what I wasn't expecting was the baffling amount of emails asking all sorts of questions. Lads and ladies, your woes and worries even have me stumped at times! I am in no way an agony aunt or even any good at this sex/relationship stuff. It boggles my mind just as much as it does the rest of the world. But it seems a fair few of you think I'm the woman for the job none the less. I always email back to try and help out or suggest things and I wanted to write a post to talk about the general sorts of topics that came up. This is non gender specific so if I target it at a particular sex, please do assume the same for the other sex too. And once again, I can't stress enough how unqualified I am here. These are just my ideas and thoughts, nothing at all to go by!

Be Confidant About Yourself

I personally feel the first and most important thing is feeling comfortable and confidant about yourself before you can begin to bring someone else into the picture. Theres no use in hopping into bed with someone, demand the lights be turned off and then close your eyes hoping for the best while making the appropriate noises at the right moments. Why bother at all if your not going to get just as much out of the experience as the other person? Take a step back for a moment and look at the situation. There is someone who likes you enough to want to get naked with you in the first place. I don't think they would do that if they didn't think you were physically (and perhaps mentally) the bees knees! 

Be Confidant Sexually

Do you know instantly what the other person likes sexually? Of course you don't. Just like they have no clue what your tastes are. So know what you like and talk about it. Explore yourself and find out what you love, what turns you on and along the way you might just find something new and fun to add to your list of loves. Personally the one place I am totally confidant in my life is in bed. Apart from sleeping (which I am a pro at, might I just add!) I love being in control of myself, knowing what I love and how to ask what the other person enjoys. All this can put your partner at ease too, a little communication goes a long way. Note though, that knowing what you want and like is totally different to being a dominant personality. A lot of people wrongly assume this so always talk openly about that sort of thing. 

You might scoff a little at this if you are in a long term relationship, but have you sat down with your other half recently and asked what they like in bed? Is there something that they still do months/years on that just doesn't do it for you or vise versa? Go on, have that chat!

Don't Be Afraid To Say NO

A frightening number of people who emailed me talked about not wanting to have sex when they are tired or just not in the mood with their partner. There is nothing ever wrong with that. (Unless of course you feel it could be a medial issue, such as a hormone disorder, erectile dysfunction, etc. In which case please talk to your GP.)  Not wanting to have sex for whatever reason is nothing to be upset or ashamed about and it is certainly not ok to 'just to it anyway'. If you don't want to, don't be pressured into it. If you have willingly agreed to have sex and something goes wrong/hurts/etc then asking to stop should never be an issue. You can talk about it and try again another time. There are lots of hours in the day and plenty more weeks in the months. No means no and if your partner ignores your wishes, you might want to think about getting yourself away from that person as soon as possible.

Trying Something New

Its always a little tricky to introduce the idea of something new in a relationship. What the person could say or how they will react is always scary. But if you never ask, you will never know. If the person agrees and is positive about the whole thing, great. If not, then maybe you could talk about why so you can understand their objections better. Explain why you like it and suggest that you both find something you'd like to try together. If you are in search of a toy for yourself or for your partner and don't want to venture into a sex toy shop, then have a look online at the vast range of toys and sites. Most sex toy companies will ship your parcel without any signs of the companies name or whats inside the box. They will also have a 'normal' discreet name on your credit card bill. So not even the bank will know what sort of goodies you've bought. If your still unsure about how discreet the company is, then email them. Any good and reliable company will have no problem answering your questions. - Love me some good pr! 

This Thing Called Kink

You like some things that would be considered 'kinky' or not to be shared lightly with others, thats fine. Everyone has their own likes and what turns you on might not turn the next person on. Like so many things, in 2014 kink is still considered something to be brushed under the carpet, which is sad. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting it should be ok to shove your sexual preferences into everyones face, but I don't think it should be something to be ashamed of. Over the years I have found that there are so many people who have the same interests and likes. There is a wonderful kink and BDSM community online and in real life. In Dublin alone there are kink nights and private events you can attend to socialise with like minded people. (No, these are not sex parties or orgies.) Grow your interests, read up about it and join the kink community, even if its just online. Always be proud of who you are. (and not just narrowed to in the sexy way either!)

Don't Rush Things

One or two of the emails I got were about wanting and 'needing' to be in relationships or indeed even to get married. You could be 21 or 51, age does not and should not factor in any way into a relationship when it comes to the pressures of commitment. There are so many millions of people out there in the world, sit back and take that in. There has to be at least 7, if not 100 more that you will find equally as attractive as you find them. They might want to date/marry you just as much as you want to date/marry them. So calm down and let it happen. If the person you are with right now isn't the one then thats ok. There will be others.  

I hope this has helped or even just a fun read for you guys. I'm always happy to try and help if someone emails me, but I don't think I'd make a very good agony aunt! For anyone thats feeling a little down right now, have a read of this post I did a while back. x

Bloggers Night In With Sex Siopa

Last weekend the owner of Sex Siopa, Shawna, invited my myself, Lisa from scatteredbrainedblogging.blogspot.ie  and Emma from Scene Designs along to an information night about her toys. I dragged my bestie along too and we all had a really lovely night eating meringues and crisps, talking about make up, the feckin amazing weather that day and of course, sex toys. I really enjoyed the night and I almost missed the last luas as time just slipped away!

So what can I tell you from spending the evening with the owner of Sex Siopa? This lady is a mind of information when it comes to providing body safe toys for customers and knows everything there is to know on the topic. She runs her business from home and is genuinely excited for the products that she sells. Its lovely to know that money doesn't power every business, some people do it because they have a genuine passion for providing a safe and beautiful product. My one negative comment is that there was a definite bad vibe when it came to talking about the kink and BDSM community. I realise that everyone has their own thoughts and opinions, but I feel its important to be very open minded and non judgmental, especially when your in the business of sex!  So now for a little on some of my favourite toys that Sex Siopa stock. Its always so much fun to actually get to see and feel things when you have looked at them online so much. (Ah, a good old three hour ramble in Boots after looking online at everything the night before.)

 The first thing that I couldn't wait to see was a male masturbation toy, surprisingly enough! I had seen these eggs around the internets and was delighted to finally get to feel them! Is it sad that I wish women could grow male organs just so I could try this out? Yes? Ok then...  There are several different kinds, the one pictured is the 'stepper' egg and reminds me of those silicone-like aliens you could get in the pound shop as a child. Each one comes with a little packet of lube and when turned inside out, (in the very last photo) it reminds me of a christmas tree. They are €10 each or you can get a cool egg pack of 6 for €50. I want to get one for all my male friends. Who doesn't want a slightly weird egg shaped, but totally posh wank? If you mind them your meant to get about 3 uses from them. Lovely!
  

Now onto the colours. Shawna pointed out that there are so many pink and purple toys on the market, but you rarely see other colours, which is so true! Because of this, she trys to stock toys in lots of other colours to give people the opportunity to mix it up a bit! Greens, blues, oranges.. The list is endless and I personally think its such a lovely touch to consider the little things that bigger companies can overlook. (Ten points to Gryff.. Ehhrr I mean Irish businesses!) Above are the two of the Fun Factory kegal balls Sex Sipoa has. I love the more unusual shapes and of course, the colours of them. From having held and shook them, I would say they can be strongly felt if you were walking or running, as they are weighty and easily moved. 

Next has to easily be the show stopper of the night, the Minna Limon vibrator. You squeeze in a rhythm and strength it repeats it back to you. This little power house is a pricie €120 but I think its the bees knees if your one of those people who loves the latest technology. I mean you programme the pattern, think of all the songs you could play on it in vibration form! Think its a little bit deadly, if I do say so myself. Plus, its a cute lemon shape and you can paint your nails to match..

Another male masturbation toy is the Tenga 3D Polygon sleeve. These are again cool little toys if you are lucky enough to have the bits required! This is like the Tenga egg but it can last up to 50 uses instead of 3. Sex Sipoa stock four different types of these so there are plenty to choose from.

I love toys that are body safe and cheap. Tantus Little Secrets vibrators are only 25 quid and they not only come in loads of colours but shapes too. I am still a little scared of the green 'tease' but it will not get the better of me! For so cheap, you could easily get the whole collection. They can be used with or without the sleeves and they have a nice little vibration that isn't noisy at all.

Two of the most colourful butt plugs in stock are from Fun Factory. Being made from silicone means that they aren't heavy and are super easy to clean too. I love the shapes and they are two of the most affordable body safe plugs I've seen. 

Fun Factory have some really fab designs as you'll know by now, but they have some really funky (yes, funky!) double ended dildos. These both have different shaped ends, a bit like having two toys in one. They are surprisingly quite heavy and super flexible but firm too. I think these are really interesting and different from other things I've seen out there. 

A palm sized green leaf shaped vibrator was too cool not to take a quick snap of. Leaf is the brand name and this little yoke has power! Its a pocket pinching €100 so it might be one for the wishlist. A more affordable dupe is the iroha mini which is a happy €25. It also comes in lots of different colours and I think its way cuter then Leaf and nearly as powerful. Its also super quiet which is always important.

How pretty is the collection of stainless steel? Its really something that sets my heart a-flutter. Sex Siopa have a beautiful selection with the Njoy butt plug and two Njoy dildo wands. These are all so weighty, especially the 'pure wand' which is the biggest one in the photo above.  Between €90 to €120 they are a more expensive toy, but I think a really good investment. They will last you for years to come, easy to clean and because they are stainless steel, they will always be as pretty as the first day you got them!

Lastly Sex Siopa has a really big range of all sorts of vibrators. I've ranted on about them so much in this post, but there are just so many fantastic ones that not only do cool stuff, (besides bringing you to orgasm that is) but also come in so many pretty colours! Above is a selection of some of the ones you can insert as well as for clitoris stimulation. These ones range for €110 to €140. 

I'd like to thank Shawna for having me and I really enjoyed my time with the girls learning about the toys and having a few laughs. I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of the ones I think are really deadly. Make sure and check out the entire range of toys over on SexSipoa.ie and say hello!

50 Shades Of Grey: Come Alive Pleasure Gel

I read 50 Shades when it first came out, hell everyone and their dog had a copy. Did it do much for me? Well in a humorous sort of way, yes it really did. I was a long standing fan of BDSM way back before it was written in a badly worded and plain scary context that I feel the books are. I can remember the summer I read it, I was living at my best friends house and I read every sex scene aloud to the sitting room for whoever cared to listen to me quote and scoff. I still fondly think about how their mother was convinced I was getting something other then a laugh out of reading the books. But anyway, this isn't a book review is it. This is about 'pleasure gel' that has the 50 Shades name stamped all over it an therefore, is more sexy then sex. Or so seems to be the case for some people, picking the brand over others solely based on the 'dirty', 'sexy' books.

So the *Come Alive Pleasure Gel, what can you hope to expect from it? 

''An intimate arousal gel form the Fifty Shades of Grey Official Sensual Care Collection. Experience enhanced orgasms and stimulation as every tingle, touch and vibration intensifies.'' 

Oh I do love a few buzz words to set the mood. And if thats not enough to get you excited in the sexy way, then look no further then the box itself. Each product has its own quote from the book that is meant to have the desired effect. In this products case the quote is;

 ''I surrender, exploding around him - a draining, soul-grabbing orgasm that leaves me spent and exhausted. - Anastasia Steele.''

Well now, isn't that nice? But while the soul-grabbing got Anastasia to come, did this product actually do anything for the Joe Soaps as we all eagerly rip open the box and squeeze a little bit of gel onto our fingers? The short answer? Eh, no, sorry. That was lovely, but I have to go and wash my hair.. And then do this thing... Bubi.

My first impression of the box was that it looks cheap and the one thing I hate my sex toys (and accessories) to look is cheap. If I wanted cheap sex I'd use my fingers - Its free. A black shiny box with the 50 Shades 'Mr Grey' tie on the front and what I can only assume is meant to be construed as sensual with the red swirly writing of 'come alive' placed on the lower end of the box. The presentation made me cringe. My €1.49 Dealz bullet looked more classy then what they are trying to pull off here. This gel costs a grand total of £14.99 (converts to roughly €18) and for that kind of money you would think the amount of product is going to be decent. Prepare to be further disappointed. A 30ml tiny bottle of gel in even more cheap packaging - I see a theme starting here! A little black plastic bottle with a shiny plastic cap and a sticker plastered on the front to inform - no, taunt us that we are indeed gullible people.

Apart from the extortionate price and the cheap nasty looking packaging, does the gel itself live up to the claims of getting us to achieve those enhanced orgasms? For me personally, no. Let me paint you a picture, you lucky, lucky devils! Its like putting a mild tooth paste on your clit and then waiting a few seconds before you feel the mint starting to burn slightly. Yes ladies of the internet, theres menthol in the ingredients list. For some this could be a pleasurable experience and because of that I'm not knocking the gel per-say, but for me I was running to the shower to try and get that bloody gel off my bits before it burnt another hole in an area where there are really enough holes already, thank you very much!

I have come across and used many a gel or sex product that has menthol in it - or some other ingredient that gives the 'cooling effect' and they just weren't for me. I'm all about the heat. I like my rooms warm, my coffee near scalding and my sex hott. (Yes I did just use two t's.) But for those of you out there that like a different tingling sensation down there, then there are bundles of different gels, creams and balms that cost half the price of this over promising, down right ridiculous product. For a bargain grabbin' €4.99 you can get the same kind of cooling gel from Durex, over here. If your getting fancy with it you could try this cute, heart shaped arousal balm from Swoon  for €10.49. Or go the opposite end of the scale and try a warming gel again from Durex over here.

If your curious about the full 50 Shades sex toy line, then you can find them over here on LoveHoney.com . I have one more product from this line to review, so you haven't seen the last of the 50 Shades!

*I did not pay for this item, it was a PR gift.  Please see my disclaimer here.

The Best Of Beauty Challenge: Beauty Treatment

Men! Women! How in the name of god are you all doing?! Your lookin' well, I'll say that! Would you pick yourselves off the floor and stop that carry on. Yes, I'm aware I have a #BOBBlogChallenge up and ready to go on time - you can follow that hashtag on twitter to find more of these deadly blog posts! So you know the story well by now, Sam the sexy lady that she is hosts this blogger challenge and her lovely blog is AllTheBuzz, I'll wait here while you open the link to a new page.. Done? Grand job!

This is the second last week of this challenge and I couldn't go a full blogger challenge without mentioning one of my utter most favourite things in the world: Sex. I mean, what better treatment to have then a little TLC of yourself. Like any beauty treatment, we all have our favourite potions'n'lotions and who else would know what you like apart from yourself? (or if were getting technical here, a good boy/girlfriend/partner who listens - shock horror!) Sex or masturbation is good for you, it relives stress and pain, helps you sleep better and gives you a work out at home just to name a few benefits! So this week I'm thinking outside the box, or pot of cream if you will.

What is the best way to have a fab little bit of you time? Close the door, turn off the phone, maybe throw yourself into a nice bath and then off to bed with you. My favourite thing about a night like that? Having a quick deforestation (or shave to you normal folk) of the important bits so your silky soft and then getting to put on some nice knickers. Why can't you dress up just for yourself? Or indeed if your other half is waiting for you in bed, he will appreciate the effort and meow, woman do you look fine in sexy lingerie. (As opposed to the faded SpongeBob knickers I tend to sport on a normal day.) But sexy doesn't have to mean expensive. I just picked up some knickers in Pennys the other day that I have no doubt will make me feel fancy once I eventually stop taking photos of them and actually get to wear them for the first time! (Aren't they pretty? And so soft! I'll have a haul post soon)

After getting all silky theres no point in not feeling up your handy work or let your partner have a go. Lush do a-feckin-mazing massage bars and I am a massive fan of their cute heart shaped soft coeur. Above in the photo! Theres cocoa and honey in it along with all the fab oils - It doesn't taste half bad when you lick it off either. Just a FYI for you people out there planning on letting someone else join this treatment night!

Next on my list has to be a toy. This can be a vibrator like this one here but if your really treating yourself get this set here. Or if the fella is getting involved then why not a cock ring so the two of you can both share the pleasure at the same time. I really like this cock ring, handy, cheap and cheerful! (- for any ladies out there there is a vibrating finger cover version of cock rings. Boots doesn't seem to stock them but I know for a fact that bigger Tesco's do!) Sex toys are becoming easier to buy, your local chemist, Boots or indeed even Tesco will stock all the essentials. My personal fav lube is this one here as you can use it for a massage too and who doesn't love something thats sweet while containing Vitamin E? Divine.

Lastly, the best treatment you can give yourself? - besides masturbation or sex that is! Sleep. No amount of creams or goo can measure up to the thing that is a good long nights sleep. So after all the fun and games are over make sure a hot water bottle is at hand and hit the hay. You can thank me later ;)

Really Good Vibrations

I know, I know, bad punny title but well, its true. A friend of mine was talking to me the other week about the euro shops that are making their way right across Ireland, Dealz. We were laughing about some of the mad things you can buy in there, I mentioned the JLS condoms (a personal fav to giggle at when I'm in) and she told me they were selling vibrators.. Vibrators for €1.49 like everything else in the shop? No way, it has to be some crappy little thing that works for about 5 seconds and has the weakest vibration known to man... 

So naturally me being me, I asked her to get me a present next time she was in the shop and here it is (I have the bestest friend don't I? Embarrassing the life out of themselves for me) The packaging is plain but the information on the side is impressive considering the next to nothing price. Size, how it feels, what type of batteries you will need (1 AA) thats its free of phthalates and other general things everyone should know.  

Its quite big, thats the first thing I noticed about it. And the fact that its in a sealed packet which is well, good hygiene and  means that extra little bit safe. Not the most discreet thing I've ever seen, most I've ever had the pleasure of knowing (see what I did there?!) were able to fit in the palm of my hand and could be stored away without much hassle. But well, it was €1.49 I'm not going to be too fussy. It only comes in pink, a colour which a lot of sex toy producers seem to favour. You turn it on and off by tightening and untightening the bottom part of the vibrator. Its not the most effective way of turning on and off a sex toy - turning it off in a hurry or indeed it not being untightened enough and eh, it turning on at the wrong time. That is why its a damn good idea to nearly take it apart after use! (Just sayin')

Embarrassing issue warnings dealt with, its on to the vibrations themselves! How do I put this? You wouldn't want to have the type of teeth that chip easily. For something dirt cheap got at the pound shop, this thing is really strong. Like it makes my hand tingle and go ever so slightly numb holding it for a minute or so (not just me, passing it round the friends they thought the same thing). I have yet to take it for a test run, but I have no doubt it would result in a happy ending.

Thats all from me for now, I'm sorry for the totally awful puns, but I found it hard to resist myself today. Sometimes I think I'm hilarious and don't listen to the practical side of my brain, however small it is. Keep an eye out for some great bargains in your local Dealz shop, you never know what you might find!