I’ve always been a big supporter of buying local. After all, one of the reasons I started my blog was to help support Australian adult retailers and businesses. But over the course of the last two years, shopping local has felt less like the right thing to do, and more like a necessity. As what was once “unexpected” shipping delays becomes the norm, and more and more international retailers remove Australia from their standard shipping lists, purchasing goods from overseas no longer feels like an option for me, especially with the holiday season fast approaching. That’s part of why the opening of Faux Phallus and Darque Path, some of Australia’s first proper fantasy makers, earlier this year was so exciting. But in addition to this, there has been another, and perhaps even more vital, area of the industry that has recently saw local growth for the first time in a long time, and that is Australian-made lube. Within just the last year, four new brands have popped up around the country to ensure Australian’s aren’t without this pleasure essential, and today I’m going to be having a closer look at each of them.
Review: SquarePegToys G squeeze
The first sex toy ever was estimated to have been made around 29000BC, so to say this industry has been around for a long time is a bit of an understatement. What this means though is that your pleasure is in good hands, because there are countless tried-and-true classics out there that are almost guaranteed to give you a good time. From wand massagers, to bullets, and the simple yet effective dildo, these sex toys have been refined over the years to the point where they don’t get much better. But on the flip side, this also means that new and innovative ideas are a rarity, despite almost every product on the market claiming that’s what they are. I’ve seen a few true instances of this during my time, including the now hugely popular suction toys, but I am always on the look out for more. So when I recently learned about the SquarePegToys G squeeze, a product that has been ten years in the making and really is the first design of its kind, I knew I had to get my hands on it, and thankfully Peepshow Toys were happy to help out.
Review: Lovehoney Couples Advent Calendar 2021
I’ve probably mentioned this once or twice over the years, but I am a huge Christmas person. My decorations go up on November 1st without fail, with practically every element in the house getting switched over to a festive version, from Christmas aprons and tea towels, to Christmas bath mats and pyjamas. I start menu planning months ahead of time and spend most of December in the kitchen, that is when I’m not attending Christmas markets, drinking eggnog or wrapping presents. But one of my absolute favourite parts of Christmas for as long as I can remember has always been the advent calendars. Over the years I’ve watched as they’ve evolved from basic chocolates to luxury varieties filled with things like bath bombs and wine, and I have been 100% here for all of it, regularly having three just to myself (this year’s themes being local craft beer, Back To The Future, and the annual DIY one from my mum, which is usually a mix of tea and candy). The one type of calendar I haven’t tried yet, however, which may be somewhat surprising considering my profession, is sex toys. So this year Christmas feels like it has come early, because Lovehoney have treated me to their very own 2021 “Best Sex Of Your Life” Couples Advent Calendar!
Review: Sohimi Rose Queen
Last night I finally watched Free Guy, and I can’t help but think back to Taika Waititi as the CEO of a video game company saying “Make an original? Why would I do that when I can make a sequel?“, when writing this review. Sequel culture is everywhere these days, with films, television, video games, and just about every other form of entertainment choosing to stick with what their customers already know and love rather than risking doing something remotely new or inventive. So, when a brand manages to create one of the most popular sex toys in years, so much so that it goes absolutely viral on social media, it was only a matter of time before the sequel arrived. Introducing the Rose Queen, the next evolution of Sohimi’s massively popular ROSE suction toy. Also known as the Rose Toy Pro, this version keeps everything that was great about the original, while adding an insertable arm and vibrations for G-Spot stimulation. Plus, with a design that reinforces, rather than takes away from, its predecessor’s floral charm, this is one sequel I can get behind.
Review: YY Horse Mini Banana
Every week I spend hours sorting through press releases and trade magazines to find the best and most exciting new sex toys to bring you reviews of. It’s how I end up finding gems like the Hot Octopuss KURVE and Lovehoney X Love Not War Amore despite them being barely off the manufacturing line, alongside warnings for products that didn’t quite work out before you risk spending your hard earned money on them. So that’s why when a retailer like Honeysx comes along and says I can choose anything from their store to review, I can’t help but want to put my feet up a little and review something purely for fun instead. And that is exactly what the YY Horse Mini Banana is all about. Going full form over function, YY Horse (which is the brand name, and no, I don’t know why) have created what looks to be a terrible sex toy. But with one of the most adorable designs ever, the Mini Banana has truly won my heart.
Review: Satisfyer Dual Love & Dual Pleasure
From the moment I tried the legendary Pro 2 back in 2016, Satisfyer, and their groundbreaking suction technology, became one of my all time favourite brands. For years this continued, with each Satisfyer being somehow better than the last, until finally culminating in 2019’s Satisfyer Luxury, their most ambitious (and expensive!) toy yet, whose powerful clitoral stimulation made it more than worth the price tag. But after this, things started to change. Satisfyer rebranded, switching their previously luxury feel to one more aimed at newcomers, and begun to release a wide range of products (ending their suction specialisation) at much lower prices than before. Cautiously pessimistic, I held back on reviewing for them for some time after that, until finally I broke my silence when I tried their first app compatible toys, the Curvy 1+ & 2+, around this time last year. With the pair all but confirming my fears about the declining standards of the brand however, it wasn’t the return to Satisfyer I had hoped. So when Betty’s Toy Box recently contacted me about trying the Curvy’s successors, the Dual Pleasure and Dual Love, it seemed only fair to give the brand I once loved so much a second chance.