Shopping for your first sex toy can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many options that it’s tough to know where to start. Here are a few tips:
1. Choose body-friendly products that don’t contain any toxic ingredients or allergens. Be wary of jelly soft or jelly rubber toys, unless the package indicates that the toy is phthalate-free. Choose products that contain medical-grade ingredients or indicate that they’re sex-positive or body friendly. Buy from the manufacturers or reliable online retailers such as Good Vibrations, Love Honey, Overkink or Unbound Babes.
2. Look for products that are easy to operate and position to help make your first experience a good one; and
3. Find toys that are well constructed and within your price range.
What clitoral and anal toys are great picks for beginners?
Clitoral Toys: A product designed for external (clitoral) stimulation is a must-have for everyone with a vagina!
The Lelo Mia is a sleek, lipstick-sized vibrator that wins on form and function! Lelo makes high-quality sex toys, and the Mia is quiet, powerful, portable and rechargeable. It’s also a favorite pick by sex educators for cis-women who are post-partum or recuperating from illness or surgery. For those of you who would enjoy a slightly larger starter toy with more power, the Lelo Siri or Dame Pom are great bets!
For parents or out there who want a toy that doesn’t look out of place in your home, how about Rub My Duckie massager or vibrating egg? Both are discreet, quiet and effective with multi-speed vibrations. The Duckie is also waterproof. Also recognize that there doesn’t need to be shame or embarrassment surrounding having a massage toy in your home.
If you’re game for a more intense experience, there is no substitute for the Hitachi Magic Wand! This massager is a very powerful and durable plug-in toy. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked! It’s a two-speed massager so start on the lower speed and work your way up.
Bullet and egg-shaped toys are popular for clitoral stimulation since they are small, inexpensive and easy to operate. Some bullets come with covered sheaths or in animal shapes, and some wireless models are compatible with cock rings. A favorite pick is the 10 Function Remote Bullet. It’s wireless, great for singles or couples, and body-friendly. The ten speeds are able to entertain old and new toy users alike!
Anal Toys: Anal products can provide much pleasure for both men and women! If you’re using an anal toy for the first time, remember that smaller is better. Stick with a product designed for beginners until you become accustomed to anal play.
Butt plugs are a simple way to ease into anal fun. Look for silicone or latex products that are phthalate-free. Make sure that the base of the toy is larger than all parts of the toy itself so that it won’t get stuck inside of you. Also remember to also have lubricant on hand, and don’t use silicone lube with silicone toys since that can make the texture tacky.
For non-vibrating plugs, the small silicone Pop Plug is a good bet. The Pop Plug is economical and unassuming in size. You can also check out the Basix four inch butt plug for the next step in anal play. This rubber toy is still slim enough for first timers and contains no phthalates or latex.
Vibrating butt plugs allow for increased anal stimulation with less effort! The Mini Vibro Tease is a sex-positive, multi-speed vibrating plug with the added advantage of being waterproof.
For men interested in prostate massage, I’ve heard great things about the Aneros MGX. Aneros was medically designed to provide maximum stimulation of the male G-Spot. This product is manageable enough for first-timers and was voted one of the best sex toys by Talk Sex’s Sue Johanson and Playgirl.
What was your first toy, and is it still something that you enjoy today?