Posts by Joan Price
Womanizer Plus and 2Go — oh yes!
The Womanizer — the sex toy whose name we hate and whose orgasm assistance we love — has two new models! There’s the long-handled Womanizer Plus and the lipstick-shaped Womanizer 2Go. As soon as I expressed interest, Good Vibrations rushed to ship me both to review. (Love you, Educator Andy!) I was surprised by how powerfully — and quickly! — both worked.
Let’s get one thing settled. In my earlier reviews of the original Womanizer and the later model Womanizer W500, I dubbed the sensation “clitoral suction.” I described it this way:
It doesn’t just vibrate (though it does do that) — it gently pulls on the clitoris, bringing blood flow, engorgement, and increased sensation. It’s not “sucking” like a vacuum — it’s subtle, but oh so effective and pleasurable.
I stand by my description of the sensation, but I guess I need to stop calling it “sucking.” Other reviewers** have pointed out that it doesn’t “suck” — it blows puffs of air in pressurized pulses. The company calls it “Pleasure Air Technology.” It feels like gentle sucking to me, and it feels glorious. In my experience, both of these new Womanizers speed up arousal and deliver orgasms easily and surprisingly quickly.
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| Heads in two sizes |
These Womanizers are more attractive than the previous models — the garishness is gone — and the control buttons*** are easier to use. Both come with detachable heads in two sizes and shapes to get the best fit for your clitoris. (Look carefully — the extra head is easy to miss underneath the packaging.) Both models are waterproof!
(10/21/2020 update: Sorry, this model is no longer available.)
Pros:
* Smallish and light to pack for travel — this one is going in my carry-on for sure!
* Quite strong, considering the comparatively small size.
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| Womanizer 2Go (L) Laura Mercier lipstick (R) |
Cons:
* It’s the shape of a lipstick, but not the size. See the difference? This is only a con if you expect teeny tiny.
* The case does not stay closed securely. A little nudge will dislodge the cap from the base. This is a design flaw, and an aggravating one. Be careful if you’re carrying it in your purse. Don’t let the cat knock it around.
(10/21/2020 update: Sorry, this model is no longer available.)
Pros:
* The long handle is splendidly ergonomic, especially for short arms and arthritic wrists. The design is a huge improvement over previous models.
* The sensation is strong, dependable, and joyous.
Cons:
* I didn’t find any cons. Other reviewers criticized the placement of the controls, high and low on the back of the handle, but I liked that I couldn’t accidentally turn it down or off.
* Wait — one con: the price. Yeah, it’s as expensive as two high-quality sex toys. But in my view, if you can afford the $200, the pleasure and ease of orgasm make it worth it. Of course your mileage may vary.
** The funny and often snarky Epiphora described the sensation as akin to “a horde of fish nibbling tenderly at your clitoris.” The “sex toy critic/ dildo burner” Dangerous Lilly wrote, “I’ve been told by Womanizer there is no vacuum/suction, instead, the technology is ‘pressurized air pulses,'” in her remarkably thorough review of both of these products, Womanizer 2Go and Womanizer Plus, and comparison of all the Womanizer models and the Satisfyer (which I haven’t yet reviewed, but it’s in the pipeline). Why am I sending you to other reviewers? Because they’re marvelous, and if you don’t already read Epiphora and Dangerous Lilly, you should!
*** Control buttons:
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| Controls back of handle |
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| 2Go control button on bottom |
Thank you, Good Vibrations, for sending me these Womanizers in return for an honest review.
Over 50? Your sex toy store experiences
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| Joan at Smitten Kitten Minneapolis |
6/30/17 update: So many folks in our age group have never shopped in a sex toy shop, or think they’re all dark, scary, and sticky-floored. I describe today’s progressive sex toy store, demystify the experience of shopping there, and encourage you to find the closest store and visit in “How to Shop for Sex Toys” for Senior Planet. I quoted several of you! I hope you’ll comment there and copy your comment here, too. Thanks for being part of our community.
How old were you when you first visited a sex toy store? If your first visit was after age 50, what was that like for you? How did the staff make you feel comfortable (or not)? Was it difficult for you to ask questions? I invite you to share by posting a comment.
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| Good Vibrations San Francisco |
Many of my events are in sex toy stores. At 73, I’m comfortable in stores whose walls are populated by shelves of vibrators and dildos. I love to visit to see what’s new. I pal around with staff members, delighting in the kinds of discussions that sex nerds enjoy.
Yet I frequently hear from people of my generation that they don’t feel comfortable even going into a sex toy shop, let alone asking intimate questions of strangers who look to be the age of their grandchildren. I know what terrific resources these stores are, staffed by trained sex educators and filled with sex toys (aka “orgasm tools,” as I sometimes call them) that can intensify your sexual pleasure in ways you thought had disappeared or at least decreased after a certain number of birthdays.
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| Pleasure Chest NYC |
I’d love for this post to become a discussion. Whether you love sex toy shops or you’ve never dared go in one, or anything in between, please share your experiences and views as comments on this post.* You don’t have to use your real name (choose something other than “anonymous,” please, just so we can keep track of who’s saying what), but please give your real age.
I might want to quote from your experience in an upcoming article. I won’t identify you, except by age, unless you want me to. Thank you!
* Please, though, don’t post a comment aimed at promoting your own business. If you want to advertise on this blog (a very good idea if you want to reach our age group, but only after I scrutinize your site, the quality of your products, and your customer service), email me to inquire. Any commercial promotions disguised as comments will be swiftly deleted.
Why Don’t They Ask Us?
I’m sure you’ve seen news stories that announce how often seniors are having sex or how much we enjoy the sex we’re having. A problem I have with many of the studies about sex and aging is that they often don’t define “having sex.”
Does “having sex” mean partnered sex only? (Solo sex is real sex!) Heterosexual intercourse only? Orgasms? Are they asking whether we’re having the same kind of sex we used to? What if we’re enjoying new ways of having sex?
If we give a partner an orgasm and the partner gives us an orgasm, but there’s no PIV (penis in vagina), did we have sex? I say yes. If we haven’t had partner sex for a year but we give ourselves weekly orgasms with our favorite vibrator, are we sexually active? I say yes.
I don’t think we know much about what kind of sex seniors are having, once we broaden the definition of what sex is. My definition: Sex is any activity, solo or partnered, that gives us sexual pleasure, arousal, orgasm — and maybe, but not always, all three. Does that cover the kind of sex you’re having? Help me finesse this definition.
Let’s discuss this. How would you define sex at our age? And how has your definition of sex changed over the decades? If you’re willing to share your definition, or you have a comment on this topic, I invite you to post to the comments section. Your turn!
The Wish from We-Vibe
There’s a lot to love about the Wish by We-Vibe. Relatively small, the Wish is powered by two motors that work independently to give a variety of 10 patterns. For its size, it packs a powerful punch. It is made of body-safe silicone, is light and small enough for travel, and can be used solo or during partner sex for extra clitoral stimulation. It’s quiet, even at the highest settings. And it’s fully waterproof!
As an external vulva vibrator, the Wish is designed to curve over the whole surface of the vulva, sending vibrations to the nerve endings of the external and internal clitoris. (If you’re not familiar with the parts of the clitoris that reside under the skin, my ring illustrates this in miniature, and click here for an explanation.)
You can also use the tapered tip for pinpoint vibration, if you like. The tip is pointy, soft, and squishy, so you can press down for a delightful and intense sensation.
My only problem with the Wish is that it’s not quite strong enough for me. Almost, but not quite. It packs a lot of power in its small size — it’s not at all a wimpy vibrator! But at 73, I often need the turbo power of the Magic Wand, the Doxy Die Cast, or the Sybian. I acknowledge — and you’ve told me this, readers — that most of you don’t need the same level of intensity that I do. In that case, I think you’d love the Wish. And if it’s not quite strong enough, it’s a lovely warm-up to whatever you choose as your main event.
The Wish is rechargeable using a magnetic charger. The silver plates that you see at one end are for charging. The controls are the less visible, raised white button. I found the button difficult and slightly painful to press with my arthritic hand. Pressing with my thumbnail solved the problem, and I recommend that technique. Or, use the app:
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| Power Pulse setting |
We-Vibe offers We-Connect™, a free app that you can download from your app store, that lets you control your Wish via your phone or tablet. You can turn it off and on, choose a pattern, and turn the intensity up or down.
At first I was indifferent to this idea — why not just press the button? But I tried it, putting my iPad on the bed beside me, and I found I liked it!
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| Massage setting |
I could swipe up to get to full power. I could swipe right or left to choose a pattern — which was nicely illustrated on the screen — instead of pressing the button until I happened upon one that I liked. I understand that I can also create my own pattern using the app, but I didn’t try that.
I think We-Connect™ would be particularly helpful if you have a disability or condition that makes pressing the button difficult. There’s also the option to let a lover control your Wish via the app from anywhere in the world. I didn’t try that — let me know if you do, and how you like it.
Although We-Vibe promotes the Wish as a vulva stimulator, and it definitely works for that, I think that any set of genitals would enjoy the sensations. It also works nicely as a whole body massager, curved to fit the body’s peaks and valleys.
Thank you, Good Vibrations, for sending me the Wish by We-Vibe in return for an honest review.
