I got my first sex toy at 18 years old. A gift from a friend, my first toy was a purple, battery-powered, dolphin shaped vibrator. I loved it. That purple dolphin set off a bit of an obsession for me. Ever since then, I’ve collected sex toys of all varieties: fantasy dildos, rabbit vibrators, wand vibrators, cock rings, butt plugs, unique toys, basic toys, high tech, low tech, and seemingly everywhere in between.
My career as a sex worker began about a year later, and it only fueled my desire for more toys. “It’s a write off!” I’d joke with friends as I purchased toys from my favorite local shop.
What can I say? I just really like sex toys.
Earlier in my career, I dabbled in writing reviews on an online retailer in exchange for toys. I later learned that particular retailer was one of the worst out there, and I stopped writing reviews on their site. Instead, I tried writing them here on my blog. But, I wasn’t consistent and it felt like a lot of labor for very little reward.
I didn’t know how to take my passion and turn it into something more. Something bigger, something that maybe could actually help people. Maybe even help people like me: voluptuous body, short t-Rex arms, physically very sensitive… surely I’m not the only one!
Which brings me to present day.
I’m still a sex worker and I’m still passionate about sex toys. My friends come to me for recommendations for what kind of toys should they get, who makes what, where to find unique toys, does a toy work for a plus size body… and I’m usually able to help them. Not always, but if I don’t, I know people who do.
So, I started investing more of my time in properly reviewing sex toys. I learned about companies, I went to toy trade shows, I connected with other reviewers and I worked on forming relationships with people at companies I loved. I started dedicating time to trying new toys, even toys that intimidated me (I’m looking at you, butt plugs).
First, I thought about my requirements for toys: they must be made with body-safe materials, motorized toys must be rechargeable or plug-in, and no cheap, non-brand toys from Amazon, SHEIN, Temu, etc. I wanted to not just showcase big brands, but also indie toy makers as well.
Second, I wanted to establish my own guidelines for how I would test toys. One or two uses with a toy wasn’t enough. I realized I needed more time with toys, and I started dedicating time to masturbating with toys in my collection that I hadn’t unboxed or touched.
Believe it or not, I’m still not through the stack of boxes of unopened toys that I need to test & review before my wife and I move across the world. I’m a bit worried I won’t have enough time to try them all, especially the ones I’m least excited about.
As I tested toys, I’d make notes about likes/dislikes. I timed myself to see how quickly I was able to achieve orgasm, if at all. If something didn’t make me orgasm the first time around, what did I need to get there?
Then, I would compile basic information about the toys from the manufacturers or retailers. Sure, that information is fairly accessible, but I feel that having that information included in a review is at least part of why people choose to read reviews rather than just looking at information on a retailer’s website.
Finally, I’d sit down at my computer and compile my thoughts, experiences, and toy information into the form of a blog. I’d take pictures of each product to show important parts of the toys. Once the blog was prepared, I’d schedule the post to go live on my site.
Whew!
It turns out that toy reviewing is a lot more work than I anticipated!!
I’ve received criticism for the fact that I include affiliate links in my posts, claiming that I only review products that I benefit from promoting. Which, sure, that is true. I do prioritize toys that I have affiliate links to promote. However, my goal has always been to be honest with my feelings in my reviews.
If I don’t like a toy, or even a single feature of a toy, my readers will know it. I’m not afraid to be honest in my opinions. “What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa” is one of my favorite things to tell people who I help in their sex working careers. And I believe that is true for sex toys as well. Sure, there are some toys that are universally loved, but there are also some toys others like that I don’t.
Being honest about my likes & dislikes is very important to me, even if it comes at the cost of companies not being happy with what I published.
When my readers, friends and fans use my affiliate links to shop, they do so at no additional cost to them. However, many of the sites that I work with as an affiliate also provide a discount coupon code, which does benefit my fans by giving them a discount on their order. Affiliate earnings help power this blog, not just the hosting costs, but also the sex toy costs. Not all the toys that I review are gifted to me.
I’m grateful to those of you who read my blog and even more grateful for those of you who use my affiliate links to shop. I don’t make a lot of money doing this (yet), but one of my goals is to start making enough money that I can afford the courses to become a certified sex educator.
Thanks for reading and thanks for being a fan!