Everything You Need to Know About Sex Toys for Women

Female sex toys certainly do have a colorful history that dates all the way back to Ancient Greece. This is where the first documentation of a dildo can be found. The famed object was given the name “olisbos.” There was also a plant which could perform the same function. ‘The Cantonese Groin’ plant; when soaked in hot water became hard and rigid. Perfect as a sexual aid.

Italy in the 1400s saw the rise (pun intended) of dildos or ‘dilettos.’ They were usually made from stone, leather, wood, and even ivory. These were basic (yet functional) objects. Fast forward to the Victorian era and we find the first historical vibrator coming in to existence. It was steam powered and was initially used to treat hysteria. With unexpected results from the treatment, the hysteria shifted to demand for such products and the sex toy market was born. Early designs were often bulky and cumbersome but the essential elements remained the same. The industrial revolution in sex toy materials and latex rubber toys joined hands with the sexual revolution which took place in the mid-late twentieth century; with things never being quite the same ever since. The principle and function is still the same, with only the designs and some materials being adjusted to produce the modern and equally in demand dildos and vibrators we know and love today.

Benefits

All female sex toys have unique benefits, but on the whole they provide a common purpose with one goal in mind --benefits.

Improved mood: Women’s sex toys certainly can lift the spirit. Women can feel fulfilled after using their sex toy as the body releases endorphins and other feel-good hormones during and after an orgasm. These feelings can be habit forming.

Introduction to intercourse: Some women are not yet having penetrative intercourse, and using the right sex toys can be a great introduction to the process. With these, they can find how their body reacts to penetration, and more importantly, how it feels when they reach climax.

Vaginal elasticity: Women who have experienced childbirth or are in their mature years can naturally lose some elasticity of the vagina. They can also lose some of their natural lubrication and this dryness may often result in irritation or discomfort; putting them off sex or even solo pleasuring. With the use of sex toys, they can stimulate themselves, so their body becomes accustomed to natural lubrication and penetration. With just a little time and practice, they can also regain an improved degree of vaginal elasticity.

Pelvic muscles: For the same reasons mentioned above, women can lose tone in their pelvic floor muscles. Using the right sex toys can help strengthen these. This delivers practical health benefits like improved continence and it greatly improves solo and shared penetration too. Making use of these muscles during these times greatly enhances pleasure for themselves and for their partners.

G-spot stimulation: A common frustration for many women is being unable to achieve orgasm through penetration alone. Stimulation of the clitoris during intercourse is difficult, impractical or just plain awkward for many. With the right sex toy, they can receive lots of clitoral stimulation while being deeply penetrated; ultimately leading to longer and more intense climaxes more often.

Different Women Sex Toy Types

There are numerous varieties of women sex toys, each equipped with unique and varied ways of pleasuring the equally varied individual body types and shapes. Here are the main types one can easily find without too much searching:

Dildos

Realistic Dildos: These are an anatomical replica of the male penis and come with the same rigidity, yet offer some of the natural softness of a real, live erect penis. Along with this, they come with the exposed glans (tip or head of the erect penis) and many with accented veins to further add to the realism. Some realistic dildos come with testicles, with many being molded from real life male porn stars.

Black Dildos: When a realistic dildo doesn’t deliver, or you just feel like testing your limits, then this is where a black dildo takes over. With additional length and girth, these are for the women who want that extra fullness and to reach deep up inside. With over-emphasized veins, enlarged glans and heavy duty testicles, these dark colored dildos (usually, but not always dark in color) need some getting used to as they most certainly will stimulate the inner most reaches of even the most seasoned, intrepid and internal explorer.

Vibrators

Rabbit Vibrators: This type of vibrator set the personal service world ablaze, mostly because it was the only one that could perform vaginal penetration and clitoral stimulation at the same time. These now come in a wide range of designs and colors. Apart from just vibrating, some models now come with soft or hard beads rotating under the surface of the shaft for added and intense pleasure.

G-spot Vibrators: These lack the tell-tale ‘rabbit ears,’ but they do perform toe-curling miracles with their curvature. This curvature can be directed precisely to the G-spot, delivering the most intense and often first time true G-spot orgasms for many females. What these bad boys lack in length, they more than make up for with hitting one of the most sensitive erogenous zones. It’s not how big it is, it’s what you do with it that counts!

Vibrating Panties: These are designed for discrete and prolonged stimulation. They come in a variety of designs depending on how they will be stimulating the vagina. Some consist of insertable nubs that sit snugly inside the vagina, the most common type has a bullet device that either sits atop a ribbed or bubbled pad that rests against the clitoris, or they can be built into the device itself and it rests in position. No matter which variety of vibrating panties you choose, they come with a remote which is most always wireless.

Material Options

• Silicone: This is by far the most popular material to use in sex toys for women today. It is a non-porous material that can withstand high and low temperatures, so it can easily be sterilized by carefully using boiling water. In many cases, it is called platinum silicone and can give a feeling of softness while retaining a welcoming hardness. It doesn’t contain phthalates or have a smell or taste.
• Jelly: PVC / ‘Jelly’ is the cheapest material that is still often used. Because of this, they come with a tell-tale taste and smell. Many of these come from manufacturers that may also include potentially toxic chemicals to make them more colorful or flexible. In many cases, this is achieved using chemical coloring and phthalates. It is now known that these can cause seriously unpleasant reactions in some people. This material can’t be sterilized and is porous, so it isn’t safe to use it near water. Read the material’s label and if it doesn’t tell you what it’s made of, move on to a product that does.
• TPE: This is a mixture of silicone, polyvinyl chloride and thermoplastic elastomers. These will often be sold as ‘cyber skin.’ These give a very soft feel and are commonly used to provide a very realistic feel. They’re also porous and can’t be sterilized.
• Steel: Medical grade stainless steel is the most widely used steel, which makes this one of the safest materials for the body you can get, commercially speaking. These can be sterilized entirely since they are not porous. They also provide unique sensations because they don’t adapt to the body. This material can be sensibly heated or cooled for unique sensations. 
• Glass: This comes in two types when used for the construction of sex toys for women. European glass is borosilicate and is the same as kitchenware (Pyrex). In other countries and in the USA, the types of glass used are soda lime which is not as durable. The glass can be sterilized thoroughly and is not porous; it’s 100% safe for the body too. It is not used in some sex toys for women because of the obvious safety risks.
• Hard plastic: This comes in the form of ABS plastic, which means acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and is a terpolymer. The ABS is not porous, so it doesn’t allow water to enter and is very easy to clean. It can’t be sterilized like silicone, but warm water with soap is enough to provide a degree of cleanliness, but not sterility. ABS is also suitable for all types of lubricants, but it is recommended to use water based lubes only. ABS doesn’t contain phthalates, so it is also one of the safest materials for the body that can be found in the manufacture of toys.

How to Choose the Right Sex Toy for You

When choosing female sex toys, there are a few things to think about:

• Size
• Materials
• Stimulation desired
• Part of the body it’s used on
• Solo or partnered play

Additional Things to Consider

To get around some import/tax/legal restrictions, some sex toys are labeled as novelties only. In most cases, these should be avoided as they will most likely be of lesser quality. These will also generally not be FDA approved.

Sex toys that contain any toxic chemicals such as arsenic, cadmium, phenol, or phthalates shouldn’t even be considered, as they can lead to serious reactions and allergies. Shop around and check the material used in each product.

The material aspect can be extended to include how easy your sex toy is to care for, before and after use. Porous materials may deliver ultra-realism, but they can’t be sterilized. This means there’s a huge trade-off between the two types.

Finally, there are some sex toys for women that can smell of chemicals when they are taken from the packaging. This is a sign they may well contain something that probably isn’t really safe for the body. Although, for ones that are body-safe, sometimes (in time) the smell will go after cleaning has been done.