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Hubba! Hubba!
Products for Couples
By Lisa Link
It's really nice to see some bath and body product companies
starting to venture out into the realm of more "sensuous"
products, designed to be used and enjoyed by couples.
In the
past, many of the typical product offerings of this ilk could
only be found in places considered to be, ahem, a touch
distasteful, even by the most progressive, sex-positive gals
(myself included).
I mean, really, who wants to poke around a dank little store off
the interstate for sexy goodies, while some creepy little troll
ogles you from behind the counter? Blech, I think not.
Unless your town has a
friendly little "erotica" shop (here in Columbus, The Garden, in
the Short North, is a wonderful place), many people will
probably feel much more comfortable ordering these products via
the Internet.
Oh cyber-convenience, how I adore thee!
Rated PG-13
Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that sexuality
is discussed somewhat frankly in the following reviews. Granted,
we won't be getting "down and dirty" (we'll keep it PG-13) but
for the sake of giving an accurate, thorough description of the
products, I will be discussing instructions for use. With that
being said, on to the reviews!
The first set of goodies I tried (with the help of my fabulous
fiancé Rar rar!) were from the Kama Sutra collection.
With their beautiful packaging and refined tastes and textures,
these products are definitely some of the classiest, most
elegant sexual products available.
The Kama Sutra Company, named
after the famous Indian text by Vatsyayana, is over 25 years old
and takes a joyful, relaxed approach to intimacy and pleasure.
There's nothing intimidating about these products, so even if
you've never experimented with these types of items in the
bedroom, Kama Sutra will put you at ease with simple, direct
products that are truly a pleasure to use. Kama Sutra also
uses no animal testing or animal by-products.
Earthly
Delights
R. and I went all out, and jumped right in with the Earthly
Delights Gift Tin. This lovely collection contains Kama
Sutra's Honey Dust, Pleasure Balm, Honey Almond
 Massage
Crème, Original Oil of Love, and Sweet Almond Massage Oil, all
in a pretty tin.
At $65 this tin is very reasonably priced for all
the wonderful products you get. Want to become a couple's new
best friend? Consider this as a gift for anniversaries, wedding
showers, engagement parties or any celebration of love.
Even the
tin is gorgeous! If you just want to try a couple of products,
each is sold separately at a variety of online sources (more about this later).
The first item we "product tested" (and by goddess, this is work
you can love!) was the Honey Almond Massage Cream (about
$15 for 7oz).
This
edible, emollient
cream is made with the real thing; honey and
almonds combine for a wonderful scent, as well as a sweet,
natural taste. This cream is perfect for full body massage
because it stays slippery longer than most other lotions, but
isn't sticky. It also rinses clean with just water, and leaves a
slightly sweet taste on the skin.
The flavor is really lovely,
and not the least bit cloying or "off" (or downright yucky) like
so many others (for those of you who have tried the "cheap-o"
edible products in flavors like Pina Colada or Strawberry
Daiquiri, you know exactly what I'm talking about).
Keep in mind
that because it does contain oils, this product is not
compatible with latex (condoms or other safe-sex products.) So,
rinse off your hands if you plan to use any of the
aforementioned.
Tried
and True
Next on the list was the Oil of Love (about $14 for 4oz). This was Kama
Sutra's first offering, and remains one of their most popular. These oils come in seven yummy flavors, including the Original
(my favorite a spicy yet delicate cinnamon-spice), Chocolate
Mint and Raspberry Kiss.
These oils are fun to play with because
not only do they provide a dewy, slippery texture, they heat
gently when you blow on them. They aren't sticky, and the
flavors really are quite wonderful.
Even better, they are
latex-safe, so use them as freely as you wish. Of all the
products, this one is my favorite because it is so versatile, as
well as just being a lot of fun. If you aren't sure which Kama
Sutra product to start with, I'd suggest this one.
Another one of the products that came in the tin was the
Pleasure Balm (about $12 for 1.5oz). Now, let me be as delicate as I possibly can
be about this description. Pleasure Balm is an unguent designed
for the purpose of assisting your male partner in the "art of
restraint."
This cooling, minty gel imparts a slight numbing
quality, so you and your man can enjoy "just a little bit longer."
The gel is edible (and delicious) so it is appealing on a
variety of levels, and for a couple of different purposes. Keep
in mind that with this product, a little goes a long way, so
don't go overboard with it.
One of the most useful products included in the tin was the
Sweet Almond Massage Oil (about $12 for 8oz). Because of Tae Kwon Do, I can get
some majorly sore muscles.
My beloved is kind enough to indulge
me in the most amazing backrubs, so we've put this massage oil
to excellent use. The formula is very lightweight, and helps
your fingers to glide easily when giving a massage. The sweet
almond smell is slightly cherry-like, and very pleasant.
I have
also tried the "Pleasure Garden" scent, which smells of Jasmine
and other exquisite blooms. Honestly, I've taken a whiff of each
of them on a few different occasions, and every one smells
fabulous in its own right, so you can feel confident taking a
chance with any of them. All in all, this is a wonderful massage
oil, but don't limit yourself to just using it as such!
I like
to smooth it on damp skin after my shower (which yields
incredibly soft and supple skin) or add a little to the tub for
a sexy, silkening soak. This product is definitely a latex
no-no, so be sure to plan accordingly.
Feather
Dusting
Lastly is, perhaps, the most unusual of Kama Sutra's offerings.
Honey Dust (about $18 for 8oz) is a honeysuckle-scented powder made from pure
honey. How, you ask? I'm assuming that first the moisture is
removed by freeze-drying or similar method, and then it is
ground to a very soft, finely textured powder.
The feel of this
powder is so luxurious and amazing, and honey even acts as a
powerful humectant to help keep your skin feeling soft and
moist. It is also completely edible, and smells like a field of
fresh honeysuckle blossoms.
As if you aren't already tempted
enough, Honey Dust even comes with a handmade feather applicator
(and a very beautiful, wood-handled one at that) for
application, or for any other uses you and your partner can come
up with (read between the lines, kids). This is right up there
with the Oil of Love as a must-have favorite.
Kama Sutra products really are some of the most luxurious sexual
items you can buy. If you've always wanted to try some of these
goodies, but felt a little shy about going someplace to buy
them, don't hesitate to place an order online, because they
really are a ton of fun. These Kama Sutra items will certainly
remain a must-have staple in my bedside basket!
Lovey-Dovey
The second group of items I reviewed, the Lovey-Dovey
products from Aromaleigh, is perfect for couples who are
just starting to introduce sensual products into their
relationship. Aromaleigh is just the type of company I like to
support: it is woman-owned and uses only all natural ingredients
(no SLS, SLES, ALS, DEA, parabens, mineral oil, petroleum
by-products, talc, glycols, artificial scent/color, or other
synthetics) in its fabulous items for humans and animals (cats
and dogs have lots of choices, too)!
Lush,
Sexy Scent
The Lovey-Dovey items I tried came from the Romantic
Aromatherapy Gift Basket, a lovely tin containing bubble
bath/shower gel, massage oil, pulse point perfume and fragrance
mist, all for the very reasonable price of $52 (available at Aromaleigh.com).
Lovey-Dovey
items are scented with Aromaleigh's own "Aphrodesia" scent
blend; a gorgeous mix of essential oils such as rose, jasmine, neroli and black currant seed, as well as rich vanilla, vetiver
and cinnamon leaf.
I adore this unusual, sexy scent because it
is lush, but not too strong and/or sweet like so many commercial
items available.
One important thing to remember is that you should shake these
items well before you use them. Natural oils tend to settle when
no chemical stabilizers are used, and you might find the
fragrance to be a little "off" if you don't re-combine the
ingredients.
Each of the items from Aromaleigh is a real pleasure to use. The
bubble bath / shower gel provides lots of lather, and won't
strip the moisture from your skin. In fact, I was really pleased
with how soft my (and my partner's!) skin felt after use.
The
massage oil provides a slick surface, but isn't heavy or
greasy, thanks to the combination of Organic Safflower, Sesame,
Avocado & Jojoba Seed, Rice Bran & Wheat Germ oils.
The
fragrance mist is suitable for spritzing the air, bedding
(be careful around very light bed linens, though, because it
might leave spots!) or even yourself! In fact, I love to spray
myself straight out of the bath or shower, when my skin is still
warm, so the scent will stay with me all day (or night, as the
case may be).
As I said, these products are perfect for the sultry
tart-in-training who would like to add a few sexy items to her
repertoire, but would like to do so without jumping right to
items that may be blush-inducing to some.
And with that, I think this little yarn has just about been
spun. As promised, nothing too racy (not now, at least, but 50
years ago? Scandalous!). Personally, I'm all about communication
and honesty, and really, that's what these types of products are
about.
They're designed to get you and your partner talking and
having fun. One of those little reminders that sometimes,
despite the numerous distractions of our hectic lives, your
unwavering focus should rest upon the joy of intimacy, and the
simple, primal pleasure of touch.
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