SEX TOYS 101

embracedesires.com offers many of the finest pleasure items and sex toys available on the market.  We take care to offer what we consider high quality  adult pleasure products that are designed with your pleasure in mind.  Most of our inventory consists of products that are free from harmful chemicals and additives.

Every toy we sell may not be right for everybody, but we do carry items that are perfect for somebody.  When making your selection of a sex toy, whether it is your first time, or five hundredth time, it is very important to understand the features of each toy to find the perfect match for you and your partner.

Our Sex Toys 101 Guide is a good start to help you understand some of the basics of sex toy materials and what to look for when making your purchase.

Embracedesires.com carries many high quality sex toys, sensual products and intimate accessories.  But what exactly does “high quality” mean?

The high quality products we carry have:

• Better performing motors

• Quieter motors

• More features

• Body-safe materials

• The lowest defect rates

• Often carry a manufacturer’s warranty.

What Makes a Good First Time Toy?

Not every personal massager is good as a first time toy.  It is a matter of personal style and choice.

Selecting the right toy depends on your wants, need and desires.  Ask yourself:

Are you comfortable with penetration?

Do you prefer to feel more full than stimulated?

Are you interested in clitoral stimulation?

Do you want a full range of vibration? (from very gentle, to very intense – high to low stimulation).

Do you climax more easily from clitoral stimulation or penetration?

If the answer is:

Clitoral, go for a toy that offers stimulation on or near the clitoris.  Choose a toy with a full range of vibration so she can alter the intensity.

Penetration should look for something with average girth with little to no texture.

Do you have trouble achieving an orgasm?

If she hasn’t had or doesn’t have frequent orgasms, then pull out the big guns and go for something with POWER. 

HARD PLASTIC, LUCITE AND ACRYLIC

A wide variety of hard plastics are used to make sex toys and they do not contain phthalates.

Non-porous (Use a condom if you plan to share or use in your vagina or anus).

Usually safe for people concerned with sensitivity issues.

Clean with mild soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner.

Safe with any lubricant.

100% SILICONE*

Made from the highest specialty grade of polymers, and it is medical grade.

Pliable, durable material that does not contain phthalates.

Non-porous and hypoallergenic.

Retains heat for a more realistic feel.

Clean with mild soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner; can be sterilized.

*Silicone toys are non-porous and usually high quality, durable and shareable – but often more expensive. We would rather you invest in a high quality pleasure item, than settle for a less expensive one and risk transmitting bacteria.  Like the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” Silicone’s sex toys’ ability to reach and maintain body temperature makes them more attractive when opting for a realistic and comfortable sexual experience.

Silicone is the preferred material of many pleasure enthusiasts. By law, a sex toy needs to contain only 10% silicone in order to be labeled as a silicone sex toy. The other 90% of the sex toy can be made of less expensive materials that could potentially contain toxins, such as phthalates. We take pride in carrying quality items, often medical grade silicone products, in our variety of pleasure enhancing products.
If you are considering purchasing a silicone sex toy, we recommend checking with the manufacturer or discreetly purchasing from embracedesires.com.  We are committed to offering you, body friendly intimate pleasure products.

GLASS

A shatterproof glass sex toy that usually is a beautiful work of art that can withstand high temperatures (think of brand name Pyrex glass) – from heating to freezing (we do not recommend subjecting your glass toy to extreme temperatures then inserting your glass sex toy inside your body).

Non-porous and hypoallergenic

Great for temperature play as well as G & P-spot stimulation

Clean with mild soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner; can be sterilized.

Safe to use with any lubricant.

*Do Not Use your Glass Toy if you SUSPECT it has been Cracked or Broken

ELASTOMERS

Very porous phthalates-free and hypoallergenic (Use a condom if you plan to share or use in your vagina or anus).

Soft and flexible, like rubber and very durable.

Elastomers are usually suitable for people concerned with allergic reactions or chemical sensitivities.

Clean with mild soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner.

Use with WATER BASED LUBE ONLY.

JELLY

Jelly toys are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and often contain phthalates.  These are the toys that often smell like plastic.

Very porous (not safe to share, not safe to use vaginally and not safe to use anally unless used with a condom).

Inexpensive, soft and flexible.

Clean with mild soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner.

Use with WATER BASED LUBE ONLY.

STAINLESS STEEL

Composed of steel and chromium – will not rust.

Non – porous and phthalate-free.

Clean with mild soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner; can be sterilized.

Safe to use with any lubricant.

NOBESSENCE ORGANIC WOOD

Carved from exotic and basic woods.

Waterproof, hypoallergenic, and phthalate-free.

Splinter free and super smooth finish.

Suitable for people who experience reactions to other materials or sensitivities to odors.

Clean with mild soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner.

Safe with any lubricant.

NATURAL STONE

Usually polished semi-precious stone, think quartz, marble, and granite.

Great for temperature play.

Somewhat porous and phthalate-free (use a condom if sharing or if you will be inserting inside of the anus and vagina).

Clean with mild soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner.

Safe with any lubricant.

TPR AND TPE

Thermoplastic Rubber or thermoplastic elastomers or TPE (thermoplastic elastomers) are a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers
Usually used in products meant for bodily insertion such as sex toys because it makes the toy more flexible.
Use a condom with toys made with TPR since it is a porous material and can harbor bacteria.

TPR is hypoallergenic, nontoxic and phthalate free.

Cleaning Recommendations
Adult toys made of TPR should be cleaned with mild soap & water or antibacterial sex toy cleaners. This material cannot be sterilized by boiling, therefore we recommend the use of a condom when sharing sex toys made of TPR.

Heat molded plastic that can resemble jelly, silicone or plastic.

Porous

Flexible, elastic and durable

Often phthalate-free, but not always.

Clean with soap and water or your favorite toy cleaner.

Safe with WATER BASED  lubricant.

WHAT ARE PHTHALATES?

or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used to make plastic more flexible, transparent, durable, and increase its longevity. They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Phthalates have been used for almost 100 years in every type of product imaginable.  They are a group of chemicals added to hard plastics to soften the material and make them more flexible.  Used in a wide range of sex toys, phthalates offer an inexpensive way to give toys a soft cushion-y feel to them.  However, some studies have shown phthalates to potentially cause health risks. Always err on the side of caution, until further research has been conducted, avoid toys that include them.  The good news is that Phthalates are being phased out of many products in the United States, Canada, and European Union over health concerns.  The products we carry do NOT include phthalates.