Skinny Dip

One Very Happy Rabbit

This summer I’ve had some  pretty amazing sex toys land on my desk (no complaints here!) and the Happy Rabbit line by Lovehoney is no exception. Designed to help you “Get Happy the Natural Way” (ha!) Happy Rabbit is a line of powerful, luxury, rechargeable vibrators. Made of ultra-smooth silicone, these vibrators are meant to be ultra smooth and natural feeling. The Happy Rabbit comes in three different colours and shaft variations:

I’m thrilled that Lovehoney decided to send me my very own Happy Rabbit “Natural” vibrator to try out for you guys. Here are the “specs” on the Happy Rabbit Natural:

Right from the get-go, The Happy Rabbit Natural made an excellent first impression. It was shipped discretely and arrived in this classy and tasteful box. Inside it’s outer box, there was a luxe plain black box with the words “Get Happy!” printed on the front which contained the toy.

Although I’ve learned not to judge a toy by it’s cover, if we’re getting real here, packaging does make a difference to how you experience the product. Taking the Lovehoney Happy Rabbit out of it’s packaging for the first time felt like I was opening a luxurious present. Inside the box I found the toy, an instructions manual, a charger and a silky dust bag which can be used for storage. Alternatively, the box serves as a great storage case for your Happy Rabbit.

At this point you’re probably asking yourself, “What exactly makes this Rabbit different?!” Well, the way I see it is this: The Lovehoney Happy Rabbit Natural is like a pint of Hagan Daaz Vanilla Ice Cream (one of my favourite flavours) – there’s nothing ground-breaking-ly remarkable about it, but what it does do, it does very, very well. In other words, it stands alone in it’s classy simplicity.

Like the Body and Soul Lover which I reviewed earlier in the month, the Happy Rabbit Natural is a dual stimulation toy with three powerful motors: 2 located in the tip & base of the shaft and 1 in the rabbit ears which act as the clitoral stimulator. This means that you get a lot of power and all over stimulation with this toy – which, if you read my last sex toy review is a beautiful thing. However, unlike the Body and Soul Lover, the Happy Rabbit is a bit on the larger size – something I really enjoy! Similar to the Nick Hawk Dildo which I wrote about earlier in the summer, the Happy Rabbit is a nice length and stands tall & proud – exactly how I enjoy my penises! Errr, I mean bright pink objects that kind of look like fake penises.

Another thing that’s really awesome about the Happy Rabbit is that if you turn it on and hold it in your hand, you can feel that it not only vibrates, it also gently pulsates, creating a wave-like sensation. Combined with it’s long & lean shape, I had some pretty intense orgasms (read: plural) the first time I used this toy. The vibrations are nice & strong and at 9.5 inches (5.5 of which are actually insertable) the long, lean shape of the toy hits my g-spot nicely.

To give you an idea of the size, Joe the Intern kindly volunteered to stand next to The Happy Rabbit and the Body & Soul Lover. As you can see, the Happy Rabbit is quite a bit longer and thicker. Because of this, I would suggest using a few drops of water-based lube with it for optimal pleasure.

THE FINAL VERDICT?

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Channeling my Inner Ballerina + a Sweet Giveaway

When I put it out there on Social Media that I had started taking Barre Method classes, the nice people at Ballasox reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in trying a pair of their famous ballet flats which are rumoured to be the perfect thing to slip on your feet after a Yoga, Barre or Pilates class.

 

Ballasox come in a whole bunch of different colours & patterns, and are known for their signature “folding” style and ultra comfy sock lining. Although  I love the Zebra and Neon Yellow, I wanted a pair that went with everything so I chose the Nude ballet flats.

My Ballasox came in an elegant shoe box with a matching nude carrying case. The first thing I noticed was how much the shoes actually look like real ballet slippers – I love it!!

I was also really impressed with the quality of the shoes overall. My pair of Ballasox are made of genuine patent leather. They have a nice spongy rubber sole and a unique, silky, sock-like lining which adds to the overall comfort of the shoe.

Although I chose the correct size, I have really small, narrow, bony feet which makes the Ballsox look a tiny bit baggy on me. I don’t mind though, because the little bit of extra room allows me to wear these shoes with my orthotics, without them feeling too tight.

When I was finished wearing my Ballasox, I folded them in half and tucked them neatly into their carrying bag. Ta-da!

From running errands to running through an airport – like any good pair of flats, Ballasox are the kind of shoe you can wear anywhere. I wish I had known about Ballasox when I still worked in an office because they would have been the perfect thing to slip on and off for my commute to work. Because they are so compact, they’re perfect for travel or for stashing in your bag in case you find yourself in the compromising position of having to do a walk of shame – because,  when it comes to walks of shame, flats = dignity.

Most importantly, these shoes are really, really comfortable  (even without my orthotics inserted.) As someone who generally has a hard time finding flats  (aside from athletic shoes) that don’t hurt their feet in some way, I was pleasantly surprised that my Ballasox did not cause my ballet ravaged feet any pain. Hooray!

Yesterday I wore my Ballasox to my early morning exercise class and was still wearing them when it was time for my afternoon break.

I like them so much, I’m thinking of picking up a second pair – maybe studded this time!

Want to win a pair of Ballasox?! Whether you already have a favourite pair with you or just wish you did, the Ballasox team wants to see where you would rock your Ballasox this summer. 

To enter the contest, participants must do the following:

1. LIKE the Ballasox USA Facebook Page

2. Post a photo on FB wearing your Ballasox… or a photo of a time that you WISH you had them!

3. Hashtag the photo with #ballasoxtravels

4. SHARE the photo with your Facebook friends!

The contest will run until Friday, August 16th and winners will be picked based on creativity and number of likes!

Have fun! xox

Thank you Ballasox for sending me this lovely pair of your signature flats! I received the Ballasox free of charge in exchange for my honest review of the product. 

Show & Tell | Swooning at First Sight

As you probably know, trying online dating for the first time was a huge step for me. However, once I started to become more familiar with the world of digital romance, I realized that not only are there a plethora of dating websites, there are now a whole bunch of mobile apps designed to help you date and hook-up on the go. Would I ever use my phone to meet new people? I’m not sure. I was surprised to learn that 80% of Singles prefer mobile dating apps over traditional websites and that 4 out of 5 people would rather use their smartphones to get dates than go online the old fashioned way. Crazy right?

Now enter new dating app Swoon. As mentioned recently Hello Giggles, Swoon is a mobile dating app that brings together everything we love about the internet: anonymity, Facebook stalking and judging people. Just kidding. Not really.

By linking up with your Facebook profile, Swoon helps find cool singles nearby who are interested in you and helps you connect. Because Android users are sexy and need love too, the app is available for both iPhone and Android. All you need a Facebook profile, a dash of optimism and you can get Swooning!

Since I’m still on an online dating hiatus, I thought I would let Joe the Intern try Swoon and tell you a bit about his experiences. Take it away Joe!

“Hey Dudes. Joe the Intern here. As you may know, I’m single and dating. I’ve never tried an online dating app before, but when Simone asked me to test out Swoon and let her know what I think, I answered the call of duty. I linked the app to my Facebook profile and then BAM! I was ready to get started!”

“Swoon shows you photos of singles in your area and gives you the chance to either say “yes” or “no.”  If you both express interest, you’ll be given the opportunity to connect and chat. Within moments of signing up for the app, I was browsing through photos of singles in my area. It was pretty cool because not only was I able to see their photo, I was also able to see whether we had any Facebook friends in common or if we shared any common interests.”

“The best part is the app is anonymous, until a match agrees they both like each other. In the meantime you’re free to browse through photos of singles in your area without anyone knowing. Ellie seems like a really nice girl, but I’m not into girls with more facial hair than me. I’m glad she’ll never find out that I clicked “X” on her photo because that would be totally awkward.”

“I clicked YES for Tanya, but I guess we weren’t a match because I didn’t hear back. I wanted to click YES for Bradley but mostly because I really like his hair and might be a tiny bit jealous.”

“One of the things I liked best about Swoon was that it helped weed out what I believe the French call Les Incompatibles – the people that you can immediately tell won’t be a good match. I know it probably sounds superficial, but attraction is a visceral. If I’ve learned anything from my battle experiences, it’s that you should trust your gut.”

“Instead, you only receive messages from people who are mutually interested, like the very beautiful Mari. When we “check marked” each other, a conversation window opened. We got to know each other a bit and discovered that we both share a love of war novels and Kung Fu.”

“Overall, I enjoyed my Swoon experience and am excited that it might bring me closer to meeting someone special. That special person might even be Mari. We’re meeting up for a Jamba Juice on Friday”

Thanks for the great input Joe!

*This post was brought to you by Swoon. Please note, Swoon is an app for real humans like yourself. All opinions are my own, because that’s how I roll. 

Have you ever tried a mobile dating app? What did you think?

Review | Silver Satin & Black Lace, Oh my!

If you’ve read any of my recent lingerie reviews, you might have noticed that I’ve been on a bit of a corset and bustier kick lately. I’ve tried an Irish inspired corset, a Playboy bunny style bustier body-suit and a pretty Victorian style corset that made me feel like I belonged in a Royal court. I’ve been on a exploratory lingerie mission, trying new things in hopes of discovering what I like & don’t like. When the fabulous people over at Lovehoney sent me over the Silver Satin & Eyelash Lace Overlay Corset, I knew I’d found a winner.

The Silver Satin & Eyelash Lace Overlay Corset is a bustier style corset made with soft silver satin with a delicate black eyelash lace overlay and trim. Like your typical corset, it has plastic boning to help shape your curves, while the bustier-like underwire cups help give your bust lift and support. It comes with a set of black detachable straps and garters, as well as a matching silver satin thong. The corset also comes in Plus Sizes. I used the photo of the Plus Size corset because it gives a full frontal view of the garment. I also love how strong, sexy and confident the model looks! 🙂

When it comes to quality and fit, ordering lingerie online can sometimes be a bit of a crap-shoot. I’d never tried anything by iCollection before so I had no idea what expect. However, when I opened my package from Lovehoney, I gasped audibly. Simply put, this is a gorgeous piece of lingerie. The silver satin is really nice quality without being too stiff and the black trim is so incredibly soft. The whole garment is lined with ultra-soft material. What I love most is how the black trim contrasts against the silver satin. As someone who owns a lot of brightly coloured lingerie, I really love how simple, elegant and classic this piece is.

iCollection-Satin-and-Eyelash-Lace-Overlay-corset

The corset laces up from the back with black satin ribbons. One of the great things about this piece is that it is highly adjustable. When I first pulled it out of it’s package I was worried that it might be too small, however after loosening the ribbons a bit I was able to find the right fit for me. As you can see from the photo, there’s also a modesty panel that you can either leave in place or push to the side, depending on whether you want your bare skin to show through behind the laces.

Now for one of my favourite features of all…a side zipper! You may remember me mentioning my lingerie woes and how it can be difficult to put on a corset by yourself. The side zipper on the Silver Satin & Eyelash Lace Overlay Corset definitely helps with this issue. Instead of having to deal with awkward hooks & eyes, you can adjust the ribbons to get the right fit & then just zip yourself up. Easy! I also like how the exposed zipper adds to the vintage inspired look of this piece.

The only thing that I don’t completely love about this piece of lingerie, is the matching thong that comes with it. The thong is made of the same material as the corset and basically consists of a small triangle with pieces of elastic attached. The thong does not have a gusset, which means it’s not suitable for extended wear. I know these panties probably aren’t meant to stay on very long, but it would have been nice if they were something I could wear anytime. Instead, these will probably end up at the back of my lingerie drawer & eventually migrate to the great big lingerie pile in the sky. Including this thong with the set just seems like an odd choice because it doesn’t live up to how awesome and gorgeous the corset is. Even Grumpy Cat thinks so.

Despite the minor thong fail, I really, really love this piece- so much so that I think it’s definitely going to find it’s way onto my list of favourite products I’ve reviewed in 2013. However, the final question is – what does it look like on?

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Show & Tell | Keep Calm and Wear a Corset

Over the past year, I’ve been fortunate to work with some really great brands from the UK like Rocks Off and Lovehoney to name a few. Vibrations Direct is another fab UK brand based out of London. From bondage kits and lingerie to designer sex toys— Vibrations Direct carries 1000’s of products to tickle your fancy and get the most out of your sex life. When they asked me if I would like to review one of their pieces, I was immediately drawn in by their selection of sexy lingerie – in particular the corsets.

I eventually settled on this gorgeous nude coloured, “Victorian” inspired Ivory Grace Corset by Sweetstreak. Since most of my lingerie is either dark colours or vivid brights (like red or pink), I loved the subtle colour and delicate details of this piece.

The Ivory Grace corset is a Victorian inspired corset made with white and gold jacquard material and decorated with frill edging at the top and bottom, along with pretty bows. The material is 90% polyester and 10% spandex to allow for some give. The corset features flexible boning and a lace up back to shape your figure and  create an hour glass effect.

The corset is really pretty in person, however as you can see by the photos below, the fabric isn’t a nude or blush shade at all, but rather yellow and white with white ruffles. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing (it’s still a really pretty piece), it’s just completely different than what I expected based on the product photo.

Now for the moment of truth! Here is what the corset looks like on. The corset fit great and was very good at hugging my curves in all the right places. Although I could have cinched in the waist more to give more of the effect shown in the product photo, doing so wasn’t very comfortable. I wanted to still be able to breathe 🙂

When it comes to lingerie, I’ve discovered that corsets generally aren’t the most comfortable garments. However, you sacrifice comfort for the look. This piece made me feel sexy, supported and definitely helped me stand up straighter (ha!)

Back in the day, women of means would often have a maid who would help them get into their corset. Now I can see why – putting on a corset by yourself is a bit challenging. The Ivory Grace can either be done up by lacing up the back or by using a series of metal hooks & eyes located on the front. To get the best fit, I would suggest putting it on then using the laces at the back to adjust the garment. Once you have the perfect fit, you can leave the corset done up and then just enter/exit the garment from the front.

I had a lot of fun playing dress up in this piece. Maybe it’s the yellow & white jacquard print, or the fact that it was sent to me from jolly old England, but I felt regal in this piece…almost like I was ready to go hang out in Buckingham Palace & have tea with the Queen. Instead, I just had an awkward tea-party for one in my underwear.

Now, for the bad news. Unfortunately sometime between when I received the corset and wrote this review, Vibrations Direct stopped carrying it on their website. The good news is that they have lots of other sexy lingerie. Here’s a few pieces that I’ve been eye-ing.

1. Seven Til Midnight Scene Stealer Bra Set.

2. Seven Til Midnight Naughty Little Secret Bustier.

3. Seven Til Midnight Veronica Bustier. 

Which one do you like best? 

*Thanks to Vibrations Direct, this lovely corset was provided to me free of charge in exchange for my honest assessment of the product. All views are my own because that’s how I roll.