Your guide to buying your first sex toy

I’ve been using vibrators for 20 years. I can’t believe it’s two decades, but I guess time does fly when you’re having fun.

I bought my first toy at 18 from a store on Hay Street in Subiaco: a purple plastic rabbit, a decision inspired by THAT scene with Charlotte in Sex and the City.

Today’s options are endless, tailored and refined, and companies are finally creating toys for genders beyond the binary and all sexual orientations. And they’re marrying form and function.

More stores are now presenting toys for what they are: great accessories for a healthy sexual relationship with ourselves and our partners.

Thankfully, we no longer feel like we need to throw on a hoodie and dark glasses to duck into an adult store.

Instead, stores are marrying high-end lingerie and accessories with toys to provide a more comfortable, enjoyable and luxe shopping experience.

And the staff in stores like these aren’t sniggering at what you buy; they are knowledgeable, non-judgemental and happy to help. They’re equally willing to let you browse in peace.

Perhaps you’re not ready to walk into a store and peruse the latest range of dildos, but plenty of excellent companies make their toys available online, so you can comfortably shop in your own time.

The joys of buying online mean that you have access to plenty of reviews, and most of these companies –mainly those mentioned below– make the experience enjoyable. There’s also plenty of information on how to use and best take care of your toy.

Not sure where to start? Try Unbound, Lelo, Dame, Chakrubs and Maude if you want beauty and bang. And remember, experiment and have fun; they’re called toys for a reason, folks!

originally published in PerthNow, October 14, 2021