Over the last couple of years, conversations around masturbating and sex have become more and more common. With Gen Z and younger Millennials adopting a more pleasure-based view to sex education, attitudes towards sex are changing and discussions around masturbating are no longer hush-hush. The topic of sex toys and vibrators is becoming more and more popular.
Big, small, textured…clitoral, rabbit, wand…. internal, external… buzzy, rumbly…there are so many options to spice up your bedroom antics.
Whether for solo or partnered, sex toys can offer new sensations and help you learn what your body enjoys. But when choosing your first vibrator it can often feel overwhelming, with so much choice in shape, power, materials, and size it can be difficult to know where to start.
We’re here to help! We’ve put together our top advice on how to pick your first vibrator. Whether you’re an old hand at masturbating or new to trying self-pleasure (and looking to enjoy a new sensation whether you orgasm at the end or not) at Love Not War, our range of eco-friendly vibrators makes no compromise when it comes to your pleasure or the planet.
Be body-safe
Sex toys come in a range of different materials, from silicone to plastic to even glass and wood. We recommend using materials that are safe for your body, making sure that any allergies are accounted for and to stay away from less sustainable options like plastic.
If you open a new toy and get a whiff of stinky plastic, we advise you to send it back as the chances are it’s full of nasty chemicals that you don’t want inside your body. The sex toy industry is still largely unregulated so look out for body-safe materials like medical grade silicone which we use in our toys.
Metal is also a good option when choosing a vibrator as it offers a variety of ways to pleasure yourself including changing the temperature of the sex toy. And it’s super sustainable meaning you can have an eco-friendly sex toy. We use locally sourced recycled aluminium in our products because it is sustainable and also easy to recycle.
At love. not war, we ensure all our toys are safe for you and the earth.
Power up
Now that you have decided on the material of your vibrator, another thing to think about is how powerful do you want your vibrator to be?
Many vibrators offer a range of speeds and vibration settings. Some offer deeper, rumbling vibrations that can feel like they are going throughout the body whereas others provide more buzzy sensations that pinpoint pleasure to a specific area.
If your clit is sensitive or a lot of sensation can feel like too much, a rumbly vibrator may be the best type for you as it allows you to enjoy the sensations without overwhelming yourself.
Remember, when using vibrators, whether it's your first or 100th, the aim is for you to explore your body, enjoy the pleasure and have fun. It’s not a race to the finish line.
Internal vs External
When masturbating, do you enjoy penetration, or do you prefer to stick to playing with your clit? Sex toys, especially vibrators, come in a range of shapes and sizes to meet every person’s preference.
If you enjoy penetration, then getting yourself an internal vibrator may be the best option, like our textured Gra vibe.
However, if penetration isn’t your thing, then there is a huge range of clitoral vibrators and sex toys aimed at external play that you can explore like our bullet Amore. Amore is the perfect first-time vibrator, with a flat head that you can press directly over the clit or run over the outer labia and it’s even great for shallow internal vaginal play. Amore is an eco-friendly first-time vibrator that offers lots of new ways to explore your body in one simple design.
If G-spot action is just your thing, then an internal vibrator, like our eco-friendly Kama is the perfect first vibrator for you.
However, if you are completely new to choosing a vibrator and you’re not sure what you like, then a rabbit-style vibe like Laska might help you hit all your spots. It’s good for external and internal play, giving you the best of both worlds.
External: just the clit or all over sensations?
If you have decided that you just want to explore external play with your new vibrator you may have noticed that there is a distinction between a clit stimulator and an external vibrator. External vibrators, like a wand, are perfect for being used not just on the clit but the entirety of the vulva as well as the rest of the body.
Clitoral vibrators can also be used all over to an extent especially for nipple play, but tend to be shaped to focus more on direct contact with the clit. Deciding on what type you want can be easy if you are more sensitive around your clit or if you enjoy building your pleasure up from head to toe, but there is no wrong choice for choosing an external vibrator.
If you’re looking for a full-body sensation and want to use your new vibrator to explore not just your clit but your vulva and labia or maybe nipples, thighs or even your back then a wand vibrator, like Koi Wand, would be perfect for you. However, if you want specifically clit action; we recommend a clit stimulator like our Meile, with its rounded ball-point head and buzzy vibrations when on a higher setting, we created this vibrator to get to the point with your pleasure.
Have fun!
The final point to remember when choosing your first vibrator is that it’s a fun experience. Whether you go to a store or are looking online, take your time to see what options are available.
Using a vibrator should be a fun addition to heighten sensation, relax, and enjoy getting to know yourself.
Written by Katrina Fairhurst