Guest written by Rain Andersen (@wearenotfriends_), a marketing and e-commerce coordinator for Lovers. Rain is a retired sex worker, pleasure advocate, and sexual wellness expert. Rain has worked in the adult entertainment industry for eight years and in the adult retail industry for four years.
Thinking about buying your first sex toy? Sex toys are an incredible way to enhance partnered experiences and identify the sensations that arouse you! This guide will help you to build confidence in your purchases by explaining the different styles and benefits of sex toys.
As you shop for your first vibrator, you’ll get to pick and choose the sensations that most intrigue you. At Lovers, our versatile assortment of pleasure products allows you to customize your purchases to your budget and lifestyle. We know that this can be overwhelming for a first-time buyer, so as you explore our 101-categories, you’ll learn about some of the design elements that can influence your experience with a sex toy.
QUICK LINKS:
1. Vibrators 101
2. Strokers & Cock Rings 101
3. Anal Play & Pegging 101
4. Kink & BDSM 101
5. Stamina & Libido 101
6. Lube & Condoms 101
7. Gender Affirmation 101
Vibrators are easily our best-selling sex toy, and great place for beginner's to start! First things first: what is a vibrator? A vibrator is a motorized sex toy that oscillates between different frequencies to create motion. The frequency of your vibrator can range from high-pitched and buzzy, to rumbly and penetrating, depending on the motor and material of your toy.
Further Reading:
- Vibrators 101: A beginner-friendly guide to selecting the perfect first vibe
- How to Clean Your Sex Toys: Learn how to clean your sex toys in five easy steps
- All About Sex Toys - Your Guide to the Perfect Pleasure Product: An extensive guide for selecting any style of sex toy
Shop Strokers & Cock Rings 101
People with penises are no longer limited to the inanimate, fleshy sleeves and rings that once dominated the sexual wellness market. Modern strokers and cock rings come in a variety of different styles that can enhance or recreate the sensations of oral sex and penetration. Unlike our suite of other vibrating devices, strokers and cock rings are designed specifically to stimulate different areas of the penis. These devices are meant to work in tandem with your erections, offering plenty of room for the penis to expand or shrink in size during use.
Further Reading:
- Strokers & Cock Rings 101: A beginner friendly guide to strokers & cock rings!
- How to Clean Your Stroker: Learn the best ways to care for your masturbation sleeve.
- How to Use Male Masturbators: Learn more about these iconic sex toys in our beginner's guide to masturbators!
- A Beginners Guide to Buying Cock Rings: Learn how to select and measure for the perfect cock ring.
Shop Anal 101 Shop Pegging 101
Is “butt stuff” on your bucket list but you don’t know where to start? Let our Anal 101 and Pegging 101 guides explain where to start and how to make anal play a fun, safe, and pleasurable experience. Why do people enjoy anal sex? The anus is filled with nerves and fibromuscular bands. It makes sense that such a sensitive area would bring people pleasure! For others, anal play appeals to our emotional and psychological kinks. You can’t have good anal sex without being a little vulnerable; and for this reason, many people like to use anal sex as a special treat or reserve it for special people.
Further Reading:
- Pegging 101: A beginner-friendly course in pegging!
- Anal Training 101: Learn the best ways to prep before having anal sex
- Anal 101: Explore tips and tricks for an incredible anal 'o'
- Strapped In - The Ultimate Guide to Strap On Sex: A basic guide to selecting and wearing a strap on for sex.
- A Beginner's Guide to Pegging: Read our top 5 tips for a satisfying pegging experience and everything you'll need to get started!
- The Best Harnesses for Strap-On Sex According to a Sex Educator: Let the pros help you pick out a strap-on harness that's right for you!
If any category of play required a warning label, it’s BDSM. BDSM stands for bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism, which encompasses a wide umbrella of sexual activities like spanking, role-play, edging, and consensual forced orgasms. For some people, BDSM is a lifestyle- a community that allows people to express themselves in both sexual and non-sexual contexts. For others, BDSM offers a sense of adventure and escapism from our normal sexual routines. However you like to get involved, it's important to make sure that you (and any other participants) are excited and informed about the types of activities you have planned.
Further Reading:
- Kink & BDSM 101: A beginner-friendly guide to the world of BDSM
- The ABC's of Aftercare: A beginners guide to this beloved, post-sex practice.
- Why Pain Can Be Pleasurable: A comprehensive guide to BDSM gear
- The Basics of Scripting a BDSM Scene: Learn how-to write your first BDSM 'scene' and pre-negotiate BDSM activities.
- A Beginners Guide to Restraints: Learn about the different styles of BDSM restraints, why we like being tied up, and more!
- How to Have a Consensual Forced Orgasm: An exploration of the forced orgasm, how it works, and what you need to get started!
- Dirty Talk 101: Build confidence with talking dirty to a partner using our beginners guide to dirty talk!
- Ruined Orgasms 101: Learn about the illusive ruined orgasm!
- Edging 101: A beginners guide to edge play and power dynamics.
- Nipple Play 101: Learn how to best stimulate this sensitive area.
Looking to extend your love making sessions? Wanting to have sex more frequently? Make your fantasies a reality with your choice of topical or ingestible stimulants! Lovers carries a variety of sexual stimulants designed to prolong, intensify, or enhance your sexual encounters. These powerful, performance altering products come in many forms, including pills, sprays, creams, and gels. Add a small amount of these products to your skin, or consume them prior to play, to see the most effective results!
Further Reading:
- The Science of Superpowers: An in-depth beginners guide to topical and ingestible stimulants.
- Penis Pumps 101: A beginners guide to using penis pumps for erectile dysfunction.
- Premature Ejaculation 101: Sex educator, Bobby Box discusses premature ejaculation and six techniques for extending longevity.
- The Impact of SSRI's on Your Libido: An exploration of the effect of medication on the sex drive, and what you can do to stop it.
Lubricant and condoms are not just essential for safe sex, they also help to make sex more pleasurable, helping to reduce friction, prevent tears, and provide peace of mind. Our assortment of lubricants and barrier methods offers plenty of variety, so anyone can locate a formula or a material that is suitable for their needs and body type. Explore our selection of water-based, hybrid, silicone, flavored, and sensation-enhancing glides, or select from an assortment of latex, polyisoprene, and lambskin condoms. No matter what the occasion- Lovers can recommend a lube or a condom that will take your experience to the next level!
Further Reading:
- All About Condoms: Learn the basic of how to use, store, and put on a condom.
- The Lube Guide: Find your perfect formula with our comprehensive beginners guide to lubricants!
- Why You Should Use Lube: Learn more about the benefits of using a lubricant during sex.
- Vaginal Dryness 101: Learn more about vaginal dryness, what it signifies, and how you can manage it, with this beginner guide.
Gender affirmation products refer to a category of items designed to reaffirm and validate the identity of person wearing the item. At Lovers, we carry a variety of gender affirmation products including but not limited to binders, strap-ons, packers, stp devices (stand-to-pee), and FTM strokers. These products can be worn independently or used during sexual encounters, depending on the scene and the goals of the participants.
Further Reading:
- Finding a Sex Toy with Gender Dysphoria: A guest writer offers us some tips on how to select the perfect sex toy when you are experiencing gender dysphoria.
- Packing + STP Devices 101: A comprehensive guide to wearing and using a packer or STP device for the first time!
Not sure where to start? Shop all of our 101 products!
Want more great sex tips?
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