A Gainesville Sex Shop Guide to Self-Love

I’m a firm believer in self-love.
Ladies, I’m not talking about being confident enough to spend Valentine’s Day alone treating yourself to a bottle of Grey Goose and a dog you rented from UberPUPPIES.
I’m talking about masturbation.
With all this love in the air, why not open up the floor to female masturbation? Single or not, the art of touching yourself has been around since the beginning of time and women really shouldn’t be afraid to admit that fact. We all do it — or have at least tried it.
There is a certain stigma that surrounds female masturbation. It’s almost common knowledge that guys jerk off all the time, but when a girl openly talks about flickin’ the bean, a room gets quiet real fast.
This stigma can even cause some women to completely avoid masturbation all together, and this breaks my heart. Masturbation is a beautiful gift. It’s the gift of knowing your body and being comfortable with your sexuality. Masturbation gives you confidence and allows for a huge boost in your sex life — the more you know about what pleasures you, the more you can share with your partner.
So, with Valentine’s day right around the corner, Hannah and Jasmine from Gainesville’s Lingerie Co., located on 2614 SW 34th St., gave me the in’s and out’s of the self-love industry.
Where to Start
Before you run off to purchase a sex toy, you need to know what makes you satisfied. Try masturbating without assistance the first couple of times. Do you like clit or G-spot stimulation? Certain dildos stimulate different areas of the vagina and you don’t want to waste your money by purchasing your standard “sparkling pink dildo” because it looks cute. Remember, this is for your pleasure, so take your time getting to know your body before before you jump the gun.
The Basics
Dildos come in all shapes, sizes and materials. Dildos can be made from rubber, silicon, plastic or glass. Some dildo vibrate while others do not. So what’s the difference? Dildo are just dildos, right?
Toys that don’t vibrate are for girls who prefer G-spot stimulation. It’s used for penetration. Dildos that vibrate and don’t have a rabbit can be used for this stimulation as well. But most girls prefer clit stimulation alongside G-spot stimulation. For this, you’ll want a rabbit. A rabbit is something that is attached near the base of the dildo that vibrates on your clit while the toy is in you.
Glass dildos are interesting because they conduct body heat a lot better than silicon or rubber. They will heat up to your body’s temperature and they are very solid and smooth. You can also heat them in hot water for warmth or freeze them to get a cold feeling. Glass toys are easier to clean and tend to last longer because silicon and rubber get dirty faster. Most people are afraid that they may break, but it takes a lot to do damage to glass toys. A lot of females like them because they’re a lot smoother than other materials.
Oils
Some people think that oils are just used for couple massages, but there are some oils out there that can cause arousing effects. The Kama Sutra Company The Original Oil of Love is a massage oil that heats up the skin once it’s applied. It’s also edible, with flavors such as apple, mango, strawberry, blueberry, peach, vanilla, coconut pineapple and raspberry. Just be warned, this oil isn’t used for internal use.
ON AROUSAL BALM by Sensuva is a lip balm that actually tingles when you use it and actually helps your body become more aware of sexual touches.
Treat Yo’ Self
For women that are a little more experienced in the world of toys, exploring fun toy options is something you need to look into. Most dildos serve the basic vibration function, but it’s 2016, dildos can now do a lot more than that.
We Vibe 4 Plus: This is a toy that can be used alone or with a partner. The toy basically clips onto your vagina. One part goes inside your vagina while the other part goes on the outside to stimulate your clit. The best part about this toy is that it clips on the upper part of your vagina which allows for partner penetration as well. So both partners feel the pleasure. And just to add the cherry on top, it has a remote.
Afterglow: For girls who have painful periods, painful sex or other problems of that nature, this toy is for you. The toy has pulsing light radiation that is used as therapy. It has been said that after the use of this dildo, women get more orgasms and it makes sex less painful for them. It literally has healing powers, ladies.
NS Novelties Infinite Rechargeable Vibrator: This toy has three dildos attached to a vibrator. I repeat, the toy has three dildos! As you would imagine, it’s waterproof.
Minna Ola Vibrator: You’re in control with this toy. Your fingertips control the speed and help to create your own patterns of vibration. Most dildos has different modes or settings, but with Ola, you can get really creative. If you find a pattern you like, you can set the pattern with a couple taps of your fingertips and the dildo will record the pattern for you. It’s your very own DIY vibrator.
KinkLab Neon Wand (R) Electrosex Kit: The Neon Wand goes beyond vibrations. It sends electrical pulses through your skin to arouse you. Don’t worry girls, if you’re not into S&M, the wand has settings that ranges from a soft tingling to an intense shock. It comes with four different glass attachments that give off a light glow because of the electrodes in the glass. The glow comes in red or purple.
Happy Valentine’s Day, ladies.
And just remember, even if you’re taken, your boyfriend doesn’t vibrate.
All of the toys and oils mention here are available at Lingerie Co.