A Beginners Guide to Sex Toys

There is a whole world of sex toys out there just waiting to be explored but if you’re a beginner it can be a little overwhelming. Let us help with our guide to sex toys for the newbie. We can help you choose the right sex toy whether it’s your first time, you’re going solo, enjoying partnered play, or you want some advice for specific sensations.

Here is Electric Love’s beginner’s guide to sex toys, we’ve got you covered. 

Why Use Sex Toys?

In a nutshell, sex toys are used to experience pleasure, boost intimacy, and help you explore your own body in new and exciting ways. Some people use the same toy time and time again, knowing they can get to that heightened sense of pleasure every time, others like to explore and try new ways to improve their sexual satisfaction, and some introduce toys with partners in an attempt to spice up their sex life. Sex toys can also be good for your health, improving blood circulation and strengthening pelvic floor muscles.

If using sex toys solo, they can be a great way to get to know your body, what feels good, and what you can live without, they can also help you achieve orgasm quicker and more intensely. In relationships, sex toys can help you learn about each other’s bodies, increasing intimacy and helping you get to know your partner on a deeper level. Sex toys can also make penetrative sex more enjoyable. Many women find achieving orgasm from penetration alone difficult but introducing clitoral stimulators such as a bullet or vibrating wand, can help you reach that goal in a fun and exciting way.

Buying Your First Sex Toy: Types and Uses.

So, where to start? Whether it’s a vibrator, dildo, or cock ring that’s tickled your fancy, we’ve explained the main types of sex toys below and what they can be used for.

Vibrators.

Vibrators are one of the most popular sex toys and come in various shapes, sizes, and intensities. Some are small and compact, others are larger and offer more surface area, and some are insertable, introducing intense sensations to both the G-Spot and P-Spot. Some examples of vibrators include:

• Bullet Vibrators – small, discreet, and great for beginners, this tiny classic sex toy is usually for external use only and they tend to offer one job so there’s not much to get your head around.
• Wand Vibrators – also great for beginners and more powerful than a bullet, wand vibrators can be battery or mains-operated, ensuring intense pleasure every time. Tend to be used externally but you can opt for different attachments that can transform your wand into a G-Spot stimulator, double penetrator, male stroker, and much more.
• Rabbit Vibrators – the most famous of vibrators delivers pleasure inside and out. Designed for dual stimulation, with little “bunny ears” providing targeted pleasure to your clitoris while the rest of the toy is inserted internally, providing intense blended orgasms.
• Anal Vibrators – vibrating anal dildos or prostrate massagers can help your body to relax and provide intense orgasms in this nerve-rich area.
• Clitoral Stimulation Toys – these can be great for use in solo and partnered play and can provide intense sensations from vibration to clitoral suction and licking which mimics the feel of oral sex.

Dildos.

Dildos are straightforward, non-vibrating sex toys used for internal stimulation. They come in various materials, sizes, and textures and some are realistic, while others are more abstract in design. They can be used both vaginally and anally, ensuring you clean them well between uses, and can be chosen to look exactly like a penis, made in virtually any skin tone with lifelike details or you can opt for glass, stainless steel, or even silicone for a softer feel.

Some dildos come with a flared base which can used alongside a harness for pegging or a suction cup, allowing your toy to remain put whilst in use. There is a dildo for every gender expression, orientation, and sexual fantasy available and if penetration is your thing, this OG of sex toys will be sure to deliver the results.

Anal Sex Toys.

Regardless of your sexual orientation, anal play can be for everyone and there are a variety of sex toys specifically designed for anal pleasure in mind. Some anal sex toy examples include:

• Butt Plugs – these cone-shaped sex toys are small and tapered with a flared base for easy insertion and prolonged wear. If used with generous amounts of water-based anal lube, butt plugs can be used to gently stretch the anus before inserting something bigger such as an anal dildo or a penis or they can be used to intensify pleasurable sensations during orgasm.
• Anal Beads – made from a series of connected beads usually made from plastic, metal, or glass that provide unique sensations when inserted and removed from the anus. They usually start with smaller beads, increasing in size to intensify pleasure when inserted. They can be used alone to enhance masturbation or with a partner to create that “full” feeling during sex.
• Prostrate Massagers – this sex toy is designed to stimulate the prostate or P-Spot for enhanced pleasure. They have a tapered tip for ease of insertion and a rounded head to ensure stimulation to the correct spot. Some prostate massagers vibrate, and others include external nodules that can massage the perineum, ensuring intense sensations in all the right places.

Cock Rings.

Cock rings, also known as stamina rings, love rings, and c-rings, help maintain erections by keeping the blood from flowing back down the penis, giving a longer-lasting and harder erection, enhancing pleasure for both partners. Some come with vibrating protrusions designed to stimulate the clitoris while others stimulate the balls, anus, or perineum for additional sensations for the wearer.

Used with lube, cock rings are made from stretchy materials like silicone and are designed to be put on when the penis is flaccid and should feel snug, not uncomfortably tight when aroused. You can get cock rings that fit over just the penis or the balls as well, offering sensual restriction during sex. Some also come with a little pouch where you can insert your bullet for added clitoral stimulation.

Penis Strokers and Sleeves.               

Penis strokers are designed to provide intense, textured sensations to the penis, by emulating the feel of a vagina, anus, or mouth. They stimulate the penis from base to tip by inserting it into the stroker and moving it as fast or slow as you like, and, just like dildos they can be made to feel super realistic with materials that feel like skin. They can even vibrate and heat up; some even do both at the same time. Penis strokers can be used in both solo and partnered play by using the open-ended varieties which leaves the tip of the penis exposed for licking and kissing. 

Penis sleeves and extenders are typically used for partnered sex and make the penis feel longer or girthier and they can also be used to delay ejaculation.

Love Eggs and Kegel Balls.

Love eggs are wearable sex toys that vibrate inside the vagina for intense G-Spot stimulation. They’re ideal for couples play as you control vibrations with a remote or app, leaving you at the mercy of your partner.

Kegel balls or Ben Wa Balls are small, weighted balls that sit inside the vagina and provide a workout for your pelvic floor. Strengthening the vaginal muscles can give stronger orgasms, and some even say they feel aroused wearing them, so you get the best of both worlds.

Strap-On’s.

Essentially a dildo fixed to a harness and used in the act of pegging. You can get vibrating strap-ons, double penetration strap-ons, and even strapless strap-ons, no matter your sexual orientation, strap-ons are an intensely intimate and pleasurable addition for couples. 

Choosing the Right Sex Toy for You.

Now we’ve gotten to grips with the basics of sex toys it’s time to understand what works for you. Get to grips with your body and what makes you feel good, and this will point you in the right direction. It’s important to understand what materials you like the feel of such as silicone, glass, or stainless steel, ensuring that whatever you choose is body-safe, non-porous, and easy to clean. When it comes to size, go for something manageable to start with, especially being a beginner with sex toys, and think about whether something waterproof would work for you, for use in the bath or shower. Think about if you want something with multiple speeds and patterns, and also if discretion is important to you, think about how noisy want your toy to be.

Safety and Hygiene Advice for Sex Toys.

It’s incredibly important to keep your sex toys clean, ensuring you clean thoroughly before and after every use, especially if you have a toy that’s compatible with vaginal and anal penetration. Use warm water and mild soap to clean or a dedicated sex toy cleaner and store them in a clean, dry place. Always use water-based lubes for anything used internally and if sharing, use a condom for hygiene purposes.

If you’re introducing toys into partnered play, communication is key. Discuss your interests, boundaries, and comfort levels beforehand, and start with something simple, working your way up as you both become more comfortable.

Choose the Right Sex Toy Every Time with Electric Love.

At Electric Love, we have an endless selection of sex toys for every anatomy, sexual orientation, and gender expression, providing every function you can think of. If you’re thinking of delving into the world of sex toys, then explore our sex toy section to get your ideas flowing and see what piques your interest.