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  • Durex Condom, Love

    Love ’em! This must be one of my favorite condoms. Never breaks. Never slips. And funny enough, according to the Durex website, these are the same size as Durex’s XXL! Oh the strange world of marketing. Which reminds me, Durex also felt the need to give a little gift in each of Love packaging, like a cereal box toy: It’s a stick-on tattoo of a mischievous devil that seems to be impersonating Cupid. Is this suppose to intice kinkiness? I think it’s a lame attempt of “interactive” marketing. Personally, I’ve never found the need for this. Fetishes can be found outside the box. Does anyone disagree?
    Anyway, this condom has a minimal oder of latex, it’s smooth and very elastic, making it easy to roll on, and its sensitivity is great- very comparable to any “Ultra Sensitive” brand.

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • The power of condoms, especially when invisible!

    The power of condoms, especially when invisible!

    There has been discussions by critics, such as women’s rights groups and HIV/AIDs activists, that this invention has the potential to provide more agency to women who may have little access to, or are forbidden to use condoms.  Known as the “invisible condom”, this new technology works as a gel in the form of liquid, which is introduced into the vagina.  It’s transparent, colorless, orderless and is said not to be felt by either the woman or her partner.

    This invisible condom has been under study for 17 years and is currently being tested in human trails run by Laval University in Quebec.  Basically, it is a gel containing microbiocides that act as a barrier to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.  Plus, with a bit of spermicide, it can be used to prevent pregnancy.  Thus far, the invisible condom has shown to be effective for at least two hours if stored at room temperature.
    The temperature required for its effectiveness is the current trouble for researchers.  As Dr Michel Alary, an AIDS specialist for Laval University told BBC News back in 2000, “the extremely high temperatures in sub-Saharan African countries could prevent the gel working there if it requires room temperature to be effective. Refrigerators are not readily available for most women in the area, which has one of the highest rates of AIDS in the world.”  More recent news on the research website  does not state that this problem has been overcome yet.
    Nonetheless, the purpose of this research is tremendous- demanding women have more control over their bodies; providing more negotiating power against AIDS and STIs- these are the social subjects that surround the discussion.  But certainly, there are more individuals and social groups that can benefit from this invisible condom than what mainstream news has acknowledged: Lesbians and gay men, sex workers, teens, refugees, to name a few.  Once this condom becomes available, new benefits and uses will arise, as this is common of new technology.  According to WebMD, the World Health Organization hopes to supply subsidies for low-income countries.  For North America and Europe, it should be the same price or cheaper than a male latex condom.

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • Spray-On Condom

    A new solution for the infamous condom-shape-and-size question:  The Spay On Condom.

    Spray-On Condom model
    Image from Inventorspot.com

    The Spray On Condom was inspired by spray-on plaster technology used in medicine.  This is how it works:  The penis is inserted into a cylinder chamber.  Then one pushes a button and a pump squirts liquid latex from all sides onto the penis in about 10 seconds (although the companies involved, Condom Consultancy with Vinicoand Qualo Design, have claimed that they can reduce the time to 5 seconds).  The rubber dries instantly once sprayed on and can be removed just like a regular condom.
    Now, “Spray On” does not necessarily mean that the absence of a wrapper will solve the mood-breaker problem some people experience.  There is a machine involved.  And according to InventorSpot, it hisses.  Instead, the theoretical advantage is that the latex will form to one’s unique shape and size, as opposed to typical condoms which are tailored to a public average of 5.7in length, 4.7in penis circumference.
    The Spray-On Condom is still going through human trails.  Reseachers remain to have problems with the latex spraying on evenly.

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • ONE Condoms, Super Sensitive

    Okay, I admit it.  I was lured by its original tin casing and flashy print designs.  Each new (circular not square) wrapper is crafted and submitted into a contest and then voted by consumers.  Imagine primary school art teachers incorporating this competition into their curriculum!  I also liked the fact that this condom company donates 5% of its sales to the ONE Voice Foundation, a sex education and health group.  But be warned by the hype:  A circular condom wrapper does not necessarily make it easier to open.  More importantly, this condom broke on me (or in me, I should say), despite the company priding itself on using “leading-edge manufacturing tecnhnology”, with it’s trade mark ingrediant, Sensatex (the same company that helped invent Spray On Condoms).  Yes, these condoms are sheer and smooth.  But “Super Sensitive”?  Personally, I find them no more sensitive then a regular Durex or Lifestyles.  More over, lubricant is especially necessary for these condoms.  Otherwise you risk uncomfortability and malfunction.      

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • Naomi Wolf’s Condom Story

    Here is an excerpt from Naomi Wolf’s book Promiscuities (1997), that describes her first experience with contraceptives – her trip to the clinic and then her first time doing the “deed”. It could be argued that she tends to portray the condom as a male responsibility; and also as a very unsexy aspect of sex. Nonetheless her critique of sex education, sexual agency, and youth/adult relations around contraceptive talk is an interesting contribution to condom monologues:

    “He and I could have been a poster couple for the liberal idea of responsible teen sexuality – and paradoxically, this was reflected in the lack of drama and meaning I felt crossing the threshold. Conscientious students who were mapping out our college applications and scheduling our after-school jobs to save up for tuition, we were the sort of kids who Planned Ahead. But even the preparations for losing one’s virginity felt barren of larger social significance.
    When Martin and I went together to a clinic to arrange for contraception some weeks before the actual deed, no experience could have been flatter. He waited, reading old copies of Scientific American, while I was fitted for a diaphragm (“The method with one of the highest effectiveness levels, if we are careful, and the fewest risks to you,” Martin had explained after looking it up). The offices were full of high school couples. If the management intended the mood to be welcoming to adolescents, they had done an excellent job. Cartoon strips about contraceptives were displayed in several rooms. The staff members were straight-talking, and they did not patronize. The young, bearded doctor who had fitted me treated it as if he were explaining to me a terrific new piece of equipment for some hearty activity such as rock climbing.
    In terms of the mechanics of servicing teenage desire safely in a secular, materialistic society, the experience was impeccable. The technology worked and was either cheep or free. But when we walked out, I still felt there was something important missing. It was weird to have these adults just hand you the keys to the kingdom, ask, “Any questions?,” wave, and return to their paperwork. They did not even have us wait until we could show we had learned something concrete – until we could answer some of their questions. It was easier than getting your learner’s permit to drive a car.
    Now, giving us a moral context was not their job. They had enough to handle. Their work seems in retrospect like one of the few backstops we encountered to society’s abdication of us within our sexuality. But from visiting the clinic in the absence of any other adults giving us a moral framework in which to learn about sexuality, the message we got was: “You can be an adult without trying. The only meaning this has is the meaning you give it.” There was a sense, I recall, that the adults who were the gatekeepers to society had once again failed to initiate us in any way.
    For not at the clinic, at school, in our synagogue, or anywhere in popular culture did this message come through clearly to us: sexual activity comes with responsibilities that are deeper than personal. If our parents did say this, it was scarcely reinforced outside the home. No one said, at the clinic, “You must use this diaphragm or this condom, not only because that is how you will avoid the personal disaster of unwanted pregnancy, but because if you have sex without protection you are doing something antisocial and morally objectionable. If you, boy or girl, initiate a pregnancy out of carelessness, that is dumb, regrettable behavior.” Nothing morally significant about the transfer of power from adults to teenagers was represented in that technology. It was like going to the vet: as if we were being processed not on a social but on an animal level.
    Well, the Act itself will take care of that, I thought. How did I decide that day? Civics class drove me over the edge. The thought of plowing through the electoral college – which, in all its stubborn irrationality, seemed to represent all the rigidity and hopelessness of the adult world closing in on me…..At the classroom threshold, before the teacher noticed me, I suddenly turned my heel. Down the hall, I intercepted Martin before he walked into his biology lab. I easily persuaded him, ordinarily a conscientious student, to cut class. “Today’s the day: this is it.” It felt special to be the one whose decision was so attentively awaited. We seized our backpacks from our lockers, he took my hand, and we ran up the lawn to the street car tracks just as the class bell was shrilling….
    He was shy and undressed in the bathroom. I, somewhat less so but still nervous, undressed under the sheets. When he returned, I was stunned: he was so beautiful. He shivered but let me look.
    This was not the sweet old Martin whose grandmother bought him his shirts. I had been taking art history and had spent many hours memorizing fifth-century statues of male nudes. The walls behind Martin were grimy, but he looked like one of those statues, only alive.
    My train of association connecting Martin to Praxiteles and the sublime came to an abrupt end with the production and deployment of the condom. We had the diaphragm, but there was no way I was about to deal with that yet. I was grateful not to have to think about the little rubber disk, but grateful, too, not to be directly involved with the alternative. Putting the condom on looked terribly complex. It seemed to me, watching, that if you were dextrous enough to gift-wrap an independent-minded amphibian, you could just about manage a condom.
    When we made love, it hurt, but only a little. It was nice but strange. I realized my relative good luck with every disastrous loss-of-virginity story I hear. For a seventeen-year-old boy, Martin was a rarity – a sensitive, respectful teacher. After we dressed and left, we were very hesitant, even solicitous, with each other. It would take a long time and a great deal of trust to create real exotic love between us” (Wolf, 1997: 119-24).

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • Proper Attire Condoms, Dots

    Not long ago I wrote a review of this new condom line, commenting on its unique, yet limited accessibilty.  Then I met a woman who worked at Planned Parenthood.  She carried with her a sheer sachet containing all four Proper Attire ware:  “Dots”, “Color”, “Basic” and “XL”.  She kindly handed me the yellow polka dotted pack, Proper Attire’s studded version.  This is my review:  It’s a decent condom.  Though I’ve only tried it once, “Dots” was slick and easy to roll onto my partner.  I typically find studded condoms to be rough, like a Guiro-Scrapper; or completely unnoticable.  But the studded bumps on this condom were pleasantly mild (although the woman from Planned Parenthood admitted that she did not feel the studds…to each their own, right?).  And just to clear up any confusion, it’s not the latex that is fashioned with polka dots or funcky colors; rather, the condom itself is transparent in color.  Another plus:  Both the material and lubricant smells are faint.  If you have $6.00 to spend on a 3-pack of condoms, or are lucky to get some for free from a friend, give these a try.         

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • Lifestyles, Ultra Sensitive

    Lifestlyes, Ultra Sensitive

    Lifestyles’ Ultra Sensitive latex condom is almost identical to Trojan’s Ultra Thin condom: They both contain a water-based lubricant; they both share the same shaft-width (2in); thickness is only microscopically different (Lifestyle Ultra Sensitive being thicker by .0004 in.); and their lengths are slightly off (Lifestyles is 7.5 inches long. Trojan Ultra Thin is 7.0in). Despite similarity, Ultra Sensitive felt smoother and was consistently easy to put on.  Its elasticity worked well.  I wouldn’t go so far as to say that these feel unapparent or weightless, but they are not a rubbery hindrance either. These condoms are nothing exceptional.  But if one is looking for sensitivity, I think these are a fair bet.

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • Trojan, Ultra Thin

    [ratings] Trojan Ultra ThinTrojan flags this condom as its “thinnest” one ever, with a thickness of .0020 inches. Looking at other reviews, many said that this condom breaks. I never experienced this. However, I did find this condom to be rough and dry, despite the water-based lube.  “Thinnest” does not denote sensitivity. It felt like a rubber dildo.  The ring was stiff, with little elasticity.  Ultra Thin was hard to roll onto my partner.  Each time we had to pause and fight with it to get the ring down to his base. Strange, considering that the condom is a standard 7inches in length with 2in width.

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • LifeStyles Condoms, Natural Feeling

    Lifestyle Natural Feeling CondomsNatural feeling….well, whatever “natural” means. But this condom definitely is thin. As thin as physics may allow, Natural Feeling is perhaps one of the most sensitive condoms I’ve ever felt (it would be interesting to compare “Natural Feeling” to Lifestyles’ “Ultra Thin” brand). Yet, there isn’t much else unique about it. Transparent in color with a reservoir tip. The lubricant is sheer and smooth. The latex smell is there, yet not offensively stinky. However, I did find these condoms to fit a little short and tight on my partner than most other condoms. Despite size, I feel this condom is a simple, safe choice… and satisfying, “naturally”.

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.
  • A New Sales Pitch: From Purse to Penis Fahion Accesories

    A New Sales Pitch: From Purse to Penis Fahion Accesories

    proper attire

    Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a sexual and reproductive health care provider, is receiving a percentage of proceeds from a new condom line called Proper Attire TM. What’s unique about these condoms are its stylish packaging, from pastels to polka dots to Victorian-like fig leaf print. Also new is its exclusionary retail. Sold only at boutique shops and selective hotels for $6.00 +, its mostly middle-upper class Dandies that are buying. According to Planned Parenthood News Room this new condom strategy hopes to make it cool for women to carry condoms.
    “Social taboos make some women embarrassed to buy and carry condoms. That’s why PROPER ATTIRETM was created,” said PPFA President Cecile Richards. “With its fashionable wrapping, women will now have the option to choose the right ‘attire’ for that special occasion.”
    I’m unsure how to feel about targeting women to buy condoms through the superficial rhetoric of fashion. In an attempt to debunk the stereotype that men are the condom-holders, Proper Attire seems to be investing in another gender stereotype. Furthermore, its posh prices and locale reduces accessibility.
    Would it not be more proper for condom lines to focus on effectiveness, comfort, and accessibility rather than just pretty packaging?
    Nonetheless, it is obvious that Proper Attire’s aim is to make condoms widely appealing and socially acceptable. Perhaps it is better to have a variety of choices- contraceptives feeding a range of taste, cohorts, and occasions… however those demographics are marketed. Perhaps the cause predominates its means, particularly for the non-profit.

    This site contains affiliate links. When you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our work in providing comprehensive sexual health information. We carefully select our affiliate partners and only recommend products we believe will be valuable to our readers. While we may receive compensation for purchases made through these links, this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. All opinions expressed are our own.