My condoms tucked into the arms of an Optimus Prime

Question: My new girlfriend has issues with where I store my prophylactics. That is, tucked into the arms of an Optimus Prime action figure on my bedside table. You know, Optimus Prime - the most awesome Transformer ever. I think she finds it juvenile - but isn't sex supposed to be fun? Toys are fun.

Answer: Has it occurred to you that she might not be flattered by the fact that you are displaying your condoms as a proud symbol of your promiscuity? Would you feel romantic about someone who advertises a revolving-door bedroom policy? Would you sleep with a girl who decorated her room like some kind of weirdly themed Nevada brothel?

So my first advice is to hide the condoms in a drawer beside the bed.

But there's something else to consider here too. It could be the fact that you still have an opinion as to which was "the most awesome Transformer ever" that's giving her doubts.

Think of how you look to her with this gesture: like someone who is a little too proud of being old enough to have sex with women - proud enough to boast about it - but not old enough to recognize that his childhood toys may not seem quite as "fun" to other grownups.

Should you change? Should you remove your goofy toy and try to be more mature? Of course not. If she loves you, she loves you for your innocence and your wonder - for all this goofiness.

India New Condom with Vibrating Ring

A new condom with a vibrating ring has sparked a furore in a central Indian state, where ruling Hindu nationalists say it is a sex toy and should be banned.

The government of Madhya Pradesh, which earlier this year banned sex education in schools, said the 'Crezendo' condom was not an aid to family planning and AIDS prevention, adding its use could be "against Indian culture".

"Condoms, when used for pleasure with a device like a vibrator, become a sex toy, and sex toys are banned in India," asserted Kailash Vijayvargiya, public works minister in the state, ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"We will certainly ban the product if it is found to be violative of the law or even if its use is found to be against Indian culture," he said, adding that the government should "promote family planning and not sex toys".

‘Yoga, not sex toys’

"It should encourage yoga that helps conserve and increase energy," he says.

"I am discussing it with the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan."

Crezendo condoms, launched on the Indian market about six months ago, include a tiny battery-powered vibrator attached to a ring which is designed to sit at the base of the condom.

Mukesh Gupta, the distributor of the product in the state, said Crezendos simply offered a novel way of encouraging safe sex in India — which with its population of 1.1 billion has the largest number of HIV-AIDS cases worldwide.

"It is not a sex toy but simply a pleasure enhancer that is in great demand by the people," he says.

Sex Toy Materials 4: Elastomer

What are elastomers sex toys made of?:

• In response to concerns about phthalates some manufacturers have started using elastomers to make soft rubber like sex toys.


• Elastomers are very different from the inexpensive PVC used for most sex toys. They contain no phthalates, are hypoallergenic and durable. No solvents are used in the process of manufacturing.


• Elastomers are usually suitable for people concerned with allergic reactions or chemical sensitivities.

Taking care of elastomers sex toys:

• Elastomers are slightly porous so care should be taken to clean them properly.


• They can be cleaned with mild soap and water.


• Only use a water based personal lubricant with silicone and rubber mixed sex toys.

Safer sex and elastomer sex toys:

• It is possible to transmit infections on sex toys that have not been sterilized.


• Because elastomer sex toys cannot be boiled (like silicone sex toys ) use a condom to keep them clean and free of bacteria.


• If you are going to share a sex toy with a partner use a condom on the toy to prevent transmission of bodily fluids.


• While it is not recommended, if you are going to use a toy both vaginally and anally use a condom to prevent transmission of bacteria.

Sex Toy Materials 1: Silicone

• Silicone sex toys are non-porous and can be disinfected. Even textured toys are easily cleaned.
• To clean sex toy you can boil them for 5-10 minutes, pop them in your dishwasher, or wash with soap and water. Boiling will most thoroughly disinfect your silicone sex toys. Do not boil silicone vibrators like the Heartbreaker Sex Toy. The Rock Chick Sex Toy and other silicone sex toys with removable vibes can be boiled.
• If you disinfect silicone sex toys between uses, you can share them with a partner; otherwise, use condoms. Non-lubricated condoms like the Colored Trustex or the Kiss of Mint are best for silicone sex toys.
• Silicone dildos can break at the base if they are forced into too-small rings. Be sure you have the right size harness ring for your dildo. You can get rings in the plumbing section of the hardware store, or order the 4-Ring Pack selection from us.
• Do not use silicone lubes like Eros with silicone sex toys as it can melt the silicone sex toy. Be sure to use a condom over the toy if you want to use silicone lube.

Silicone is a popular sex toy material for many good reasons: it's non-porous, hygienic, pliable, and comes in many vivid colors. It warms to the body and retains heat. It is also extremely durable. Because silicone can withstand high temperatures, you can boil silicone toys (as long as there is no vibrator unit inside) for 5-10 minutes or put them in your dishwasher to disinfect them. They also clean well with soap and water.

Silicone toys vary in their density — some are very soft (like the Mistress) while others are more rigid, but they are all pliable. The variation depends on how much silicone is poured into the mold. Silicone also carries vibration like a dream. You'll find that silicone items are often more expensive that sex toys made of other materials. Not only is the material more expensive than plastics or rubbers, but silicone toy makers are often small businesses that don't mass produce their products on an assembly line but create them in more craftslike settings. You will find the higher price worthwhile because of the longer life-span of silicone and its ability to be disinfected for use with more than one partner.

I have environmental allergies. What sex toys are safe for me to use? Silicone is hypoallergenic. We recommend silicone toys to anyone who is concerned about having a reaction to rubber and vinyl materials or scents or for people who know they do not want to use condoms on their sex toys.