Dear Princess

The reason the Duo Smartballs are not as rigid as the Original Smartballs is that they are coated in a high quality silicone which is a more flexible material. The original Smartballs are coated in a material called elastomer which is slightly more rigid. The increased flexibility is designed to make the Duo Smartballs comfortable to wear given the extra weight. In terms of inserting them make sure you use a good amount of lubricant such as Probe. Apply lube onto the balls and use the insertion indentation (at the base of the lower ball) to push to balls into your vagina. Relax your miscles as you insert and apply pressure to the lower ball to push them both inside. It's fantastic you have used the Original Smartballs for 2 years so you'll have great pelvic floor tone. Perhaps it will take a while to get used to the Duo Smartballs and the difference when inserting them.

In regards to the string, it is also made from silicone and does have quite a lot of stretch. I suggest when removing the balls you actually contract your pelvic floor muscles to help push the balls out, at the same time as pulling on the string. This may take a bit of practice to isolate the muscles around the vaginal opening but once you have mastered it, removing the Duo Smartballs will be much easier. Have a go using this technique. We'd be interested to hear your feedback as to if this is helpful in removing the Duo Smartballs...

Enjoy your inner workout!

Dear Michelle

Thanks so much for your question. The Smartballs are able to be used by women who have undergone hysterectomy once you are fully healed internally. You do not need to have a cervix or uterus in order to use the Smartballs. The Smartballs are designed to be inserted vaginally and sit comfortably on your PC muscle (pelvic fllor muscle. This muscle is attached to the pubic bone in the front and the cocyx bone at the base of the spine. The muscle sits like a platform and whilst it does hold up the base of the uterus it also supports the muscles of the vagina and anus. The PC muscle is also located in a figure 8 formation around both the vaginal and anal openings. Often after hysetrectomy women do experinece issues associated with weakening of the pelvic floor muscles. In order to keep this inner area toned and lifted and to prevent any incontinence regular use of Smartballs is definatley reccomended. I suggest you begin with the Smartball Uno whihc is the single ball. This is lihgter than the double balls of the Smartballs original and therefore easier to hold in. Once you can comfortably wear the Uno I would reccomend you move onto the Smartballs original to fully achieve optimum pelvic floor tone. Many women chose to keep using the Smartball Uno for wearing during exercise such as walking or yoga.

Ensure you use a waterbased lubricant such as Probe to allow for easy insertion of the Smartball Uno and wear on a daily basis for 6-8 weeks initially. Start off weraing the Uno around home for a couple of hours until you can comfortably wear it all day (6-8 hours). You will begin to notice a change in your muscle tone and can then wear the Smartballs a couple of days a week for maintenance.

If you find the Smartball Uno difficult to hold in do perservere. It's well worth the effort and a very importnat part of your healing process...

Enjoy your innner workout!

Dear Curios

The SmartBalls are an excellent choice for improving pelvic floor tone.
I recommend reading the SEX INFO article on SmartBalls as it covers all you need to know about SmartBalls styles and and the why and how of using them. I have popped in a quick reference from this page below.

1. SmartBalls Uno are suitable for women who have very compromised P.C. muscles, or who find the double set of SmartBalls to difficult to hold in, they are a good starting point for getting your muscles in shape.
2. SmartBalls Original are the ideal weight and many women will only use these over the years, if you started with the Uno Balls these are the next step in getting your P.C. muscles in peak shape.
3. SmartBalls Duo are for the woman who already has good pelvic floor tone and is up for the challenge of these heavier balls, we would recommend these for women who do regular pilates or Yoga or who have already got in shape with the SmartBalls Original.

As for a good vibrator to move on to, well it depends on your budget, I would recommend spening a little more and getting something skin firendly and long lasting.
 
If price is not object I would recommend the Gigi rechargeable vibrator. Fanstastic for clitoral, G-Spot and internal play, quiet, discreet, powerful and GORGEOUS.
If price is an issue, head for the Laya Spot for clitoral vibration or The Stubby for all round stimulation. Both of these are on special for October 09 so there is still time to get one.

Dear Bumblebee

We do not recommend using SmartBalls during pregnancy, with pressure already on the bladder they may not be comfortable. We do recommend using them from 6 weeks after giving birth, provided everything is healed up nicely after birth. We recommend starting with the Uno Ball and then moving onto the double set. We have had plenty of feedback from new mothers that this is definately the way to go.

Be sure to use a hypo-allergenic lubricant such as Probe with your balls to ensure comfortable movement of the balls.

If you are palnning on having more children after this one, definately keep using the balls as the better shape your muscles are in before giving birth the more quickly you will recover.

Dear R69, you have a lot of good questions. The anal passage for both women and men has many sensitive nerve endings that just love to be stimulated, once you get more practised you may like to discover the male G-Spot, that is massaging the prostate through the anal wall, and if you try any of the great prostate massagers (designed to wear both whilst making love and when playing alone) you can achieve mindblowing orgasms as the prostate and perineum are stimulated.

Many men of all sexual persuasions enjoy anal sex and anal sex will definately not make you gay. It can been a wonderfully intimate experience for your female partner to give as well as receive penetration.

I definately recommend using lubricant at all times for anal play as the membrane is quite delicate and not self lubricating, LubeXXX is the best. We ususally have Innuendo, an anal muscle relaxant if you find that you are having an issue with comfortable anal play. If it is not showing on the website you can email info@dvice.co.nz and we will let you know when it is back in stock.

A butt plug is a great place to start, something small and flexible and we recommend silicone as it is long lasting and easy to clean. Jewel or Bootie are great for beginners and when you are ready to move to more prostate stimulation check out the G Rider or in fact any of the Nexus range.

We are keenly awaiting the arrival of a new double dildo, the Share XS (smaller than the current Share and Share XL, and believe me you will want smaller than those two if you are a beginner. The Share XS is due mid-late September 2009 so take a look back after say the 19th or 20th and use the word search for Share XS. The Share is has a bulb held vaginally for the woman and a dildo for partner penetration. If the bulb is too challenging, your lady can wear a strap-on harness to hold it in place.

The Share might be something to invest in a little further down the track when you are confident you enjoy anal penetration and you and your partner have had some pleasurable experiences. Some excellent resources are the D.VICE Advice Radio Shows, you can download them as a podcast or just listen via your computer (for free). A great "How To" DVD is the Expert Guide to Anal Sex, which has real people having real sex and an instructor commentating and helping them have a great time (R18).

Hope this answers your questions. Have a great time exploring and definately on the right track if you want more and more sexual pleasure.

Hi First Timer, thanks for your email.

You have chosen a great time to get an interest in sex and sex toys. there are a great range of styles available. First think about where you enjoy the most stimulation. (guessing that you are female) clitoral or internal or both? And then think about your budget.

For clitoral stimulation I recommend the Laya Spot for a good all rounder try the Gigi, great for clitoral, internal and G-Spot and for a Rabbit style go for Serenity.

I totally recommend getting a good waterbased lubricant, always use this with your toy, and great for when you have sex with a partner, and if you want an extra juicing on the clitoris, definately try for Purr Clitoral Arousal Gel

Good luck with your adventures.

Hi there

Any of the D.VICE silicone with a round base tend to stick to the side of a shower or bath. We don't guarantee it but it most of the time they work!

Dear Caring Friend.

Great that your freind is about to embark on her sexual adventures of a life time. The vagina like any muscle, benefits from a work out, and orgasms and stimulation definately help. This is an issue that affects many women. She is probably a little tense which is not at all unusual and there are some great things that will help her.

Lubricant is a must and we recommend it for everyone except those who produce a lot of natural lube. For women Probe Silky Light is perfect and good fro guys to. Most women relax with clitoral stimulation and she might benefit most from a slim vibrator that can be used for clitoral and internal stimulation.If she can do some self discovery and work out what stimulation most arouses her then she will be able to communicate this with her partner

If she has a good budget, the Gigi would be the very best vibrator and she can use it alone and with her partner, if this is out of her price range then the Laya Spot is great, mainly for out side the body, and great for getting juiced up with clitoral stimulation allowing the vaginal muscles to relax or one of the Fun Factory mini vibrators. These all have a silicone surface which is softer than the plastic of the Misty and more comfortable with lubricant.

Purr Clitoral Arousal Gel is like a girl's best friend, she can apply this to the clitoris, a couple of minutes before making love or using a toy (as well as lubricant). It can take 4-5 times of using it for it really to work it's magic, again it gets the body aroused and penetration tends to be more comfortable.

If her partner is into oral sex, this is a great lead in for a girl, many women actually become fully aroused after the first orgasm and can be multi orgasmic, whist guys are more likely to have one orgasm per love making session. A great DVD the 'Expert Guide to Oral Sex- Cunnilingus- has excellent tips and tricks on how to give a woman a great oral orgasm. Again, after getting juiced up penetration is way more comfortable.

We wish your friend all the best and get back to us if you need any more ideas.

Hello Zo

Speed control remotes have been very difficult to source. Especially one's that actually work inside the body. We don't have any at the moment but are constantly looking for new products that are reliable and effective as well as stimulationg of course! Have you joined the mailing list? We send this out every month to 6 weeks and it features new toys, (sign up box features on every page) or you can check into the site regularly.

Dear 21 and not loving it!

Firstly, there is nothing wrong with you at all! You are still very young, so there is plenty of time to make all those sexy discoveries. I doubt whether 'everyone else' is having the great sex that they might be telling you they are either. Don't compare yourself to others, you need to find out exactly what turns you on and getting turned on by watching soft porn doesn' t mean anything other than, it's something that presses your buttons. You may be turned on by the visuals of soft porn and quite often women enjoy hearing their fellow women being pleasured in a movie. If penetrative sex is uncomfortable it could be due to you not being quite turned on enough and/or needing more lubrication. I recommend you use a good water based lubricant like Probe Silky Light for all penetrative sex and it's also great to use while masturbating. Which brings me to my next suggestion. Do you masturbate at all? Masturbation is a fantastic way to discover what and how you like to be touched. We have some great 'how to' DVD's which can help you expand your sexual repetoire. Expert Guide to Handjobs would be a great starting point for you. All these DVD's turn out some pretty hot techniques with everyday couples being the students.

Consider getting yourself a good quality vibrator like Laya Spot which will give you a variation in speeds and pulses to play around with till you discover which one/s you like best. Using it in conjunction with your lubricant while watching your DVD too would give you a good head start. When you are more confident with your new found sexuality, getting your boyfriend in the mix will be the icing on the cake.

Good luck and remember to have fun!

Hi Crampy Pants

I have had the same problem myself and usually it is associated with muscle tension from a build up to orgasm. Intense pain isn't supposed to be the reward for intnese pleasure! You may need to increase your salt intact as cramps often come about from a salt or mineral deficiency, I recommend checking out with a natropath or even your doctor. You don't necessarily need to mention how it comes about, but you could ask for a remedy for calf cramps. Try adding a bit more salt to your diet and see if this helps.

Come back to us if a dietry solution doesn't work.

Dear Maxy

The best thing to do would be to google 'violet wands' under the NZ search you will find a variety of links to places you could start this discovery.Whisperings is a good place to make further enquiries of a BDSM nature.Otherwise there are numerous overseas websites where you could make this purchase.

Dear Wanting More

You can try some different positions to get a fuller feel during sex, girl on top and guy coming in from behind can give greater penetration. Alternatively there is the Real Feel Penis Extender, an easy to use sleeve that a guys slips on over the penis to add to both the width and the length. They are very popular and give a guy a nice snug squeeze.

Dear Curious

Thanks for your enquiry about Libido enhancers. There are now thousands of Libido pills on the market making many claims and rating incredibly depending on the market they have been released into and how much publicity thy have received.

I am unclear as to the gender of your partner so have information on the libido enhancers for both women and men.

We have trialled a number of Libido products and have settled on Virilina for men and Lavigra and Purr Gel for women. These products have natural ingredients, meet FDA approval and are manufactured in the USA where competition in the quality natural market is fierce and they are producing good quality products. We know a lot of research and testing has gone into the production of these Libido pills and feel confident about their effectiveness and lack of side effects.

We require suppliers to list all ingredients to ensure that they satisfy our criteria for products absorbed into the bloodstream.

While results with natural products will always vary from person to person, we have had consistently good feedback from both customers and staff, especially with Virilina and Lavigra when they are taken daily for at least a couple of weeks to get a good buildup of the herbs and vitamins in your system.

We post both good an bad reviews and have had great reviews for all 3 products, I do recommend reading these as they are genuine customer feedback, not just something we made up ourselves!

For women we can recommend the combination of Lavigra and Purr Clitoral Arousal Gel, for Men there are some additional natural enhancers such as EdOil, which you may want to try, however the feedback for Virilina is very good on it's own.

We constantly review and look for new products and will add Hersolution to the mix, thanks for the tip, we are not looking to change at the right at the moment.

I do recommend giving Lavigra a good go, the changes may be both subtle and noticeable, and the Purr Gel also adds a turbo boost to the experience after a few uses.

Hope this helps...and have fun.

Dear Curious

The Serenity and Zenith are gorgeous 'Rabbit" vibrators, they do not actually have the "pearls" of a more traditional rabbit, they do have a good strong shaft rotation, and the tickler is multifunction which is fun and stimulating.

The silicone material (phalate free) is a real bonus and they are fairly quiet for that style of vibe. The measurements are pretty standard for a Rabbit vibrator. The measurements are the useable (that can be inserted) shaft length. This measurement is made by a ruler across so not exact.

Serenity is 13.5 cmL x 3.5-4 cmW.  Zenith is 13.5 cmL x 3.5cmW.

We recommend using a waterbased lubricant or silicone compatible, silicone lubricant to ensure the silicone material remains undamaged. Some lubricants are not good with silicone.