Pleasure & Sexual Response

In this series, Gabrielle Kassel fills you in on what a given kind of toy does, how it can be used, what’s needed to use with it, how to be sure to play safe, how to get it or DIY it when you can and more.

Despite being one of the most beginner-friendly toys, because there are so many different styles, sizes, and shapes, buying one can often feel overwhelming. Ahead, a guide to demystify dildos.

Anal toys—and anal beads in particular—are often dubbed advanced sex toys, but the category itself is not off-limits to those new to the wonderful world of sex toys.

Butt plugs do exactly what they say: they plug a bumhole because it can feel good.

Learn about what an erection is, how it might look for specific bodies and hormonal profiles, and how to have some useful and fun conversations with sexual partners.

Beginner-friendly and intuitive, strokers can help people reimagine masturbation or manual sex with a partner, adding textures, sensations, and sometimes vibrations.

There’s nothing wrong with you if you’ve been aroused in a situation where you were uncomfortable or the setting wasn’t sexual.

If someone isn’t satisfied or doesn’t feel “done” after having an orgasm, that doesn’t mean something is wrong. Orgasm is rarely what makes for satisfying sexual experiences for people.

Bullet vibrators are shaped like a baby carrot. Portable, petite, and discreet, bullets are great for first-time sex toy users and those who enjoy gentler stimulation.

Suction toys use pulses of air and gentle air pressure changes to stimulate nerve-dense areas without actually touching them directly. They create a sucking or throbbing sensation that can feel like oral sex.