Good Clean Love – Caribbean Rose Love Oil Review

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It’s no secret that I love massages. In fact, one of the ways that my partner first won me over was by enthusiastically offering a complete, whole-body lotion massage after my shower one day. Five years later, it still plays a large role in our foreplay — and although our favorite products are usually massage candles (for the added wax play element), we also enjoy experimenting with various oils, bars, and creams.

description textgcl oil frontIn addition to their organic Almost Naked lubricant and their health-conscious Bio-Match products, Good Clean Love also offers a line of “Love Oils.” There are 3 scents to choose from: Caribbean Rose (which I will be reviewing here), Indian Spice, & Origins (a blend of black pepper, sage, & sandalwood). Each oil is 100% vegan and free of all petrochemicals, parabens, & glycerin. Ingredients are limited, but include prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, organic simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, tocopherol, and various essential oils.

There are 2 packaging options for each scent: a 4 oz. frosted glass bottle with a metal screw-on top and a 1/3 oz. travel-friendly cylinder with a rollerball. You can even purchase all 3 scents in these smaller sizes as a gift set.

It’s important to note that because this is a product made from oil, it is NOT safe for contact with any latex contraception methods, such as condoms. (Oil causes latex to degrade and weaken, increasing the risk of breakage.) Before using latex barriers, please make sure to wash your hands, genitals, and any other body parts that may encounter both products. 

experience textWe’ve encountered some pretty horrible massage oils over the years; watery liquids that dry out in a mere matter of minutes and leave your skin feeling sticky for hours. A quality massage oil should make it easier for your hands to glide over your partner’s body, removing any of the natural drag of skin-on-skin contact. It should also make you feel relaxed and sexy — not give you the sudden, overwhelming urge to jump in the shower.

gcl oil backLet me be the first to say that Good Clean Love has done an admirable job with the quality and consistency of their Love Oil. One application easily gives you 5-10 minutes of massage time, slowly absorbing into the skin so that there’s no evidence of oil residue once you’re done. Honestly, it’s the least sticky/tacky massage oil that we’ve ever tried. My skin even feels softer and more moisturized afterwards.

While my partner & I easily agree on how great the oil quality is, we do have mixed emotions on the packaging. It’s beautiful (there’s no denying that), but there is a plastic flow regulator that has caused some disagreement. My partner argues that this makes it needlessly difficult to pour an adequate amount into your hands or onto your partner’s body. I’m rather clumsy, so my opinion is that it actually makes application easier by preventing spills and excessive pouring. But he’s right, you do have to shake the bottle around a bit.

Personally, my only complaint is one that’s totally subjective — and that’s the smell. In fact, it’s such a turn-off that I don’t think I will continue to use this particular oil, even though I love how it feels.

When I first requested Caribbean Rose, it was because I thought it sounded like the most “gentle” option. My partner and I tend to go for warm & subdued scents: vanilla and buttery, fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies, for example. For me, Caribbean Rose is just way too strong… and not very appealing either. My partner and I have tried to come up with accurate ways to describe the scent and we’ve settled on things like “your hippie grandma’s perfume” and “an entire store of potpourri.” Its supposed aphrodisiac properties are completely lost on me because I’m too busy worrying that I’ll still smell like this the next day at work.

bottom line textNormally, my advice would be to order the travel-sized option in order to test it out and decide if the smell is right for you. But the thrifty shopper in me simply can’t justify that; a single 1/3 oz. rollerball is a whopping $10 — when you can purchase the full 4 oz bottle for only $20. (Although my partner notes that the rollerball might make application easier.)

You can always try finding a brick & mortar store that carries Good Clean Love and has testers on the sales floor. (Unfortunately, I know that this is impossible for many of you. I too live in an area without any quality sex shops.) Or you can simply risk it. If you’re not very sensitive to smells, it may not bother you at all. But if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself wishing that you could enjoy this wonderful, high-quality massage oil…while trying to find a friend to pawn it off on.

2star

Pros: long-lasting, no sticky/tacky residue, limited ingredients, may make skin feel moisturized, beautiful packaging

Cons: extremely strong smell that may bother some individuals, flow regulator can make pouring difficult

Special thanks to Good Clean Love for providing me with this product in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. 

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If you’d like to purchase a Love Oil of your own, please consider ordering from my affiliate, SheVibe. 

Good Clean Love Bio-Match: Restore & Balance Review

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Good Clean Love‘s Bio-Match line was created with the vagina’s natural environment in mind, mimicking pH levels, salt balance, and lactic acid production in order to create products that are vulva-friendly and health-conscious. The line consists of two products: Restore (a lubricant) and Balance (a “personal wash”).

RestoreDescription

restoreGood Clean Love’s Bio-Match Restore is a water-based gel lubricant, which is safe for both silicone sex toys & latex barrier methods of contraception. It is free of petrochemicals, parabens, & glycerin — with a minimal list of ingredients: organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice, xanthan gum, lactic acid, natural flavor, potassium sorbate, and sodium benzoate. It can be used to add lubrication to sexual activity or simply to alleviate daily vaginal dryness and discomfort.

Restore comes packaged in a small, cardboard box that includes (1) a 2 oz. tube with a screw-on top and (2) a plastic applicator for easy internal reach. Good Clean Love estimates that each tube is good for approximately 15 applications.

Experience

restore consistencyAs I’ve mentioned before, my body’s lubricating abilities have been drastically reduced with the emergence of my “low libido.” My partner and I are always looking for a lubricant that feels natural but lasts an impressively long time, and that’s why Restore piqued my interest. If it mimicked the vagina’s natural environment, would it mimic natural lubrication too?

Turns out, it does an okay job. It’s relatively thin and slippery without being too watery and it lasted as long as we needed it to (albeit we didn’t push for any world records). However, even though the instructions say to apply to both partners, it’s definitely more of a lube for the receptive party. It dried out almost as soon as we applied it to my partner’s penis; not even lasting the few moments it took for us to get into position before intercourse.

Thankfully, it works much better when applied inside of the body, and that’s where the handy plastic applicator comes into play. As I went through the process of squirting lube directly into my vagina for the first time, I found myself wondering… Could this be injected ahead of time, purely in anticipation of sex? Would it be a good option for individuals who do not produce enough natural lubrication but maybe don’t want to pack lube with them for a night on the town?

restore applicatorThe next time my partner and I had to run some errands and go grocery shopping, we tested it. We were gone for a couple of hours, we came home, grabbed a condom (to cut down on friction, just incase the lube had dried out), and jumped straight into a PIV quickie. To my surprise, Restore had maintained its wetness — whether this is a testament more to the lube or the handy applicator that gets “all up in there,” I’m not sure.

The only thing that really bothers me about this lube is the smell. It’s similar to Almost Naked‘s vanilla cake scent, but has a twang of something that smells sour and reminds me of sterile environments. (If you’re thinking that this would taste particularly terrible, you would be correct.)

Bottom Line

Honestly, Good Clean Love’s Restore lubricant did what it was supposed to do, but it didn’t feel so good that it truly impressed me. If you’re looking for a health-concious water-based lube that comes with a handy applicator and feels somewhat natural, maybe this will be perfect for you. But I’m still smitten with their (much more cushiony) Almost Naked lube — which also happens to be more affordable ($15/4 oz vs. $20/2 oz).

restore box

3star

BalanceDescription

Whereas many commercial cleansers can be too harsh for more sensitive areas of the body (like the genitalia), Good Clean Love’s Bio-Match Balance has been specially crafted for this exact purpose. It is both petroleum and paraben-free. However, the list of ingredients is much longer than for Restore, including: water, sodium cocoamphoacetate, glycerin, lauryl glucoside, sodium cocoyl, glutamate, sodium lauryl glucoside, carboxylate, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, coco-glucoside, glyceryl oleate, lactic acid, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, mahonia, aquifolium (oregon grape) root extract, hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal) extract, allium sativum (garlic) bulb extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender oil), potassium sorbate, and sodium benzoate.

Good Clean Love’s Bio-Match Balance arrives in a 4 oz. plastic bottle with a press-to-open top and has a relatively thin, watery consistency. (It is important to note that although this product is marketed as a personal wash, the bottle clearly states that it is “for external use.“)

Experience

DSC03709_phixrFirst of all, let me say that I don’t have particularly sensitive skin. I can suds up my pubic hair & outer-most vulva bits with regular old body wash and experience no ill effects. I’m also a huge fan of cleaning in between my folds with a simple combination of washcloth & water, never allowing scented products to cross that intimate threshold. So naturally, when I first tried using Balance for its intended purpose, I felt extremely neutral. Sure, I was a fan of the soft lavender scent — and yes, it made me feel quite “fresh.” But there was nothing uniquely special about it, and that hardly justifies a $14 bottle of soap in my life.

As I was wondering how I would possibly be able to write such a lackluster review, I had an idea: I could wash my Lunette menstrual cup with this! After all, it’s made to be a mild intimate wash that is safe for vulvular contact. And although it says “external use” on the label, it wasn’t like I would be pouring it directly into my vagina. I’d simply make sure to rinse my cup very well afterwards.

The verdict? It works wonders. Generally, I like to give my cup a quick wash with soap and water whenever I empty it (to do-away with any lingering smells) and then boil it in-between my periods for a more thorough clean. Unfortunately, I’ve experienced mild irritation from certain soaps and I’m happy to report that Balance is not one of them. It helps me feel clean throughout menstruation without any discomfort or negative reactions.

It’s important to remember that this is not what Good Clean Love’s Bio-match Balance is marketed for — and may even go against their printed instructions. As I mentioned before, my body is not overly sensitive to most products, so although this worked for me, I cannot recommend this alternative use for everybody.

Bottom Line

Do I think that Balance is worth the price tag? No, not for me…even if it is a good menstrual cup cleaner. However, if you’re the type of person who has really sensitive skin and/or has a difficult time finding soap that is genital-friendly, this might be a good product to try — unless you are also sensitive to glycerin.

3star

Special thanks to Good Clean Love for providing me with these items in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. 

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If you would like to purchase Good Clean Love Bio-Match products, please consider doing so through my affiliates: SheVibe and Sexy Time Toys. 

Woodhull’s Sexual Freedom Summit 2015

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Bright and early on the morning of August 12th, my partner, myself, and a lovely friend of ours loaded up our tiny road-tripping hatchback and set off on the 9+ hour drive to Alexandria, VA for Woodhull’s Sexual Freedom Summit. You may recall that in my list of goals for 2015, I expressed a desire to attend my first sexuality conference — and with the shared travel expenses & the amazing
generosity of Tantus and njoy‘s blogger scholarship, that goal suddenly became much more attainable.

Screen Shot 2015-08-24 at 101718 AM_phixr_phixrI didn’t know what to expect from my first conference. And to be honest…there was a part of me that was panicking, fearful of being an outcast among a group of super accomplished bloggers & sex educators. I’m a dangerous combination of introvert & perfectionist by nature, with social anxiety that kicks in during new and/or crowded situations. What if I couldn’t handle the pressure to be “on” all the time? Or what if nobody understood my special brand of weirdness? 

As it turns out, I had no reason to worry; I have never felt so completely understood and, as a result, so comfortable in my own skin. Woodhull went out of their way to make us feel welcome, Tantus was amazing enough to sponsor a special Blogger’s Lounge that served as a calming oasis (and a place to squish their fabulous new dildos), JoEllen Notte (aka the Redhead Bedhead) made an encouraging video to remind everyone about the importance of self care, and there was an abundance of hugs all around. It honestly felt like I was part of a magical little sex-positive family.

Buck AngelI cried while Crista Anne shared her experience with depression that so closely matched my own. I rallied behind Lilly when she declared, “As a group, we are loud. We make shit happen. We don’t shut up.” I felt unease at the intersection of sexual consent & dementia, examined my own language for both offensiveness and trans* inclusivity, and found acceptance of my lingering sexual shame thanks to the unique way that Charlie Glickman approaches the subject. I got hands-on experience in zine-making thanks to the very talented Pleasure Pie and learned about the super impressive lube research that Sarah Mueller of Smitten Kitten has been conducting.

But most importantly, I made connections with amazing individuals that all share a common passion for sexual freedom & education. I got to meet many inspirational people in person for the first time, including Metis Black & Peyton from Tantus, Sandra & Thor from SheVibe, and the original “sex geek” Reid Mihalko. I danced with the ever-beautiful Nina Hartley and got a little teary as I thanked Buck Angel for helping me learn to love my vulva.

And then…there was the “blog squad.”

Me, Artemisia, Epiphora, Lena, Bex, Reenie, & Penny

Photo credit: Penny of www.pennysdirtythoughts.com

Dizzy was the reason that I was brave enough to venture out of my room the first day, and meeting her in person felt so natural and easy that the first few hours in the blogger’s lounge flew by. Honestly, I think that I was better at keeping up a conversation with her than I am with some people I’ve known for years, and that proved to be a good indicator for how the rest of the weekend would go.

Lena was a complete riot. I thought I was going to die when she presented a member of the Woodhull Board of Directors with a tiny dildo as a consolation for missing their floor. (It only got better when a very confused businessman that was sharing the elevator with us asked, “…What do you intend to do with that?”) She is one of those rare, super-authentic individuals that, in turn, makes you feel more free to be yourself.

Lilly, with her infamous reputation for being “100% bite,” was actually one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She’s passionate, she holds nothing back, and we desperately need more people like her in the world. I loved every moment of ranting with her about the absence of accurate electro-safety information and first-toy horrors. I never did tell her this, but…she’s my biggest blogging role model. Hers was one of the very first sex blogs I started reading, long before her focus was on toy safety. My other favorites have all disappeared over the years, but she has continued to grow and create change.

Lunabelle's amazing dildo suitcaseIn contrast, I didn’t know a whole lot about Lunabelle before the summit, but I quickly learned that it’s impossible not to adore her in all her sex ninja glory. She may have even done the impossible and turned me on to the fantasy genre with her epic suitcase full of bright & colorful dildos (which we, of course, dug into like it was Christmas in August). As sex toy reviewers, we’ve seen a lot, but this collection had all of our jaws on the floor.

Reenie was a fucking champ. As many of us were freaking out and wanting to hide, she was walking through the hotel waving around dragon cocks and inviting people to win dildos. I know she was nervous about starting conversations with so many people, but she really did make it look effortless. And when she did quiet down…I enjoyed waiting for her to pop back into the conversation in adorable & hilarious ways, like with her first dick pic.

Epiphora hosted an epic sex blogger pajama party on the last night of the summit, where we surprisingly discovered that we are post-puberty Hanson soulmates and she introduced us all to the now extinct Mr. Man. This, of course, inspired an impromptu DIY dildo brainstorming session — because some of us (like myself) are very intrigued, and the disappearance of a legitimately innovative sex toy simply isn’t fair, dammit. But seriously, Piph’s just as awesome & snarky as you all had hoped.

Bex, Nina, & Me

Photo credit: Artemisia of www.afemmecock.com

And then there’s Bex. Without her, there’s no way I would have been brave enough to dance with Nina Hartley — and none of us would have managed to make dinner happen that first night. She is a force to be reckoned with and has one of the brightest (and most seductive) smiles I’ve ever seen. Her use of the term “vagina feelings” is totally contagious and, at the risk of sounding creepy, I may have watched one of her video reviews during con-drop because it’s impossible to be sad with that glorious east coast accent.

Penny was just as sweet as I imagined she’d be. When I first found myself in a loud room full of bloggers and was feeling overwhelmed, she was the first one to come over & strike up a conversation. I’m pretty sure that she’s my kindred spirit when it comes to cats & books — except I’m not nearly cool enough to pull off this dress. Oh! And if you haven’t already checked out her Etsy shop, get on that. How else are you going to cover your coffee table in dildo coasters?

If the weekend was a roleplaying adventure, Artemisia was the glittery hero among us as she successfully defeated the Rockbox monster by spilling its battery-guts all over the hotel floor. And if that wasn’t enough… By the end of the weekend, she was able to regale us with the epic tale of obtaining not one, but two njoy Elevens (one for her; one for Bex) before sharpie tattooing perfect sex toy silhouettes on Penny’s bum. She’s totally the chosen one.

I love discovering new bloggers, and Mary & Harry were no exception. In fact, I found them to be some of the most inspiring individuals at Woodhull. Listening to the stories about how their relationship has grown over time was simply amazing and it made my heart smile, knowing that it is possible for love to embrace major change.

swag_phixrIf I have one tiny bit of sadness from the summit, it’s that I wish I would have had more time to talk to Crista. She was the one person that I couldn’t stop myself from running straight up to for hugs, and I absolutely loved hearing about her “outlaw dildo peddler” days. She is a huge inspiration of mine and one of the most warm-hearted individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

I didn’t get to talk to Caitlin or Beck much either, but I still feel honored to have met both of them. Caitlin’s fashion sense is simply to die for. I’m convinced that there’s never a moment when they don’t look absolutely stunning. And although I only got a moment’s time with Beck, I was so happy that she was able to attend the Summit after working so hard to get there.

I honestly could not have asked for a better group of people to spend my weekend with, shenanigans & all. It was such a uniquely freeing experience and it inspired me to not only become a better blogger & sex educator, but a better person in general. I realize now more than ever just how lucky I am to be a part of this online community.

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I want to thank njoy & (my affiliate) Tantus again for granting me one of the blogger scholarships. If you’re in the market for stainless steel or premium silicone toys, please consider ordering some of their beautiful products. 

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I’d also like to thank Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance for all of the amazing things they are doing to make the world a better, more sex-positive place. If you’d like to find out how to donate to their cause, simply click on the banner above.

If you’d like to read more highlights from the Sexual Freedom Summit, check out the tweets from #SFS15 or read what my fellow bloggers had to say about the experience…

HedoVibes #105

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IMG_1722Photo courtesy of KinkyBikerMom

Welcome to HedoVibes, a collection of reviews and giveaways that were posted in the past week or so from around the web. This is a collection of adult product reviews & contests from real reviewers. If you want to be included in the next edition start with the guidelines, then use the submission form.

Want to read more reviews? Check out HedoVibes for a list of the latest reviews and stellar reviewers. You can also follow on twitter for the latest round ups. HedoVibes is also accepting photo submissions for each edition.

CONTESTS

DILDOS

VIBRATORS

ANAL TOYS

BONDAGE, IMPACT, & FETISH GEAR

STRAP-ONS/HARNESSES

LUBES & CONDOMS

LINGERIE & SHOES

MISCELLANEOUS

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Good Clean Love – Almost Naked Lubricant Review

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I love lube. 

I love it so much that my partner has officially declared me a “goo hoarder” and placed an embargo on any further lube purchases until we start emptying a few bottles. But when Good Clean Love offered me some of their products in exchange for my honest opinion…well, I simply couldn’t say no. And dear holy lube gods, both my partner and I are very glad that I didn’t!

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DSC03667_phixrGood Clean Love prides themselves on being an organic, earth & body-friendly company. They are a member of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics & Organic Trade Association, a Coop American Green Company, a Certified B Corp, and certified organic by Oregon Tilth. Basically, they want to raise awareness of the potentially harmful ingredients commonly found in sexual wellness products — and offer you safe & natural alternatives. (I plan on doing a separate post on lubricant safety soon!)

Good Clean Love’s Almost Naked lubricant is free of all petrochemicals, parabens, and glycerin. It is 95% organic and 100% vegan, with a very limited list of ingredients: organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice, xanthan gum, agar, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium lactate, lactic acid, and natural flavors (including lemon & vanilla).

It arrives in a small flip-top tube and is available in 2 different sizes: a travel-handy 1.5 oz and the regular-sized 4 oz. (You can also purchase 4 ml sample packets.) The lubricant itself is a water-based gel that is safe for use with latex condoms and silicone toys.

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The first thing that I noticed about the Almost Naked lube was the smell; it’s sugary sweet and reminds me of cake icing. As a lover of all things buttercream, I obviously had to do an immediate taste test. I was surprised that, despite the distinct smell, there is little-to-no taste that can be detected — either by myself, my partner, or my wonderfully cooperative friends. (Not gonna lie… I was slightly disappointed. But I guess I don’t need to be eating  the lube.)

DSC03685_phixrAs I settled into bed with my beloved Jopen Comet II and my tube of Almost Naked, I quickly discovered that there was something special about this particular lube. First of all, the gel is simply fantastic. I can apply it to the tip of my toys and it stays perfectly still. It waits for me to spread it out in whatever way that I desire — rather than sliding out-of-control all the way to the base of the toy and dripping onto the sheets.

I’m no newcomer to gel lubricants either. I own multiple varieties, but not a single one of them will last more than a few seconds if I turn my toy upside down. Almost Naked will stay in its little “dolloped” shape without any perceptible change, completely defying gravity. It’s basically magic.

When in use, I find that the gel feels both cushiony and slippery — and a little goes a long way. (All of these things should make it absolutely fantastic for anal sex, but I haven’t personally tried it yet.) My partner and I have always used lube, but it has truly become a necessity over the last couple of years as my libido has taken a nosedive. If we’re wanting something that feels natural, we’ll definitely reach for a thinner silicone lubricant. But if we’re in the mood for extremely wet and squishy sex…Almost Naked is perfect. It never seems to dry out (no matter how hard we go at it), and yet it wipes off with no fuss.

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I can’t say it enough: I love Good Clean Love’s Almost Naked lubricant! It has amazing staying power, feels gloriously squishy, and (most importantly) is health-conscious. At approximately $15/4 oz, it is a smidge more expensive than some other water-based lubricants, but I’ve also been much more impressed with it. To be honest, I think this will be our go-to gel lubricant from now on.

5stars

Pros: gel has incredibly thick consistency, only need a small amount, long-lasting, safe for the body and the environment, water-based (so it’s safe for toys & contraception), little-to-no taste

Cons: sugary smell can be off-putting for some individuals

If you would like to purchase Good Clean Love’s Almost Naked lubricant, please consider ordering from my lovely affiliates: Good Vibrations, SheVibe, or Sexy Time Toys.

A big thanks to Good Clean Love for sending me this item in exchange for my honest & unbiased review! 

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