Tristan Taormino's Blog, page 17

Anal Advisor: Blown Out of Proportion?

I recently purchased an inflatable butt plug, and I love it. But, I always find myself a bit uneasy at first while I am pumping it up inside me. I have taken your advice and inflated it prior to insertion, but I still have an overwhelming fear of it bursting inside me if I move the wrong way. Or I fear the latex might give out from overuse. You briefly touched on this topic on your website and said you knew a couple of people who actually had an inflatable toy burst inside them. You said they were just fine, so I guess I’m just looking for some reassurance.

If this were to happen, would it be dangerous for all of that air to be forced inside of me so quickly? Aside from retrieving the pieces, should I worry if it will be painful or worse yet, damaging tissue? Perhaps I’m overreacting, but I just want to get the full amount of pleasure out of my new toy.

–Blown Out of Proportion?

I have heard of two people who’ve had an inflatable butt plug burst inside their ass, and both admitted that they were using the toy irresponsibly by over-inflating it. Both had no serious problems as a result. Realize that these are two cases I’ve heard about from thousands and thousands of people, so I think it’s probably pretty uncommon. That said, the sex toy industry is not regulated in any way and many manufacturers do not test the safety of their toys before putting them out on the shelves for consumers. So, your first line of defense is to select a toy from a well-known manufacturer with a good reputation.

Next, let’s address your concerns and talk worst case scenario. Yes, if a plug burst, a burst of air would come along with it, but not enough air to harm you; the worst it would do would give you gas. I suspect that the experience could be painful, as well as shocking to the body. Because these plugs are made of latex rubber, the pieces are soft and shouldn’t harm the rectal tissue in any way. Never, ever use an inflatable toy made of any hard materials. The bottom line is: be responsible, don’t over pump, and just relax and have a good time!

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This post, Anal Advisor: Blown Out of Proportion? originally appeared on Pucker Up on July 10, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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July 5: Joanna Angel the Rock N’ Roll, Pop Culture, and Alt Porn Star

This week on Sex Out Loud my guest is Joanna Angel, the prolific and award-winning writer, producer, director, model, and adult film star. Angel is founder and owner of Burning Angel Entertainment, which popularized alternative style girls and features adult content alongside band interviews, record reviews, and a community with its own social networking. She’ll discuss how BurningAngel.com started, where ‘alt porn’ came from, and what’s next in the world of sex, rock n’ roll, and pop culture.

This week’s show is live, so find out all the ways to listen here and you can call in with questions at 1-866-472-5788, join the discussion on Facebook or Twitter, or even e-mail me via tristan(at)puckerup.com and I’ll read them live on the air!

Joanna Angel is a writer, producer, director, model and award-winning adult film star. She is the founder and owner of BurningAngel Entertainment – a production company that pioneered a new species of erotica known as “alt porn.” Joanna has stared in over 300 XXX movies and has appeared in every major adult magazine and has graced the pages of several tattoo magazines as well. In addition to her notoriety in the adult industry, she has stormed mainstream media in both TV and radio outlets. She has been featured on Fox News, Playboy TV, Fuse TV, G4 TV, KROQ Radio, SIRIUS Radio, the 2008 series premiere of TLC’s LA Ink, and a speaking role on Adult Swim’s “Children’s Hospital.” She has also appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, The Village Voice, The New York Press, Esquire UK, Details, and Penthouse, among others. Joanna Angel has won many awards in the adult industry, for performing, directing, and for the quality of her website.

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This post, July 5: Joanna Angel the Rock N’ Roll, Pop Culture, and Alt Porn Star originally appeared on Pucker Up on July 3, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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Ask Tristan: FAQ on Silicone Toys

This past Friday we kicked off the second season of Sex Out Loud with an amazing guest, Metis Black from Tantus Inc. We had so many questions from listeners that she didn’t have time to answer them all on the air, so she graciously wrote them up for us afterwards.

Q: Who makes the silicone toys that are the very healthiest for people to use?

I like to think Tantus does. There are only a few raw silicone manufacturers and for some reason they have all come to get Tantus’ business from time to time telling us who else they sell to- so I’m pretty much in the know about who uses what. But Tantus actually doesn’t buy off the shelf silicone- we actually do have a unique formula . If a company wants our business, they have to meet our standards. Not all of them are able to.  When I saw we are the largest silicone toy maker that information comes directly from the raw material companies. We buy more RTV silicone than anyone else in North America including Fleetwood RV or Fisher Price. I was actually stunned by this news.

Q: Silicone toys are expensive compared to other types of toys. Is it very costly to make them? What is the manufacturing process? How much does the material cost, and what factors go into the pricing?

First off silicone raw materials are at least triple the cost of RTV or Latex. Then as any manufacturing business, you need to account for overhead (the building, electricity, and most of all labor). If you choose to manufacture in the USA rather than say China or other  third world manufacturing facilities, the labor expense is included in the  pricing. Tantus also gives our employees health benefits…. that goes in there too.

Q: When did silicone sex toys first enter the market?

Thank you for asking this because I love to share this information. Gosnell Duncan created the first silicone dildos in 1971 for the disabled community. He went on to create the company Scorpio who took it to Eve’s Garden, the first feminist sex toy store in the world. I first heard about Mr. Duncan from Susie Bright who was the manager for Good Vibrations at the time. GV was a tiny hole in the wall store with books and 3 vibrators (ok I don’t think that number is really accurate), but Susie saw dildos and she instantly recognized that this was something she wanted for the store.

Q: What prompted you to explore aluminum as a material (the Alumina line)?

You know I am a sex toy slut. I love toys and I have an amazing collection of some of the most original amazing designs. One of my favorite designers is Ray Cirino who made Inner Space Toys. He was the designer of all the toys in the Penthouse centerfolds. He specialized in hard acrylic toys but he also made several into metal toys, and I own a few of them. I love playing with hard toys like these and so we created Alumina.

Q: My packer, which I wear outside my body all day every day, is made of silicone. I notice that sometimes it leaves a little bit of a greasy stain sometimes. Why is that? Is it normal? Can it hurt me?

That oil is Dimethicone. It is silicone and won’t hurt you at all. Dimethicone is used to soften the silicone. You’ll find it in every silicone lubricant. Beautifully body safe.

Q: I use a cyberskin packer and clean it with soap most every day but also boil it once a month. My friend said this isn’t a good idea. Is it ok? Will it destroy it?

Cyberskin is a SEBS material and won’t stand the temperature of boiling. If you’ve been able to boil it once… than it shouldn’t have any difficulty being boiled again but I’ve yet to see a super soft material that was boilable and wasn’t silicone and I’ve been looking hard. Santiprene is boilable (it’s the soft material on toothbrushes) but it’s still too hard for most sex toys.

Q: Are there any sex toys you have a dream of creating but cannot physically manufacture? Are there limitations?

Well, there used to be. And I still can’t manufacture all the toys of my dreams in my facility, but there is technology now that allows companies to make just about anything out of silicone- being able to afford the R&D, now that can be a problem. Most toys made that are intricate have a molding expense that is pretty prohibitive of making small changes to. It’s hard to proof your toys and make certain they play to your specifications, before bringing them to market- but we’re still evolving.

Thank you all so much for listening and sharing with me your questions. I’m available on twitter if you have any more. – Metis Black  Listen to the full episode here.

You can find Tantus toys at Good Vibrations, and if you use code “TRISTANGOODVIBES”, you’ll get $20 off any purchase of $100 or more!

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This post, Ask Tristan: FAQ on Silicone Toys originally appeared on Pucker Up on July 1, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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Good Vibrations Partners with Tristan Taormino

SAN FRANCISCO (June 28th, 2013): Good Vibrations, the trusted San Francisco Bay Area based multi-channel retail company that takes pride in providing accurate information on sexuality and quality sex toys for grown-ups, is delighted to announce a new partnership with Tristan Taormino. Taormino is an award-winning author, sex educator, speaker, filmmaker, and radio show host.

 

Good Vibrations and Taormino have joined forces, inking a one year deal to collaborate on several projects including Good Vibrations as the exclusive sex toy retail sponsor for the second season of Taormino’s popular radio show, Sex Out Loud.

Taormino will act as a brand ambassador for Good Vibrations for the next twelve months. In this role, Taormino will promote Good Vibrations during public appearances and college events, write original content for the Good Vibrations online magazine, promote exclusive kits and her favorite recommended toys for the stores and website, and spearhead Good Vibrations’ annual campaign about ‘backdoor’ pleasure- Anal Pleasure Month in August.

“Good Vibrations is the original sex-positive sex toy store that dramatically changed the sex education landscape. I’ve recommended them for years because of their commitment to quality products and exceptional customer service. I’m thrilled to have Good Vibrations be the presenting sponsor of Sex Out Loud, and excited to represent such a wonderful company,” says Taormino.

Good Vibrations Executive Vice President, Jackie Strano had this to add: “We are so pleased and elated to be working together. This is a perfect partnership of two brands that deeply care about people’s pleasure and sexual health. Besides being a wonderful human being, Tristan is a powerhouse sex positive feminist mover and shaker. It’s going to be a fun year!”

About Tristan Taormino®

Tristan Taormino® is an award-winning author, sex educator, speaker, filmmaker, and radio host. She is the author of seven books and has edited 25 anthologies. Taormino is the producer and host of Sex Out Loud®, a weekly radio show on the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network. She has directed and produced twenty-four adult films that have won more than a dozen awards. She has appeared on Melissa Harris-Perry, Joy Behar: Say Anything, HBO’s Real Sex, The Howard Stern Show, Loveline, MTV, CNN, NBC, MTV, Oxygen, Fox News, and The Discovery Channel.

Sex Out Loud premeired in 2012, and is the top-rated show across the entire network. It airs live every Friday at 5:00 pm Pacific time and 8:00 pm EST.

ABOUT GOOD VIBRATIONS

Good Vibrations is the San Francisco Bay Area based retailer trusted for more than three decades to provide a comfortable, safe environment for finding sex-positive products and educational materials to enhance one’s sex life. Good Vibrations offers its products through its retail stores and website. Stores are located in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, CA and in Brookline, MA.

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This post, Good Vibrations Partners with Tristan Taormino originally appeared on Pucker Up on June 28, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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June 28: Metis Black from Tantus on the Chemistry of Sex Toys

This Friday on Sex Out Loud, I continue the show’s commitment to profile the most innovative, inventive, and ethical people in the sex toy industry, this week we have Metis Black, the founder and president of Tantus, Inc., the largest producer of silicone sex toys in America. Founded in 1997 with the intent to create art house sexual products, Black soon changed her mission to educate everyone on the use of silicone, the safest sex toy material around when created properly. The popularity of Tantus toys grew quickly and continues to expand to this day. Black will share stories from her 15+ years in the industry and answer your questions live about sex toy safety and upkeep.

This week’s show is live, so find out all the ways to listen here and you can call in with questions at 1-866-472-5788, join the discussion on Facebook or Twitter, or even e-mail me via tristan(at)puckerup.com and I’ll read them live on the air!

Metis Black founded and built Tantus, Inc., a sex toy manufacturing company that has helped change the profile of sexuality products. She has used Tantus to mainstream silicone products and educate the industry on material safety and sexuality. Metis’ success has brought her accolades inside and outside of her industry. Her articles on material safety standards in sexual products and the chemistry of personal products such as lubricants have been widely published. Some of her publishing credits include Good Vibrations Online Magazine, On Our Backs, Adult Novelty Business, XBiz, and The Free Speech Coalition. Plus she has been the “go to” industry person about sex toy material safety, quoted in hundreds of articles online and in print. Over the last decade, Metis has proven to be a champion for sex educators and a mentor to other small business owners.

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This post, June 28: Metis Black from Tantus on the Chemistry of Sex Toys originally appeared on Pucker Up on June 27, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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Your Kinky Tool Kit: A Guide to The Toys Featured in Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples

I love to feature lots of sex toys in my instructional movies, and there are plenty in Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples. When people watch my movies, they often email me to ask about a specific toy they saw in a scene. So, I’ve compiled this handy guide to all the toys in my movie, complete with links to the exact products as well as similar items and some of my favorites.

Scene 1: Lyla Storm and Danny Wylde

Satin Blindfold from Sportsheets Sex & Mischief Line

Another great one: Soft Blindfold

Pink Leather Collar

Also fun: Bound to Please Leather Collar

 

 Feather Tickler from Sportsheets Sexy Slave Kit

Other cool stuff: Flirty Feather Mini Tickler and Experimental Kink Kit

Edible goodies like Nipple Nibblers

My favorite edibles: Sensuous Chocolate Body Paint, Devour Me Lickable Oil, Lick Me Body Butter

 

My favorite massage oil candles: Ambiance Luxury Massage Candles & Ignite Me Massage Candle

plus, not to be forgotten:  We-Vibe Touch & Please Cream Lubricant

Scene 2: Adrianna Nicole and Evan Stone

Bondage cuffs with tethers from Sportsheets Sexy Slave Kit

More options: Cuff Love, Tethers & Leopard Restraints

Sex & Mischief Feathered Nipple Clamps from The Fantasy Surrender Kit

Fun without the feathers: Alligator Nipple Clamps

The Original Magic Wand Vibrator

System JO H2O Lubricant

Also great: Please Liquid Lubricant

 

Scene 3: Aiden Starr and Christian

Blindfold and Collar from Sex & Mischief Red Restraint Kit

Something fun: Soft blindfold & Red Light Wrist Restraints

Aslan Leather White Jaguar Collar

Another good one: Bound to Please Leather Collar

Black Leather Leash from Sex & Mischief Red Restraint Kit

I like this one: Black Leather Leash of Love

The Original Magic Wand Vibrator

Pjur Original Body Glide

 

Scene 4: Asa Akira and Derrick Pierce

Fur Lined Paddle

Another great paddle: Naughty and Nice Plush Paddle

Lelo Luna Beads

A different option: Hold Onto Me Kegel Balls

Little Flirt Butt Plug and MetalWorx Teaser Plug

My favorites: Sidekick Silicone Anal Plug & Njoy Pure Plug

 The Original Magic Wand Vibrator

System JO H2O Lubricant

Also great: Please Gel Lubricant (great for anal!)

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This post, Your Kinky Tool Kit: A Guide to The Toys Featured in Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples originally appeared on Pucker Up on June 27, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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Anal Advisor: Jittery Instead of Jazzed

My girlfriend and I are considering experimenting with anal play on each other. But I am really nervous. I research everything, and several medical sites indicate anal play or anal sex can be linked to loss of bowel control. We are only considering anal toys like small butt plugs and anal vibrating probes (no sharp edges and made for this activity), but I am still quite nervous.

I did try a butt plug once before privately, and afterward I was a bit discomforted and itchy. There was no bleeding or terrible pain, but it felt more like a pulled muscle. Yet it made me nervous. Is some discomfort or “itchiness” normal if it was my first time? I did use lube, but then I researched and my fear began about trying anal play again, until my courageous girlfriend suggested it.

I realize these sites often report the worse case options (e.g. a headache is brain cancer, etc.). But I think people considering anal play for the first time could really use some advice as to the risk of loss of bowel control. Small tears and such can heal, but permanent damage scares me (more than my girlfriend). Having sad that, I have close friends who are very into anal sex and none of them seem to have a bowel problem!

–Jittery Instead of Jazzed

Stick with your girlfriend and your friends on this one, and take a deep breath. Just because you want to put things up your butt doesn’t mean you’re headed into the land of adult diapers! The few cases I’ve heard of where anal penetration lead to serious problems always involved drug use and irresponsible practices like no lubrication, no warm up, and foreign objects. As long as you go slowly, use lube and appropriate butt toys, you’ll be fine.

When you engage in anal penetration, you learn how to relax and control your sphincter muscles. Contrary to common myths, you are not stretching out those muscles, loosening them, or damaging them. As for your first anal experience, it’s common for the first time you have something in your ass to feel strange. Your ass is used to expelling things, not taking them in, so the feeling takes some getting used to. The itching may have been caused by a reaction to the lube or the material of the toy. I recommend you give it another try, have some patience, and go at your own pace.

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This post, Anal Advisor: Jittery Instead of Jazzed originally appeared on Pucker Up on June 26, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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Asa & Derrick: Behind The Scenes of Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples, Blog #4

The final scene in my Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples is between Asa Akira and Derrick Pierce, and people who know my work won’t be surprised that it celebrates the butt! It starts out with a sexy spanking, where Derrick first uses his hand, then a fur covered paddle.

Since the release of Fifty Shades of Grey, sales of Kegel balls (also known as Ben Wa balls or smart balls) have been off the charts. But I haven’t really seen them used in sex ed or porn movies. I think people are really curious about this toy, so I wanted to incorporate it into a scene in this movie. When I was showing Asa all the toys I brought to set, I asked her about using the Luna Beads by Lelo. Asa’s first response was something like, “Oh, little balls, aren’t those quaint.”

If you’ve seen what Asa’s orifices are capable of taking, you too might think that she’s way beyond Kegel balls. I told her “Let’s give them a try. If you don’t like them, you can always just stop.” Well as it turns out, when the balls were inside her pussy and Derrick spanked her, the balls jostled, which made them feel like they were vibrating, right against her G-spot—and that really turned her on. I loved to see her real reaction—her surprise at how much she liked them. (Oh and when their scene was over, she was ready to take the Luna Beads by Lelo home! Of course I said yes.)

Then they got into some great anal play, with two different butt plugs, including a cool metal one. Derrick fucked her in the ass and made her beg to come, which was easy for her to do with a vibrator on her clit. Derrick is an incredible dominant, and his interviews throughout the film really speak to how thoughtful he is about what it means to do dominant/submissive roleplay. He’s smart and thinks a lot about what his partner wants and how to craft a scene to give her a particular experience. So, I feel like aspiring dominants can learn a lot from him.

Asa is obviously a major star in the adult industry, but she’s also really down to earth and embodies a powerful submissive who knows what she wants. Together in their scene, their chemistry was just off the charts. I’ve seen Derrick turned on before because I’ve worked with him many times, but there was a heat to this pairing that everyone in the room felt.

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This post, Asa & Derrick: Behind The Scenes of Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples, Blog #4 originally appeared on Pucker Up on June 24, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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Aiden & Christian: Behind The Scenes of Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples Blog #3

It’s important to show a diversity of power dyanmics in kinky sex, so I definitely wanted to represent female dominance and male submission in my Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples.

Aiden Starr is one of the most gifted dominants I know, so when I called her, I was curious about who she wanted to work with. She picked Christian, who is the go-to guy in porn for all things kinky and alternative. Plus, it’s perfect because Christian is the name of the dominant character in Fifty Shades of Grey, so I like the idea that we’re flipping that around. Aiden is the mistress of dirty talk and verbal domination, which really bring all her roleplay scenes to life. Christian works out so much that we only had one collar that would fit around his neck! (I realized too late that we could have snapped together two bondage cuffs and made them into a collar.)

Aiden takes charge with such confidence and sexiness—she’s a great role model for women who want to explore their dominant sides. She’s tiny and quiet, yet she commands attention easily. When she says she is going to use Christian’s cock for her own pleasure, she doesn’t disappoint. He’s one of the only guys I know who can actually come on command, so it’s really hot when she makes him do it.

They came up with the end of the scene themselves, where Aiden uses a vibrator to make herself come, just out of reach of Christian. He just had to watch without touching.

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This post, Aiden & Christian: Behind The Scenes of Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples Blog #3 originally appeared on Pucker Up on June 21, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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Adrianna & Evan: Behind The Scenes of Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples, Blog #2

I’ve shot Adrianna Nicole and Evan Stone together before (in Chemistry 4, The Expert Guide to Advanced Fellatio, and Rough Sex 3: Adrianna’s Dangerous Mind) and they have one of the best connections of any pair I’ve directed. They just seem to really get each other, and they embody great verbal and non-verbal communication skills; that made them perfect for my Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples.

Shooting with them is always fun. Evan arrived on set early (!) so as Adrianna was finishing makeup, Evan and I shot some BTS footage of one of the more peculiar things I’ve seen at a location house: a HUGE collection of Christmas nutcrackers. He helped me move them from the foyer downstairs (so none would get accidentally knocked over or broken). Then he took a shower, which is a thing he does before scenes. When we started to roll, Evan put Adrianna in bondage cuffs, tethered her to the bed, and she really dropped into the role of his willing captive right away.

Adrianna loves nipple clamps and we had this cool pair from the Sportsheets’ Sex and Mischief line, the kind with marabou feathers on them. The feathers on the clamps looked gorgeous against her pale skin. Before we shot the scene, we all talked about how it would go and agreed that Evan would do a lot of orgasm control and teasing.

Once they got into it, Evan was having so much fun he abandoned that idea—he just couldn’t withhold the Magic Wand vibrator or the resulting orgasms from Adrianna! He’s not the strictest of dominants when you leave him to his own devices.

That day, we also had special visitors on the set: a couple who won the chance to visit my set in a charity auction. They got to meet Adrianna and Evan and watch the scene from start to finish and were just blown away. Afterwards, they got their pictures taken with Adrianna and Evan in front of a Christmas tree. It was pretty cute.

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This post, Adrianna & Evan: Behind The Scenes of Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples, Blog #2 originally appeared on Pucker Up on June 20, 2013. Tweet This Post!

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