The Outspoken Clitic

You head me wax on before about the Hitachi Magic Wand recently, but what about the hot new kid on the block, the Fairy Mini Mini?¹ A few people have even preferred it to the Hitachi!  How does this toy measure up for us super sensitive (or, if you prefer, wussy) people?  Thanks to the good people over at MyPleasure, I can now tell you.

Pros

There are some really awesome things about the Fairy Mini Mini.  First and foremost amongst these things is the dial.  That’s right, you now have a choice between “high” and “excruciatingly high”!  The dial allows you to choose your level of power, and I ended up mostly on the lower end of the spectrum.  This tiny thing puts out a terrifying amount of power.

Another pro is that the Fairy Mini Mini is, as the name implies, rather small.  It can be used either with a plug-in wall cord or a plug-in battery pack, so it can be portable and travel-friendly, too.  It is not a huge hulking heavy thing like the Hitachi.

Cons

It has pink detailing all over it.  Hurl.

The head is small.  Part of the reason I like the Hitachi is that the head is huge, and with a towel in between me and it I can have the vibrations diffuse all over.  The same kind of use isn’t really possible with the Fairy Mini Mini.  The head is much better for pinpoint stimulation, which I can’t really tolerate, especially with the kind of power this thing puts out.

It sounds like a spaceship taking off.

Like with so many toys, personal preference is going to make or break the experience.  If you like pinpoint clit stimulation, you will love this toy, especially since the power level is so customizable.

Thanks to MyPleasure!

Final Checklist:
Tiny: ✔
Travel-Friendly: ✔
Devoid of Pink: x
Crazy Amounts of Power: ✔
Outspoken Clitic Rating: 8/10

1. Before you say anything, I know that MyPleasure calls it the Fairy Mini.  There’s a larger sibling to this toy that’s also called the Fairy Mini.  I’ve given up trying to figure out the intended names for these things. [↩]

The Hitachi needs no introduction, no special photo, no video.  You’ve all seen it.  Lots of you own it.  This is no milquetoast toy: it engenders strong opinions in everyone, both of deep, unending love or of abject terror.  Some of you have unjustified disdain for those who use it.¹ It is ubiquitous.

The Hitachi is not the prettiest girl in the room.  It’s not quiet.  It’s not small.  It’s not discreet.  There’s a reason it’s called the “Cadillac of vibrators”: back in the day, Cadillacs were the cars that thought they were houses.  I guess you could pretend that you’re using it for its intended purpose, as a back massager, but by this point most people know what the deal is.

Now, I hear you.  Right now your are rolling your eyes towards the heavens and lamenting, “oh, laughter-loving and high-crowned Aphrodite,  do we really need another Hitachi Magic Wand review?” It’s not that I’m not sympathetic to your annoyance.  It’s just that I’m going to keep going anyway.

You see, I think I have a slightly different perspective to offer on the Hitachi.  It is often bandied about that the Hitachi is great for women who have the ol’ clit o’steel, for women who have trouble having an orgasm with a partner or with a less powerful toy.  While this is most assuredly true, I would like to submit that the Hitachi is also great for those of us who have more wussy clits.  I have the wussiest clit in all of existence.² I like super diffuse vibrations.  The Hitachi is great for this, actually: I can actually position it so it’s not even touching my clit, but rather lower part of my vulva and let it shake me to orgasm.  (You don’t use the Hitachi to orgasm, it orgasms YOU.)  So even if a lot of the time I have to have a folded-up towel in between me and the Hitachi, it provides deep, rumbly vibrations to that huge surface area, which I absolutely adore.

Another great use for the Hitachi is for mornings like today’s, where I had to be out the door in five minutes, still hadn’t put on any makeup, and really, really wanted to get off before leaving.  Enter the Hitachi: I have come exactly 43.25 seconds later.  PERFECT.

Best of all are the instructions, seemingly unchanged from when the Hitachi was first marketed in the 70′s.  There’s the oft-cited “don’t use this on unexplained calf pain” warning (I would love to know why).  There’s also the “do not use for more than 30 minutes” warning, to which is hilariously appended “That should really be enough, anyway.”

Thanks to the lovely people over at Maturitoy for providing me with the Hitachi to review!

1. I should here note that any fears you might have about nerve damage or permanent desensitization should be allayed.  The rumors are grossly and irresponsibly exaggerated. [↩]
2. So do I *need* something as strong as the Hitachi to get off?  No.  Should that somehow detract from my enjoyment of the toy?  Hell no.  I would hope that we as a sex-blogging community would above all embrace the idea that it’s not any of our place to judge what toys someone uses to get off. [↩]

At this point, I own a lot of glass toys.  I’ve tried smooth glass toys, textured glass toys, straight glass toys, curved glass toys.  I am all over the glass toys.  So I feel pretty comfortable making judgments about individual toys.  The Chocolate Chip by Dream Toys Glassworks was sent to me by the awesome people over at Pinkcherry.com and is, in short, a totally serviceable and inexpensive glass dildo.  It didn’t rock my world or provide any sensations I haven’t felt before, but it performs solidly and at $30 won’t break anyone’s wallet.

Some things I really liked about the Chocolate Chip:

1) The head.  I like that the head of the dildo isn’t too pronounced.  On a lot of glass toys, the head is WAY bigger than the shaft, so sometime when you try to insert it you’re all like OMG OWWW.  I am happy to report that with the Chocolate Chip THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN!  The head of the Chocolate Chip is really tapered and easy to insert with a little lube, hooray!  It’s even got stylized notches on the underside as a nod to the real deal, but I couldn’t feel them during use.

2) The texture.  There are little black glass bumps, which, when the dildo is inserted, stimulate the entrance of the vagina.  They feel nice, and for me personally they were well placed and hit the right spots (but of course, anatomies differ and YMMV).

3) The handle.  There’s a double-blooped handle, which is really easy to hold on to for thrusting.  It’s not pronounced enough for me to declare this anal-safe, but it’s handy to have.  Alternatively, you could use the handle vaginally for a slightly girthier experience.

4) The packaging.  The Chocolate Chip comes packaged in a box that’s reminiscent of njoy packaging (did you know that there’s also a company called NJOY that makes “electronic cigarettes”?  I didn’t, until just now when I googled for the url and I’m still not really clear on what they are.  Weird).  The box is heavy cardboard and the interior is satiny-lined styrofoam.  The box also has two satiny ties, so you can secure the dildo and keep it from rolling around.  You also get an insert that shows all the other Dream Toys glass dildos.  This packaging is super classy and I would totally feel comfortable giving it as a gift to someone I felt comfortable gifting sex toys to.  Yes. 

Some things I wasn’t so thrilled about:

1) The imperfections.  I found some slight imperfections in the glass, mostly air bubbles in or around the colored bumps on the shaft.  Dream Toys’ dildos are inexpensive, and while this is great, it shows a little bit aesthetically.  Not enough to keep me from buying another toy from this manufacturer, but be aware that there may be some bubbles.

2) The curve.  The shaft IS curved, but only slightly.  In my opinion, this particular toy could stand to be a little more curved.  I like really curvy toys.

Other things to note (which are neither positive nor negative):

1) The girth.  I like the girth of this toy, but I like my dildos on the moderate-to-slim side.  So if you’re a size queen, be aware that this toy isn’t particularly thick (although, being glass, it feels larger than it actually is).  It’s no more than 1.25 inches in diameter at its widest point.

2) There has to be a 2, right?  I can’t just leave 1 hanging there or there’d have been no point in numbering this section AT ALL.  I will use this space to plug these.  They’d be awesome to use with this toy.

All in all, I think the Chocolate Chip is a great, affordable glass piece.  I own two more from the Dream Toys Glassworks line, and I have not been disappointed.  As a bonus, the Chocolate Chip does NOT come in a bag that smells weird!  So if you love glass but don’t want to shell out the big bucks, I would definitely check this out at Pinkcherry.

The Final Checklist:
Body-safe: ✔
Anal-safe: x
Textured: ✔
Oh so very affordable: ✔
Outspoken Clitic Rating: 8/10

The Outspoken Clitic presents: The Tantus Goddess

Back in December, Trinity Romance sent me the Goddess to review (then my life blew up and I had to go into hiding for a while, and I’m sorry for the lateness).  Anyway, they not only sent me this high quality silicone Tantus dildo, but they sent it wrapped in tissue paper, with a holiday card.  It totally rocked, and they are awesome.  If you haven’t checked them out, you should: they’re a really cute outfit in Squamish, British Columbia.

Let me preface this review by stating: I have become a texture enthusiast.  Smooth toys are still a’ight, but texture is where it’s at for me.  I have not, however, become a girth enthusiast (despite my best efforts).  I can only handle the smaller end of my Eleven with SERIOUS warm up, and I can’t cope with the larger end at all.  I like texture, and I tend to go for smaller-to-medium-sized toys: those are my biases, stated up front for all to see.

Given my preferences, the Goddess is like a freaking dream toy.  It’s not particularly girthy (Tantus’ website states that it is 1.55 inches in diameter, but it is in fact smaller than that, around 1.43 inches).¹ and the entire length (6.25 inches)² is heavily ridged.  These ridges are not subtle.  They stick out, they scream, they demand your attention, and they feel wonderful.  There are two largish bumps about an inch down from the very top, and, just, wow.  Aside from those two bumps, there are a few ridges on the head and wave-like ridges that radiate out from the front all along the shaft of the toy.  If you like texture, you will love this.  You will use it all the time.

Figure 1: Shot from above to illustrate relative size of the Goddess and the Leo, both given as 1.5 inches in diameter.

Figure 2: The Goddess is definitely skinnier than the Leo. It is annoying when measurements are not accurate.

The Goddess also has a hole in the base, into which can be placed a standard silver bullet (included!).  I never use these bullets.  They’re too hard to remove afterward (yes, even if you lube up the bullet before you stick it in the toy) and I find using a separate clit vibrator to be more enjoyable anyway.  But the option is there if you want it.  I usually just stick my index finger in the hole and then have an exaggeratedly long dildo-finger to point at things in my apartment with.  What?

So, to sum up: if you’re like me (thumbs up: texture, thumbs down: extreme girth), you’ll love this toy.  If you loath texture or are a size queen, you probably won’t be satisfied by the Goddess.  Oh, and it collects dust/particles like a mofo, which no one likes, but such is life.  It’s a nice, reasonably-sized dildo, and as such the texture doesn’t get overwhelming or painful.  It has become one of my favorites, so I think you should pick one up at Trinity Romance.

In case you are in a hurry and/or are too lazy to read the whole review, I am now including handy checklists to sum up each of my reviews.  Voila!

Final Checklist:
Body Safe: ✔
Harness compatible: ✔
Anal Safe: ✔
Tons of texture: ✔
Reasonable Girth: ✔
Outspoken Clitic Rating: 10/10 (There is really nothing wrong with this toy unless you hate fun.)

I leave you with this:

Hey guys, watch me point out that sweet balcony over there! I hope my neighbors aren't watching.

1. I measured the widest point of the toy with a tape measure and the circumference is 4.5 inches, which means that the diameter is only about 1.43 inches (using a value for pi of 3.14: I’m lazy, so sue me). This explains why it looks so much smaller than the Leo pictured above: despite the fact that Leo is also listed by Vixen as being 1.5 inches in diameter, it is actually closer to 1.6 (I measured a circumference of 5 inches). Now I’m kind of annoyed that everyone seems to round up or down to 1.5 inches, resulting in a lot of real-life variation. From this point on I’ll take all my own measurements for reviews. [↩]
2. This measurement is accurate. [↩]

The Fun Factory Mini Gallant (elsewhere called the Meany) is part of the Fun Factory line of smaller traditional vibes.  It’s about 5.5 inches long (with 4.5 of that being insertable silicone) and  1.125 inches in diameter (it’s a little wider near the base).  The top inch of the toy is silicone all the way through, so is softer and squishier than the rest of the toy (which has mechanical innards in the middle).  As you can see from the photo, there are three ridges on the front of the toy that provide some texture.  The Fun Factory silicone is, as usual, extremely pliable and smooth.  With the exception of the battery cap, which I’ll discuss below, the Mini Gallant is very solidly constructed.

So that’s form.  What about function?  The Mini Gallant takes 2 AAAs, so it’s not the most powerful thing in the world.  It’s most powerful around the base, and even on high settings it’s pretty quiet.  There’s a range of constant vibration settings (low to high) that you access by pushing the + button.  Once you get to the highest constant vibration setting, pushing the + button gets you to the three pulse patterns:

1) zzZZzz (up and down)

2) zz zz zz (slow pulse)

3) z z z z z  (fast pulse)

Pushing the – button takes you back down to the constant vibrations, and then once you reach the low setting, off.  It’s a pretty intuitive interface, similar to a lot of other Fun Factory toys.

The downfall of this toy is the battery cap.  It’s difficult to align when you’re trying to screw it back into place and lets water in (even though to toy is supposed to be waterproof).  But all in all, the silicone feels pretty nice, and if you don’t need a ton of power, it’s a convenient small vibe that could be good for travel.  Head over to Babeland and check it out!

Berry delight Egg by Vibratex Material: Silicone Safety: $32.99 Buy from EdenFantasys
Rating:	Vroom:	Bee:
This product was provided free of charge to the reviewer.

Bullet vibes are ubiquitous.  They’re one of the most popular types of sex toy.  And you can see why: they’re small, they’re easy to store, they’re relatively inexpensive, they’re easy to integrate into intercourse, and they’re relatively powerful (at least the ones attached to battery packs are).   The Berry Delight by Vibratex is all of those things plus a healthy dose of fun in the form of silicone nubs and funky lights.

The bullet vibe of the Berry Delight is encased in bright blue silicone with tons of nubs.  The bullet is attached to the battery pack by a thin white cord.  The vibe takes 3 AAAs, making it not *super* powerful for a bullet vibe (I find it to be slightly less powerful than the Bnaughty and the Xtreme Pack, both of which take 2AAs), but it’s head and shoulders above anything powered by watch batteries.  The battery compartment is one of those pull-out dealios, and the base can be a little annoying to twist on and off (it has to be aligned precisely).  The back also has the initials “JDM” imprinted on it, and I’m still not sure what that stands for.

The most fun part about this toy is the aforementioned funky lights.  There’s an on button and an off button (yes!): when you push the on button, the vibe turns on to the first level and the light in between the buttons lights up red.  Push the on button again and you get the second level and a green light!  The light is different for each of the seven vibration levels.  It’s entertaining, trust me.

Level 1: Low (constant), red light

Level 2: Medium (constant), green light

Level 3: High (constant), blue

Level 4: Surging (zzZzZZzzZzZZ), yellow light

Level 5: Pulsating (zz zz zz zz), blue flashing light

Level 6: Escalating (z z z z zzz), purple flashing light

Level 7: Super Surging (zzzzZzzzZZZZ), white light

The names and numbers of the vibration levels are actually listed on the front of the battery pack, so you’ll never forget.  More good news is that the bullet itself can be sterilized (boiling isn’t recommended in this case, 10% bleach solution would do just fine).  So this is a bullet you could happily and safely share.  Don’t use ANY bullet vibes for anal insertion, even if you’ve put it in a condom first.  You probably do want to put this one in a condom for vaginal insertion despite it’s superior material, since the wire connections honestly don’t seem particularly sturdy to me.

The Berry Delight hasn’t unseated either the Xtreme Pack or the Bnaughty as my go-to bullet vibes, but the silicone nubs definitely add some interesting texture and the pattern functions are pretty awesome.  Definitely worth checking out.

When I opened up Cecile’s package (sent to me by Tabutoys.com), put the batteries in, twisted the battery cap closed, and pushed the ‘on’ button, I was, quite frankly, a little underwhelmed.  The vibrations just didn’t seem strong enough to do anything for me.  The first thing I did was cycle through the settings with Cecile vibrating away happily (and quietly) in my hand.  I was very happy with the volume level: one imagines that vibrating hard materials will invariably be noisy, but not so with Cecile.  You can’t hear it through a closed door or under covers.

There are 5 settings: the first is a low constant buzz (zzzzz); the second is a slightly stronger constant buzz (ZZZZZ); the third is a constant pulse (zz…zz…zz…zz…zz); the fourth is an escalating variable pulse (zzZzZZ…zz…zz…zz); the fifth is an alternating variable pulse (zzz…z…z…z…zzzzzz).  Holding down the on/off button for two seconds at any point during the cycle turns the vibrator off (a plus in my book; it really annoys me when I have to cycle through all the settings before I get to “off”.  It can be especially terrible if you, like me, live with roommates).  When you turn Cecile back on, the vibrations start back on the first setting.

Ceramic is a truly wonderful material, so allow me to extoll its virtues–it’s hard, completely non-porous, and sterilizable (although I wouldn’t recommend the boiling or dishwasher sterilization methods since Cecile has mechanical parts.  It would definitely end badly, and the demise of such a pretty toy would be a shame).  And while I was initially concerned about vibration strength, that didn’t stop me from admiring other aspects of Cecile.  The ceramic body is smooth and glossy with gentle curves and some pretty purple detailing.  Ceramic is really hard and unyielding, and one of the advantages is that it is very slick and requires very little lube for insertion.

So imagine my surprise when I tried the Cecile and  the vibrations carried through the ceramic deliciously.  Especially the pulsation patterns.  This was, needless to say, an extremely pleasant surprise.  I could take or leave the first two settings (the constant vibration levels), but that last pulsation pattern was heavenly.  If used vaginally, it vaguely mimics thrusting and just generally feels really good.  The vibrations are somewhat diffuse, so Cecile is not the first toy I go to for direct clit stimulation, but that’s OK, since it’s designed as an internal vibrator.  So despite my initial reservations, I really love this toy.

I’m going to ruin the ending for you: the Tantus G-force is a big almost.  I was completely prepared to love it, as I do all of the Tantus toys I’ve had the good fortune to try.  But the second I pulled it out of its packaging, I was seized by trepidation.  Geeze, I thought, this thing is FLOPPY. As someone who requires very firm toys for effective g-spot stimulation, I was troubled: would this be the first Tantus toy that didn’t do it for me?  Was I going to have to write a negative review of A TANTUS TOY?!  C’nest pas possible, I thought.  I may have actually thought this in French, since I like the way it sounds.

To be sure, there’s a lot to love about the G-Force: it’s 100% silicone, it’s a pretty, deep wine color, it’s got a super comfy ergonomic grip handle with the Tantus logo stamped into the base.  It has all the quality and hallmarks we have all come to expect from Tantus.  But how would it perform?  I just kept holding it by its handle, flopping it around.  I could bend the head to touch the base with very little force, which was not, as they say, a good sign.

The shape is GREAT.  I inserted it with a little lube and it seemed to lock in on my g-spot immediately, like it was magnetically attracted there.  The handle is long, so I didn’t have to strain my short-ass arms or contort myself in any sort of awkward way to use the toy.  This is definitely a plus in my book, as my arms are very short.

Alas, it was as I had initially feared: the silicone was too floppy to provide the sort of g-spot stimulation I need.  The head itself is firm without much give, but the neck and handle are much more flexible, making it difficult to apply enough pressure to the required spots.  The handle just bends instead of transmitting the force onto the g-spot.  Frustrating.  The other problem is that the head and shaft aren’t particularly girthy, so not only could I not apply sufficient pressure to my g-spot, but I didn’t feel particularly filled up, either.  Frustrating.

The upshot: I’m saddened to have found the first Tantus toy that wasn’t 100% wow for me.  But for people who don’t require super-hard material or a good deal of pressure to please their g-spot, this toy would work really well.  Check it out and get your own at TabuToys.

$14.99The Smart Girl’s Guide to Porn Book by Violet Blue Format: Paperback Publisher: Cleis Press Inc. Buy from EdenFantasys

 As some of you know, I am an abuse survivor with PTSD.  As such, I have found it very difficult to watch, let alone enjoy, a lot of mainstream heterosexual porn.  So up until now I’ve been avoiding porn.  Really avoiding.  Recently, though, I said to myself, “Self, there’s a LOT of porn out there.  There has to be SOMETHING I can watch without it triggering a panic attack or flashback.” Having convinced myself of this, it was clear to me that the big question was how to find porn I’d be comfortable watching.  

I asked people on Twitter for their opinions, but none of them can really know what my boundaries are, what I can or cannot watch.  So I needed some more guidance.  I came across Violet Blue’s A Smart Girl’s Guide to Porn on Edenfantasys and thought it might be helpful for me, so I requested it for review.

I have to say that, for someone like me, this is a fantastic little book.  It’s clearly geared towards n00bs like myself (although the target audience is clearly not sex toy reviewers: she spends a good part of the beginning assuring readers it’s OK to enjoy porn).  She defines a lot of industry-specific terminology (a huge relief for me, since I knew very little of the terminology going into this).  There’s also a lot of discussion about the history of porn, which I found extremely interesting. (Did you know that Hungary is the European porn capitol?  I sure didn’t.)  

Her basic premise is that in order to build a porn collection you’re happy with, you have to a) do some soul searching and figure out exactly what it is you want to watch, b) try a bunch of different stuff and prepare to watch a few duds that aren’t going to do it for you in the course of your search, and c) always be willing to fast forward through things you don’t like.  

Among the interesting and useful things you will find in this book:

Good starting points for searches (since every reader will have different search criteria, Violet Blue can only really lead you to the start of your search) 

“Safer-sex” practices for your computer (although I’m a Mac user, so this was less crucial for me)

Pep-talks for getting the most out of brick-and-mortar store visits

Links to online review communities (participating can help you find what you want once you’ve narrowed down your own criteria)

A fantastic list of resources compiled in the back of the book (I was especially interested in the list of Netflix-like services for porn)

Violet Blue is extremely up front about the gender-role reinforcement and the homophobia in a lot of mainstream porn, so you know what you’re getting into.  She discusses issues in the industry from a feminist perspective.  She also breaks down the structure of the industry, explaining the relationship of the AVN and indie porn to the entire industry.  There’s a lot of really good information here that can help you figure out where you are in relationship to all the porn that’s out there.  

The upshot: this book is extremely encouraging for the uninitiated.  It gives you good jumping-off points to begin your search.  It’s well-written in a very conversational style (and short!  It took me about two hours to read the whole thing).  For people new to porn, unsure where to start, this is an excellent resource.  I could totally see giving it as a gift for the right person.  If you have experience with porn at all, though, the information in the book might be a little basic.  But for me, it was a great read.  I’ll be jumping into my porn search with Violet Blue’s expert help!

Before PinkCherry.com sent me the products in the following review, the only Intimate Organics product I’d tried was Hydra, their water-based lube.  Hydra impressed (not just me, either), and these new products do not disappoint.  Thanks to Pinkcherry.com for sending them along!  

Relaxing Lemongrass and Coconut Cleansing Bath and Shower Gel

This shower gel comes in a hefty 240mL bottle (about 8oz) with the Intimate Organics logo on the front of the label (sort of risque, I guess?  I don’t feel uncomfortable leaving it on the bathtub ledge in full view of my 3 roommates I met a month ago, but YMMV).  The smell is predominantly coconut-y: I can barely detect a hint of the lemongrass (not that I’m complaining, I love coconut).  The instructions on the side of the bottle say to dispense some of the product into your hands and work it into a lather, but like any shower gel ever created, this works better with a loofah.  You don’t use much (I use about a quarter-sized amount every time) so the bottle will last you for a while.  I’ve been using this gel for about a week and I really like it: the smell lingers after the the lather has been rinsed off and it’s a good moisturizer.  It’s also really good for shaving (legs: I haven’t tried it in this capacity anywhere else).  Is it any more relaxing than my shower otherwise would have been?  Probably not, but it does smell nice.  

Energizing Fresh Orange and Wild Ginger Body Souffle

The body souffle comes in a standard triangular-lotion-squeeze-bottle-thingie.  The bottle holds 150mL (about 5oz); I’ve been using it a lot this past week and it’s still going strong.  I’ll definitely be replacing this one once I’ve finished it.  The smell is lovely, with notes of both orange and ginger (neither one overpowers the other).  I’ve been carrying this around with me to use on my hands (again, Intimate Organics logo on the front, but I have felt totally unconspicuous pulling it out in public places).  What I like best about this lotion is that it’s absorbed by the skin remarkably quickly and doesn’t leave the skin slick or sticky (a problem I have with a lot of hand lotions).  According to the instructions it’s best used on damp skin.  I’ve used it both right out of the shower and later in the day and haven’t noticed a difference.  All around, nice product.  

All Intimate Organics products are paraben- and DEA-free, and they’re also vegan, so you don’t have to worry about what you’re putting on your skin.  Check it out: US customers go here and Canadian customers go here! 

UPDATE:  I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the whole “organic” thing Intimate Organics has going on, and I just want to clarify some things.  Intimate Organics products are USDA certified organic, which, while it’s pretty cool, only means that the plant ingredients (like the coconut, lemongrass, orange, and ginger) are grown without pesticides.  It does not mean that everything in the products is “all natural”.  In fact, Intimate Organics acknowledges this and says that all the ingredients in their products are “naturally derived”.  As for what that actually means in practice, your guess is as good as mine (after all, high-number elements on the periodic table you can only get by smashing smaller atoms together in a particle accelerator could be called “naturally derived”).  So, all in all, I think that Intimate Organics products are probably safer for your skin than drugstore brands that don’t even make an effort.  However, I’d still like to issue a general caueat emptor: these aren’t products that are free from chemicals (it’ll be hard for you to find anything that IS free from chemicals.  Chemicals are sometimes very useful and safe).  There’s a certain amount of marketing going on here, as there is with everything.  That said, I still think this stuff is pretty awesome.