Originally published @ Allure
When I first saw that a $9 sex toy was on Amazon’s best seller list, I admit I was skeptical. The Original Butterfly Kiss Vibrator from CalExotics reminded me of the first toy I ever bought back in high school when my friends and I snuck giggling into our local adult store. At first, I arrogantly thought that the quality of my sex life had upgraded significantly since high school and that my sex toys should reflect that change. I simply wasn’t convinced that a $9 G-Spot vibrator with a butterfly on it could get me off with the same power as something like an elegantly designed $95 vibrator.
However, other reviewers were fully on board. “This little guy is great. Gets the job done,” says Amazon customer Emily, one of 1,500 users who rated the toy a full five stars. So, I set off to test it for myself, and I was a bit surprised by what happened when I did.
How does the Original Butterfly Kiss Vibrator work?
The toy may indeed invoke sex toy memories from a decade or so ago: it doesn’t charge with a USB cord, and there’s no app component. You have to go to the pharmacy and buy a pack of triple-A batteries to get started, just like you did when the original Sabrina the Teenage Witch was your favorite show. After inserting the batteries (and trying multiple times to put them in the right way), I found that with a push of a button at the base, the toy offers three different vibration speeds.
Is this vibrator safe to use long-term?
The reason I’m hesitant about inexpensive sex toys isn’t that I feel a need to masturbate solely with name-brand vibrators that come with a high price tag, but because of the material they’re often made from. Experts tend to agree that when it comes to sex toys or anything you’re putting inside of your body, you should stick with something made out of a safe, non-porous material, such as medical grade silicone or glass.
The Original Butterfly Kiss Vibrator is advertised as being made with “body-safe TPR silicone.” However, it may not truly be body-safe. “TPR, while in theory non-toxic, has a number of issues,” says Kenton Johnston, sex toy expert at FunKit Toys. First and foremost, it isn’t a single material, but a category of many materials. It stands for thermoplastic elastomer, which just refers to any plastic blend that’s rubbery. So you don’t necessarily know what you’re getting — what you do know is that it’s porous and can harbor microbes, including mold and pathogens,” he says.
That means that you can’t sanitize it as properly as you can a toy made with medical-grade silicone, glass, or steel. Why does that matter? Because according to Dangerous Lilly, porous sex toys make a great home for fungus and bacteria over time — and that’s the last thing you want to insert into your body. Using toys made with porous ingredients, which therefore can’t be properly sanitized, can lead to yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and transmission of STIs if used by more than one person, Johnson says.
Will using it for a bit cause you any serious bodily harm? It’s unlikely. However, think of Original Butterfly Kiss Vibrator more like a fling than a long-term relationship. Do you want a life-long partnership with this sex toy? No. Can you have fun with it during cuffing season then toss it out and invest in something higher-quality after the new year? That’s ultimately your decision, but people certainly make more dangerous decisions with their body every day than using an Amazon vibrator that may not be body-safe.
So did it get me off as easily as pricier vibrators?
Honestly, even though I was skeptical, it felt really good and made me come just as nicely as sex toys ten times the price. The butterfly shape wrapped surprisingly well around my clit, and the shorter internal bulb-shaped portion perfectly hit my G-Spot (of course, I’m speaking for myself and all anatomy is different).
Is it worth the $9 Amazon click of a button if you’re looking for a cheap and easy sex toy? Absolutely. But I admit, I did worry a bit about possible health ramifications, which isn’t exactly conducive to a relaxing masturbation session.
What are some better body-safe options?
“To be as safe as possible when choosing a sex toy, look for ones made of hard plastic, pure silicone, stainless steel, glass, ceramic, or aluminum, which are all non-porous, free of phthalates, and easy to clean,” says somatic psychologist and sex therapist Holly Richmond. The Ina 2 by Lelo is a wonderful rabbit-style vibrator made with non-porous silicone, but it will cost you $189.
If you’re willing to step outside the world of rabbit vibrators and just want something to get you off without breaking the bank (or your vagina due to a bacterial infection), opt for a bullet vibe. For people with clitorises, the Iroha Mini Vibe by Tenga is body-safe and highly orgasmic. It costs $30, so just $20 more than the Butterfly Kiss, but it’s twenty bucks worth of worry-free fun.
