Sex Glossary

Condoms are typically used for penises, but there are condoms designed for vaginas as well.

Condoms are used to:

• Collect semen and prevent it from going anywhere post-ejaculation
• Prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis, and more

Some condoms have an oily substance on the outside known as spermicide. Spermicidal condoms are advertised to kill sperm as they collect semen. However, spermicide has no proven effects on killing sperm and could increase the chance of a woman getting a UTI. A condom with spermicide is still considered better for safe sex than no condom at all.

If your partner says condoms aren’t worth it, talk about it. Condoms prevent up to 98 percent of pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). If you are in healthy sexual relationships, your partner should be willing to use condoms if you want to.

Dildos typically look like penises but often come in many different shapes and sizes.

While people can’t exactly test out the inventory at Shades of Love, you could go to the produce store and get a cucumber or other cylindrical vegetable. This might sound goofy, but cucumbers are a perfectly safe item that can be a bit of fun (though you might want to wash it before you start doing the deed). If you decide to use a vegetable as an example dildo, make sure you cover it in a condom.

When you get your cucumber, adjust it for perfect use. If it’s too big, shave it down (if needed). You can also adjust the cucumber to curve to stimulate the G-spot or other erogenous zones.

Once you’ve molded your cucumber into the perfect fit, measure the length, width, and shape. When you have these details, give the Shades of Love team your dimensions and they’ll show you what fits.

If you have multiple dildos, store them apart from each other. There are no health risks with storing them together, but if the dildos rub together, the material may degrade faster. If you must store them together, separate them using fabric or cloth.

Vibrators can be used for penetration as well as external stimulation.

Clean and dry off vibrators after each use. Vibrators are designed to work in wet conditions, but too much moisture can damage the electronics inside.

Remove the vibrator batteries after each use. This will help the batteries (and the vibrator) to last longer during sex. Also, this will prevent accidentally leaving the vibrator on.

Lubes often come in three basic forms:

• Oil-based — Lubrication that helps avoid chafing over a long period of time. Not recommended for partner-based sex due to messy clean-up and possible infections. Mineral oil-based lubes also degrade condoms and render them useless. Never use mineral oil as a lubrication while using condoms.
• Water-based — Easy lubrication with simple clean-up. Water-based lubes are found in some diaphragms, condoms, dams, and other sexual protection products. These lubes can dry out the fastest and, if they contain glycerin, can cause yeast infections.
• Silicone-based — Long-lasting lubrication that is water resistant and dries out slowly. Can damage sex toys also made of silicone.

Note: Use lube on your arm or hand before sex. This makes sure you are not allergic before deciding to rub it on your most private parts (Also, it would probably be good to get your partner to test it out before use).

An anal device with a distinctive, rounded, conical shape that abruptly tapers off before reaching a flat, disc shaped bottom. This sex toy will gradually stretch the anus until it passes over the largest part of the device, after which the device abruptly tapers off to the disc shaped bottom, safely anchoring the toy and creating a “plug”.

Bondage, in the BDSM subculture (bondage and discipline, domination and submission), is the practice of consensually tying, binding, or restraining a partner for erotic, aesthetic, or somatosensory stimulation.

Common Types of Bondage:

• Rope
• Cuffs
• Bondage tape
• Self-adhering badage

Bondage can be a great activity for partners that want to play out a fantasy of domination and submission.