Sensua suede whip by LELO - review by Carrie Ann

I normally refrain from doing reviews of BDSM type toys. I'll be completely up front and admit that my guy makes his own, has been making and selling the stuff for a decade or better. Commercial products just do not live up to the standards I am accustomed to.

On the other hand, I am addicted to LELO. You see the conundrum I had to deal with here when the LELO sensual bondage accessories came out? I held myself back, kept a choke hold on my addiction right up until I saw the Sensua Suede Whip in the products list. At that point, I caved. I had to have it.

So let's start from the beginning. My first impression started when the box came in the mail. I was startled, unsure how a flogger (because it is a flogger, not a whip) could possibly fit in that little shipping box. I hadn't checked the specs before I requested it so I was expecting a full sized flogger. When I opened the box and was confronted with an inner box the size of your average photograph (4"x6") I laughed out loud.

The Sensua is a mini flogger.

The outer box is beautiful, a shiny black cardboard with a color coordinated image of the product on the outside (so mine shows a purple Sensua) as well as the LELO name in silver. Lifting the flaps on the outer box allows you to remove the inner box, which is typical LELO; solid black heavy cardboard with black LELO text. The top lifts off and the flogger is folded inside, wrapped in a lovely piece of white and silver tissue paper. Super for storage or gifting, absolutely super.

The Sensua itself is 14" long from the tips of its 30 tails to the tip of the handle. Very, very small and unassuming. It is designed for sensual experimentation, for light play, not for the BDSM extremist. It has a transparent acrylic handle with silver accents and soft, supple suede tails. The handle measures in at 5.5" long, the tails at 8.5". A very manageable length for any level of user.

The handle is heavy but not in an awkward or bulky way. It's slender, about an inch in diameter and feels substantial in the hand, which helps to control the tails when you swing with it. It doesn't feel as if it will slide out of your hand or as if you're hitting with a light, flimsy toy. It feels well made, cool and smooth in your grip. The majority of the handle is acrylic, completely smooth and sleek other than the LELO text embossed in the center of the shaft. The end of the handle is capped with a small round silver ball that appears to be either glued or threaded on. Regardless of how it's attached, it's on there securely. I couldn't tug it or twist it off no matter how hard I tried. The other end of the shaft has a small silver cap that holds the tails. It, too, is attached securely.

When it comes to the tails, they appear to be standard; cut, rolled and attached into the handle - also securely. I didn't tug on them too hard since this isn't a product meant to stand up to extreme use, but they definitely do not seem loose in any way. Each 1/8 inch wide tail, as is normal for suede, is a dark purple with lighter purple edges. The tails are pretty luxurious; very soft in the fingers, pet-able, with a distinct though not strong leather smell to them.

This is real suede so you want to be a little careful with it. It's hard to clean and very porous. If you use this on areas of the body where it may pick up body fluid, don't share it with someone else. You can wipe it down with a damp rag or buy special suede cleaner but, in reality, the lifetime of suede is relatively short. The handle can be wiped with a cloth, washed under running water or sprayed down with a toy cleaner or even a mild bleach solution. Just watch that you don't get the tails overly wet or full of harsh cleaner.