This toy was definitely designed
Lifestyles condoms are handed out for free at the health services building for my university. I thought--free condoms? BRING 'EM ON! I grabbed a fistful of these little darlings and ran back to my dorm all giddy to try out my free prizes. No penis? No problem! I'd brought along my handy
G-spot vibe. Since jelly toys are so hard to clean, it's always a good idea to use a condom with one. That does get expensive over time, but if your university health services offers FREE condoms...
See why I was so excited?
My excitement dimmed a bit, however, when I first opened the individual wrapper for the condom. It smelled like fish oil! What on earth...?! I wondered if it was a defective product, so I ripped open another one and took a whiff. Yup. Fish-scented condoms. There was, however, no hint of a latex odor, which I consider far more off-putting than the fish oil smell, so I shrugged and let it go.
I slipped it onto my little jelly vibrator and it was nice--it unrolled to be of typical condom size, and it wrapped all the way around the vibrator so I could actually pinch shut the opening and the insertable portion of the toy would be sealed off completely. I can't say the same about larger toys, of course, but I blew a condom up into a condom balloon and these things can really stretch!
Compared to the assorted color variety by Lifestyles, the ultra-lubricated condoms are definitely more slippery in a slicker, oilier way. I've used these with my boyfriend before and they are good, reliable condoms. One thing to look out for is that if you use
massage oil beforehand or have been using a medical cream for a vaginal infection, latex condoms WILL degrade and they WILL break on you! This is simply the chemistry behind the product.
One definite downside of using any lubricated condom is that for the most part, they use water-based lubes that contain glycerin. Most women can handle glycerin just fine, but since it is an alcohol sugar, it can exacerbate yeast problems in women prone to yeast infections. I've had a bad history with yeast, and two days after trying these condoms, I got an infection. So beware! These are good, reliable condoms that are extra-slick, but they WILL cause problems for the yeast-prone.
Weird, I've never encountered a fish oil-smelling condom. Thanks for the reminder about oil- it does degrade latex.
It was super weird for me too. I thought they'd just use extra lube for "ultra lubrication" but.... I guess they have a different formula for it? Or maybe it's the copious amounts that make the smell more apparent...?
Ew! I'd way rather buy unlubricated and use a lube I trust. Then you know what's in it and... it doesn't smell like fish.
Yeuch! I had to laugh, but I really to feel for you with the icky smell and then the unpleasant surprise two days later. However, thanks for giving the rest of us a heads up after all the pain that you went through :)
Epiphora-- well, that's the plan. I've been trying to look up the ingredients they put in the lubrication for lubricated condoms... and I've found nothing! Nothing on this website, nothing on the condom packaging... it gets pretty frustrating, but I'm continuing my research. In the meantime, though, I'm definitely buying unlubricated and getting a bottle of something safer.
Sienna-- I'm glad it brought a little cheer to your day =P
Gosh! That sounds aweful! Maybe your local health department can help you out with the free condoms. The one where I live gives them out and they even have different types for different needs. Check it out where you live, they may have unlubricated available.
I live in the dorms, and our university health services provides free condoms and lube. Unfortunately, they only give out Astroglide water-based (with glycerin and parabens) lube, and Lifestyles condoms in assorted colors (lubricated), ultra lubricated (fish oil-smelling), and unlubricated but in a MINT flavor. I have good reason to believe that mint condoms are not meant for vaginal intercourse or use with toys (unless you're fellating said toy), so.... yes. A talk with my university health services is in order.
I'm impressed with your review on condoms. I'd let the heath department know about the risks of glycerin and condoms. Perhaps they'll change brands and you'll still get free condoms!