Bloom - traditional vibrator by Leaf - review by Peggi

Bloom, one of the selections in the Leaf collection, is a 100% silicone vibrating toy in the shape of a possibly soon to blossom bud and stem. This toy is geared more towards women and is best used to stimulate the clitoris, nipples or anus. Bloom may also be inserted for vaginal pleasure, but is not angled to specifically hit the G-spot. Men may also enjoy using Bloom to give additional stimulation to the penis or balls. Although there are two motors, this toy is not meant as a double-ended vibrator. With its unique shape and easy to use controls, Bloom is an eye-catcher for those new to toys, those with experience in toys, and those who collect unique toys!

Also to the Leaf line are Life, Vitality, Touch, Fresh, and Spirit.

This nearly seamless, 100% silicone toy is very smooth and velvety to the touch. None of the seams can be felt during use and are barely noticeable at all unless you are looking for them. While you can easily glide a finger over the smooth texture, there is some drag against the skin during use. This can easily be fixed by using a water-based lubricant of your choice. Because silicone is easy to grip, Bloom is easy to hold on to.

While there is no distinct taste to Bloom, there is a light odor similar to rubber. This toy is free of any phthalates and is hypo-allergenic. Easy to clean and non-porous materials help to give it a high safety rating.

The silicone coating to Bloom allows for some added stimulation. Adding more or reducing the amount of lubricant you use, you are in control of the amount of drag against your skin that this toy will provide! Because of the easy-to-use design and fun but practical shape of the toy, this would be an excellent choice for a beginner to toys. With the various speeds from low to high and pinpoint accuracy for stimulation, this is also a great choice for those with toy experience!

There is a lot of give and flexibility to the toy, so it is not going to be as hard on your cervix as some toys may be, and should not cause bruising.

Bloom is shaped to replicate a blooming flower still in its bud state. Not only does this add to the beauty of the toy and give it a more "natural" appearance, but it also assists in adding extra stimulation. The tip of the "bud" or head of the toy is rounded off at a slight point. This tip allows for precise stimulation to areas such as the clitoris. The "stem" or neck of the toy is flexible, allowing you to position both sides of the toy however you'd like. With a motor on each side, you are guaranteed to have equally powerful vibrations no matter which side you are using.

While some may look at this toy and not realize what its purpose is, examining it a bit might give it away. Because of the unique shape and design of the toy, it is possible to call the toy a back or shoulder massager and get away with it, but that is about as far as you can go with it being discreet.

At its longest, Bloom is 6 3/4" in length. Five inches of the toy are insertable, which is measured from the tip of the bud to the beginning of the control panel. The side with the control panel should not be inserted, though it may be used for external stimulations. It is 2.5" from the tip of the bud to the beginning of the stem, and the stem is 2 3/4" up to the control panel and base. At its widest, the circumference is 4 1/4" around, which is at the bud.

This vibrator operates via control pad located on the stem portion of the toy. You will find two buttons lined up for your controls, and each button controls a separate motor. The bottom button, if you are looking at the controls with the toy standing upright, controls the motor in the base of the stem. The top button, of course, then controls the motor at the top, inside of the bud.

Each of the seed shaped buttons lights up in bright green to let you know that it is on, and the light will flash until you reach the highest setting. Once you are at the highest setting, the green light will remain on. Each of the motors can be controlled individually as well as at the same time, by using either of the buttons.

During use, the lowest setting to medium settings are very quiet and can not be heard above the covers if you are in the same room as the person using it. As you move to higher settings, the noise becomes more easily heard. The highest setting is quite loud and can be heard through a door, but there is a way to remedy this. Applying pressure with the toy reduces the sound, muffling the vibrations. With even light pressure being applied, the sound is masked enough to allow one to lie under blankets and not worry that someone may hear.

Though this toy is marketed as waterproof, it is not ideal to completely submerge the entire toy under water. Though the hole where the charger plugs in to is pretty well hidden, it would still be possible for water to get inside and cause damage to the toy. If used in the water, care should be taken to not submerge the end of the stem portion of the toy. Special care aside, this toy performs excellently in the water with strong vibrations, and it's easy to grip even with wet hands due to the material of the toy.

The control panel is very easy to figure out, you simply press one of the buttons to select the motor you would like to turn on. Press once to turn the toy on, to its lowest setting. Hold the button in to move on to a higher setting, keeping in mind that the speed changes quickly. Once you have your desired setting simply release your pressure on the button. To turn the toy off, simply press the button again. Because of the way the control panel is designed, it is not likely that the toy will turn off or change settings accidentally during use. Even if you were to squeeze the control panel lightly, you could not change the settings easily.

The vibrations at the highest setting are quite strong and may be too powerful to those who are more sensitive or new to use with vibrating toys. They are, however, quite pleasurable to those who enjoy powerful toys. The vibrations are very buzzy, and after prolonged use some numbness to areas of the body which received the most contact and the hand used to hold the toy may occur. This does not happen with the lower settings.

Battery life on the lower settings is roughly an hour and a half, where stronger settings allow an hour of use. Bloom contains a rechargeable Lithium-Polymer battery.

Here, you see the seed-shaped buttons on the control pad both off, and lit up while on-


Also, here is an example of where you will plug the charger into the toy:

Because this toy is made of silicone you will want to take extra precautions when it comes to the type of lubricants you use. Never use a silicone-based lube because it can degrade the materials over time, breaking it down or ruining the texture. The safest type of lubricant you can use is going to be a water-based lubricant of your choice.

Though silicone can usually be boiled, you do not want to boil any Leaf products as it will ruin them. Avoid extreme temperatures and do not put this product in the dishwasher. Instead, wash with warm water and antibacterial soap, preferably a mild soap. You may also use toy cleaner with this toy, or toy wipes. Make sure that Bloom has dried off before you store it back in its bag - this type of material repels the water, so it does not take long at all to dry!

Do not use harsh solvents such as rubbing alcohol, because they will ruin the finish and possibly the whole toy! Storing this vibrator in its original bag is the most convenient method of storage and storing away from all other silicone toys is important. Just like with silicone-based lubricants, if a silicone toy comes in contact with another made of the same material, it will begin to break down the materials.

One of the most unique things about Leaf is the packaging. The box that Bloom came in is brown, seemingly made of recycled paper. The look to it reminds you of the "go green" movement. It has a slight texture to it, much like cardboard. The front shows the name of the product and the website. One side contains a sum-up of all general instructions, while the back sports a reiteration of that information. This product is made in China, and has a 1 year warranty.

The right side of the box is where you will find a magnetically closing flap. Lift the flap, pull it to the left, and voila! You've taken the first step towards using your toy!

First thing upon opening the box, you will see a black packet. This is your instruction manual and it is sealed in this Velcro-closing packet for storage. The book contains instructions in English, French, Dutch, and several other languages including Spanish.

Below the user's manual is a drawstring canvas bag which contains Bloom. The bag is thick and durable, excellent for storing this toy and keeping it safe.

Finally, you will find a wall charger made specifically for your Bloom.

Here is an example of the front and back of the box that the toy comes in:



The box, opened up and the instructions:



This is a well designed set from toy to packaging!

From the moment I saw the box I knew that Bloom was a well-crafted toy. Any company which takes this much care in their packaging tends to put a lot into the toy itself. This vibe is quickly becoming one of my "go to" toys, and is certainly my favorite silicone toy!

First, after charging Bloom for the recommended 2 hours, I played with the controls. They were very easy to figure out, though there is a detailed instruction manual. I found that the best use for this toy was clitoral stimulation using the tip of the bud. This is more pointed and provides direct stimulation! Though I did enjoy the stimulation I got from inserting the toy, it didn't have the right angle to hit the G-spot, and so I received a lot more pleasure externally. The vibrations were very strong, though it did take me a bit longer than usual to reach orgasm the first couple of times I used this toy. I associate that with trying to discover which setting I liked best and how I wanted to position the toy. Even though the use of this toy is incredibly simple in theory, in the field, knowing you can flex this toy into any position you'd like gives you more to experiment with!

Overall I really did enjoy this toy and hope to get the other toys in the Leaf line. I love the natural look to the collection.