There are two things you notice immediately upon opening the Juli Ashton Anal Beginner Kit by Doc Johnson. First, it has the worst packaging I have ever seen on any product. The front of the package shows a woman spread open on it. I consider this very inappropriate to open when in the presence of others, because it is not discrete at all. Once I overlooked the packaging, the second thing I noticed when I opened the kit was a horrible rubbery smell that came from the kit. The smell is repulsive and hasn't gone away after washing several times in soap and water. In fact, the smell is so overwhelming that it has transferred to my lingerie because I had laid the kit in my lingerie drawer out of reach of young hands. The smell is that strong. However, if you can get past all of that, then the kit is a great introduction to anal play for beginners.

The kit includes three anal plugs, one vibrator, and a 1 oz tube of anal lube. The small anal plug is 4 1/2" long by 1" wide. The medium plug is 4 3/4" long by 1" wide. The large plug is 5" long by 1 1/2" wide. The vibrator is 7" long by 1 1/2 wide and requires 2 AA batteries that were not included. It is a twist dial vibrator that increases its vibrations with the twist of the dial. I can't imagine using it anally yet, but it was nice for vaginal play. However, 7" was a little larger than I am accustomed to using so it was full for me, but not to the point where it was overwhelming. If you are not used to something quite that big then I'm not sure how you would like it, but even if you just use the three anal plugs it is still a great kit to try. The Doc Johnson's water soluble and condom safe anal lube that is included in this kit contains glycerin, so if glycerin irritates you I would not recommend using the lube.

The kit is made of rubber which is a three on Eden's safety scale. Rubber is a porous material that can harbor bacteria so do not share with anyone and always clean thoroughly after every use. It is best to use a condom over it with every use for hygiene, safety concerns, and to keep it clean. Rubber is compatible with both silicone and water lubricants. The rubbery material made the kit easy to maneuver and is soft to the touch.

My only concern has been storage and cleanup. I have used soap and water and my favorite toy cleaner trying to clean this kit and nothing has been able to remove that horrible smell. I read that rubber is hard to clean so this could be the potential reason behind my problems. As far as storage goes, this kit is big, containing four pieces, and I have young children in the house. The smell transferred to my lingerie so I had to take it out of my lingerie drawer. Finally, I ended up putting the kit in a box at the top of my closet.

In conclusion, this is my first introduction with products to help with anal play and I thought it would be a great, inexpensive set for me to try as a beginner and have not been disappointed. The kit has a nice size progression to it, but I have not moved too far into it yet. I imagine that will come in time once I become more experienced and comfortable with anal play. I started with the small plug and when added with the lube it went in easily and wasn't uncomfortable. I have not progressed to the medium or large yet, but once I have been doing this for a while I will. Buying this kit has made participating in anal sex easier and less uncomfortable.

My husband and I have wanted to experiment with anal play for a while now. Our previous two attempts were unsuccessful because my body was just not ready for that yet. I didn't want to give up experimenting with anal play, so I began my quest to find an anal beginners kit to use. Finally, after thorough research, this is what I chose. I have enjoyed using this kit with my husband and am honestly quite please with the product. I could do without the horrible smell, but the kit as a whole is wonderful and perfect for beginners looking into anal play.

When I purchased this, I was a toy novice. I thought the price of the kit was great for beginners because I could progress through the sizes and everything would be happy in the world. However, once I became a more experienced toy user, I realized the material isn't that great for anal play. I would have been better off with a silicone beginners kit. This stays hidden in a box in my closet, and doesn't get taken out to play any more for that reason. I never could get past the horrible smell this set has no matter how many times it was cleaned, it just wouldn't go away.