Little Purple Buzz

The Charisma is made mostly for clitoral stimulation, but can be used anywhere externally and also works for shallow vaginal penetration. Don't use this toy anally-- it's small, has no flared base, and could easily slip all the way in.

This toy is good for beginners, those who want something small and discreet, or anyone who wants a good basic clitoral stimulator/ likes shallow penetration. I bought it as a larger version of a basic bullet: less bulky than anything with a controller, more convenient than anything that runs on watch batteries, fairly strong and fairly quiet. It's good for either masturbation or playing with a partner.

The Charisma is made of hard plastic, with a wonderful velvety texture that provides a lot of drag. I loved the friction it creates. However, the body of the vibe is entirely smooth, with no bumps, bulges or ridges. I found that this, coupled with the short length, made it not very interesting for penetration. It had no odor, even right out of the package.

Ironically, the silver-colored plastic that forms the "slip proof grip" has a much smoother texture and is extremely slippery.

In general, I like the design of this toy. It's simple and works well for pinpoint stimulation. The grippy texture really worked well for me, and the small size is good for travel and for situations that require discretion. It's fairly thin and short, so I wouldn't buy it primarily as an insertable toy, but someone who was nervous about penetration or looking for something small would like it. I found the silver ribs to be unnecessary, but they do look good.

The Charisma is multispeed, with a dial base that changes the speed continuously. One quirk of the vibe is that the vibrations get suddenly, dramatically stronger at the very end of the dial. Without the last setting, this would be a two-vroom toy (not all that strong) but with it, it's a three-vroom toy. I like that the vibrations start very low and work their way up: it makes this toy good for teasing. There is also a dramatic increase in noise, but even at its loudest this toy can't be heard through a door. Someone in the same room will hear it, but it isn't so loud that it distracts from the mood if you're using it with a partner.

The vibrations can be felt equally throughout the toy, instead of being localized in one spot. They are fairly high and buzzy.

I had a few issues with the dial base. First of all, the silver ribs that are meant to make the dial easy to turn are completely impossible to hold on to. Instead, I held the toy below the ribs with one hand and above the ribs with the other hand to change the speed. I would like this toy better without the ribs-- it would be easier to adjust and easier to clean. Second of all, very small adjustments of the dial result in large changes in speed. I'm used to this now, but it surprised me at first. Neither of these are major issues, though.

One thing I like about the Charisma is that it really is waterproof. The cap screws on with four or five rotations, and inside is an o-ring to keep water out of the battery compartment. I can use this in the shower and tub and wash it in the sink without worrying.

This toy is pretty simple to take care of: it takes one AA battery and can be cleaned with water and antibacterial soap, or with toy wipes. The most difficult part is cleaning well between the ridges of the grip, but even that isn't too hard. You can use this toy with any type of lubricant. It's small enough to store practically anywhere. It should be stored without the batteries inserted.

I've found, interestingly, that this vibe can be wedged into the slot provided on Tantus toys for a one-speed bullet. It fits in tightly enough that it won't fall out and stays put when you turn the dial, but can be yanked out afterward much more easily than a little bullet. Of course, several inches of the vibrator still stick out, but this just makes it easier to change the speed.