Liv - g-spot vibrator discontinued by LELO - review by IndependentlyHappy

The Liv is a high-end traditional vibrator that can be used for vaginal insertion or external clitoral stimulation, and features a curve that can stimulate the G-spot. The toy is also suitable for external anal stimulation, but I would not recommend inserting it anally as it lacks a flared base for safety.

The insertable portion of the Liv is made of 100% silicone over ABS plastic, and the handle is hard plastic. Therefore, the Liv is non-porous, phthalate-free, and body safe. The silicone is matte and feels much like that of the two other LELO toys that I currently own (Ina and Gigi). It is of the same high quality that I’ve come to expect from this “pleasure object” manufacturer.

This particular silicone is very smooth, with some drag to it, and although silicone is generally not supposed to have an odor, I detected a faint plastic-y smell out of the package. This went away after I washed the toy, though. I experienced something similar with the aforementioned other LELO toys as well, so I suspect that it was something left over from the manufacturing process and not actually from the toy’s material itself. I was not particularly concerned and I noticed it only when I held the toy up to my nose and sniffed it.

The Liv is a small to moderate-sized traditional vibrator, with the added twist of a G-spot curve. The particular one that I chose is navy blue in color, although it also comes in pink and lime green (which I’m also a fan of, but decided against since I already own the lime green Ina). It is about 6.5” long counting the handle, with about 4” of insertable length. Therefore, I would not consider it to be too intimidating for a beginner, although more experienced users may be left wanting more.

The narrow tip is suitable for those who prefer pinpoint stimulation; it is ideal for clitoral stimulation and insertion. As I stated somewhere earlier, the Liv is a high-quality traditional vibrator with a curve. The toy is slightly bulged for G-spot stimulation. While you are likely to get some G-spot stimulation from this toy, it won’t be as pronounced as what you’d get from the Gigi, LELO’s other G-spotting toy. I own both of these toys and feel that the overall design is very similar, but I’ll elaborate more on that later. Although the Liv is not overtly phallic in appearance, anyone with some experience with sex toys could probably figure out what this is if he/she saw it lying around. You might be able to pass it off as a handheld back massager if you’re lucky, but don’t count on it.

Much like her sister toy, the Gigi, the Liv features a control panel with two pairs of buttons across from one another – I’m currently holding the Liv and Gigi next to one another as I’m typing this, and the two panels are identical in appearance. The buttons include an up arrow and a down arrow (which scroll through the vibration patterns), and a plus and minus button (which increase or decrease the strength of the vibrations). If you’d like to find out more about this toy’s functions before using it, it does come with a manual, although you’d probably be okay diving in and figuring it out firsthand.

Your Liv is not fully charged out of the package, so you need to charge it before you begin playing. LELO includes a charger (same as with LELO’s other toys, so I’m getting quite a collection of them), which looks like a cell phone charger. The small round port fits into the hole at the base of the Liv. When the Liv is charging, the clear ring surrounding the toy’s control panel will flash white. When the white color is steadily on, the Liv is fully charged and ready for play, which should take about two hours. A red glow on this panel means that the toy needs to be charged.

Holding down the “plus” on the control panel turns the Liv on. While the Liv is not a powerhouse toy, it is moderately strong for its size and quiet for its strength. On its lowest setting, it makes a slight buzz that is barely audible across a quiet room. On its highest setting, the sound that it makes is comparable to a slightly louder version of the vibration setting on my smartphone.

Pressing the “up” and “down” arrows on the toy scrolls through the toy’s vibration settings, which are as follows:
1) continuous, steady vibration
2) slow, pulsing vibration
3) faster pulsing vibration
4) very short, quick pulses
5) rollercoaster vibration; escalates from low to high, and then back.

As I started to type these out, I compared notes from my review of the Gigi and noticed that the functions were the same, so I merely copied and pasted my descriptions of that toy’s functions into this review. This confirmed my suspicions that the Liv and Gigi are essentially the same toy with a different head; some reviewers here have stated that the Liv is weaker, but I didn’t notice this when using the toy. I further tested this by turning both toys on and holding the Gigi in one hand and the Liv in the other. If there is a vast difference in strength between the two, I couldn’t tell.

The Liv is made of 100% silicone and ABS plastic, so it is non-porous and body friendly. Unlike with silicone dildos, boiling the Liv or running it through the dishwasher would destroy the motors inside the toy, so I would recommend using a mild antibacterial soap or toy cleaner to wash the Liv before and after each use. Also note that silicone-based lubes are also off limits with this toy, as using them with the Liv is likely to damage the toy’s surface.

Storing the Liv is easy – as with their other pleasure objects, LELO includes a custom satin storage pouch that is thin, discreet, and easily allows you to slip the Liv into a toy chest, drawer, or wherever you choose to keep your toys when not in use.

The Liv’s packaging is tasteful and consistent with that of the other LELO products that I already own. For those who haven’t already seen what the packaging looks like, the outer box resembles one that would come with a higher-end electronic device (such as an Apple product), and does not feature any models or scream “sex toy.” However, it does also feature a large picture of the toy on one panel, so I would not call it overly discreet. The panel directly opposite said picture is solid blue (or whichever color Liv you chose), with the word “LELO” in large print, and the side panels feature details about your particular LELO toy and its selling points.

Inside, there is a hard cardboard box that contains the toy, its charger, a custom satin storage pouch, the manual, and a booklet outlining LELO’s 1-year warranty/10 year quality guarantee. LELO will replace your Liv free of charge if it breaks/malfunctions within one year of purchase. The company will offer 50% off any product in LELO’s online store if your Liv malfunctions within ten years of purchase.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the Liv. As compared to the Gigi: both work very well for clitoral stimulation, and I honestly can’t decide which I prefer. The Gigi’s flat head covers a greater area of the clit/vulva, but the pinpoint stimulation is more…focused with the Liv, for lack of a better word. The curve of the Liv is enough that it should rub against the G-spot, but the sensations aren’t as pronounced as what the broad, flat head of the Gigi would produce. Additionally, I find that the shape of the Liv’s head makes it more conducive to thrusting. I have noticed some comments about (and experienced to a small degree) how the shape of the Gigi’s head can cause it to catch on some women’s pubic bones; if this is a problem, the Liv should serve as a more suitable and more comfortable alternative. Also, while the Liv isn’t a powerhouse toy for those with clits of steel, it’s strong enough to get the job done for me. Just don’t expect Hitachi-like power from it.

As compared to traditional hard plastic vibrators, the curve makes the Liv more comfortable to insert and more body-friendly, since it’s more forgiving than a straight shaft. The toy is very comfortable in use; and although more experienced users may think that it is too small, it’s a decent size to where I don’t have to prep for an extended amount of time just to insert it (not that this is always a bad thing, but there are days when I just don’t feel like doing this).