Sorry Durex, I don't want to play.

If you're looking for your first toy, the Durex Play Allure is a non-intimidating starting point. It's available from multiple online stores for various prices and you can also pick this up at your local drugstore.

Because of its lower power, this is best used for vaginal penetration instead of clitoral stimulation, unless you don't need much in that department. I would not recommend this for anal insertion because of its lack of a flared base. Even those very experienced with anal play should keep this away from that area because the toy is very smooth and slick and you could very easily lose your grip on this when it's covered in lube.

With its smooth surface, the Play Allure can also be used as a body massager. It's also marked as being waterproof though I have not personally used this in a shower/bath.

The Durex Play Allure is extremely smooth; there is absolutely no texture except on the dial to turn it on. Because of its smoothness, I didn't require any lubrication to insert this.

Being plastic, the toy is rigid and not very porous (though I would personally prefer to use a condom on this if sharing). I also noticed no smell or taste.

The shape/design of the Play Allure is typical of your traditional vibrator. It's easy to hide in the included storage pouch and would be suitable for travel (removing the battery first). The specs listed on the product page match my own measurements, and they are:

Color: Purple/White
Length: 6 1/2"
Insertable length: 4 3/4"
Circumference: 4"
Diameter: 1 1/4"
Weight: 0.5 lb

Operating the Durex Play Allure is easy. To turn the vibrator on, simply twist the purple dial at the base to your desired power. But lube and/or bodily fluids would make this harder to grasp and turn on/off. There are also no patterns, just a steady vibration that increases or decreases depending on what direction you turn the dial.

Replacing the battery is very easy as well. Just grasp the vibrator body in one hand and twist off the bottom tip with the dial control (the whole dial will be part of the section that is unscrewed and removed). Slide the battery out and insert a new one, screw the bottom back on and you're ready to go.

The toy is actually very quiet, though I would attribute that to its lack of power. I have rather good hearing, yet I was unable to hear it over ambient noise (TV, music, running water, running furnace, under a blanket, outside a closed door). Inserting the vibrator dampens the noise slightly, though this would still be heard with someone else in the room.

This is also labeled as waterproof, yet I have not used it in or near water.

Caring for the Durex Play Allure is beyond simple! Clean it with your preferred toy cleansing method (wipes, toy cleaner, soap and water, rubbing alcohol). Because of its inner mechanics, you can not put this in a dishwasher or boil it; instead cover the toy with a condom if you wish to share it or clean thoroughly.

After letting the toy dry, place it inside the included pouch and store it where ever you see fit. Being plastic, you can also use any type of lube with this without worry.

I actually found the packaging quite pretty but not very discreet. The box is a lovely magenta shade with circles/spirals near the corners. The cover flap is held closed with a magnet; upon lifting it, you can see the vibrator through a plastic window. The words "personal massager" are on the front under the Durex label, so anyone can tell what this is without lifting the front cover. If you wish to give this as a gift, the box is nice enough to keep it in.

A purple storage pouch and one AA battery were included.

Several months ago, my trusty bullet bit the dust. Granted it lasted me two whole years with frequent use, but after its death, I was so desperate that I grabbed the Durex Play Allure from my local CVS drugstore. I paid a little bit over 20 bucks for it, more than twice what my CalEx bullet cost. But as I said, I was desperate. I honestly wished I has purchased this through Eden because, unlike the drugstore, I would have been able to return this.

I gave this toy every chance I could, and yet I was still unsatisfied with it. I found its vibrations very weak for clitoral masturbation and had to resort to manual stimulation to get the job done. Internally, this didn't fare any better. I'm not overly fond of extreme textures, so I did enjoy the smoothness of this vibe. But I've learned that I don't really care for internal vibrations, thus another strike against this toy (though those vibrations are still on the weak end). Plus there is no curve to it, making g-spot play very hard for me.

I was impressed that a storage pouch was included (as well as one AA battery), and the smoothness allowed me to use this without lubrication, but those are the only things this toy has going for it. I'm probably going to recycle the toy and use the pouch for something else.

If you're absolutely new to toys or prefer weaker vibrations, then this may be the toy for you. Otherwise, I would suggest you look elsewhere for something stronger and cheaper.