Right out of the box the Contour M screams out sophisticated elegance. The first thing I thought of when I saw it was one of those achingly sleek, modern boutique hotels for beautiful people en route from one fabulous destination to another even more phenomenal. After a bit of research I found that Jimmyjane has a special offer package with W Hotels. Go figure.

So it’s gorgeous. That much is clear right from the start. Does it work? Yes, but that’s far too simple an answer.

The Contour M is a dome-shaped ceramic massager with four small nodes for more targeted stimulation. The double-fired, glazed porcelain is non-porous, meaning it can withstand any fluid or material you choose to coat it with. Whether it be traditional massage oils and lotions, your favorite lubricant, or a tub of Crisco, you’ll be able to wash it off the Contour M.

Because it’s porcelain, it can also be used for temperature play. Does that special someone need a relaxing massage? Place the Contour M in warm water for a few minutes. Feel like energizing him or her (or both)? Place the Contour M in the refrigerator or under cold water.

The manufacturer specifically cautions against heating up the Contour M in a microwave, stovetop, or over. I did pop mine into the microwave for three minutes and it came out fine, but that was before I read the instructions. I’m a rebel that way. If you choose to throw caution to the wind and do the same, please remember you’re doing so at your own risk. Be careful. Test the massager’s temperature before touching anything or anyone with it.

Speaking of instructions, the Contour M comes with a thorough set of them. It doesn’t tell you how to give a good massage – go to the website for that – but the accompanying instruction booklet is full of tips and ideas.

The large dome is good for long, broad strokes. The four nodes can be used together for multi-point stimulation. A single node can be used for deep, intense stimulation of one muscle. If you have more than one Contour M, you can also use them in tandem to provide a symmetrical massage.

In addition to the instruction booklet, the Contour M also comes with a small sample pack of Jimmyjane’s massage lotion. The lotion I received had mint oils and menthol crystals in it and my skin started tingling immediately. In a good way.

Jimmyjane’s lotion very much adds to the glide of the Contour M over your skin, but other lotions do as well. I paired the Contour M with a common sesame based oil I got at my local drugstore and it did just fine. The lesson to take away is simply that massage oils are a very good idea if you’re planning on using the massage stone directly on skin rather than over fabric.

Using the massage stone becomes easier and more effective with practice. The dome side slides easily over muscles with long, languid strokes and does an excellent job easing tension from broad swaths of muscular real estate. It’s comparable to using your palms to massage.

The four nodes are a lot like using your fingertips but without the finger fatigue that comes with using your own hands. Each node provides very concentrated pressure. Using individual nodes provides the greatest concentration of pressure. It’s easy to apply too much pressure too soon, so be sure to communicate with your partner about what’s working and what is not.

You could certainly replace the stone with your hands, but using a tool such as the Contour M does come with a certain number of very clear advantages. The first thing that stood out is the absence of hand fatigue. Fingers don’t get sore and hand muscles don’t get tired when you’ve got a porcelain dome doing all of the work for you. The porcelain also glides against the skin in a way that skin on skin simply doesn’t. It’s less intimate than hand on body contact, but also much more effective in terms of massage.

After you’ve reduced your partner to a pliant piece of mush, it’s easy to clean the Contour M. Wash with a mild soap, rinse and dry with a towel.