A charming addition to any beginner's toy box.

The Durex Play: Allure was my very first vibrator/toy, and even with my limited knowledge of adult toys at the time, I must say I picked a great product.

It is a fairly quiet toy with a great range of vibrations can be used for a clitoral vibrator and can be inserted into the vagina for internal stimulation.

*Please note: This toy ***IS NOT*** meant to be inserted into the anus. There is no flared base whatsoever to make it stay put and by using it inside your ass you run the risk of it becoming lost inside you. Meaning you must take a trip to the Emergency Room to have it removed by doctors, and I'm sure that no one wants that.*

Now that's out the way, the Allure is best suited overall for beginners who are looking for a good, simple, durable first toy. While some, like myself, may appreciate the toy's simplicity, I have a feeling most advanced users would pass on this in favor of a toy with just a little something more.

The body of the Allure, and also it's purple dial, are both made of a very smooth, hard plastic. This makes the product very to insert as it seems to just glide into place. I found no noticeable smells or tastes to this toy. I would say that the smoothness of the toy is more for beginners, but advanced users who like smooth toys may find it to their liking as well.

If you look very closely at the shaft of the toy, you may notice that it does have a visible seam that runs lengthwise along the product. This is not a major issue, however, as it is very smooth, mostly unnoticeable, and during use cannot be felt.

I personally like how the Durex Allure looks, it honestly reminds me of a white pearl; very smooth, sleek and if you look closely enough it even has a very subtle pearly sheen to it. It is simple, not at all frightening, and very pretty. It is a great size for someone looking for their first toy. It is about 6 1/2 inches long with about 4 - 4 1/2 inches of insertable length, 4 inches in circumference (just over 1 1/4 inches in diameter) at it's widest point on the shaft's bulge.

As a beginner when I bought this, I found that I appreciated the simpler, more elegant look that this product offered (and I still do!). As I had never owned a toy before then; I, like many, at the time felt that it was indeed less awkward having a vibrator that wasn't shaped like a penis. Though now I can look at a phallic shaped toy without giggling and blushing like a school girl (unless my Fiancé is whispering naughty things in my ear), I still find the Allure's simplicity refreshing.

Instead of it being just a plain, straight shaft, the Allure has a slight but conspicuous bulge that I found very pleasurable. Honestly, I do not think I would have liked this product as much without this feature. I also think that the bulge adds to the aesthetics of this toy, the overall shape has a nice flow to it compared to alot of beginner vibes out there that do have just the straight shaft.

The motor is located towards the tip which means that the vibrations are more concentrated there and at the bulge. This is especially useful when using the rounded point to stimulate the clitoris or for pinpointing any other erogenous zone, seeing as the vibrations don't have to travel very far and in turn, become diluted in the process.

Beneath the purple dial is a very faint arrow pointing upward to show you exactly where you are on it's scale of intensity. The purple dial itself is textured with the Durex logo and also a "+" and "-". Turning it to the negative sign will turn the toy off, while turning it towards the positive sign will cause it to increase the intensity of the vibrations. It is very easy to turn, and the best part is you are in no danger of taking the battery cap off when you decide it's time to make the vibrations stronger. When you twist the cap tight, you can feel it sort of "lock" into place. Effectively making it harder to accidentally twist it off while you're turning the vibrations up. All this makes for controls that are very convenient, easy to use and understand.

The vibration on it's highest setting seems to me to be no louder than that of a cellphone. While it may be audible within the same room, behind closed doors, no one outside will be the wiser :)

The Allure is splash-proof, but not completely waterproof. So taking it into the shower should be fine, as will cleaning it, however it is not the best idea to take it into the bath with you and neither is leaving it to soak in water for periods of time as water could find it's way into your toy and, putting it bluntly, will kill it.

One thing I look for when it comes to toys is how easily and effectively it can be cleaned. Luckily the Allure is not only simple to use, but also to cleanse. It is non-porous and can be cleaned with hot water and soap (as the instructions kindly point out) and for good measure, it can even be sterilized with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol.

As far as lubricants are concerned it is compatible with both water and silicone-based lubes. While technically it is compatible with an oil-based lube, I do not recommend it. Oil-based lubricants can cause a sort of breeding ground in the vagina for bad bacteria, ultimately leading to infections that could have easily been prevented by using a water or silicone based lubricant.

One thing I do recommend with this, or any other battery-operated toy, is that you remove the batteries after use. This helps prolong the life of your toy and the batteries, and also prevents them from corroding and ruining your toy.

The Allure comes in a very nice purple box with little ripple-looking designs. It has a magnetic flap on the front that you can open to see the vibe itself in all it's glory along with its storage pouch. I have to say, I like this feature of the package. While it may not do very much for people who've ordered it online and can see images; people who, like me, got this product at a 'brick and mortar' store will be able to get a glimpse of and actually see what they're buying. Therefore, being able to make an informed decision as to whether this will suit their needs without going through with it blindly.

When it comes to being discreet, this box is, I'd say, mostly so. While there are no, shall we say, "attractive models" on the package, the Durex logo may tip people off as to what is inside your pretty purple parcel. Personally it doesn't bother me too much, the box is pretty, it's durable, and it kept the toy safe; so in my book, it did it's job well.

The box can be used for storage if you so desire, but the silky bag that comes with it is really all you need, especially if you have limited space or if you want to make it less noticeable (not to mention the bag matches the purple dial very nicely!)