Reflections hope - traditional vibrator by Doc Johnson - review by aliceinthehole

The Pokey Princess herself.

For those of you who like pleasure spiked with pain, to whom music is an aeroplane, there's Reflections Hope by Doc Johnson. A long-awaited beautiful glass piece that not only vibrates but is studded with shiny color and texture, the Hope packs a punch while it pinches and pokes your pretty play parts (Sorry, couldn't help myself). It may look innocent and seductive, but prominent textures in glass are no joke! Not at all.

The vibrations are on the weak side, and buzzy, but that was not an issue for me. Unless you're in the clit o' steel club, you'll probably find this powerful enough.

For beginners, I do not recommend this toy, simply because of the advanced textures. If you've never tried glass and are timid about it, look for a piece with a smoother design. The nubs and ridges here feel so intense it's unpleasant during Kegels, orgasm muscle spasms, or while being penetrated from behind. If your vaginal walls are wrapping tight around it, the Hope will squeeze back. And it may hurt!

If you like to play really rough, and enjoy serious texture, I highly recommend this piece. And if you've got a penchant for temperature play or even getting wet and wild in the shower, tub, or the seashore, you're going to want to check this baby out.

Tempered glass is the same as Pyrex glass, with Pyrex being a more well-known brand name than an actual type of glass. Read more about it on Eden's product information page.

Tempered glass is my new favorite sex toy material. I was scared to try it but once I did, I was impressed! It's incredibly easy to sterilize and maintain. Never a lint magnet, and easy to brush any dust away from. Tempered glass is also durable, despite the bad rap it gets, and will likely last longer than you do.

Also, glass is compatible with all lubricants, which is great, as silicone, the 2nd best toy material in my opinion, is rumored to have a date with death if brought near silicone lube, its arch nemesis.

The drawback of glass, however, is of course how hard it is. You have to be careful when thrusting, as your cervix could bruise if you go too wild. Also, as in the case of the Hope, designs and textures which would be friendly in softer materials become savage.

The texture of the toy is what killed it for me. The deep purple knobs at the base and the raised clear swirls at the tip lend a generous cm each to the modest 1 1/2" girth, creating a total of 4 cm increase in diameter. That, for me, is fine, as I'm a bit of a size queen.

However, as the swirls and bumps are so hard, and even pointy, they would feel downright invasive when simply inserted in a smaller vaginal canal. They simply hurt when squeezed against, as when doing Kegels to increase orgasm, or during muscle spasms from orgasm. The rise and fall of the textures is too intense, and the edges too sharp. This also causes pain if you are being stimulated anally, and pressure is put on the vaginal tissues up against the hard glass through the anal wall. This feels like having your uterus pinched really hard. No, thank you!


Pain is beauty!

In your hand and against your skin, the glass not only feels deliciously smooth, cool, and sexy, but the slick finish leaves you rarely needing lube. I found that my personal lubrication was astoundingly enough for use with the Hope. The glass slides with ease through the lightest of dampness.

To look at, this is one beautiful piece of artwork. The pink is not too 'Barbie,' but instead is hot pink, and shimmers in the light. The studs of deep purple accent the base and resemble jewels in a royal staff. The plastic twist-off base is a bit tricky to reattach, though once it does, it is watertight.


Bigger than a... computer mouse?

At 1.5" wide and 6 inches long, 4.75" of which are insertable, this is a piece whose size can be misleadingly amateur. As I said, however, I don't recommend this piece for beginners, unless they're really into pain. Though small and relatively thin, this pokey princess certainly packs a punch.

Hope fits easily in your hand, and carries a satisfying weight that comes with quality glass products.



The single push button at the base is in a perfect spot for one handed solo action. Three settings of low, medium, and high intensity vibration speeds will cycle before the button is clicked a 4th time and the device shuts off.



The base cap can be unscrewed enough so that it won't detach from the shaft, to prevent the button being pushed in a purse or suitcase during travel. If this turns on in your handbag, you can be sure you'll hear that hard glass buzzing away against your car keys. However, Hope vibrates so quietly one would be hard pressed to know what you were doing on the other end of the bed!

A texture more like The Bandito or The Curve from Fun Factory would be much more suited for most users, while still being beautiful and adding to stimulation.


Bandito and his tantalizing swirls.


Curve and its subtle, slightly raised texture.

Other than the insane texture (what pain princess designed this thing, anyhow?), the toy lacks a bend for G-spot stimulation, and is lacking in girth as well as length.

Those complaints aside, it is wonderful that Hope runs on one AA battery alone, and is completely waterproof. That makes for super easy cleanup, and you can take her in the shower with you, no worries!

The single AA battery, while convenient and eco-friendly, does leave the toy a bit in the dark when it comes to power. Glass carries vibrations fairly well, however they can mainly be felt solely in the head of the toy. On the other hand, if you try this out as I first did on top of a pair of jeans, you will be completely wowed! If you've never tried this with a vibe, I implore you to. The buzzing spreads deliciously over your entire vulva and calls all your nerve endings to attention. It's very intense.
So for pre-foreplay, clothes on, this could certainly come in handy.

Be sure to leave the paper insert be, as it not only indicates which way to insert the battery, but also deducts the noise factor, creating a barrier between the hard battery and the harder glass casing.

I'll never have to worry about prolonging yeast infections again. This beautiful work of art cleans up so nicely with hot water and a bit of soap, and shines like new. Be sure to screw the end cap tightly shut before placing under water. An old toothbrush is recommended for cleaning around the textures, as gunk can build up there as well. Wrap your Hope in a dish cloth and boil it in between uses to ensure that no bacteria or doubts remain.

*Note. It has been brought to my attention since initially publishing this review that some manufacturers warn against boiling glass vibes, as it may damage the motor. Doc Johnson gave no precautions regarding that for this piece, however, it's something to consider before making the decision to boil.

Store this piece in either the box it came in, or a glass toy pouch. You can purchase them on EF or make your own.

While discretion is thrown to the wind with this vibrator showcase packaging, the design is certainly artistic, appealing, and cute!



The back of the box explains a bit about the concept behind the design, and the entire Reflections series. They're an entire collectible line, and there are 10 Reflections vibrators in all, 4 of which have a velvety finish which provides more drag for stimulation, a more lifelike feel, and hold lube better than slick finishes.

There are no cleaning, storage, operation, or care instructions included whatsoever. However, this piece is pretty self explanatory. Fancily enough, Hope comes with its own god damn Warranty! Impressed? I thought so. You can register the thing on DocJohnson.com.

From their website: 'All Doc Johnson products carry a Limited 30 day Warranty from the date of purchase. If your product fails to work due to any defect in workmanship or materials, Doc Johnson will replace your purchase with the same product. All products are replaced with new products, not repaired. More information below regarding warranty submissions.'

With what I've heard from DWTim's myth-busting videos (check them out here, this 1 1/4" wide Pyrex piece ain't gonna be shattering on you anytime soon. Whether you drop it on a steel floor from a height of 5 feet or move it from freezing to boiling temps and back again. Though mine did come with 2 small faint scratches on one end, I'd still say this will outlive me by at least 100 years. If not possibly forever. And ever. And ever...

As turned on as you may get with this piece, be sure not to thrust too vigorously against your cervix, or you may bruise yourself internally. Glass is hard and unforgiving, unlike your bendier, squishier silicone toys.


I don't recommend the toy for anal, as the flared head isn't quite enough of a flange to be sure the toy will never get sucked into the black abyss.

If you're into temperature play, you can ice down Hope in cold water or boil it for hot/cold temperature play. One should always test the toy on the inside of the wrist before using it on sensitive parts and proceed with caution, as burns or freezer burns can happen this way.

Taking Hope on your honeymoon or business/pleasure trip around the world should be no problem, though a padded toy pouch would be handy first.

I can pair Hope with any lube I choose, but since I'm prone to yeast infections, I only use water based lubes period. However, with glass toys I've found the need for lube is greatly decreased, often to zero. My own personal moistness is amplified by the non-absorbent slick surface of the glass.