I wanted to review the Blush Novelties Gaia Eco Biodegradable Recyclable Vibrator for a few reasons. First, it’s (way) under $50. It’s that classic vibrator design. And it’s made of starch-based bioplastic.
What the hell is starch-based bioplastic? Uhm, I’m not really sure. But what I do know, because I asked a Blush rep, is that it’s as nonporous and nontoxic as ABS plastic.
And apparently, according to Blush, the Gaia Eco “is created using less energy and creates less greenhouse gas emissions than any other sex toy on the market.” That’s why I chose to review this particular vibrator over the countless others of the same design.
I also wanted to review the Gaia Eco because it uses 2 AA batteries which tend to make vibes more powerful than the more commonly used AAA batteries. Plus, I like the idea of the twist dial control. I have another inexpensive, battery operated vibrator with a twist dial and I think the variable speed is better than a button that gives you three set speeds.
First impressions out of the box started with, wow and ended with, puzzlement. I took the Gaia Eco out of its minimal packaging, popped in the batteries, turned the dial and thought: Wow, this thing is pretty strong and rumbly, especially for a battery operated vibe.
Then I noticed this weird loose ring thing right above the cap. This is where I became puzzled. Why did they do that? It’s kind of annoying because even with the cap closed tightly, that ring is still loose. You can spin it around. So, I guess it would suck if you lost it and it also provides an area for lube and vag gunk to live.
Seriously, what’s with that ring?
You could remove the ring and carefully wipe that part of the vibe clean. In fact, you should be careful whenever cleaning this vibe anyway because it’s splash-proof only.
You can clean this vibe (don’t submerge it) with soap and water or a toy cleaner. Any kind of lube will work. It doesn’t come with a travel pouch but a vibe like this would be good for travel because you can pack it separately from the batteries and not have to worry about a TSA incident.
Alright, now for the real test. Does the Gaia Eco impress me enough to add it to my Sex Toys $50 and Under That Don’t Suck™ list?
Well, first of all, I’d like to mention that you can use this vibe internally and externally (but don’t use anally). The thing is, for me personally, the shape of this vibe does nothing for my vag. Some folks might like it though. This is just a preference thing, really. It’s not going to provide much girth either at 1” in diameter.
Because of my personal preferences, I mainly consider vibes like the Gaia Eco to be clitoral vibes. So, how did it feel on my clit? Lets just say that after the first orgasm I was left thinking: did a $15 vibrator really just do that? The vibration is nice and rumbly and I found that I didn’t need to turn the dial up to high. It took a little longer to achieve orgasm than it does with my favorite clit vibe but maybe because of that, the orgasms felt more intense. And yes, I said “orgasms” because I tried for my magic number – 3 in a sesh – and The Gaia Eco didn’t let me down. Also, some folks will be interested to know that the vibration doesn’t seem to dampen under pressure.
So, what’s the verdict? Can I put the Blush Gaia Eco in my Sex Toys $50 and Under That Don’t Suck™ category? I want to scream, “yes” but I can only say, “yes.” And that’s because of that weird loose ring. Some might find it annoying. But I don’t think it’s a total deal breaker. I just wish they hadn’t made it that way. Maybe they can take this feedback and update the design to eliminate that ring and possibly make it waterproof too. Then I could enthusiastically recommend it as a great toy under $50.
***
I would also like to share a few words about Blush Novelties. They haven’t always been a company beloved by some bloggers. There was once a little dust-up between Blush and another company that is widely respected in the industry. That angered a lot of bloggers.
They also still do make toys out of porous materials that I don’t recommend but lately, I’m excited about Blush’s new offerings. I think they’re focusing more and more on body-safe nonporous materials and that’s awesome. Especially so when you consider that they tend to produce toys on the more affordable end of the spectrum. I am considering several new Blush toys that I’d like to review for you.
Blush once acknowledged the role us bloggers have had in helping them design toys that we can approve of. But I also think there’s something else going on. Blush has hired one very well-known and respected sex educator, Ducky Doolittle, and I’m sure that she has a lot of input on product development and design.
So, I can comfortably say that at this point, I like the direction that Blush is going in. Because we need more lower cost, body-safe toys that don’t suck.
Think $14.99 is a good price for a vibe? Try taking 10% off with code: DIZZY
Betty’s Toy Box provided the Blush Novelties Gaia Eco in exchange for an unbiased review.