Product blog

Vibrators, dildos or other sex toys can be found in almost every bedroom these days. But sex toys are by no means a modern invention. Let's look into the past and find out where they came from.

The oldest dildos known to mankind were made from siltstone, a sedimentary rock. Even more than 32,000 years ago, people relied on more than just their hands. Stone phalluses almost 20 centimeters long satisfied sexual desires, but also had a practical use: they were used to grind flint and protect against enemies.

According to some reports, Cleopatra caressed herself with a papyrus box filled with bees. In the 18th and 19th centuries, French and Spanish sailors invented means for masturbation: they took elongated rubber sleeves, they were even called "travel women".

Due to the spread of Christian values in late antiquity and the Middle Ages, the development of instruments to satisfy sexual desire was difficult. Morality and religion made it impossible not only to improve them, but even to apply them.

Sex toys in medicine

It was not until the middle of the 19th century that the steam vibrator was first used. He was supposed to treat the state of hysteria in women. From ancient times until the end of the 20th century, it was considered a mental disorder, the cause of which was the uterus. Scientists thought that "if the uterus is not regularly fed with sperm, it begins to wander around the body and then clings to the brain." This leads to typical "hysterical" behavior. In addition to massages in the genital area, victims of hysteria were also prescribed a steam vibrator as a sedative.

In 1883, the battery-powered vibrator was finally invented. Its creator was physician Joseph Mortimer Granville. The so-called "percuter", which was originally developed for massaging men, was in fact used only for home treatment of female hysteria. With his invention, Granville opened a new era of vibrators. From now on, women no longer had to go to the doctor to get rid of hysteria or sexual frustration. Since the vibrator appeared in an erotic film (at the beginning of the 20th century), it has ceased to be a purely medical tool. It has become a commercial commodity.

In the 1930s, companies first brought vibrators to the market. At the time, however, the devices were associated with beauty treatments and weight loss. Overt and intended use in the genital area has not been discussed. But that too had to change.

World of free sex

Finally, the 1960s changed everything. The sex toy revolution has begun. In addition to educational books and scientific research, Hitachi's launch of the "magic wand" in 1968 marked an important change in the sexual realm. A device designed to relax muscles has been recommended by sex therapists for masturbation. Today, the still popular "massage stick" is under fire in some feminist circles. Allegedly, it is too similar to the phallus and does not adequately respond to the anatomy of female erogenous zones.

New research into female sexuality eventually revolutionized the pleasurable apparatus. The taboo was gradually broken, and films like Sex and the City created the idea that a sex toy is a common household item for every woman.

Intimate lifestyle at its peak

Today, sex toys are more popular than ever. The industry is booming, not least thanks to movies like 50 Shades of Grey. According to the 2012 Durex Global Sex Survey, more than half of people use sex toys and other devices to spice up lovemaking and make sex more interesting.

In 2014, Janet Lieberman and Alexandra Fine were able to raise $2 million through crowdfunding to develop revolutionary new sex toys without manual maintenance. Their "Eva Wearable Couples" vibrator is designed for outdoor use, but still allows penetration. It has two flexible wings that fit under a woman's labia and secure the vibrator right above the clitoris. The wings are so flexible that they fit every woman's vagina.

In 2013, the oral sex simulator "Sqweel" moved into the bedrooms. It simulates oral sex and, similar to the artificial vagina for men, is a new tool for female self-masturbation. And Jimmyjane's "Hello Touch" handheld vibrator took internal and external stimulation to the next level. There is also room for luxury here: in 2011, a gold version of the Lelo branded vibrator was released. Its cost is 15,000 dollars.

The industry knows no creative boundaries

In addition to toys designed for women or couples, it has recently become possible to synchronize new gadgets with applications and thus enter a new dimension of pleasure. Colors, shapes, materials and customization modes are limitless. Today, sex toys are waterproof, do not require wires, are not made of wood, and are multifunctional. They offer stimulation for every taste, for every position and for the most unusual preferences.

And what sex toys are waiting for us in the future? The developers predict that in 10-15 years we will use and control sex toys with our brain for even more subtle and intuitive control over sensations. Progress does not stand still!