California Exotics moved into the premium sex toy market earlier this year with their new range of Vanity by Jopen products. And from the look of the Jopen website the VR line is just the start with the possible new brand names of ‘Simply Jopen‘ and ‘Euphoria‘ appearing in the menu beside the Vanity link. If the strength of the VR5 is anything to go by I’m excited to see what else they come up with for their new ‘Luxury’ brand.

Whilst other reviewers who have participated in the Cal Exotics Sexpert Program have only ever received products from the lower end of their ridiculously huge range of products I have to say that I’ve been very lucky in the random products that have been assigned to me. My Couture Collection Bliss egg is still, by far THE best egg style vibrator/ remote controlled vibrator I’ve come across! This month my good luck has continued as I received the Vanity VR5 from their new premium Jopen brand. Whilst the VR5 isn’t going to push my beloved Soraya out of her #1 spot, the VR5 is a nicely powerful dual stimulation vibrator.

The Important Info

Manufacturer: Jopen (by California Exotics)

Material: Silicone

Finish: Velvet like matte finish

Color: Deep purple-ish pink

Size: 17cm long with a maximum girth of 11cm. The clitoral arm is approx 4cm(1.5″) long with full flexibility able to turn a full 360°

Power Source: Re-chargeable, able to re-charge fully in 4hrs providing at least 2hrs of constant play. The VR5 features two separate motors, however the 2nd motor is located within the clitoral arm rather than the shaft as shown in this image

Controls: 2 buttons, one to control each of the dual motors, features instant off and travel lock option

Vibration Levels & Patterns: # of levels aren’t discernible as there are no definable, separate levels and no patterns are available, only the same continuously on vibration mode although the motors can be operated independently.

Lube Compatibility: Water based lubes are best as silicone or oil based may damage this toys velvety surface

Other Features: Waterproof, Clitoral arm makes it safe for anal use,Dual Motors that can be individually controlled. Comes with a 12 month warranty.

Price: Around the $150 mark

Use

Like many of the other adult toys in the Jopen Vanity line the VR5 is a rabbit style vibrator… or rather a dual stimulation vibrator, as it (Thank God!!) doesn’t have any features that are in anyway similar to any animal or insect. It has an almost indefinable, somewhat blob like shape. Maybe you could compare it to an amoeba but I don’t mind toys that look like one celled organisms, it’s sex toys fashioned after actual animals I tend to dislike.1

With the whole new ‘Jopen’ brand Cal Exotics have done quite a number of things to raise the quality level above all other products they produce. They are all 100% Body Safe, Phthalate free silicone, with Eco Friendly rechargeable batteries and arrive with somewhat discreet packaging (at least in comparison to some other CalEx products) … but the seams and logos imprinted in the silicone are far from the high end finish you would expect from a top shelf product and its matching price tag.

Now the seams themselves aren’t too much of an issue,but they do point to what in my mind is a lack of attention to the details during the R&D process of these toys. I also find it kinda inexplicable as to why they needed to include raised logos on the actual body of the toy. I don’t need my high end vibrator to tell me on its body that it uses 5Volts of DC, Nor does it need to tell me not to dispose of it in the regular garbage or advertise that its a ‘Power Bullet™’ product – that’s what the instruction booklet that comes with upper class sex toys is for. I’m just guessing the heavily raised circle on the back of the shaft is so that blind people can tell where you plug the toy in as it really isn’t required. As I said though the seams etc aren’t all that big of a deal, I just kind of expected a little more from a toy within this premium category.

The thing they did get right though was the power!! With two separately controlled motors and a rechargeable battery it’s a bit of a power horse. The motor embedded within the G-Spot targeting shaft has a great rumbley, grumbley, deep throbbing characteristic to its vibrations and is quite remarkably quiet. The clitoral arm’s motor is quite a bit buzzier. I’m thinking this may very well be down to the small size of it. It puts out a little more of a high pitched vibration and sound, but it has managed to deliver more than one seriously intense orgasm.

It’s velvet-esque, matte finish means that the silicone creates even more drag than one would usually expect – so lube is an absolute MUST with this toy. I seriously recommend Astroglide’s Glycerine & Paraben free lube, its by FAR the best lube I’ve come across. It won’t damage your toys, nor will it cause you any of the nasty side effects such as thrush/yeast infections or other possible allergic reactions. When I’m using the VR5 I start to use it in a somewhat circular pattern. With my fingers on its base I roll it around in a circle kin of, a bit like I’m stirring a cake inside me2 which drives both my clit & G-Spot crazy. However as the surface causes so much drag I started to give myself a carpet burn style injury – thus lube is an absolute must.

The curve of the shaft and its bulging shape add to the pleasure but for me its the clitoral arm with its extra flexibility and devoted motor that make it rock my world. I’ve found that if my clit isn’t in the mood for the buzzy style vibes its getting from the extra arm it is just as easy & as pleasurable to use the much deeper resonating vibrations found at the tip of the shaft against it.

Now to the buttons. As I mentioned there are 2 – one for each motor. Pressing a button turns its corresponding motor on, holding it down allows its vibrations to rise in intensity – there aren’t any distinct levels, rather a smooth increase in strength. Press the button again and it has that great instant off switch that parents and people living in shared accommodation love. Only issue is that the handle portion of the toy is incredibly small- only an inch or so long, so right as you are just getting into your groove you accidentally bump one of the two buttons and that motor switches off. It has such a feather light trigger that it is almost impossible not to inadvertently switch it off right when you want to turn it up!! It is such an obvious issue that it’s just insane that it wasn’t rectified back in the R&D process, long before it was sent into production. Either make it so that you can’t accidentally turn it off with a single touch or make the handle portion longer so that they aren’t constantly being hit during even basic use!

The VR5 has given me some great orgasms but it has also ruined some potentially mind blowing ones!! I love its shape as well as the strong rumbley vibrations within the G-Spot targeting shaft, I love that it’s rechargeable and I completely adore the T-Shirt, Jersey fabric storage bag – but those two buttons are like the ‘Buttons ‘O DOOM’ killing prospective orgasms before they get a chance to live. If it weren’t for them I’d easily rate it a 4 or 4.5, but Buttons ‘O DOOM earn the VR5 only a three star rating from me

★★★☆☆

Despite the doom factor and earlier mentioned dislike for sex toys resembling multi celled creatures I am finding myself with a serious lust for the VR10 – its clitoral stimulator looks like a cross between a bunny rabbit or a butterfly sans wings. If you were to combine the strong, deep throbbing vibrations with the rotating shaft it would just send me to heaven… well as long as the VR10’s handle is long enough that you don’t hit the god damn buttons!!

Violet xx