Okay, close your eyes for a moment and imagine this with me… after a great night of sex your partner turns to you and says, “hey, we should spice things up” (yes, your imaginary partner a little cliché and you nod in agreement, you are also ready to explore something new. So, the next morning you are sitting at your computer, you are staring at pages and pages of sex toys, gear, accessories and you are at a complete loss on what to try. Do you need a flogger? Restraints? Vibrators? Nipple clamps? You spiral further and further down the kinky rabbit hole, sinking slowly into madness… now, enter Playbox. Playbox does most of the thinking for you with it’s carefully curated themed BDSM boxes with an excellent selection of kink items! What a perfect way to explore the world of kink for the very first time or for old hats to discover new and fun products! Kinky fun shipped directly to my door with minimal effort or thought on my part? Sign me up!
According to Playbox, boxes are typically put together by theme (bondage, temperature, pet play, etc). Playbox also let me know that they really try to source local, hand-crafted items and have a couple of glass and leather makers here in the US who create custom items for every Playbox (I’m totally into buying local!). There are also companies that solicit Playbox with items to include in their boxes, which as I understand is how the Flip Lube Light came to be included in my box (which is a super stupid yet super fun product, I’m glad it was sent along). Also, some items such as the Filthy Cock Soap are included just because they are cute or funny (I can’t argue with that logic). Beside their pre-built selection of boxes Playbox also offers custom boxes. They will work with clients individually to determine what items would be best suited for their own personal boxes. When it finally came time for me to select a box, I really had no idea what I wanted, so I just asked to be surprised. I figure they probably know better than I do what I might want… after all, they are the experts at creating boxes, right?
My box (I’m going to giggle every time I write “my box”… I’m childish) arrived at my door very discreetly. In fact it was so discreet I was all “what the hell is this!?” When the delivery dude handed it to me. I frantically searched my brain-cave for something I may have drunk ordered while binging on free cocktails in Vegas. I did have Raisinets on my mind a god-awful lot while I was drinking… did I order a very large supply or chocolate covered raisins (I kind of wish I did…)? It wasn’t until I opened up the nondescript black box did I realize what it actually was (hint: not Raisinets). The only identifying mark on the whole box was the Playbox logo on the inner flap of the boxes lid. Very minimalist, I like the presentation of it all. So, Playbox definitely gets an A+ for its discreetness!
In my box (giggle-snort), nestled on a bed of crinkly brown paper was a fine selection of kink-tastic products. I pulled out a small leather flogger, condoms, rope, surgical saftey shears, a feather tickler, Filthy Cock Soap and a Flip Lube. They really packed this little box full! I sort of felt a little bit like Mary Poppins, if Mary Poppins brought her magical bottomless carpet bag to a play party and began pulling out a never ending supply of kinky items to share around. And now I’m imagining Mary Poppins as a big leather daddy with a carpet bag… it’s going to take me forever to get my mind back on track…
My favorite item in the Playbox by far was the Filthy Cock Soap. I know, I know… “but soap isn’t a sexy toy…” but it’s just so clever and cute I can’t help but adore it. It also smells pretty great as well, it’s got a sort of spicy smell to it that I really like. It doesn’t strike me as being a particularly “feminine” like a lot of soap seems to smell (overly floral and sweet)…to me it gives off what I’d think of as just the gender neutral scent of all spice and cloves (half way to smelling like a pumpkin pie!). Now, if your next question is… “but why soap?” I feel like you aren’t using your imagination hard enough. What better way of starting your kinky play session than by giving each other a good wash in the tub or shower. Lathering each other up, rinsing each other off… soap, the kinky play tool you never knew you needed! And frankly, with a name like Filthy Cock, who doesn’t need this soap in their bathroom? Would it be weird if I were to frame the label and hang it up in my bathroom for all to see? I don’t think it would be weird… at least not weird for me…
Now, my least favorite item in the box was the leather flogger. There is nothing inherently wrong with the toy (it does seem to be well made), but I have been spoiled by some pretty heavy duty impact toys and the one included in this box seemed pretty wimpy in comparison. Giving myself a few powerful text whacks against my thigh I found that the flogger was more of a light sting than my preferred thuddy-slap. But, it is lightweight, easy to swing and would be great for a flogger newbie who is after gentle whacks (working up to its stinging bites). I am guessing it is likely real leather and therefore not ideal for anyone seeking vegan play products.
The included rope is also pretty fantastic and a huge upgrade from the thin nylon rope Stunt Cock and I bought at a hardware store ages ago. The length of rope included is very soft and very comfortable and there is enough of it there for some basic bondage (I can’t find my measuring tape, otherwise I’d give you all an exact measurement). We were able to do a simple decorative body harness (around the waist, boobs, and between the legs) and had more than enough length to execute it properly. It also holds a knot extremely well, which is a much needed quality for a bondage rope! Also, that shade of red is super sexy and an excellent addition to my toy box! Along with the rope came a pair of surgical/safety shears, which allow you to cut away any rope safely, without risk of cutting your partner. If I was forced to rank it in the Playbox toy hierarchy… the rope would be my second favorite item in the box.
Also in my box (yep, I’m still giggling over childish vagina humor) was the Flip Lube Light. This took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out. I’m apparently not as hip and cool as the rest of ya’ll. BUT after a quick google search and busting into the clam shell packaging, I sorted it out. It is a lube dispenser with a light up lid! It’s a product I never knew I wanted! Squeezing lube in the dark can lead to a mess… more than once I have squeezed out way more lube than intended because it was hard to see the clear liquid (or should I say clear Sliquid… because that’s my favorite lube) as it poured from the bottle. You know what I’m talking about, we’ve all done this with lube or lotion… suddenly you have a handful of the stuff and you are rubbing it on every available surface, trying not to let it go to waste. So, the Flip Light Lube solves this goofy little problem by adding a soft light that illuminates around the lid of the dispenser, allowing you to see what you are doing. Handy! What a stupidly brilliant product.
And then last but not least, the Playbox contained four condoms (I have enough condoms to outfit an army thanks to Planned Parenthood, so these were mostly unnecessary for me, but I can see it being a useful item for others) and a feather tickler. The feathers remind me of something my grandpa used to use as fancy fishing tackle and if you had a cat, I could see it being commandeered pretty quickly, but if you are into sensation play the teasing and tickling from the feathers could be fun. Not really my thing, I’m not great with subtle sensations. And as for the condoms, in their email to me Playbox emphasized that safety is extremely important to them, so condoms always go in every box (this is pretty cool).
The biggest (and really only) flaw I can see with the Playbox is the lack of information. I really wish it came with some kind of short guide, something that gives me a little more information about each of the products selected, such as what is included and who makes it/where it comes from/what it’s made from. Especially knowing that some of the items are custom made for these boxes, it seems only fair to give the creators a little shout out! Also, (maybe it comes from being a blogger) I always like knowing more about the companies/people making my toys… I do a lot of googling before I use toys.
Since each box has the potential to be slightly different I can only speak for my box, but overall I think Playbox has a solid idea. What a great idea for anyone who might be looking for a gift (especially since you have the option of working with the Play Box curators to create your perfect box) or for anyone looking to discover something new (something they didn’t know they needed, like the Flip Lube Light). I can totally see these making great bachelor/bachelorette, Valentine’s, and birthday gifts! Also, I think it is worth noting that Playbox is not a ‘loot box’ subscription service (I’ve had a couple of people ask me about my Playbox and when the next one would arrive) it is more of a curated gift box service (as I understand it). While surfing around their website, I was actually very surprised by how reasonably priced these boxes actually are, I was honestly expecting a service like this to be in the $80 to $100 range. But to my surprise they are at a very comfortable $40 to $50 price range (making it even more attractive for gift giving). Of course, should you choose to do a custom box, I imagine the price will vary a bit more. I had a lot of fun with my Playbox and found items that I really enjoy that I otherwise would have probably never run into, I definitely recommend purchasing a Playbox at least once! Especially if you are looking for something fun and new to try!
Ready to create a Playbox of your very own? Check out the Play shop for themed boxes or create a custom box of your own!
Playbox was provided to me free of charge by Play in exchange for my honest review.