When is a vibrator not a vibrator? That may be the question they pondered when they designed the Natural Contours line of vibrators. No matter the size, almost all vibes tend to be more or less cylindrical and phallic, from the Pocket Rocket to the Rabbit Pearl. The Natural Contours, however, are flattish and curved, looking nothing like a penis, and nothing like a standard vibrator.
They feature a European design brought to us by adult film legend, filmmaker, and sex educator Candida Royale. She was the very first adult star invited to join the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists, and she is best known now for her line of couple friendly adult films. She partnered with famed Dutch industrial designer Jandirk Groet to create these unique looking vibes.
For those who would rather not have something that obviously looks like a vibrator in the house, these are something to consider, but the design goes beyond just that consideration. There’s a method to their curviness. The is the smallest of their vibes, measuring 4” long, and 1 1/2” wide, and almost an inch thick. It is designed primarily for labial and clitoral stimulation.
The top part of the vibe can rest right on top of the pubic mound, with the vibrating end curving down over the vaginal lips and on top of the clit. You can rock the vibrator back and forth across the clit, which provides sensation across a large area. This is good for women who find very direct clitoral stimulation a little too intense. The very tip of the curved end does round off, so you can do direct clitoral stimulation with it as well.
One of the things I especially liked was that it fit perfectly in the palm of the hand. You don’t really have to hold it, you can just have it resting on their body and against the palm of your hand and just move your hand around, which is much more comfortable than having to grip a vibrator. This is especially comfortable when using it on yourself, since it is the hand position many women use to masturbate anyway.
It has three speeds, from a very soft gentle vibration to fairly strong. It is also quieter than most vibes. Small and fairly light, it is a very good vibrator for travel, especially under today’s conditions where security often removes everything from your suitcase in full view of everyone. Few people who see the Petite will even have any idea what it is.
The Superbe is about twice the size of the Petite, and frankly, the Petite tested better. Our testers found the Petite easier to hold, and did not see a lot of advantage in the larger size.
The Magnifique is the longest of the vibes we tested, at 7.5 inches. It is insertable, with a unique ergonomic shape. The hump near the tip is intended for G-Spot stimulation.
The shape is very different from your typical torpedo shaped vibrator. Some of our testers really liked the shape, others were more neutral to it. There is also the factor of whether you like hard sex toys as opposed to those made from softer materials.
Of the several different models in the Natural Contours line, the clear favorite with our testers was the Ultime. To the uninitiated, it might look like it could be some high tech neck massager from Sharper Image (actually, it works pretty good on the neck), but its real target is the G-spot, a target its well thought out design makes easy to hit.
But wait, there’s more! The upper part at the other end of the vibe hits right against the clit at the same time, providing stimulation there as well.
The Natural Contours line of vibes are known for being quiet, but that is a bit of oversell, as they still make plenty of noise. The Ultime we tested could get kind of crankily noisy at the highest of the three speed settings. Fortunately, when it is resting in the right spot, that sound is significantly muffled, so you might prefer to wait until everything is nestled just right before kicking it into high gear. It is whisper quiet on the lowest speed.
In fact, all of the vibes we tried had a tendency to be much noisier when held in the hand than when in actual use. Also, a general tip for hard plastic vibrators is to wrap a little paper around the batteries. This will hold them in place tighter and keep them from clanking around in the case.
The hard plastic case is easy to clean and does a good job of transmitting the vibrations. There is a seem, and we suggest using an old toothbrush along the seem with toy cleaner to get the seam completely cleaned. Even at the highest settings, the clitoral vibration is more gentle than the G-Spot end. For those who enjoy more intense clitoral stimulation, we used this together very effectively with the Natural Contours Petite .They were a match made in heaven and provided for a very strong orgasm.
We did a hands-on with four of the nine items in the Natural Contours line. Here is a brief run-down on the ones we did not test:
Energie is a kegel exerciser, and Candida Royale notes that it is one of her favorites.
Liberte adds a pulsation feature to the regular three speeds
Ideal is a cordless rechargeable vibrator with the head of a Magic Wand and a shorter curved handle.
G-Plus is an attachment for the Ideal and other ball type vibrators. It is made of a latex and phthalate free material, but other than that I have no idea what it is made of. To be on the safe side, treat it as you would any rubber based toy. It is designed to provide simultaneous G-Spot and clitoral stimulation.
Jolie is a shorter 3.34 inch vibrator designed for both clitoral and G-Spot stimulation. It is also waterproof. Unlike all of the other products in the line, it uses a dial at the base to control it. Like a Pocket Rocket, this offers only one speed. Unlike a Pocket Rocket, it has a much more ergonomic design and is insertable.
The one commonality these vibrators have is that the high setting may not be strong enough for some. These are gentler vibrators, and probably not the first choice for those who can only be satisfied by a Magic Wand on high.