Despite being a virgin, Emma, 20, knows exactly what she wants in bed and has at least three orgasms a week thanks to her job as a sex-toy tester.
And Emma, who doesn’t get paid for testing products but gets to keep them, says her 17 vibrators and array of orgasmic balms satisfy her sexual urges.
“I have three orgasms a week – that’s 150 a year!” boasts Emma, a waitress from Leicester. “And that’s OK until I find the right man. Sex should be an act of trust and love, not just wham, bam, thank you ma’am.
“Some young people are desperate to lose their virginity to fit in and I feel sorry for them. As long as it’s with someone I love, I’ll be happy. But for now, my sex toys give me everything I need!”
Emma has only had one boyfriend so far. She recalls: “When I was 14, I started dating a boy from school. I wasn’t ready for sex or foreplay and we split up when I moved away at 16.”
She adds: “I’ve had the odd crush – but nothing ever turned serious. Other girls would talk about how they got so drunk they couldn’t remember who they’d slept with. It just made me more determined that my first time would be special.
“It’s not that I’m a prude, it’s just hard to find a guy who wants sex to mean something. I’m not looking for another virgin – just someone I really like and who feels the same about me.”
However, Emma who has a normal sex drive and had been enjoying solo sex, wanted to spice things up. So on Valentine’s Day last year, she researched sex toys online, then bought her first vibrator a few days later.
“My friends had dates, but I knew I’d be home alone,” she says.
“So I decided it was the perfect time to start looking for a toy. I didn’t orgasm the first time I used it, but practice makes perfect!
“But when I have a boyfriend, I’ll have an emotional connection with him – you don’t get that from a vibrator!”
CHECK OUT: the best sex toys for solo fun
Sex toys for self isolation
1 of 8Lelo Insignia Soraya Luxury rechargeable rabbit vibrator
BEHOLD: the Rabbit of the future. So named for its ear like clitoral ticklers, the Rabbit is still the most iconic sex toy around. This sleek black one by luxury sex toy brand Lelo not only looks super sexy, the brands trademark 'rumbly' vibrations coupled with G spot stimulations offer the most intense orgasms we've had.
2 of 8Lovehoney Classic mains powered magic wand vibrator
If you've not tried a magic wand, prepare to have your mind well and truly blown. The UK's favourite sex toy website reimagines the classic Hitatchi wand that promises to be "stronger, quieter and more powerful than ever before." It plugs into the literal wall socket so that should give you an idea as to how robust this thing is.
3 of 8Womanizer Premium
The latest in sex toy tech means stimulation through air pressure and German company Womanizer was the first to develop sucky-air technology (the technical term) in the most beautiful, palm sized toys. This bad boy offers a totally distinct experience, gently "sucking" the clitoris rather than using vibration to get you off. It's not cheap, but it's worth the money.
4 of 8Lovense Lush 2 App controlled rechargeable Love App vibrator
Welcome to the wonderful world of teledildonics – toys that hook up to apps on your phone. If you have a long-distance bae who you can't see now you're self-isolating, then we have just the sex toy for you – a wireless wearable vibrator which can be controlled by anyone you give access to, through an app. Cor, we know how we're spending our next 'date night'.
5 of 8Smile Makers The Romantic vibrating dildo
If it's good old-fashioned penetration you're after, this cute vibrating dildo manages to avoid being intimidating whilst still packing a punch. Its angled head and clever detached motor deliver direct G spot stimulation with a ridged shaft for added sensation. Like all good sex toys it's got various pulsation modes and is completely waterproof – it's basically your new boyfriend.
6 of 8Lovehoney Hot Shot Rechargeable warming male masturbator
While the Orgasm Gap (quite rightly) means most of the pleasure industry is designed with women in mind, toys for the man in your life do exist. Now, we don't have the appropriate hardware to confirm, this warming masturbator is 'designed to mimic the sensations of the mouth' and looks hella cool to boot. Order one for your other half and let him in on the fun.
7 of 8Lust! Erotic Dice Game
While our social feeds are full of family's bonding over long-forgotten boardgames, don't underestimate the good clean (kind of ) fun of adult games. This dice set contains six die - red is an action, blue is a body part and green is a part of your house to get up to business in. Just THINK of the combinations you could roll...
8 of 8Loving Joy 20 Function Rechargeable Power Bullet Vibrator
For a purse-friendly option that's discreet but no less powerful, a classic bullet is a fail-safe option and a staple of any sex toy collection. This rechargeable one from Loving Joy delivers precise external stimulation, without the faff of tracking down tiny batteries for it.
After a fortnight of playing with her toy, Emma was back on the site, keen to try out something else. She’d read that online sex shop Lovehoney offered a service where regular customers could test and review sex toys.
Since signing up she’s reviewed 15 products for free – from orgasm balms to top-of-the range vibrators, using them between three to six times to ensure her review is accurate. And she’s bought other toys, too.
Now Emma’s such the sexpert her friends ask for her advice on toys, and her male friends make jokes, but she embarrasses them all with her knowledge.
Her favourite toy is her USB-charged vibrator.
She says: “It’s small and discreet, ideal for taking away with you. And the USB charging saves on batteries.”
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She adds: “I try the products in my room when my parents are out or in bed. I’m not ashamed of what I do, but I don’t feel the need to broadcast it to my parents. They know about it though – my dad doesn’t like to hear about it but my mum thinks it’s funny.”
However, Emma did have a near miss earlier this year.
She says: “I switched on a new vibrator, and it was really loud. I couldn’t find the off switch and it seemed to go on forever. I was convinced Mum would come in and ask me why the hairdryer was making such funny noises.”
Emma has no plans to stop using and reviewing sex toys in the future – and would even keep doing so if she got a boyfriend.
This article first appeared on Closer on 2 March 2013.