Over the last few years, sex toy companies have asked us to review their toys in exchange for, you know, their toys. Today we’re mixing it up — we’re reviewing Lorals latex underwear.

Lorals are single-use latex undies. Their latest version — Lorals for Protection — are FDA-approved to protect against STI transmission. I tried the company’s original product — Lorals for Pleasure/Comfort — which are supposed to enhance sexual pleasure. I tried Lorals alone and with a partner so I could give a thorough user experience report. Let’s start with my masturbation experience.

Solo Play

Lorals sent me a pair of each of their styles — the brief and the bikini. I decided to use the brief for solo play since, as a bigger person, briefs tend to roll up, give me a wedgie or cause serious chafing, and I’d rather deal with that by myself than with a partner. Lorals are “one size fits all,” with the caveat that they will “fit people with a waist and hip sizes 26″-51″, which corresponds to US women’s sizes 0 to 20.” Given those constraints, the Lorals briefs should have fit me comfortably, but I felt like I could have used a size bigger. This was the first major red flag for me: Lorals are not size-inclusive, although their FAQ page says they’ll expand their sizing options in the future.

The panties come folded up in a package that’s slightly bigger than a credit card. Because the latex is super thin and slightly sticky, I had to be extremely careful not to rip the undies apart as I peeled back all of the folded corners. The directions instruct you to use the back of your hands to stretch the undies apart at the hips and step into them, but let me tell you, this is MUCH easier said than done. It took some significant arm strength to keep the latex stretched wide enough to fit over my thighs without ripping. Once I had the briefs on, I was disappointed to see that the latex automatically rolled under my stomach, which made the waistband pretty tight. And as the latex was rolling in on itself, it took any hair on my body with it, so I got the bikini wax I never asked for.

When it comes to sexual pleasure, I guess wearing Lorals had some effect? The company suggests pulling the panties in and up like a thong so that they create more pressure along your clit, labia and perineum. To me, this didn’t feel any different from wearing an actual thong. If I wanted that sensation, I could have just kept my actual underwear on. On a positive note, unlike regular underwear, the Lorals panties contained a little sweat and a small amount of fluid, which kept my sheets slightly more dry than usual (although I certainly wouldn’t trust them with my period).

Lorals underwear smells like clean vanilla. Personally, the scent threw me off, but I could see how Lorals would be a great option for people who are bothered by the smells associated with oral play. Additionally, Lorals would probably be helpful for people who experience genital dysphoria during masturbation or sex, since the undies cover up the genital area.

When I eventually finished up, I didn’t feel like the latex had contributed to my experience any more than regular underwear would. At that point, I rated Lorals at 6/10, but after I removed the undies, my rating quickly dropped to a solid 4. As someone with thick hair all over my body, I was anticipating a little bit of discomfort, but not the pain of a full wax. It didn’t take out all of my vag hair, but it certainly pulled out anything it caught as it was bunching up and rolling off my body.

Partner Play

Using the bikini-style Lorals with a partner was awkward and dysfunctional. I suppose having these panties on before getting into it would probably make for a smoother experience. When I used them, it was more or less impromptu, which meant that shortly after this person went down on me, I asked if I could whip out the Lorals to test them out. It probably took me a good five minutes to delicately separate the panties so that I could get them on, which was fine when I was by myself, but it kinda killed the mood when I was in the middle of a steamy play party moment. I certainly didn’t feel sexy, but I was hoping maybe the pleasure of using these for oral stimulation would be well worth it.

Well, it wasn’t. I was fucked a few different ways, and each time these panties just got in the way. I would have rather taken them off to get the full experience of a tongue or fingers, but instead my partner kept wanting to push it to the side. I thought about how the FDA-approved Lorals for Protection are the same size and shape as the Lorals for Pleasure/Comfort I was wearing. It’s a good thing I wasn’t worried about STI protection during this experience, because the latex simply rolled up into itself anytime either one of us moved. My partner could fully stick their tongue inside, up and around me. Ideally, Lorals are supposed to act like a dental dam, but it was more like hoping a super thin G-string thong was going to protect me. The company advertises that Lorals are less awkward and more user friendly than a dental dam, but I beg to differ. I honestly think a dental dam would have provided more coverage and protection than these latex underwear.

I gave Lorals one last shot when I put on a strap on and used it with my partner. I didn’t notice any additional sexual pleasure. I forgot I had them on until we were putting our clothes back on and I wondered why my ass felt so uncomfortable. They had quite literally bunched into my vulva and asshole so much so that it took work to get it out, which also did not add to the sexiness of the moment.

My overall rating is a 3/10. I’m giving Lorals three points because I can see how someone who struggles with dysphoria might find them helpful. Otherwise, I don’t recommend them.

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