LELO Soraya Beads | Anal Beads Massager Review (AD)
I’ve never been drawn to anal play. I’m still getting to grips with the smallest butt plug you could possibly buy, I’m not fussed about being rimmed (this is the term for when someone ‘eats your booty like groceries’ – shout out to Jhene for that iconic lyric), I don’t particularly enjoy a finger in my butt during partnered sex and when it comes to a dique in there -mate, forget about it! I have tried 3 times in my life to successfully partake in anal sex and to this day I have failed because my pain threshold is not as high back there as it is everywhere else. But I want to enjoy it. Everyone who engages in regular anal play talks about how amazing it is once you get past both sphincters in your rectum, so since 2020 I’ve embarked on a sluggish journey to unveil what the hype is about.
When LELO reached out for me to test their brand-new Soraya Beads I hesitated at first, because what if I couldn’t bring myself to do it? I have loads of anal toys that are purely decoration at this point because I’m terrified of them, but LELO said they were beginner friendly, and in case it isn’t obvious at this point, I unequivocally adore and trust LELO toys. If there was ever a chance of something breaking me out of my anal-shy shell, surely the LELO Soraya Beads were going to be it, right? I decided to take the leap, not only for myself but for those of you who are also hiding away inside of your anal-shy shells.
Soraya Beads are LELO’s first gender neutral vibrating anal beads, with a gradual increase in size of each bead, designed for people who are starting their anal adventure. It incorporates LELO’s Bow-Motion technology. This innovative pleasure tech is inspired by ‘the masterful movements of violin players’ to provide a feeling of gentle thrusting even though the toy itself is still.
In this review I’ll go over the specs of the toy, what you get in your package, how to use the toy, my experience, final thoughts and 5-star review.
SPECIFICATIONS
Made from premium body safe silicone and ABS plastic
Bow-Motion technology
Cascading bead design
8 settings
LELO’s signature 3-button LED interface
Waterproof
UBS rechargeable
Noise level: Under 60 decibels
2 hours of battery (fully charged)
90-day standby time
1 year warranty
10-year quality guarantee
Available in Violet Dusk and Black
UNBOXING
The box is LELO’s signature matte black and foiled gold, with a transparent window displaying the Soraya Beads in all its elegance. The black version is sleek and seductive, but my personal fave is the Violet Dusk variation. It’s such a pretty shade, giving the beads a feminine playful vibe that anchors into the luxury aesthetic with the gold accent on the handle. The shape of the beads are like teardrops, tapered at each tip then widening at the base. Beneath the foam insert that houses the toy, you get a branded LELO storage bag, a USB charging cable, instruction manual, your warranty registration card, and a complimentary packet of LELO’s Personal Moisturiser (voted one of the best lubes for anal play by Women’s Health magazine).
HOW TO USE
I don’t normally include this section in my reviews, but as anal play may be a bit more challenging for some of you, or perhaps you simply have no idea how to go about it in the safest, cleanest, and most comfortable way, I’ve put together a guide of all of the things I learned.
Before engaging in anal activities, use the bathroom at least 30-60 minute before and then cleanse the area thoroughly with soap and water. BONUS TIP: My friends who partake in anal play recommend taking fibre supplements to help you…unburden yourself. Fibre supplements help to promote regular bowel movements.
For further cleanliness you can use an anal douche. A douche is a small tube with a balloon attached that you fill with douching solution. You insert the tube into your anus and squeeze the balloon to rinse the inside of your lower rectum. You then sit on the toilet to flush out your system. You can repeat this a few times. When douching it is important that you don’t overdo it by doing it too much, as your rectum houses useful bacteria that your body needs to keep that area balanced. Also note that shooting the water too far up into your rectum can disturb anything that is in your colon, causing that to also start coming out of you. We don’t want that.
Lay down a towel or some kind of sheet to protect the surface you will be laying on.
Liberally apply lube to the toy and your anus. You can also purchase a lube shooter, which is a syringe that you fill up with lube, insert into your anus and squirt the lube inside of yourself for extra slip. I strongly advise against participating in penetrative anal play without lube, as you could do a lot of damage down there.
Relax and insert the anal beads at a pace that you are most comfortable with. You don’t need to put them in all at once -you don’t even need to get them all in. Work your way up the graduating sizes and see which ones feel best for you.
Shit happens. These tips will minimise the chances of things getting messy, but it’s very normal that there may be a little, so don’t freak out.
General note here: If you put something in your anus, you should not insert the same object into your pussoir (or your lover’s bodies) without a condom over it or without sterilising it first. You can sterilise your toys either by boiling them or using a sex toy sanitising UV light storage box/pouch. The bacteria back there should not be anywhere near the delicate microcosm that is your vagina, so none of that back-and-forth action. This is real life, not a porno.
MY EXPERINCE
I’m going to be completely honest; I’ve had this toy for over a month and at the time that I’m writing this review, I used it for the first time a mere few days ago. I kept fretting over if it would be painful, messy, or not pleasurable. My hang-ups around anal play have been blocking my blessings for a long time and apparently the only thing strong enough to get me to get over them -was a looming deadline lol.
It was important to me that the first time I tried the Soraya Beads, that I did it solo so that there wasn’t the pressure of disappointing my partner if I realised I was too much of a delicate flower to go through with it. This allowed me to take my sweet time and explore (and take my time, I did -I finally stuck it up my butt around 2am, despite starting the process at 11pm).
Once I was ready to go, I laid down a towel on my bed, lubed myself and the Soraya Beads up and found the perfect material to get me in the mood.
I’ve become an audio porn girlie in the last few months, but that wasn’t cutting it today. If something was going in my ass, I needed to see something going in someone else’s ass so I could live vicariously through them. We love a relatable moment! I ended up watching gay porn -don’t be shocked, a lot of straight women enjoy watching 2 (or more) people with penises enjoying each other. Could I have watched a heterosexual couple doing anal? Yes, but I kinda hate it. Mainstream porn seems like it’s on a mission to make hetero anal sex look as unappealing as it possibly can for people with vulvas. Gay porn is better because the men actually moan (men moaning will forever have me weak in the knees), they engage more sensually with each other, plus there’s more dique, and I love dique, so this is great for me all around.
I pressed and held the central power button on the toy to turn it on. This button is also what you press to cycle through the 8 vibration settings. You can customise the intensity of each setting by using the + or – buttons.
I relaxed and laid on my side, figuring this would be the best position for me as I couldn’t lay on my back because I thought the protruding handle might push the other beads in before I was ready, and that the vibration would travel through my bed and make my entire bedroom start buzzing, which is not the tea when you live with other people. I of course am being dramatic as the toy is quiet af -we’re talking between 20-40 decibels on my decibel metre.
I inserted the first bead, which was no problem at all. The tapered teardrop shape of the beads make insertion easier and helps it to sit snuggly inside of you -though several times I did panic, thinking my body would push it back out. I spent a good chunk of time holding it in by the handle until I eventually realised that it wasn’t going anywhere. Slowly, I followed up with the second and finally the third bead, making sure I enjoyed the sensation of each before moving on. I tried to make it to the fourth bead but I’m not there yet. I need to work up to number 4.
Something that eased my mind regarding the pleasure aspect was finding out that anal beads are not the star of the show. They play a supporting role to maximise the pleasure of your focal stimulation. With that in mind, I gathered various other toys to see which one would work most harmoniously with it. I began with my beloved LELO Sila clitoral suction vibe. She died on me about 3 minutes in, which was a shame as it was very complimentary to the Soraya Beads. I tried laying on my front and stimulating myself with my hands, but that was kinda dry as I don’t like pleasuring myself with my hands underneath me and I felt like I needed the level of stimulation in the front to match what the Soraya Beads were doing in the back. I followed up with a panty vibe…that also died, then the LELO Ora 3. That didn’t die, but laying on my side meant I couldn’t thigh-clamp it into the position I preferred. After all that trial and error, I figured I should uncomplicate the process and partner the Soraya Beads up with a good old wand vibe.
This combo right here ate and left no crumbs! Bitch, I started moaning so loud, oh my god, which is weird for me because I’m generally quiet during solo sessions. I had the Soraya Beads tuned to a magical setting where the vibrations ran up and down the length of the shaft, making it feel like it was thrusting in and out of me without the toy moving an inch. Come see innovative Bow-Motion technology! LELO, things you did -THAT! Once I started rocking my hips, I knew this would be over soon.
What a fucking fantastic ending!
I need to say this, the PR that you anal lovers are giving anal assisted orgasms, is nowhere near the level that it should be, because had I known what those beads were going to do to me, I would have ripped them out of the box the day they landed in my mailbox. It was a full body experience that ran from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I was QUIVERING! My body felt like a TEMPEST. I was a STORM OF A WOMAN; I came so damn hard! WOW!
The science behind why anal stimulation is so intensely pleasurable is that your anus is packed with thousands of nerve endings, as is your vulva/penis. For people with vulvas, the walls of your vagina and internal parts of your clitoris are close to the walls of your rectum, so they are still able to be stimulated. This is called your A-spot, which sits slightly behind your G-spot. For people with penises, your rectum contains your prostate which is the equivalent of a G-spot, aptly referred to as your P-spot. On top of that, the pudendal nerve (responsible for sensation and function in your pelvic region, including your anus) also branches to the dorsal nerve of your clitoris/penis. By stimulating both parties, I was destined to be felled like a tree.
It's recommended upon orgasm that you yank the anal beads out of you to crank the feeling up even further, but my fear of mess wouldn’t allow me to be so risqué. I’m still contending with the fact that there was something in my ass that I was actually enjoying and didn’t want to ruin it. Baby steps, hun. But if you feel so bold, please do it and let me know how you found it.
When it came to cleaning the Soraya Beads, a bitch was THOROUGH! Please note that they are extremely easy to clean and that you don’t have to go through as many rounds as I did, but I feel these hygiene tips will help keep things spick and span.
I believe that everyone should have a packet of wet wipes by their bedside in general for quick clean-ups. I’m doubling down on that for anal play. Give your toy a general first wipe to get rid of any obvious unfortunate occurrences.
Antibacterial sex toy spray. LELO has a Premium Toy Cleaning Spray that smells divine. Give your toy a few spritzes of this, leave it on for 5 seconds then wipe it down with a fresh wet wipe. I feel like this tackles any immediate germs.
Wash your toys with fragrance free soap and warm water. I did it 3 times. You absolutely do not have to do that. Once is fine.
Just to be safe, after I dried my Soraya Beads, I did give it another spritz of the LELO Premium Toy Cleaning Spray then left it to sit overnight. Again, you do not have to do this. After you’ve washed it in soap and water, you’re good. I’m just anal (see what I did there lol terrible joke, I know).
FINAL THOUGHTS
As I’m still very much a beginner in anal play, I don’t have much to compare the beads to, but I will say that I enjoy it much, much more than a butt plug. Like MILES more. I wish that the Soraya Beads had been invented when I first stumbled along my anal journey because I feel like I would be much farther along than I am. Hand on heart, this toy has shifted my entire outlook on anal activities. It’s not often that I come across a toy that makes me want to explore things outside of my vast comfort zone, but the Soraya Beads have. They have been granted instant VIP access to my bedside table favourites and I can’t wait to experiment with my partner and see what partnered sex a la Soraya Beads feels like (once I’ve become more acquainted).
The Bow-Motion technology is a game changer and LELO I am going to need you to put that tech into a pussior toy immediately. If you need product testers, I volunteer as tribute, because it is PHENOMENAL.
If you are a beginner to anal play, I 1000% recommend the Soraya Beads to you, though I will say that I wouldn’t make it your first purchase. I recommend trying something cheaper like a butt plug or perhaps your lover could ‘lend you a hand’, just so you can see if you enjoy having things in your butt first. If you do, then get this. It’s marvellous.
For those of you who are more well versed in anal play, you should also get this because I promise you in all my years of testing sex toys, this Bow Motion technology is not something I’ve ever come across before and I dare you not to be obsessed with it.
My rating: 5 STARS!!!
In terms of pricing, you know what I always say; luxury toys have luxury price tags. The LELO Soraya Beads come in at £199, so if you can afford to treat yourself, please do (it’s worth the money and the orgasms). Alternatively, Christmas is coming so start dropping gifting hints now.
Tap the link to get your LELO Soraya Beads: https://www.lelo.com/soraya-beads
