The Mantric Pleasure Beads are a very lovely and unusual set of anal beads. The wonderful texture created by their two shapes of beads is designed to stimulate the anal walls. This toy is too long to insert vaginally, and the diameter of the beads, 7/8 inch throughout, is not large enough to provide satisfactory vaginal stimulation for me personally. They're also too flexible to try manipulating them for G-spot stimulation. With enough lube, I found them easy to insert. The beads had a nice soft texture with very little drag, with just the right amount of give to feel comfortable inside of me. The beads are meant to be inserted, and then removed just at the peak of orgasm. They have a large ball-shaped handle that is easy enough to manipulate, though it was a little tricky using it to remove them with slippery fingers. The handle also did not obstruct the entrance to my vagina, so that I could still enjoy other toys or intercourse while using the beads. The other review on this product said that the user had concerns about the handle being sucked inside during use; so far I haven't encountered this problem. The beads are too flexible to use as a thrusting toy, although I did find it enjoyable popping them in and out slowly. These beads can be used by men or women for anal pleasure.

These beads are coated in TPR, and the coating is where they get really strange. When I received these, there were already bubbles in the coating. They looked like they might break if the beads were bent the wrong way, but I twisted and tested them, and they held up. I could move the coating around with my fingers; it was like having a really tight condom over the toy. The coating is meant to make the toy easier to clean/sanitize. It is hypoallergenic/latex-free/phthalates-free, with a material safety rating of 7. The coating has a velvety texture that's a tad sticky (picture those baby books with different animal's "skin" and "fur" in them, then imagine what the "frog skin" in those books feels like), and the inside material has a nice amount of give to it. The slight give made the beads very comfortable to insert, but they were still definitely firm enough to be felt in all the right places. The beads do have a rather rubbery smell, but it's not strong or unpleasant and it may go away after a few more washings. I tried licking the end, and they taste the same as they smell. Again, this toy is very flexible, and not for thrusting.

The beads are 11 1/2 inches long, with an insertable length of ten inches. The beads themselves are a little less than an inch in diameter and they remain the same size throughout. This was my first set of anal beads, and I did not find the size intimidating. There are eight beads, positioned directly adjacent to each other with no space between; every other bead (including the first one) is ball-shaped bead and the others (including the last one) are ovals. The variation felt wonderful. I do think the last bead should have been ball-shaped, not oval, since it didn't want to stay in during play. The large, ball-shaped handle was easy to use and it sat comfortably when the beads were inserted. The handle measures about an inch and a half in diameter, so your butt could conceivably swallow it, but I haven't experienced this problem. There is no seam at all, and the beads are very smooth and comfortable to insert with lube. They come in one color only, purple, and they are actually a slightly brighter and less bluish purple than shown. They could easily be packed up and stored for travel. There are no noisy parts. They are not discreet at all; anyone looking at them would know that they were anal beads.

I give these beads' performance a standing ovation. The design is interesting and non-traditional, but they did the job better than some more traditional beads I've tried since. My only concern is the thinness of the coating; I'll be keeping an eye on it and letting you know how it held up in my follow-up review. The last bead didn't seem to want to stay inside of me; it was one of the oval-shaped beads. Personally, I think a ball-shaped bead on the end might have stayed put better.

I haven't had a chance to use them with a partner, but feeling them inside of me while thrusting with a vibrator vaginally felt great and the handle would certainly not get in the way of being able to use them during intercourse.

I've kept them in for up to an hour with no discomfort, and even walked gotten up and walked around in them to see how it felt. They felt a little bit like they were slipping out when I walked, but when I checked they hadn't. I walked to the kitchen wearing a bathrobe with the beads inside of me to get a glass of water, and my roommate could not tell I was wearing them. (Unless she knew by the grin I was wearing.)

This toy comes dusted in talc, and the manufacturer recommends re-dusting it for storage after each use. Presumably this protects the product's weird coating from drying out or getting damaged during storage. However, talc has been linked to certain kinds of cancer, and cornstarch is cheaper, safer, and will do the job just as well. You'll want to wash it before use. Either silicone or water-based lubricants work with this product.

I found this toy difficult to clean. The coating, while meant to make the toy less porous and safer than other anal beads, had an almost sticky feel to it when it came time to clean these beads. The grooves between the beads aren't deep and weren't any more challenging to get clean than the surface as a whole. I used a water-based lube with this product, and for some reason it didn't want to wash off with water. What I do, and what I recommend doing, is washing these beads first with soap and water, then with a toy cleaner and wipes to get what is remaining. The material is slightly porous and it cannot be sanitized by boiling or bleach, so it is best to use a condom if sharing.

These beads came in clear packaging. The insert was white with red lettering. No pictures, no flash. While there is no way to say it was discreet, since you could see the beads through the packaging, it was tastefully done. The back of the package had care instructions and let me know what that white powdery stuff was (the talc coating). The package works well for storing the beads, although it does take up space. If gifting the product, I would gift-wrap it, since the packaging is pretty plain and unexceptional.

This was my first set of anal beads, and I was extremely happy with my experience. I had no trouble putting the beads in on my first try, and I "ooh"ed and "ah"ed as each bead popped inside of me. As soon as they were inside of me, I got up and walked around. I felt a gentle, pleasurable sensation with every step. Then I got back on the bed to play. The beads made it harder at first to use a thrusting toy, since they were kind of bumpy against the back wall of my vagina, but as I got warmed up, it got easier and the beads felt great. At times, I felt like they were slipping out; the last bead did slip out twice, but I slid it back in and kept going. When I finally did reach orgasm, I pulled them out slowly and it felt amazing! The sensation of the beads sliding and popping out of my extended my orgasm by about ten seconds, making it the longest orgasm I've experienced (mine are usually short and sweet). Adding the anal stimulation to my usual routine was incredible; all the different sensations combined was so intense. While I love these beads, they also make me want to try other anal beads.