The Crystal Chic Wand is great for use as an introduction to anal play, with a variety of features that make it ideal for both beginners and advanced users.

This wand would likely appeal to many beginners because of its size; it's narrow enough (little more than half an inch at the tip, and less than 1" at the widest bead) that it's not intimidating, but long enough that you can insert a significant portion of the vibe and still have plenty of handle left over to maneuver it.

The flexibility of the shaft means that it can be curved to fit almost any body type, while the push-button control at the base of the handle makes for easy control over the 3 vibration settings. The stacked beads and velvety coating create a wonderful texture for those who like to engage in sensation play, and finally, the shaft can be stretched out, making for easy cleaning between the beads when you're done playing.

The gentle vibrations at the lowest speed are also great for warming up to anal play; a dollop of lube plus the vibrations of this toy are pleasant enough to ease the outer muscles into relaxing enough that after a few seconds, the tip of the wand will just slide in without any pomp, circumstance, or discomfort, and from there, it only gets better.

The advantages of this vibe are most definitely in the subtle sensations provided by the velvety texture of the material coating the firmer beads underneath and the flexibility of the shaft, rather than the feeling of being filled or the intense vibrations that are featured in other toys.

The toy itself is made of a hard plastic that gives it plenty of firmness, but is covered with a layer of polyurethane that's called, very appropriately, "Velvet Cote" by the manufacturers. The toy feels just as you would think based on the description; the handle, beads, and tip are hard and firm, covered in a soft, smooth material that feels like velvet against your skin. It's very pleasant just to hold this toy, even before you've started using it. Add a little lube or spit, and the velvety vibe will glide enticingly over your skin.

I could not detect any smell on the toy itself, although it does tend to retain a scent after being used vaginally or anally, so you'll want to make sure you clean it well before and after each use with mild soap and water.

I love the way this toy is designed. The size is perfect for beginners to anal play, being narrow enough not to intimidate and long enough to be confident about your grip on the handle while up to 7 inches are inserted. Its flexibility allows for great variety in play, whether you want to keep it straight for thrusting or curved for g-spot or prostate stimulation, and it's adjustable enough to find your erogenous zones whether they're deep or shallow.

The wand is long enough for either a beginner or an advanced user, but the narrowness is more suited to beginning users of this toy. If you're looking for something with girth, this is probably not the toy for you. However, if you're feeling adventurous and the other features of the toy (flexibility, length, and somewhat intense vibrations) intrigue you, you would probably enjoy inserting this toy alongside a second, thicker toy to fill you up while you're massaging your g- or p-spot.

Visually, this toy is not discreet, but its flexibility means you can bend it to about half its full length (which is how I manage to store it in the same pencil case I use for my Blueberry Bliss vibe). As far as the sound, the medium and high vibrations are pretty loud, especially if the shaft is stretched for cleaning; however, once this toy is deep inside you, the sound of the vibrations is masked pretty well.

The vibrations are centered in the oblong bead at the tip of the toy, and are controlled by an easy-to-press button at the base of the handle. The vibe has three settings: low, medium, and high. The low speed is very soft and subtle, not much more than a tease, and most people will probably want to notch it up to the second speed after a short while. The second speed is significantly faster than the first, and while the first two speeds emit a kind of a hum, the third speed is more of a hum, and a lot more intense.

I've used the 5 or 6 times by now, and I haven't had to replace the batteries, nor do the vibrations show any sign of weakening.

I found the medium and high settings to be very intense when used on my clit or my nipples, although the intensity of the vibrations, like the sound, is dulled when the wand is inserted and/or pressure is put on it, like if you wrap your hand around the tip. When inserted, the vibrations might be intense enough to get you off if you're a beginner and/or very sensitive, but as with the narrow size of the wand, more experienced or less sensitive users will likely want to enhance the sensation with a second, more powerful, vibe.

As long as the battery pack is tightly shut, this toy is waterproof. I've used it in the shower several times, although I usually end up moving to the bed where I don't have to worry about falling down. It would probably be great in the bathtub, but because I've only used it in the shower, not the bath, I can't say how it would perform when fully immersed in water. I probably wouldn't try putting it all the way in the water, but it's long enough that I would definitely feel comfortable immersing the first ten inches of the toy and leaving out the very end of the handle where the battery pack screws shut.

Due to the nature of the polyurethane coating on this toy, you'll want to clean it with mild soap and water. The product page for this item says that "there's no way to absolutely sterilize the toy though, so if you're going to share it or switch from anal to vaginal use, it's best to stick a condom on your wand."

The beads might present a problem for cleaning in any other toy, but because you can pull-and-twist to separate the beads from one another, it's fairly easy to get between all the crevices. As mentioned on the product page, the beads are largely hollow, so you'll want to let the wand air dry after washing to make sure that most or all of the water evaporates before snapping it closed again. A few hints:

* To separate the beads, hold the handle in your left hand and the tip in your right. Then, pull your hands away from the center, and once you've felt it lengthen, twist the handle away from your body and twist the tip toward you. This will lock the shaft in the open-beads position.

* I've found that shaking the toy after washing while the beads are still separated allows most of the water to shake off, and then when you set it down you won't have to air dry it as long.

* Here's a handy tip for air-drying the wand after washing it: get an unused roll of toilet paper and place it hole-up on a counter top or any flat surface you don't mind having water dripped on. Then I place the wand with the handle in the hole of the toilet paper roll with the tip of the toy sticking out of the top. The weight of a full roll of (most brands of) toilet paper is enough to keep it from tipping over, and with all sides of the beads exposed, the water will evaporate faster than if you laid it on its side.

As I mentioned in my review of the Blueberry Bliss Vibrator, I like to store my toys in a plastic pencil box. It's just the right size for most of my toys. Well, the Crystal Chic Wand is a bit long for a pencil box, by several inches, but guess what? Because of the flexible shaft, I'm able to bend it into a U-shape and place it inside my pencil box, where it happily spoons my other toys. It doesn't get more convenient than that!

The wand is packaged in a rectangular box made of clear plastic, so the packaging isn't discreet as well. It's kind of a display box, making it take up much more room than it would to store the toy by itself. However, if you have the space, the toy itself comes nestled in another piece of plastic inside the box which is good for storage.

Although this toy is meant for anal play, I mostly use it for vaginal insertion. I like how deep it can go, and how I can bend it so the vibrations stimulate both my clitoris and my g-spot area. One of the things I really enjoy doing is inserting this toy vaginally, sitting on it - the length means I can keep it inside and still control the vibrations - and use another vibe for my clit. I pretty much always need two toys to get off, and the wand is one of my favorite toys to combine with others.