The Ami Vaginal Exercisers by Je Joue impressed me right from the start with the quality of the packaging. They are beautifully boxed in a very feminine, high-quality box that ties closed with a lovely purple ribbon. It was such pretty packaging that I did not want to open it at first! Curiosity got the better of me, so after about 2.5 seconds of package appreciation, I opened the box.

The balls themselves are beautiful. The color is stunning (have I mentioned I love purple?). The purple is dusky and dark, and I wish I had bedding that matched my Ami.

The silicone is soft and velvety and is a pleasure to the touch. They are completely silicone coated except for the little plastic plug that holds the retrieval band on. This means that you will need to use a non-silicone based lubricant with them if you use a lubricant. I had to use a lubricant; the texture of the silicone is lovely, but it makes for a slightly more difficult insertion that lubricant really helps improve.

Cleaning is simple. They wash up nicely with anti-bacterial toy cleaner and warm water. I also understand you can sterilize them using a 10% bleach solution.

I decided to start with the beginner level ball: the single large ball. I wore it for about an hour, but I found that it was uncomfortable for me especially if I sat down; I could really feel it. The next day I tried the largest double, and while it was more comfortable than the single ball, it really was not difficult for me to keep in. On the third day (this is starting to feel like a Goldilocks story), I tried the smaller double, and it was just right. The size and weight were nice and having it inserted reminded me to do my kegel exercises.

I had no problems keeping any of the exercisers inside. There was no real challenge in that area. I did not feel the movement or vibrations while using them. I wore them on the elliptical machine and on a longer walk and really can not feel the vibrations no matter how active I am.

I also cannot say that I have noticed a great deal of improvement in the tone of my PC muscles, but I guess they were pretty strong to begin with as I did not find retaining the Ami a challenge.

I actually had a little more problem removing them - especially the larger one that I failed to use lube with. I really had to pull hard on the retrieval cord while pushing vaginally.

I think the Ami would be great for beginners and intermediates, and if you think you have weak pelvic floor muscles, I highly recommend them.