I used Shunga's Secret Garden with a toy and it made the vibrations feel way more intense. I'm not overly sensitive when it comes to clitoral stimulating gels but I only needed a little bit of this! I used about a pea sized amount on my finger and rubbed it in to my "secret garden" as the back of the box instructs you to do. The instructions on the back of the bottle give these directions for use: Apply on the clitoral region by taking time to massage the tissue under the clitoris. Certain women feel the effect immediately, others may take up to 3 applications (3 consecutive days). 3 Must be the magic number here because it felt the cooling sensation at approximately the 3 minute mark!

Shunga's Secret Garden female orgasm enhancing cream has the consistency of a thin water based lubricant. It has a slippery, slick, natural feeling to it and you only need a small amount per use. When I initially applied this it felt amazing and I didn't need to wash it off after I used it. However, as I started writing this review I put a dab of it on the back of my hand to see if it would absorb nicely into my skin and it didn't. It just dried up within 30 minutes and got pretty tacky and sticky. Keep in mind that's how it felt on my hand, my secret garden didn't get sticky or uncomfortable after using this. I have no idea why they call it a "cream" because it isn't a cream at all as you can see from the picture of it on my hand. It's not a gel either but I wouldn't say it's completely liquid because it doesn't drip and run all over the place. It has the perfect consistency for something that you would want to stay in place!

The scent of this is a very light peppermint smell, definitely not overpowering but it is noticeable. To my knowledge, this isn't meant to be edible and nowhere on the packaging does it say that it is safe to consume but it does have a minty taste. The taste is stronger than the smell and again it isn't unpleasant at all. I don't think ingesting it would cause harm but I don't recommend it because it does not mention that it is edible.

I could still feel the cooling sensation after 20 minutes had passed which was great for me because it lasted longer than I needed it to. I didn't need to reapply at any point, that pea sized amount lasted me at least 20 minutes. The cooling sensation was the strongest within the first 15 and then it felt like it started to dull a bit. Because it's so thin and some might find it a bit expensive I was glad that I didn't need to reapply. I didn't have to wash it off right away but when I took a shower later I didn't find that it left a sticky mess. I loved that I only needed a little bit and it was very slick. A big plus for me was also that such a small amount lasted longer than I needed it to because reapplying can be kind of a buzz kill!

The packaging for Shunga's Secret Garden Female orgasm enhancing cream is simply gorgeous. It's classy and discrete and would make a great gift for a birthday, anniversary or shower. It comes packaged in a small, sturdy cardboard box, the top lifts off to reveal 2 pamphlets with the bottle of the stimulating gel underneath. The first pamphlet I saw when I opened the box says: "IMPORTANT: You're Unique! Every woman is unique, so it's only natural that sensitivity levels are as well! This product is designed to provide new sensations for enhanced sensitivity. You will experience a sensation of warmth or coolness that is pleasant and NORMAL. However, this thermal sensation may be too intense or weak, depending on your sensitivity level. For an overly intense sensation: Simply wipe the excess with a tissue and keep massaging. If the sensation remains too intense for your sensitivity level, clean with a moist cloth or rinse with water. For an overly weak sensation: Use more of the product at each application. (Some women feel the effect right away, while others may require up to 3 applications)." I thought this was a great insert for Shunga to include because it's true, everyone is different! Everyone will experience different results with a product like this and it's great that a company acknowledges this so people don't end up discouraged. I'm sure everyone has tried a product at some point and thought it's not for them because they might've used too much or too little so I thought this was an awesome little point for Shunga to include. The box also contains a mini paper catalog featuring information such as the company history and other shunga products with their descriptions. Instructions for use are also printed on the back of the box as well as in the bottle itself. This is the most informative packaging I have seen for a product like this and it doesn't seem too cluttered either. The bottle itself has a twist off cap and you simply squeeze the bottle to dispense the desired amount of product that you want to use. If you're thinking of getting this as a gift for someone you know but they might be too shy to ask questions about it, everything they need to know is included with the packaging!

Although the insert that came with this said that depending on the person, either cooling or warming sensations would be felt, I felt cooling. It wasn't too strong, it wasn't a burning icy hot feeling but it was the perfect amount of sensation. The ingredients are printed on the bottle as:
Water, Glycerin, Propylene glycol, L-Arginine, L-Ornithine, H.E.C., Turnera aphrodisiaca extract, Methyl paraben, Propyl paraben, Mentha piperita, Tocopherol.

This gel has earned a special spot in my toy box, it gave me the cooling sensation I was looking for without being too strong. I have gels that tingle as well but as for a great cooling gel that was long lasting and came beautifully packaged, this ranks up there with my other favorites!

I've used many stimulating gels over the years: cooling, warming, tingling etc. Some have failed me and others have become staples in my toy box. Shunga Secret Garden is my newest must have and one of the best stimulating gels I have ever tried. It lasted longer than I needed it to, I only applied a little bit and I didn't need to reapply. It didn't get noticeably sticky when I used it where it's intended to be used, the smell isn't overpowering or bad. I could go on and on but to sum it up, this product delivered! It did what I expected it to and even exceeded my expectations.