What is a cock ring?
Ever wondered what the best sex toy for intercourse is? Let VUSH introduce you to the pleasure ring. Commonly known as a cock ring, a pleasure ring sits at the base of the penis during penetration. It brings a pleasurable layer of pressure to the penis which helps create stronger erections and more powerful orgasms (more on how this happens, later).
But the good news doesn’t end there — a pleasure ring can also stimulate the other partner’s clitoris or anus during intercourse using its vibrating rabbit ears. This means its one of the only sex toys on the market specifically designed for both partners to enjoy during penetrative sex!
Orb | Pleasure Ring
Meet Orb, a beginner-friendly pleasure ring by VUSH, designed for couples looking to add more play into their sex lives. VUSH is rebranding penis sex toys by creating a non-intimidating pleasure ring for use during intercourse. Orb is a cock ring made of a stretchy, silicone ring and motorised rabbit ears with 10 settings to choose from. Orb is part of VUSH’s couples play collection, the newest range of sex toys for penis owners designed to be used with partners.
Why use a cock ring?
There are 5 main benefits to using a cock ring:
1. Mutual pleasure
Dual stimulation sex toys provide stimulation to two body parts or erogenous zones at once, or in the case of a pleasure ring, both partners! This tends to involve the penis of one partner and the clitoris of the other partner.
Clitoral stimulation during penetration is important because most vulva owners need this type of stimulation to finish — it’s rare to experience orgasm from vaginal or G spot stimulation during penetration alone. During clitoral use, the ears of a pleasure ring hit each side of the clitoral glans, sending pleasurable vibrations to the entire clitoral network.
2. Versatile use
Using a pleasure ring on the penis and as a clitoral vibrator isn’t the only option! Pleasure rings work just as well during anal sex by stimulating one person’s penis and the other person’s anus.
Pleasure rings can also be used during solo play or masturbation, stimulating the penis and scrotum at the same time. This can lead to a blended orgasm, which occurs when two erogenous zones are stimulated at once.
For vulva owners looking to use a pleasure ring during masturbation, the rabbit ears are perfect for external clitoris, vulva, or nipple stimulation. Alternatively, place the ring over a dildo or phallic sex toy and use it during internal solo play.
3. Longer + stronger erections
A pleasure ring can help couples spend more time on intercourse by encouraging longer and stronger erections. How does this work? The pressure from the ring sends blood flow to the penis, building an erection. It maintains the erection by keeping blood flow in the area. This is great for couples who want to prolong penetrative sex.
A pleasure ring may also be helpful for people who experience erectile difficulties (however, VUSH recommends speaking to a sexologist or medical professional if you’re concerned about ED, rather than using this sex toy in the place of treatment).
4. Powerful ejaculations
It’s not just erections that a pleasure ring can support — they can also create more powerful orgasms and ejaculations. This is done by delaying orgasm and allowing more time for a build up of arousal. Putting the pleasure ring over the scrotum as well as the penis can also help, since the scrotum will have less of a chance to retract up towards the body, which is what happens during orgasm.
Pleasure rings essentially offer a fun way to edge the penis! Edging is a form of orgasm control when you postpone your orgasm by bringing down the intensity just before orgasm, so that you can build it back up again even stronger. Sound good?
5. Waterproof + body-safe material
Pleasure rings are one of the most body-safe sex toys on the market because they’re made of medical-grade silicone. This makes them safe for use pretty much anywhere, including in the shower if your toy is waterproof (look for the IPX7 waterproof rating). This offers an opportunity to play with a partner in a new and exciting environment. Don’t forget the lube though — water can make things a bit tricky by washing away natural lubrication.
How to use a cock ring
Now that you’re fully across the benefits of a cock ring, it’s time to learn how to actually use one. VUSH has this part covered — here’s our 10 step guide to using a pleasure ring:
1. Start with lube
A good-quality lubricant is the first step to using a pleasure ring as comfortably as possible. Apply lube straight on the penis or chosen erogenous zone. You can also spread a little bit of lube over the ring or ears. As pleasure rings are made of silicone, it’s best to opt for a water-based lube (silicone-based lube may deteriorate the material).
2. Place the ring on the penis
First, ensure the product is fully charged. You may find it easier to put the pleasure ring on while the penis is semi-erect. Glide the pleasure ring over the shaft of the penis. Stretch the ring to accommodate for size (pleasure rings are designed with a super stretchy silicone to mean that one size fits all). Choose a comfortable position for the ring to sit at the base of the penis. If you’re feeling daring, you could also try placing the ring around the scrotum and the penis at the same time for a more pressured sensation.
3. Build arousal in the body
Once the toy is safely and comfortably on the penis, you may want to get things going with yourself or a partner before you turn it on (especially if you’re not fully erect yet). It is important to get a feel for how the toy sits and how your body feels if you’re using it for the first time.
Explore the different erogenous zones on the body such as the neck, back, armpits, and more. Try using your or your partner’s hands, mouth or another sex toy on the shaft or frenulum (the most sensitive spot on the penis) to build arousal while the ring sits on the base.
4. Turn it on + choose a setting
Once you're ready for penetration, go ahead and turn the toy on. Remember to hold the power button down for 3 seconds! Spend some time on the lowest setting to get used to the sensation.
Pleasure rings will most likely have a variety of settings available to try. Orb has 10 settings in total — 6 steady modes and 4 different patterns. Adjust the pleasure settings by short pressing the power button.
5. Try different toy positions
There are a few different ways to wear a pleasure ring, depending on what type of stimulation you’re after. If you want the vibrations to stimulate the penis owner wearing the ring, flip the toy 180 degrees so that rabbit ears face the scrotum.
For partnered use, flip it 180 degrees the other way. Orb’s rabbit ears have been designed to be flexible, so they can be shifted into a position that suits the preference of the partner. Let the partner adapt the ears as necessary.
6. Experiment with sex positions
A pleasure ring is best suited to sex positions that involve close bodily contact, so that the receiving partner can feel the vibrating ears against their erogenous zone. Positions such as missionary encourage close contact, while others like cowgirl/boy allow the receiving partner to be in control of their contact with the toy. Allow the receiving partner to grind their vulva or anus against the rabbit ears.
Don’t forget to change up your sex positions to include external play, too! Pleasure rings can also be used if one person wears the ring on their penis and the other person stimulates the shaft of the penis with their hands or mouth. Alternatively, have one partner keep the ring all to themselves while the other partner uses their own sex toy (mutual masturbation is always fun!).
7. Be safe!
You can still use a condom while wearing a pleasure ring. Put the ring on the base of the penis when semi-erect and then place the condom on the penis once hard. Make sure the pleasure ring is not sitting directly on top of the condom as this could cause friction that leads to breakage of the condom.
8. Set a time limit
VUSH recommends 20-30 minutes of play time with a pleasure ring due to the restriction of blood flow. Go slow and take breaks when using this toy.
9. Clean + dry your ring
Cleaning your pleasure ring after each individual use is essential. The material of your toy will determine how you clean it. It is safe to use warm water with a gentle soap to rinse the toy (just make sure you’re extra careful with the mechanics or battery area if your toy is not waterproof). You can also use a dedicated sex toy cleaning spray or gentle cleansing wipes if you’re not in the mood to get up and find running water.
No matter how you clean your sex toy, it is just as important to know how to dry it. Let your pleasure ring air dry on a clean surface or pat it dry with a clean towel. Here’s exactly how to clean and dry your sex toys.
10. Store your toy away + charge
Once you have cleaned your pleasure ring, the next step is toy storage. Store your sex toy in the case it came in, or in a soft storage bag or hard storage case. Storing your sex toys effectively is essential to prevent dust or bacteria on the toy, which can lead to infection or irritation on your body. For more information on this, read our blog on how to store your sex toys.
Don’t forget to pop your toy on charge so it’s ready to go for next time! Orb will need to be recharged after 60 minutes of use.
Read more on Stimulation:
Want to learn more about sex toys for penises? Check out our guide to using a penis stroker. We’ve also written some tips for introducing sex toys with a partner and have just released conversation cards to get the discussion going.
For more articles relevant to couples, you can learn about sexting, foreplay, sexual communication, or even touch up your sexual health knowledge by reading up on STIs.
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