Here’s Why You Really Need A Rose Vibrator

We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to sex toys and there really is something to suit almost any need. Some vibrate softly, others offer hands-free fun and I’ve even found one that claims to make you climax in under three minutes. But if I had to pick only one option from the seemingly endless supply of sex toy styles, it’s the rose I would reach for (almost) every time.

Springing to fame on TikTok last year, the flower-shaped sex toy has been heralded for its speed and power. In one video, a user claims it took her just 30 seconds to climax using the rose, calling it "disrespectful" for not allowing her time to find a video to ease into the mood first. Another user explains how it's incredibly intense and will have you "squealing like a pig" — perhaps not the sexiest of metaphors but you get the gist. 

After seeing these videos across social media, I set out to try the sweet-looking sex toy for myself. I picked up Lovehoney's Rose Clitoral Suction Stimulator, £54.99, earlier this year and it’s safe to say it’s one of my favourite sex toys of all time. But what is it that makes the rose this good? We asked psychosexual and relationship psychotherapist Miranda Christophers for her expert opinion.

"The rose sex toy is a suction-based sex toy that envelops the external part of the clitoris," says Christophers. "These are really popular right now as the suction technology and programmed rhythm is pretty powerful, stimulating the external clitoral area with air pulsations including fluttering, sucking and licking sensations as opposed to direct clitoral stimulation/vibration, which some find too sensitive." This makes it a solid option for beginners and self-pleasure experts alike.

For me, it’s this sucking sensation that sets the rose apart from other sex toys. Thanks to these pulsations, it offers the closest feeling to oral sex I’ve found in a toy, especially when using lube (Christophers advises always using water-based lube to avoid damaging the toy). And with 10 pleasure settings on the Lovehoney Rose Clitoral Suction Stimulator, £54.99, you can really tailor the experience to suit you, from gentle strokes to pretty intense pulses. 

The rose doesn’t come into direct contact with the clit, instead using air pulsations as Christophers explains. This means that even on the most intense setting, you shouldn't notice any post-use soreness, which I’ve found can happen when using other toys on the highest setting. "There are reports that the powerful indirect pulsations can increase arousal and create an intense orgasm," adds Christophers. I can certainly attest to this: Each orgasm with the rose is incredibly intense and does happen rather quickly.

Intense orgasms and oral sex-simulating effects aside, the rose has another huge pro: the aesthetics. Never had I judged a sex toy on its appearance; it's the kind of item that’s reviewed on performance alone, after all. But stepping away from the OTT phallic shapes of other vibrators and using something that actually looks sweet really did change how I experienced this sex toy. It isn’t a penis stand-in like so many products on the market but purely a self (or partner) pleasure toy, much like my other favourite find, the LELO Dot, £159. Thanks to its small size and rounded frame, it sits perfectly in the palm of your hand, making it incredibly easy to hold in action while taking up only a tiny amount of space on the bedside table. The rose can be quite loud though, so it's not always ideal if you live in a houseshare. 

I’m not alone in my love for the Lovehoney Rose Clitoral Suction Stimulator, £54.99, which has received over 800 reviews online with an average rating of 4.2 out of five stars. There are other brands to choose from, too, including Rose Toy Official, LVFUNCO and Smile Makers, whose rose toys have all received plenty of five-star reviews. 

So if it’s clitoral stimulation that makes you climax, I really would urge you to buy yourself a rose. It’s time sex toys started looking a little prettier, after all.