Besides having a perplexing name (pronounced “thal-ates”), phthalates are a family of chemicals used to soften hard plastics. In the realm of sex toys, they are often the reason that cheap sex toys are squishy, smelly, and… potentially toxic. Although we may not know it, phthalates are not foreign to us. They are present in a variety of everyday stuff: paints, deodorants, shower curtains, nail polish, vinyl floors, and even food (most likely because they can leach out of food processing machinery and food packaging). However, troubling research on phthalates has cast doubt on whether phthalates are as innocuous as they once seemed.

Hustling sex toys through airport security, onto a plane, and eventually to your destination can be a tricky and worrisome process. The good news is, sex toys are becoming more expected at the airport. We previously wrote about a news story in which the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) admitted that sex toys did not bother them very much. In fact, many folks have asked TSA’s AskTSA twitter about a variety of sex toys, and they are always happy to answer.

In our culture, menopause is often painted as an unpleasant, even ominous stage of life that will bring nothing but trouble. And while it is true that menopause is accompanied by many uncomfortable symptoms, it is a phase that also holds some hidden potential. Menopause is a great time for a rebirth — for a relearning of what feels good to you and how you would like to experience sexuality in your later years.