Adding Sparkle to Your Play This International Masturbation Day

You read that right, there’s a day where the whole world celebrates masturbation every year, on the 7th of May — in fact, the entirety of May is Masturbation Month, so there’s plenty of time to indulge in the solo pleasure benefits!

For those of you interested in the history of International Masturbation Day and how it came to be, this commemoration of self-gratification was first celebrated in May of 1995 and was created in honour of Jocelyn Elders, who served as the Surgeon General of the United States of America until December in 1994. Bill Clinton, who was the US President at the time, forced her to resign (read: fired her) after she suggested that masturbation should be taught as part of the sex education curriculum in schools, among other progressive views she held on sexual and reproductive health (and continues to hold to this day, like the queen she is). A San Francisco-based sex shop known as Good Vibrations dedicated the first International Masturbation Day in the May of 1995 to Elders as a response to Clinton’s actions, aiming both to boost masturbation awareness and take the taboo out of self-love practices.

This one’s for you, Jocelyn 🙌

Why We Celebrate Masturbation Day: The Benefits of Self-Pleasure

Forget about those masturbation myths that try and stigmatise self-love by telling you your palms will grow hair or that your eyesight will suffer if you touch yourself. Masturbation is not unnatural, nor is it bad for you or anything to be ashamed of. There are actually lots of benefits of masturbation, and the good that comes from self-pleasure can apply to both your mind and body, including everything from boosting self-esteem and lowering stress to decreasing blood pressure and improving sleep quality. Taking yourself on a sexual self-discovery journey is also a great way to enhance sexual relationships with other people, because you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your physical desires and be better at communicating your needs to a partner!

Sexyland has been over the benefits of masturbation before, but we think the best one is how it makes you feel, inside and out — one of masturbation’s positive effects on the brain is that masturbating (as well as the often-resulting orgasms) release all of your brain’s favourite feel-good chemicals like oxytocin, dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. What’s not to like about that? 😉

What are the best sex toys to use for masturbation?

On top of delivering the most pleasurable sensations, Sexyland’s top picks for masturbation toys to elevate your solo play this year aim to give you the most intuitive and seamless experience. After all, nothing kills the mood quite like having to fumble with awkward controls or complicated instructions, so say goodbye to fuss and hello to fun that just works!

• Rabbit vibrators — these vibrators are some of the best toys for masturbation as a woman or vulva-haver since the dual delights of simultaneous G-spot and clitoral stimulation are something you absolutely deserve to experience at some point in your lifetime. If you’re worried about how to find the right vibrator size for you, take the guesswork out of it with a constant-contact rabbit vibrator like the Magic Snail! This rabbit vibrator uses a unique snail-shaped design where the shell-shaped clitoral stimulator rolls and unrolls itself to perfectly fit your body and maintain contact against your clitoris, whether you like to thrust your toys or hold them in place during playtime.
  
  
• Clitoral stimulators — ever since clitoral suction sex toys burst onto the adult pleasure scene in 2014 with the introduction of the Womanizer Premium™, clitoral suction has changed self-love practices for women and people worldwide. While long-time viral favourites like the Satisfyer Pro 2 and the TikTok-famous Rose Vibrator continue to dominate the market, Sexyland’s own Excite Clitoral Stimulator is a great place to start for sex toy beginners. One reviewer loved how simple it is to use with its easy-to-understand buttons the order of settings that ease you into the pleasure for a comfortable buildup to climax!
  
  
• Penis strokers & masturbation sleeves — while there’s nothing wrong with doing this by hand, adding sex toys can only be helpful to enhancing solo sex. The Arcwave Ghost is one of the best beginner-friendly masturbation sleeves on the market and is great for men and people with penises who enjoy simple stroking pleasure without all the bells and whistles or an anatomically inspired appearance. The reversible design gives you two textures to experience as the stretchy silicone glides along your head and shaft, and the waterproof material is easy to clean hygienically before leaving it to dry in the subtle, ventilated storage case.
  

For folks who enjoy a realistic look and more intense feeling, the Fleshlight® Boost Masturbator range is sure to deliver! Beyond the sculpted entrance, a pair of Turbo Tech floating rings will ensure a perfectly snug grip all the way along your head and shaft while the hyper-textured interior strokes and massages you to a satisfying climax. If you really want to treat yourself, grab the Fleshlight Universal Launch™ Automatic Stroking Simulator and let this sex machine take care of you, hands-free!

• Prostate massagers — there’s a reason they call the P-spot the ‘male G-spot’. Stimulating this area results in powerful orgasms that feel totally different from penile orgasms, and if you’re looking for a backdoor toy that can do it all, the Winyi Derek Remote-Control Prostate Stimulator is Sexyland’s standout of prostate massagers this year. It warms, it rotates, it vibrates, and stimulates both the P-spot and the perineum for dual internal and external pleasure!
  
  
• Plug-in wand vibrators — for anyone who loves powerful external vibes that never quit, a wall-powered wand vibrator is a must. The Luxury Plug-In Vibrating Massager by Le Wand is the bougie choice for folks who demand nothing but the best and comes with simple 3-button controls, plus a security lock and universal travel adaptors so you can take your wand anywhere and everywhere!

Creating Your Perfect Solo Play Environment

Just like with partnered playtime, setting the mood can only enhance and improve the experience, so don’t forget to take a little extra time to spoil yourself before getting down to business! Light your favourite scented candle, put on some sensual music, and make sure your space is clean so you don’t have clutter or mess distracting you from the immaculate ~vibes~ you deserve. If you know in advance that you’ll be setting aside some me-time for yourself, charge your toys and/or replace any old batteries ahead of time so your goodies are ready to go when you are.

Ready to reap the benefits of masturbation and self-love practices this Masturbation May? Pop into your local Sexyland store or shop online and get 2hr Delivery on bestselling adult toys to make this May one to remember!