Some college students might blush at the idea of knowingly entering a store that exclusively sells sex toys, but the sex store Good Vibrations in Harvard Square boasts nothing but quality products and welcoming vibes. Quality is important when considering sexual wellness, and Joani Black, founder of Good Vibrations, made it her life’s mission to encourage healthy pleasure. Blank found that all the vibrators on the market were low-quality and, as one Harvard student states, “smarmy”. She set out to build a business focusing on women and sex education, establishing her first store in San Francisco in 1977. With a focus on high quality sex toys, the brand expanded to several different locations and soon catered to all genders and sexual orientations.
Let’s talk vibes. One Harvard student ’22 describes how a trip to Good Vibrations is “like walking into Lush,” a cosmetics store that displays its products in an appealing and colorful way, inviting new customers. “It just feels fresh and good… it’s a very professional setting,” the student said. “If you’re someone who’s just exploring your sexuality or have never been in a sex store before, it’s a great place to kind of dip your toe in the water.” Stepping into a sex store that resembles a cosmetics chain encourages timid customers to view sexual pleasure as something approachable and commonplace, as opposed to something dirty or forbidden.
Good Vibrations furthers this mission of destigmatizing sex with its sex-education platform, centered on sex-positivity and non-intimidating information. Good Vibrations has a longstanding presence at Harvard’s Sex Week, hosted by SHEATH (Sexual Health and Education Advocacy Through Harvard). The company provides Harvard students with trained speakers and free sex toys in the form of $200 vibrators. In fact, one student says that if it weren’t for Good Vibrations, Harvard wouldn’t have Sex Week.
Although Good Vibrations is convenient, its prices deter some students from purchasing their products. Yes, the business throws around $200 vibrators, but for students walking in to purchase a toy, the minimum sale is around $50. Even though the company preaches accessibility, the quality of their products does not come at a small price. However, “if you think how often you would use [the sex toy] per day divided by the cost, you’re probably making a good investment,” one student said. Also, it is often more difficult for people with vaginas to orgasm through masturbation than it is for people with penises, so the investment in a quality vibrator may be worthwhile.
Read some reviews of Harvard students’ favorite products from Good Vibrations, and learn which vibes are the vibe. An important note: the store sells many sex toys for people with penises—not just for people with vaginas!
The Tenga Egg
“I feel like men don’t know they have sex toys availible to them,” said a student ’22 who uses a tenga egg, which is “like an easter egg, and you crack the egg open and you get this silicon egg that’s flexible and malleable. Inside of each egg is a sort of design, some of them are ribbed, some of them are polka dots, but they are all textured, so if you just throw some lube in there it’s really pleasurable for people who are penis-having.”
The Rabbit
One student ’23 purchased a vibrator “called the rabbit, because it has little bunny ears at the end,” they said. “I had one from Goop and it’s about the same size except this one has different speeds and modes whereas the Goop one was just different speeds. Except I like the Goop one better because the one from Good Vibrations is supposed to be used externally but the Goop one can be used for both.”
Handcuffs and Lube
“I purchased them on a whim because Good Vibrations seemed like a convenient place to buy sex toys,” said one student ’23. “I would say the things I purchased were pretty standard—I was happy with my purchases. The women in the store were super helpful and had a lot of personal experiences to share with each toy I bought.”
G-spot Bullet
Another student ’23 owns “a small, waterproof, and rechargeable silicone vibrator” from Good Vibrations. “Of the other vibraotors I’ve tried, this one might be one of my favorites,” the student said. “It’s easy to travel with because of its size and you don’t have to worry about batteries.” The product has “different vibration settings and intensities, and for a small vibrator the vibration can be more intense than others. Because of its shape, it’s also great to use internally, but I personally prefer external clitoral stimulation, especially when using this vibrator. It’s super easy to clean, just water and soap because it’s silicone so it’s very hygienic.”
Vibrator and sex book
Student in class of ’24 says, “I’ve had a vibrator now for 2 years… I’m so pro-female masturbation honestly. I went into Good Vibrations in November with a couple friends, and we all got new vibrators. I got this one vibrator, I don’t know exactly what it’s called, but the people at the store were so helpful and nice. They wanted to make sure everyone had good experiences. But it’s such a good vibrator and I probably honestly use it like 3-4 times a week. And I just think it’s so important for sexual health to masturbate and just like health in general. But I’ve also bought little things there for people—for example, for my roomates it was Valentines Day and they both got out of relationships, and so we got them both books there that were very informative and sex-positive. I’ve gotten all my roommates into buying vibrators from Good Vibrations and I just think it’s the best move ever. I probably orgasm twice when I use it.
“The staff is also amazing there. They’re so helpful and they really just point you in the right direction. And the quality of things that they have there is super super high. You can basically just go in there and know that whatever you are getting is good which is very positive.”
Pick your poison, or, for the sake of Good Vibrations’s mission and values, your remedy. You cannot go too far wrong when shopping at this sex toys store. Stop by 52 JFK street for a chat with a certified staff member or just to check out their displays.
Let’s free sexual wellness from stigma and shame. There’s no need to whisper what Good Vibes writes on their website in all-caps: “OWN YOUR PLEASURE”.