I agree with all of this! I had a conversation with my fiance the other day
him: "Why are you going to set one of your favorite toys on fire?"
me: "If it actually catches fire it isn't going to be one of my favorite toys anymore."
I feel that the reason we are reviewers is that we want to bring information to our readers, we are doing all the leg work and research so that they don't have to, so we risk our toys and stay up to all hours of the night researching chemicals until we can't see straight. That's our duty to our readers and if we aren't willing to do that then why are we reviewing in the first place. This shouldn't be just about getting free shit, that free shit isn't "free" it's a payment for the hard work we put into reviewing these products. People who aren't willing to put in that extra work don;t deserve what they've got and honestly can't be trusted. Are they also writing falsely positive reviews just to become a company's favorite?
I haven't really had any silicone toys to review so I've never needed to do the flame test before. I told Daddy about it and he was a bit disappointed/upset that I wanted to because it's a waste of a toy. I really don't agree. I don't want to tell people something's silicone if I'm not sure it is. That would make me a liar and complicit in the company's bullshit.
I don't think the reviewers I mentioned are writing just positive reviews to be favourites. Up until today and this discussion I trusted them and liked reading their reviews. I don't think they're fully wrong in not wanting to flame test but I do think their attitude towards it was abysmal.
I completely agree with you. This is why I go over all the ingredients in my reviews and I cover material information. If you don't care about that part, don't read it. It's that simple. I happen to care about what goes in or on my body. If someone else doesn't, that is their choice, but my job as a reviewer is to help people make educated decisions even if I am not a scientist.
I wouldn't trust a reviewer who doesn't want to flame test and do the extra work for ingredients information. It makes it seem like they are hiding something and covering for the company who is sending free shit.
Again, I'm not entirely sure it's a cover up for a company so much as a discomfort with the idea. A lot of the time, the manufacturer isn't the one sending the item so the reviewer has nothing to gain or lose.
I am the same as you though; I have sections and if people don't want to read it, that's their decision. I put the effort in because I want to. If it's too hard and others don't want to, that's fine. I just don't see why anyone would make fun of other people who want to. Surely it shouldn't affect them?
Very interesting. I never thought of reviews in this way. I guess I "assumed" that if a person has a known allergy to a substance that they would read the "fine print." Ya know? Never heard of the flame test either. Something to seriously think about though.Maybe a disclaimer of some kind at the end of the review. Excellent post (even if it was a rant).
I'm so sorry I missed this when you first published it!! Argh I hope I'm not too late.
Short answer: Depending on the toy and how it is designed, you don't have to ruin the toy beyond use. If this is a dildo, you do it to the base. Touch the flame to the most out of the way place as possible.
Long answer: First, keep a bowl of water on hand. OR do it in your bathroom, turn on the vent, crack the window, and fill up the sink with water. You don't need to let it burn like Rome (was it Rome? I dunno), just a few seconds. IF it is truly silicone, and you are not getting it on an edge (like the edge of the base of a dildo) it'll just leave a black scorch mark that you can rub off and you're fine to keep using it. Seriously. If you're doing it to an edge, you'll see a little smoldering and extra ash. Edges produce more "flame". But truly a few seconds is all you'll need if the flame catches and lights up or if it smolders. If it won't catch a flame, melting from heat if it's not pure silicone would happen in 10 seconds or less.
Now, you've done this in an out-of-the-way location, so the toy is fine to keep using internally. If you've determined that it may not be pure silicone, less your readers know. There are factors I've just discovered that would make the flame test give a false... would proving it's NOT silicone be a negative or positive? anyways....a false result, and that would be if they used a cheap silicone without a stabilizer added. The stabilizer adds flame and heat resistance. We're working on a better way to determine things.Anyways, off track again. If you've determined it's not true silicone, you could still carry on using it. Just cover it with a condom if you're using it anally or sharing it, or using it during your period (to prevent staining).
If you can, it's always best to record the flame test on video so that you don't have to repeat it again to show the results if it turns out poorly.
I agree with all of this! I had a conversation with my fiance the other day
ReplyDeletehim: "Why are you going to set one of your favorite toys on fire?"
me: "If it actually catches fire it isn't going to be one of my favorite toys anymore."
I feel that the reason we are reviewers is that we want to bring information to our readers, we are doing all the leg work and research so that they don't have to, so we risk our toys and stay up to all hours of the night researching chemicals until we can't see straight. That's our duty to our readers and if we aren't willing to do that then why are we reviewing in the first place. This shouldn't be just about getting free shit, that free shit isn't "free" it's a payment for the hard work we put into reviewing these products. People who aren't willing to put in that extra work don;t deserve what they've got and honestly can't be trusted. Are they also writing falsely positive reviews just to become a company's favorite?
I haven't really had any silicone toys to review so I've never needed to do the flame test before. I told Daddy about it and he was a bit disappointed/upset that I wanted to because it's a waste of a toy. I really don't agree. I don't want to tell people something's silicone if I'm not sure it is. That would make me a liar and complicit in the company's bullshit.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the reviewers I mentioned are writing just positive reviews to be favourites. Up until today and this discussion I trusted them and liked reading their reviews. I don't think they're fully wrong in not wanting to flame test but I do think their attitude towards it was abysmal.
I completely agree with you. This is why I go over all the ingredients in my reviews and I cover material information. If you don't care about that part, don't read it. It's that simple. I happen to care about what goes in or on my body. If someone else doesn't, that is their choice, but my job as a reviewer is to help people make educated decisions even if I am not a scientist.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't trust a reviewer who doesn't want to flame test and do the extra work for ingredients information. It makes it seem like they are hiding something and covering for the company who is sending free shit.
Again, I'm not entirely sure it's a cover up for a company so much as a discomfort with the idea. A lot of the time, the manufacturer isn't the one sending the item so the reviewer has nothing to gain or lose.
ReplyDeleteI am the same as you though; I have sections and if people don't want to read it, that's their decision. I put the effort in because I want to. If it's too hard and others don't want to, that's fine. I just don't see why anyone would make fun of other people who want to. Surely it shouldn't affect them?
Very interesting. I never thought of reviews in this way. I guess I "assumed" that if a person has a known allergy to a substance that they would read the "fine print." Ya know? Never heard of the flame test either. Something to seriously think about though.Maybe a disclaimer of some kind at the end of the review. Excellent post (even if it was a rant).
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry I missed this when you first published it!! Argh I hope I'm not too late.
ReplyDeleteShort answer: Depending on the toy and how it is designed, you don't have to ruin the toy beyond use. If this is a dildo, you do it to the base. Touch the flame to the most out of the way place as possible.
Long answer: First, keep a bowl of water on hand. OR do it in your bathroom, turn on the vent, crack the window, and fill up the sink with water. You don't need to let it burn like Rome (was it Rome? I dunno), just a few seconds. IF it is truly silicone, and you are not getting it on an edge (like the edge of the base of a dildo) it'll just leave a black scorch mark that you can rub off and you're fine to keep using it. Seriously. If you're doing it to an edge, you'll see a little smoldering and extra ash. Edges produce more "flame". But truly a few seconds is all you'll need if the flame catches and lights up or if it smolders. If it won't catch a flame, melting from heat if it's not pure silicone would happen in 10 seconds or less.
Now, you've done this in an out-of-the-way location, so the toy is fine to keep using internally. If you've determined that it may not be pure silicone, less your readers know. There are factors I've just discovered that would make the flame test give a false... would proving it's NOT silicone be a negative or positive? anyways....a false result, and that would be if they used a cheap silicone without a stabilizer added. The stabilizer adds flame and heat resistance. We're working on a better way to determine things.Anyways, off track again. If you've determined it's not true silicone, you could still carry on using it. Just cover it with a condom if you're using it anally or sharing it, or using it during your period (to prevent staining).
If you can, it's always best to record the flame test on video so that you don't have to repeat it again to show the results if it turns out poorly.