I wouldn’t usually think to buy a sex toy from Amazon. Typically it’s the place I go to add books to my ever-growing TBR pile or random kitchen gadgets I’ll never use. But that changed once I saw the rose sex toy on TikTok.

If you’ve been on the sexy side of TikTok anytime in the last month, you’ll know all about the rose vibrator, a suction-based sex toy that’s sent social media into a spin. Over 100,000 hashtags have been generated around the rose sex toy alone. One video – wherein the uploader claims she came in 30 seconds with the rose – racked up a massive 631,000 likes.

Search for #TheRoseReview or #TheRoseToy (don’t bother searching for ‘sex toy’ – TikTok hides anything that’s sex-related!), and you’re inundated with personal reviews, instruction videos, and even memes.

But it’s not for everyone

But only some of the reviews are positive. Because Amazon is full of different sellers – and it’s hard to tell who owns those stores – it’s likely the rose is drop shipped. The enjoyment (and safety) you get with the rose toy depends on where you buy it.

One TikToker demonstrated the rose’s functions in a video, showing her toy extremely loud, shouting, “They said it was supposed to be soundproof!” The comments are filled with responses that their rose doesn’t sound like that, and they’re concerned hers is a cheap and possibly even unsafe version. Tbf, it sounds like a power drill.

Many also claim the OMYSKY rose sex toy doesn’t live up to the bar TikTok set. “It’s not even giving what you said it was supposed to give, no, I wasted my money,” one user lip-syncs in a video captioned “Me after buying the overhyped rose toy.” Other users said the toy just gave up and stopped charging after several uses.

So, how do we stay safe?

As excited as you may be to start orgasm immediately, it’s best to do some research first – as dropshipping means you might not be getting the best quality sex toy on the market. As many toys seem to come from China, the rose may not even meet UK standards.

Ruby Payne from Uber Kinky said: “Sex toys fall under the very broad range of consumer product safety regulation, and they have no requirements specifically aimed at the design and creation of sex toys.

“Because of this lack of regulations, many toys are made from unknown materials, possibly containing toxic chemicals bought and used by oblivious pleasure seekers. The best thing buyers can do is buy only from reputable and legit sex toy companies.”

Dropshipping isn’t unsafe on its own – it’s simply a way of cutting out the middleman, which means no one manufacturer produces it. Once you receive your order, you’re getting the product straight from the supply chain to you, but it does mean that you can come into huge complexities regarding delivery, the amount of stock, and even refunds if anything goes wrong.

Time to try this out

When it comes to sex toys, I consider myself an expert. As a woman with mobility issues, sex toys helped me explore my body and rediscover what pleasure meant for me when I first became disabled. Sex toys provided me with the initial privacy and pleasure to explore what I could still feel and what I wanted out of sex, both solo and with a partner. I quickly learned that while G-spot sex toys aren’t for me, toys with a sucking function – precisely what the rose is all about – really work, as I can use them on multiple erogenous zones.

So I was intrigued. Could the rose live up to the hype? Was it worth the money? And, was it safe? There was only one way to find out.

It’s one of the prettiest sex toys I’ve ever held.

There are multiple versions of the rose to go for on Amazon, but I sifted for one with fast delivery and five-star reviews. Knowing what I now know about dropshipping and the dangers of buying toys from China, I’d opt for a similar toy from a more well-known brand.

But mine arrived the next day, and according to the box, it was made from hypoallergenic silicone. Friendly and body are safe. It’s also one of the prettiest sex toys I’ve ever held. Its ornamental look makes the rose discreet by nature, and it comes fitted with a privacy-awarding silencing feature. The rose is also waterproof and makes for the perfect bathtime company.

So when my rose toy arrived, I took initial caution. Once it was fully charged (thankfully, mine worked just fine!) I carefully used the toy on my nipples to see the ten-point suction ability. I have to admit. I was immediately blown away.

A simple easy-access button means you can go from 1-10 swiftly, although you might want to bite down on a towel if you’re going for ten straight away.

I’ve tested a lot of supposedly realistic sucking sex toys, but nothing has compared to the rose. On my nipples with a small amount of lube, it felt like I had someone there working on my sensitive parts and biting down at just the right moments.

I’d have been happy with just its nipple-sucking function. But, in the name of genuinely trying and testing, it was time to use it on my clitoris.