Trying arousal gel for the first time: what I wish I'd known

I was sent this by Do Me Erotic. The nerves were mine.

Expect cool, then a light tingle, within a few seconds, from a fingertip amount, on the outside. That's it. That's the experience.

Do Her is a water-based gel with menthol and peppermint. It isn't warming, it isn't numbing, and it isn't overwhelming. I'm saying all of that plainly because I spent a genuinely silly amount of time reading around before I tried it and never found anyone who'd just describe the feeling.

Our date night needed something. This is honestly what it was and what it wasn't.

 

What happens in the first minute?

Cool first. Then a tingle that builds over a few seconds and settles into itself. It's a clear feeling rather than a subtle one, which is the part that surprised me, because I'd assumed I'd be squinting into the middle distance trying to detect something. Then it eases off gradually instead of switching off.

 

How much is too much?

More than a fingertip, on a first go.

The formula is concentrated and the effect isn't instant on contact, so the temptation is to add more before the first bit has done anything. That's exactly the trap. Apply, wait thirty seconds, then decide. I promise it's doing something.

 

Should it feel like something's wrong?

No. Cool and tingly, not burning, not painful.

If you already know menthol or peppermint irritates your skin, patch test somewhere less sensitive first. It's formulated for delicate intimate skin and it's external use only, and both of those things are worth actually reading rather than skimming.

 

Does it feel clinical?

This was what I was most braced for and it's the thing I'd most want to reassure someone about.

No. It's a light, silky gel that absorbs quickly, leaves nothing sticky or greasy, and rinses off with water. There's no medicinal smell and nothing about it that feels like a treatment. It doesn't feel like a product with a purpose sitting on your bedside table.

 

Should the first time be on your own?

I think so. Working out what a new sensation is like without an audience means the first time with someone else is about the two of you rather than about the tube. It also means you already know how much you want, which saves the fumbling I did.

 

What it won't do

It won't create desire that isn't there, fix a bad week, or replace a conversation you've been putting off. It's a physical sensation you can feel immediately and it's good at that one specific thing.

Going in expecting exactly that is why our night worked. I suspect an evening with bigger expectations would have gone differently, and that wouldn't have been the gel's fault.

 

Questions I got asked afterwards

What does it feel like?

Cool at first, then a light tingle that builds over a few seconds and eases off gradually.

 

How much for a beginner?

A fingertip, externally. Wait thirty seconds before adding more.

 

Should it sting?

No. Cooling and tingly. Patch test first if you react to menthol or peppermint.

 

Is it beginner friendly?

Yes. Made for women and couples, including people who've never used anything like it. That was me.

 

Do Her is made by Do Me Erotic. External use only. 18+.