✏️ The Review Writing Routine

I know quite a few people are always searching for some basic review tips and ideas and asking questions on what’s the easiest way to compose a review. The forum is heaving with helpful information on this, especially in The Great Big Review & Testing Guide, but unfortunately that is a closed topic and has no option for others to post their own helpful tips. There is a lot of the other bits of information spread throughout several questions and topics in the forum, but I thought I’d take the time to create a new topic thread for us to share some ways and processes of how we write our reviews.

There’s so many styles of writing reviews, every single one is different, and I for one would love to hear how other people go about it.


Anyway, here’s how I do mine.


When writing any new review, what I do is I open a new ‘Note’ on my iPhone before the item has even arrived, normally as soon as I’m notified that I’m being sent something to sit on test. I won’t give it a title yet - the title always comes last for me (I see it as the title can’t come until I have…) - but I’ll put a list of what I want to cover in the review: boxing, first impression, fear or intimidation or longing, smell, taste perhaps (I pretty much put everything I own in my mouth at some point), what did it feel like when I smothered it and around my face… and so on.

I’ll just start with a basic list of bullet points in which I’ll add random words, thoughts and ideas to later as I trial and test the toy. This way I know I will cover everything I intend to and everything I would want to know before buying an item.

  • Packaging
  • First Impressions
  • Smell
  • Feel, Touch and Squeeze
  • Size, Girth, Length
  • First Use
  • Second Use
  • Anal?
  • Cleaning and Storage
  • Summery of what I did & didn’t like

I know most people do, but I will hardly ever cover or mention the infamous ‘plain brown boxing’ and the speedy delivery. Everyone knows the process is exceptionally discreet and came faster than my first boyfriend. ⒸBlonde~Bunny 2021

When the toy arrives, I’ll just write out really quickly off the top of my head a few first impressions like ‘thick’, ‘swollen’, ‘scared me sh#tless’ or ‘god that’s one pretty penis’ or ‘damn those bulging veins look devine like a cucumber covered with a road map’, and ‘definitely a delight putting this dildo right down my throat’ or perhaps ‘unfortunately it smelled like one of those cheap inflatable plastic crocodiles you’d buy from Woolacombe Bay.

Pull out your trusty tape measure, be firm but be fair, actually see if you’ve been sold a lie like most of the dick-pics you’ve ever received…

For once in life, size does matter. Every inch counts, and I do, in fact, care.

Then the fun starts. Play time. Again and again and again and…. Yeah you get the picture. Be versatile with the item, be a boarderline weirdo sometimes, stick that dick to the patio door and see if you can pull it off - not just with your hands :face_with_hand_over_mouth:, see how it makes you feel using it right there and then, see how the neighbours feel that they’ve caught you using it and now not only can you not look them in the eye, you can’t look at yourself in the mirror anymore - but damn that dick was worth it…

Use the toy again.

Write some more brief notes. Single words perhaps - it’s likely that’s all you’ll manage in a post orgasmic dribbling state.

Use the toy again…. yawn…. :smirk:

Add more bits to the review, turn those single word notes you’ve been writing into sentences. Cut, copy and paste, juggle your sentences around to help build what you’re trying to say. Move things so it flows and makes sense. Grow the review, rear it by hand. Every review you right has been brought into this world by you. You created it, now you raise it.

Use the item again.

Mix things up while using the toy by grabbing a different toy you already have. Compare them, try using them together, have your own little multiple dildo spit roast and gangbang in your bedroom. Bring out your entire dildo collection and campare it to them, judge them all - just like PE class, who’d be last picked last like a weak member? Jump from one to the other. Build yourself a forest of dicks on the wall and floor. Lie amongst them.

Become the forest.

Keep that toy on your mind even when you’re not using it. You may be walking through the supermarket curiously eyeballing that aubergine to your left, then a thought appears into your head for your review, stick it in the notes. Sometimes I’ll be at work colouring somebody’s hair, I’ll be just day dreaming about that sensational dick from last night and be like ‘oooo gosh, that dildo was one fine filling f#ck, I’ll pop that in my review.” I’ll quickly tell my client I need to nip to my store room and I’ll add that thought to my review notes and edit it later. Easy.

Take the toy to work with you, hide it in your handbag and take a sneaky little peak at it when you’re on your tea break, did you spit your coffee the second you saw it? Did you just dribble your hot lemon tea onto your boobs and all down your pristine white blouse… can people now see your nipples? Is that dildo staring back at you with a single longing eye? Can you resist the temptation for a brief bathroom break and leave your handbag behind? No? In the review that goes.

What was it like to bathe and clean your new toy, did you bathe with it? Is your rubber ducky not the only one squeaking in the tub now? Was it simple to clean yet left you feeling filthy to your very core? Does it have batteries and electronics? If not then how did it fare in the dishwasher? Yes, I’ve put many dicks in my dishwasher and that really is no pun.

Add more notes to your now growing review, change bits, read it and read it again and change it again. Honestly it takes no time at all to write a mediocre review this way, a few seconds here and there to add some notes and you can pretty much cover absolutely every single dirty detail as accurately as possible in surprisingly very little time - and a surprisingly fun time.

But just remember, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a short and simple review. I know I talk for England and my reviews end up more of a blog style, 6 volume novel collection, but a short and simple, straight to the point, factual and informative review can be a lot more effective than my style and I’m sure most people prefer reading those types.

I honestly read a review once and all it said was ‘It was so big I instantly came.’ That was it. To be honest though I won’t judge, this is usually the only thought buzzing around my brain like a trapped fly the second after I’ve cum. It covered the two basic - but vital - bits of information I needed to know. I then bought the item.

Truth and trust. All of what I’ve said above may sound extremely fictional to you, but I can hand upon my heart tell you this is very much the methods I’ll use to test, trial and write my reviews. Truth, trust and honesty are the most important aspects of any product review. Whether it’s a double ended dong or a pillow case from Dunelm, people are looking to know what the product is actually like. Remember, Lovehoney don’t credit you for every item they sell as a result of your review, they don’t pay you royalties for successfully selling a dick - I wish they did. Be real, be honest, be trustworthy and be both true to yourself and to the people who may buy the item. Nobody wants to be dressed in lies, nobody wants to f#ck a fairytale, we want to know the reality of the toy and we want to see your bare and naked truth. The reader may purchase the item and not enjoy it as much as you did, but you’ll sleep at night knowing you didn’t sell an impossible dream. Just a very wet one.

Remember not to go too overboard with the dirty details of your comatosing climax’s. I’m a little guilty of this it has to be said and many of my reviews are arguably closer to steamy, soaking tales more suited for Literotica. I know my salacious mouth is frowned upon by many, but I do find it difficult not to be a little dirty as this is truly how I speak and the kind of person I am. You try and explain a massive dildo without making at least one person blush. Taming one’s self is harder than you’d believe and trust me, you folks should read my reviews before I’ve cut them back and made them PG :sweat_smile:

Just be you, write how the item physically feels but also write how it makes you feel.
Just be yourself, never copy a review or try to imitate it - this isn’t the coursework you didn’t complete in time at school so you need to borrow your best friend’s and change 3 words - you will fail. I read hundreds of reviews each week and there is often a few ‘similarities’ popping up now and then. You’d actually be surprised how many times I’ve seen the odd phrase or complete section from one of my own reviews reappear on a slightly different toy - sometimes the same toy.

I have now seen one of my own reviews copied as a near word for word replica with only a handful of changes. Do these people not think I look at hundreds of items and reviews every week? I read nearly every new review across the board - yeah, I’m a bit weird.

I’m always happy to offer advice and any help I can to anyone wanting tips on writing reviews (my advice isn’t even that good) but to copy, paste, slightly adjust, then leave upsetting grammatical errors and abandon the review containing now irrelevant puns too…. Nah. The reviews deserve better than that :smile::pleading_face:

There is also a sensational My Reviews category where lots of members here have uploaded and shared some of their own reviews. It can be a real help to sometimes have a read through and see different styles and ways of doing it. Honestly there’s some really good ones in there and I’ve actually bought items just from reading reviews in that topic thread. But remember… no copying, no cheating, we will find you.

But honestly, if anyone has any questions, anything at all, please just ask. I don’t bite hard. I would be filled with joy to be able to help anyone in any way I can.

Anyway, I hope this helps some people
out a little, but I am in no way some review goddess, there are hundreds better at it than me. Thousands.

Please, everyone, share below how you do it!

:kiss:

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I also use the notes app on my phone for my reviews.

I’m not as organised as @Blonde_Bunny with a list but I do know the sort of things I want to cover and what information I like in a review so try to include that.

I tend to start with first impressions and build from there. My note ends up being all sorts of random words and sentences in no order as I think or them.

Once I think I’ve covered everything I then wrangle it into a logical and legible review (I hope!)

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Wow, that was very in depth @Blonde_Bunny. Thanks for the hints and tips. I am really hoping to get a tester soon and I can put these to good use! :crossed_fingers: :pray:

For purchases I have made, I keep them in my wish list on the LH site to make sure I remember to put the reviews up. And then similar to others I have a notes/WordDoc on my phone to scribble away at the review and then just copy and paste onto the site.

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Thank you @Blonde_Bunny
I have done so many reviews that wish I had taken longer to write as they never compare to yours.
I think what you have put is an amazing help for everyone getting started or has been posting for a long time.

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I set up a word document on my laptop and write my reviews on that starting initially with first impressions then, as I use the item I add to, or amend the rewiew until I’m sure I’ve covered all the features comprehensively and accurately.
Obviously the depth of my review depends on the timescale. A very short deadline means the review may not be as comprehensive as it could be but I always try to be positive but accurate and honest.

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Excellent guide on how to write a review. Beautiful written again. @Blonde_Bunny

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Great guide.
Looking forward to your ‘top photo tips’ next
(yes, I do know there is (was?) an official one but yours are way more fun)
:grin:

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Thank you @Blonde_Bunny This is immensely helpful :hugs:

I think I’ve got the knack down now of starting with the main sub-topics like you do. A few key thoughts/words/phrases, then revisit a few times between trials to add more.

I’ve got about 15 live reviews now so still a way to go, but I have plenty of opportunity to write more (recent haul to catch up on) :stuck_out_tongue:

And I’ll just pass off my need to buy more goodies as an excuse to improve my writing :yum:

It’s all justified… honest!

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I’m trying to get better at this if it really is the way to the tester distributors heart (@Lovehoney_Brenna )!

It is a skill and my first question is “What would I want to read?” - what is important to me? We’ve all been tricked by a review or neglected to read the entire thing and wish we had purchased option B so I think this site does fantastic and I am working on getting to be half as good as @Blonde_Bunny

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This is exactly the same for me but I find it works really well :laughing::clap:t2:

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I agree, for me this is the entire backbone of how I write every single one of my reviews :ok_hand:t2:

15 live reviews in actually quite impressive and nothing to be played down. Well done @Baby_Jane! :smiling_face:

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Haha oh @Melody1, I think that’s an entire topic you could write yourself :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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Thanks @Blonde_Bunny. I’m thoroughly putting a few Mantric gizmos through their paces, so a few more are in the pipeline.

Based on your guidance, Notes are happening as we speak! :wink:

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I use the notes app too! I have an ongoing list of all the products I’ve purchased and marked if they’re reviewed or not yet. When I make a new order, I’ll add each item to the list before it arrives, so I can keep track of what I still need to review (this is the completionist in me coming out, I’m at 20 reviewed of 38 so far :laughing: ). I’ll make a new note when I’m ready to start putting down my thoughts about an item (I have several in progress notes open for different items :+1: )

I’ll usually start with my first impressions before using it, like how it looked and felt. After I use it once or twice solo, I’ll write out literally everything I thought about it. I’ll use it along with different toys to see how the sensations change, I’ll use it during foreplay with my husband (and while we have sex, if possible) and add to my notes, including what he thought about it - how it felt for him (like, if it made me feel tighter or if he could feel the vibrations) and how it made him feel (seeing it on/in me, watching me use it, and using it on me himself). If it’s an item I love, I make sure to include any details that might be a con for someone. Once I feel like I’ve got all my notes down about everything I could possibly think about it, I’ll go back through it and delete redundant or unnecessary parts. Then, I’ll usually read through some of the reviews on the site to see if there was another aspect I forgot to mention, like for example, if someone mentions a storage bag coming with an item, and I forgot to include that in my review, I’ll add my thoughts about the look and quality of it. (I try to get all my thoughts written out first though because I know I’d be influenced by the other reviews :see_no_evil: )

I’ve done a couple low star reviews, and it made me feel bad to submit them :unamused: but I write what I’d have liked to have known before buying the product that I didn’t like. I try to be as detailed as I can rather than just saying I hated it or it wasn’t for me, and I make sure to include anything I did like about the product :woman_shrugging:t2:

I got some good pointers from the reviewing reviews thread, especial for reviewing lingerie, like to include my size and measurements and which size I ordered. I never would’ve thought to include that, but now I notice it’s helping me when I’m browsing lingerie - it’s really helpful if I see a review and the reviewer has the same body shape as me (and I can skip parts of reviews about the fit if the reviewer is very different size)

Now that I’ve finished writing all this, I’m thinking, I’m still pretty new to reviewing, so I wonder if my input will be useful/relevant :thinking::woman_facepalming:t2: Hope someone finds it helpful :see_no_evil: :purple_heart:

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Oh my gosh, this is hilarious :rofl::ok_hand:

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I think this is a brilliant tip, I myself will do this too sometimes. Most of the reviews I write are tester products so I often can’t do this, but when I can I find it really really does help :raised_hands:t2::ok_hand:t2:

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Even a blabber mouth like me finds writing reviews a challenge sometimes.

I think one of the most difficult parts to writing reviews is to be both completely yourself, but also original and not repetitive of your other reviews. I find this a real challenge sometimes and I’m not even ashamed to admit there is a couple of small similarities in the way I might describe an item. Honestly, when you’ve reviewed 15+ non vibrating lifelike dildos, there’s going to be quite a few similarities, and that just lifelike dildos. :sweat_smile:

I think I’ve written well over 40 reviews now for Lovehoney in the last 2 years (likely closer to 50+ to be honest) and most of those have been tester items. I still however, have a literal mountain of toys that I’ve purchased myself still to review. Would you even believe that my daily, most used, most loved toy, my Doxy Wand, I still have not written a review for… I’ve only owned it 12 months now. I actually think this one will be the hardest item for me to review ever because it would be like trying to write a review on a loved one or a pet. Yes, my unconditional love for my Doxy is that real.:woman_facepalming:t3:

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Okay… definitely looking forward to your review of your beloved, ever at you side, faithful companion and confidant, Doxy.

I’m pretty much the same as the rest of you except all my reviews are one very long Samsung Note. New products get a heading of what the product is (not title) at the first point and, if testers, a date recieved and a deadline date. Then thoughts jotted down as and when until a review is ready to be compiled.

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I really hope we see some more entries into the My Reviews topic - we love to read them folks :smiling_face:

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