Review: Leaf Life+ with Life Comparison

Leaf Life+ by Swan

Pros:
- Made from silicone
- Rechargeable
- Waterproof
- Several functions
- Ergonomic
Cons:
- Color might bother some
- Obvious seam
- Patterns aren’t overly exciting
Overall:

-Overview-

The Leaf Life+ is a wonderful upgrade from the original Leaf Life.  It has the same great size and shape, is still rechargeable, waterproof, and made from the same materials.  The changes made are all improvements and haven’t taken away from the original design.  The Life+ has the same amount of power, but will appeal to those who also enjoy patterns.  The only downside to the toy is the color.  While I think it’s attractive, many appreciated the more natural, and less feminine coloring of the original.  If you can get past the purple, the Life+ is the one to get!

-Intro/Use-

The Leaf Life+ from Swan is an external vibrator that can be used for both broad and pin-point stimulation.  It has a wonderful shape that’s ergonomically designed to fit along the curves of the body while being easy to hold and use.

Sized to perfection, the Life+ makes solo play comfortable and pleasure easier to achieve.  The bottom of the vibrator can be laid across your vulva, allowing it to stimulate the entire area, or you can use the tip for more targeted stimulation of the clitoris and other erogenous areas of the body.  The fact this vibe provides two different types of stimulation within one toy makes it even more versatile than similar products.

It doesn’t just have to be used for solo play, you can also use it with a partner.  The vibe is easy to use and figure out, and the flexible tip helps prevent the toy from being pressed too firmly against your skin.  Not only that, it’s slim enough that it can fit between two bodies during intercourse without getting in the way.  Male bodied users don’t need to feel left out!  Life+ can be used on the shaft of the penis during a hand job or a blow job, can be used on the perineum, and for external anal stimulation.  Because it doesn’t have a flared base it’s not safe to insert anally, as it could easily get lost inside your body.  Always play safe!

The design of the charging port prevents any water from leaking inside your vibrator.  This is fantastic if you enjoy taking some toys with you into the tub or shower, and it makes the vibe much easier to clean.

-Material/Texture-

The Leaf Life+ is made from body safe silicone and ABS plastic which are both non-porous, latex free, and phthalate free.  The plastic is all internal, and the silicone acts as a skin to cover the firm parts inside.  Since it’s waterproof, you can easily clean the toy with soap and water or your favorite sex toy cleaner for regular use.  If you’re planning on sharing with someone else, you can sterilize the toy by cleaning with a 10% bleach solution.  Silicone toys are only compatible with water-based lubricants since other types could cause the surface to degrade.

The silicone is matte but drags lightly across the skin.  It’s not tacky or sticky feeling, it just doesn’t glide as easily as plastic or other smooth materials would.  The surface collects small particles quite easily and should be wiped clean prior to each use.

In general, the surface is very firm because the silicone area is only on the outside of the vibe.  Only the tip of the toy has some flexibility to it, but still is able to provide as much pressure as you need during use.  While the majority of the toy is smooth, there are small areas of texture present.  An obvious seam can be seen through the center of both the front and back of the toy and there’s some raised lettering as well.  The seam can only be felt with your hands and shouldn’t cause an issue during use.  The button is also raised from the rest of the toy which makes it easier to find since the whole toy is the same color.

-Design/Size-

The Leaf Life+ is deep purple in color (though my images appear more blueish than they should).  Going along with the eco theme of this vibe, it reminds me of a poisonous leaf of some sort since often times nature is kind enough to give us natural warnings about the plants that are harmful.  This leaf, however, will do you no harm.  It’s safe, you can handle it!

While it doesn’t immediately look like a vibrator, I’m not really sure what someone would think it was if they stumbled upon it.  Anyone who’s familiar with sex toys could probably guess, but it’s not immediately obvious to those who haven’t been exposed to adult products.  For that reason, it’s fairly discreet, but probably best to keep it tucked away.

The shape is very ergonomic, and has beautiful, soft curves to the design.  This not only makes it comfortable to hold, but it connects well with the female anatomy.  One end of the vibe features a narrow, rounded point (that curves upward) while the other has a broader end (that curves downward).  The top of the toy has a prominent bulge and on top of that is the power button.  It’s in a convenient location to change patterns, but isn’t easily pressed accidentally.

The overall size is very reasonable and fits in the palm of your hand.  The total length of the vibrator is 4 1/4″ and the widest is 1 5/8″ across.  It’s a wonderful vibrator to take with you as you travel since it’s so compact and would easily fit in your purse or suitcase.  Not only that, but it has a special travel lock which prevents it from accidentally turning on while you’re on the go.

-Functions/Controls-

The Leaf Life+ is rechargeable and comes with a USB charging cord.  When it first arrives, it requires an initial charge of at least three hours prior to use.  The port is located on the bottom of the toy and is very obvious.  When you plug it in, a red light will glow just above the port.  This indicates that it’s connected and charging.  When the charge is complete, the light will turn off and you’re ready to disconnect and use your vibe.

When you turn the toy on for the very first time, you must hold down the button for 4-6 seconds in order to unlock the button.  A light will flash from under the power button, showing that the toy is unlocked and ready for use.  If you’re traveling or have concerns about the toy turning on while it’s being stored, you can repeat the same action to lock it.  Hold the button down until you see that light flash and it’s locked again.

Once you have your vibrator unlocked, you can turn it on.  There are a total of three vibration intensities and two pattern choices.  Each press of the button will take you to the next, and the toy will turn off once you cycle through them.  If you prefer one setting over the others, you can turn if off while on that setting by holding the button down until it shuts off.  If you do it this way, the toy will start on that setting the next time you turn it on, making it convenient to start on the setting you prefer.

The settings are:

1. Steady Low
2. Steady Medium
3. Steady High
4. Wave (or roller coaster)
5. Chattering Pulse/Pause (repeats)

Each time you press the button to change functions, the light will flash four times to indicate the change, and then remain glowing steady.  This light is awesome if you’re in a totally dark room and have trouble finding the button, though it is raised slightly from the toy.  However, if you’re sharing a room with someone and are trying to be discreet, the light can be a little frustrating since it glows so bright.

The vibrations aren’t localized, but travel well throughout the whole toy.  This is great because you can use any surface area of the toy against your body, but it does mean your fingers may feel a little tingly during use.

The power behind the toy is really nice.  It’s rumbly and deep and should work for most power queens.  While it doesn’t quite compare to the We-Vibe Salsa or Tango, it doesn’t trail far behind.  For those that need less power due to being more sensitive, at least a couple of the settings should work out well for you too.

The sound level is nice and modest, especially when you consider the power behind it.  You might just barely be able to hear it from under the covers, but no one would be able to hear it through a closed door.

-Packaging-

The packaging the Leaf Life+ arrives in is really nice.  It’s not discreet because the text gives away what the product is, but it’s very tastefully done.  There’s only a little information on the front, it’s the back that shows you the key points and has an illustration of the product it contains.  The cardboard packaging was made to last and would be suitable for storage.  It opens from the side and has a flap that magnetically keeps it closed.  When you open the box, you’re met with a folded sleeve that holds the user manual.  Beneath that you’ll find the USB charger, and the storage pouch which is already holding your Life+ inside (which is also in a plastic bag).

The user manual is jam packed with information and helps you to fully understand the product before ever turning it on.  The booklet includes this information in eight different languages, giving a wide range of people the opportunity to purchase and understand this product.

-Leaf Life vs Leaf Life+-

Before Leaf Life+ came out, Swan released Life, the green, leafy vibrator to the right of the image above.  Life+ features all the wonderful qualities of Life and then some.  Here, I’ll break down the differences that I’ve noticed while owning and using both.

Life:

• Green
• Arrives in a taller package
• Comes with a wall charger
• Taller storage pouch
• Features only steady vibrations
• Quickly press three times to lock/unlock
• Light appears green (because of the silicone color)

The biggest difference is the way it functions.  You turn the toy on by pressing the power button, but have to hold that button down in order to increase the intensity.  Any time you press the power button while it’s on (and it presses really easily), it immediately turns off.  This was my only complaint about Life when I first received it.  Because of the power button location, it was too easy to accidentally turn the toy off during use, and caused me extreme frustration when I would be close to climaxing.

Life+:

• Purple
• Arrives in smaller package
• Comes with a USB charger
• Shorter storage pouch
• Features steady vibrations and patterns
• Hold the button down to lock/unlock
• Light appears blue (because of the silicone color)

Because you have to hold down the power button or cycle through the settings in order to turn the toy off, it’s much more difficult to accidentally turn it off during use.  You have to intentionally press and hold that button down, which isn’t likely to happen unless you mean to.  I think this is a huge improvement since it eliminates a lot of frustration.

Note about charging – The charger that arrives with your product is the only one that should be used with it.  The USB charger should not be used with the Life and the wall charger shouldn’t be used with the Life+.  They aren’t interchangeable and won’t charge your toy if switched. 

Similarities:

• Size
• Shape
• Material
• Power/Motor
• Sound Level
• Waterproof
• Rechargeable

I think the changes made are all good ones, and am pleased they didn’t try to improve on the shape or size.  I know some are displeased by the color change, but I think it’s a nice shade of purple.  Though I don’t use patterns often, I still think the Life+ is a better option to purchase than the life because of the button issue I addressed above.

-Experience-

I really loved how Leaf Life worked when I first tried it out, but was constantly frustrated from accidentally turning it off during use, so I tucked it away and sort of forgot about it.  When I heard that Swan was releasing improved versions of their Leaf line, I was beyond curious!  I took my Life back out and rediscovered the pleasure and annoyance it brought me before, and tucked it away again.  When I had the opportunity to review the Life+, I jumped on it!

Honestly, there isn’t a single bad thing I could tell you about my experiences with this toy.  I love the fact that I can get down to business by using the smaller tip for pin-point stimulation, or I can slowly warm myself up by placing the toy on my vulva.  It’s comfortable to hold and I haven’t once accidentally turned it off during use!

I’m a steady vibrations kinda gal, so the addition of patterns didn’t phase me since I rarely use them.  That being said, I don’t see the vibrations being overly exciting.  The pulse pattern is a little different from the norm, but it’s not as powerful as I would like it to be and might not be strong enough for some.  As I said, it doesn’t bother me either way, but is worth noting since it’s one of the changes.

I highly recommend checking out the Leaf+ line by Swan if you enjoy steady vibrations and patterns, need a fair amount of power in order to climax, and you’re looking for an ergonomic toy that can be used in a variety of ways!

To purchase the Leaf Life, the Leaf Life+, or any of the Leaf/Leaf+ lines, click the banner below.

Leaf Life+ was provided to me free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.  This is in compliance with FTC guidelines.