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An ingestible "sex-essory" designed specifically to enhance intimacy with your lover, whether that's yourself or a partner, is now in existence thanks to Oshihana [3]. Yes, you read that right — as a cosmic love sexpert, I've deemed any intimate moment accessory a "sex-essory." Not only is it safer to chat about on social media that way, but it's also more inclusive. A sex-essory can encompass anything from a vibrator [4] to a dildo to lube [5] to a penis blocking ring (yes, those exist!) to now . . . ingestibles. Enter: Delta-8.
What Is Delta-8?
If you're savvy to the world of cannabinoids, it's quite possible you've already heard of the compound, but if you haven't, Taylor Samuelsen, cofounder of Oshihana [6], explained to POPSUGAR that, like CBD, CBN, THC, or any other cannabinoid, Delta-8 THC is a cannabinoid found in varying concentrations of most varieties of hemp and cannabis plants. And there are two important things to know when it comes to Delta-8: 1) It's not federally controlled (i.e. it's currently legal to use in any state), and 2) It can have psychoactive effects, although they're usually considerably less than Delta-9 THC (aka the THC we are most familiar with). The effects of Delta-8 are often thought of as the lovely middle ground between Delta-9 THC and CBD.
Delta 8 by Oshihana [7], however, is a little different from Delta-8 in its plain-Jane form. It combines Delta-8 THC with a myriad of herbal, intimacy-boosting ingredients to enhance connection, lift you up, and tune you in (and turn you on!). Its Delta-8 Distillate contains rose petal, rosehip, and damiana, which are all potent aphrodisiacs carefully selected by the Oshihana team to increase circulation and sensitivity in the body. The company makes the distillate by hand, utilising a beautifully slow extraction process in Portland, OR, and each batch is mindfully created to help one explore a full-body, intimate experience.
How to Use It
My partner and I popped the distillate in our mouths while we were preparing dinner and proceeded to head to the bedroom approximately 20 minutes later, per the bottle's instructions. The sex was good, as our conscious sex usually is, but what was deliciously different was the time spent together afterward. We ended up getting out of bed, putting on cosy clothes, eating dinner, and then heading to the couch, which is where we became absolutely enraptured with each other.
The postcoital spell had been broken with bathroom breaks, room changes, and dinner, but we miraculously dropped right back into each other in an extremely intimate way after dinner. I went to straddle my partner postmeal (as I usually do) on his chair, when he lifted me up and took me over to the couch (different than our norm!). It was then that we fell into a deep eye gaze paired with calm chatter about life and feelings. My partner announced, "Wow, this stuff really works," and it wasn't until those words came out of his mouth that I realised the distillate had ever so subtly transported us to a serene planet of connectedness. Population: the two of us.
The feeling lasted the rest of the evening. We crashed after dinner, slept ridiculously soundly, and snoozed the next morning. And since I'm not always a good sleeper, that says something. I will note: the potency is real, and I was a bit groggy in the morning — meaning I really needed my coffee and some exercise to help me feel alert and like I'd returned to this planet we call Earth.
Best Practices For Delta-8 Distillate
- It will give you a mild high, so please be sure you are cosy, at home, and not planning to drive.
- Like all things edible, it takes some time to kick in. Be patient, and start slowly. IMO, there is no need to take more than one dropper right off the bat. The package says to wait 20 minutes, but I would give it 40 minutes minimum to begin to really take off. From there, you can decide if you want to up the dose a little bit or ride out the current journey.
- Word of warning: the herbals are preserved in a strong alcohol, so expect a "mouth party" for a couple moments. Pro trip: due to its intensity, it's best taken on the tongue, not under.
- Relax, fall into flow, and most importantly, have fun!