The moment I saw the CalExotics Scandal Silicone Stopper Gag, I knew I had to have it.

(Content Warnings: A few NSFW (but not nude/explicit) images of Buster in a gag, with some spit!)

I’ve always loved bondage, but my affection for gags in particular is unrivaled. Engaging in conversation (beyond comfort zone check-in’s and occasional praising) during sex is hard for me, whether I’m in charge or just following orders. Gags take away the pressure to maintain chatter by limiting communication to wordless syllables in response to direct questions or statements. No coyness, no complexity, just “does that feel good?” “mmnnn!”

But more than that, gags are sexy. Seeing my partner’s mouth forced wide and sometimes drooling, hearing their muffled delight or (consensual) distress – it’s erotic like nothing else. Likewise, I love the kinkiness of being made to keep my jaw stretched and my noises suppressed, of knowing I’m allowed to sink into my head and let my partner take care of the surface details. Gags are an effective tool to bring out immediate submission, and I love it.

What I love less? The lack of design diversity among budget friendly gags.

The Scandal Silicone Stopper Gag from CalExotics is a uniquely attractive gag in an ocean of red and black balls with flimsy faux leather fastenings. It’s a silicone gag with a mouthpiece fashioned into the shape of lips wrapped around a removable bathtub stopper. The chain that attaches the stopper to the gag, the strap joints, and the buckle fastenings are made with nickel-free iron.

Buster looks fantastic in it. The silicone mouthpiece opens their mouth even wider than I expected, immediately forcing them to salivate, so when I remove the plug they drool profusely. This is flustering for Buster and immensely pleasing for me. And the visual is complimented well by the gag’s inherent dissonance; there’s an element of class with the distinctly femme shaping of the lips as the gag’s mouthpiece, but the stopper – such a sexless appendage, associated with drains and run-off – is unapologetically filthy and debasing.

The Scandal Silicone Stopper Gag mouthpiece’s silicone is thin and pliable. This unfortunately makes it impossible to remove the firm stopper without either holding the mouthpiece steady with your other hand, or letting the force pull the gag’s straps against the back of the wearer’s head and partially (or fully) unseating the gag from their mouth. I can work this into a scene, but it’s a nuisance that could have been avoided by making the mouthpiece firmer, situating the plug closer to the opening, and/or making the stopper more pliable.

This is the first gag we’ve purchased that has silicone supports on either side of the mouthpiece, which lessens chafing/cutting at the edges of the wearer’s mouth as compared to faux leather or fabric straps. The usefulness of this didn’t occur to me until after we first used the gag and realized Buster didn’t have any reddened indentations to worry about with work the next day. Now that I know how freakin’ great this design is, I’ve been looking for it in other gags (hello!) and I probably won’t bother buying a gag without it in the future.

The straps themselves are fairly long. We sometimes have a hard time finding gags or collars that can accommodate Buster’s beautifully big-brained head, but this gag had no issue. My head is much smaller and the Scandal Silicone Stopper Gag‘s straps fit me just as easily. I also have a much smaller mouth, though, and it’s a bit of a struggle to fit the mouthpiece in my jaw, which irritates my already hyper-sensitive gag reflex. If you also have a small mouth, whether you see this a deterrent or as a benefit is entirely up to you.

The fastenings are pretty basic, and are kinda indicative of the gag’s budget pricing. Rather than a proper buckle, you draw the strap through the little thingy (that’s the technical term *snaps suspenders*) and let it notch on one of the raised silicone ridges. The excess strap is held back with a thin silicone band. It doesn’t feel, like, super secure, but it doesn’t feel fragile either, and it hasn’t yet caught on our hair.

For $20 to $30 USD (depending on where you buy), this is an awesome gag. It’s sexy, it’s unique, and pictures of Buster wearing it are what got me to 100 Instagram followers as a newbie blogger. I’ve spent the same on bulky, hard plastic or rubber ballgags that weren’t safe for my body, chafed the corners of my mouth, and didn’t suit my aesthetic. And those got me no Instagram followers. I didn’t actually have an Instagram back then, but still. 100 followers! I’m a cool kid now!

You can buy the Silicone Stopper Gag from SheVibe, Peepshow Toys, or Amazon.

I purchased the gag with my own money. Affiliate links were used in this post.