If you were to ask me last month what an epiphany is, I might have described the time suddenly I ~just knew~ my ex was cheating on me, or the rush of awareness that flooded over me one day in English class that journalism was my calling. If you asked me that question now, however, all I’d want to do is wax poetic about the new product I’ve had the pleasure of trying (and trying and trying): Epiphany Clit Arousal Serum ($34).

At its core, Epiphany is an arousal oil that is designed to be applied to your clitoris during solo, partner, or multi-partner play to help get things going. “When a pea-sized drop is massaged on and around the clit, it starts to work harmoniously with your body’s sexual responses to igniting a warm tingling sensation that elevates pleasure and heightens awareness,” says Kelly Pigeon, the founder of Epiphany. Women and other vulva-owners deserve great, orgasmic sex, and this arousal serum can help them achieve it each and every time they bang it out, she says.

After trying Epiphany Clit Arousal Serum both on my own and with a partner, I can confirm that the product definitely delivers. Ahead, my full review on the latest arousal serum to hit the market.

Epiphany Clit Arousal Serum — $34.00

Epiphany Arousal Clit Serum is an arousal oil designed specifically with the glans clitoris—the portion of the nerve-rich love-bud that sits outside of the body—in mind. Thanks to the infusion of menthyl (which is a natural compound found in the peppermint plant) and vanillyl butyl ether (which is known to create a warming effect on the skin), Epiphany can create a warming, tingling sensation that makes every stroke and swipe feel more explosive.

Volume: 10 ml (about 20 uses)

Ingredients: Water, propylene glycol, glycerin, polyacrylate crosspolymer-6, peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, vanillyl butyl ether, menthyl lactate

Pros: 

• Safe for use with silicone toys
• Does not feel greasy or sticky
• Does not stain sheets or clothes
• Can be used on all external erogenous zones
• Vegan

Cons:

• Does NOT double as lubricant
• Not compatible with latex barriers
• Smells like Elmer’s glue
• Not designed for internal vaginal play

How do arousal oils and serums work?

Sometimes known as arousal gels or arousal serums, arousal oils are genital topicals designed to support arousal. Sounds simple enough, but to really understand how these products work we need a quick recap on the sexual response cycle.

When you become aroused, the body directs blood to the genitals, where it works overtime, engorging the tender tissues and initiating the natural lubrication process, says Gigi Engle, a certified sex and relationship psychotherapist and sex expert at Taimi. Thing is, there has to be something—whether that’s a smutty fantasy book, a stress-relieving massage from a partner, or a salacious text exchange—to initiate this physiological response. This is particularly true for individuals who primarily experience responsive desire (meaning that arousal isn’t self-generated but instead comes from some external force to start their engines).

Arousal oils essentially allow you to skip the first step of the sexual response cycle and get right to it. Rather than requiring an outside seduction to get things going, arousal oils use ingredients like menthol, peppermint oil, a warming agent, and/or full-spectrum CBD to call blood to your bits, explains Engle. (Epiphany uses a combination of menthol and warming agents to do the job).

This rush of genital blood flow can result in you experiencing the genital sensations you might typically associate with arousal, such as a clitoral pulsing, vulvar fullness, and general between-the-leg heat, Engle says. “These arousal gels usually give your labia and clitoris a tingly, warming, buzzing, or cooling sensation, too,” she says.

My first impressions of the Epiphany Clit Arousal Serum

I’m a professional sex toy reviewer, which means my work closet is filled with dildos, vibrators, and other arousal aids rather than the usual pens, paperclips, and paper stacks. Anytime I open the door I feel like I’m walking into an R-rated Barbie Land, because as far as most pleasure product companies are concerned, pink reigns supreme.

Epiphany, however, gives this overdone trend the finger thanks to its chic orange packaging. Not only is the packaging beautiful, but it’s different. The product looks a lot like an oversized lip balm tube–making it easy to squeeze the product on rather than fiddle with a glass dropper like other comparable arousal products. Given that fortune favors the bold, I was hopeful that the packaging wouldn’t be the only thing that blew my mind during this test drive.

I’m prone to yeast infections and pH imbalances, so I decided to perform a patch test on my inner arm before I made things official. “This is a good way to check for any sensitivities you might have to any of the ingredients,” says Engle. That way, if you’re allergic to any ingredient in the product, irritation, redness, pain, or itching will likely occur on the testing spot rather than, you know, on your bits.

Thankfully, I had no reaction on my arm, which meant I was free to see if I’d have any, um, reactions when I used the product on my vulva. (If you do have a reaction to a product, wash the product off with warm water and a fragrance-free soap. Then, either throw the product out or give it to your friend who is less sensitive to foreign invaders.)

What it was like trying the Epiphany Clit Arousal Serum

While arousal oils can elicit the physiologic responses of arousal from your body, it cannot mentally or emotionally bring you to Pound Town if you do not want to go. As Engle puts it, “it won’t, on its own, get you in the mood.” So, before unscrewing the cap, I took her advice to create my perfect solo sex setting.

I plugged in my twinkle lights, lit my treasured Le Labo Santal 26 candle, fired up a sexy R&B playlist, put my phone on DND, and even put on a pair of silky skivvies. Next, I laid in bed, shut my eyes, and did some breathing exercises which Engle told me would help calm my nervous system and support overall relaxation.

Finally, I laid in bed and read through the sexy texts my long-distance lover and I had exchanged earlier in the day. When I felt the first twinge of a desire to touch myself, I reached for the serum, and rubbed a pea-sized drop right into my clit per the package directions.

Many arousal oils (such as Foria Arousal Oil, $48) use CBD, which can need as long as 15 to 20 minutes to absorb into your system and cause effect. But since Epiphany relies on menthol to cause effect, it was able to make me tingle within seconds of initial application.

The tingle itself adheres to the Goldilocks principle: just right. “It’s not too potent, but also not too gentle or neutral,” says Pigeon. It wasn’t so overstimulating that it numbed me out, but it also wasn’t so subtle that I felt the same as I would if I’d simply applied a basic lubricant. (As a reminder: Arousal oil is not the same as store-bought lubricant).

I started to ease the pleasurable pressure building up in my body by using my own hand. Then, I reached for my new favorite sex toy (The Le Wand Die-Cast Plug-In). After adding a little lube to the vibrator’s head, I powered her up until I had an… epiphany.

Once it was clear that this arousal oil would add to, not detract from, my sexual pleasure, I asked one of my partners if they’d be open to using the product with me. My partner, always game to guinea pig some pleasure aids with me, readily agreed. This time there was no vibrator in the picture, but the end result was the same.

Is this product worth it?

My feelings on Epiphany’s Clit Arousal Serum is similar to my feelings on the product type in general. While arousal serums and oils can be a fun way to make already-pleasurable play even more pleasurable, they absolutely cannot replace the fundamentals of arousal: pre-play (aka foreplay), clear and consistent communication, and a low-pressure environment.

As Engle says, “arousal gels can help promote being turned on, but they aren’t usually enough to do the whole job.” So, while most of us are keen to find “quick fixes” for lower arousal or mediocre sex, “what we really need to do is figure out the conditions we need in order to become aroused, then work on creating those.”

Once you’ve got the basic conditions covered, I think Epiphany is a damn fine choice. In particular, it’s a good option for individuals, couples, and throuples who are new to this type of product. After all, it’s easy to use, low- (but not no) intensity, and pretty affordable—and it works.