Inspiration, in fabric form! The Layer waterproof sex blanket is my new favorite tool, it’s so helpful. Usually “sex-cessories”:1 don’t hold my attention. But the words for this The Layer review are flowing 💦 out my keyboard, I’m so excited!
Seriously, for $60, The Layer is amazing, and I recommend it over the conceptually similar Liberator Fascinator Throws (from $90 to $185). I’ll run through The Layer’s components, and then explain why it’s cleaner for anyone who wants more anti-liquid protection. (I’ve definitely put The Layer to the test for its squirting shield powers.) Or if you just want a quick solution to during period sex, or to prevent cum stains or any sexy mess, hell yeah. Since I first reviewed the Layer, I liked it so much that I picked up another waterproof sex blanket that has a more “plush throw blanket” feel — spoiler, it’s actually a dog / pet mess blanket — so now [2021], I’ll be comparing these two waterproof blankets & putting their leak proof abilities to the test, comparatively! Happily, both sex blankets are machine washable.
Contents
What Is The Layer Blanket?
The Layer is actually two layers: eco-friendly cotton fleece on top, waterproof laminate shield underneath. It’s a brilliant design. I mean, I’m all about the two-layer (dual-density) dildos, so why not run with this awesomeness in a sex blanket too? 😉
You would need to be a geyser to produce enough fluid for it to soak through The Layer! I’ve tested the fleece as holding 2 standard-size (16.9 fl. oz.) bottles of water; with the third bottle, liquid doesn’t soak through but does start to pool. Even 16 ounces of liquid is A LOT for a human being to release at once,2 so The Layer will have you covered unless you’ve got multiple individuals squirting in volume over it.
It makes me warm and fuzzy to hear that this useful blanket’s fabric is made in US textile mills, tested to meet all kinds of non-toxicity standards,3 and the fleece is organic and eco-friendly. (While not being excessively expensive, either.)
The fleece side is pretty soft, fuzzy, and does pick up lint. The laminate side is a smooth silver, with a slight texture to grip where you put it down.
Other Moisture Barrier Blankets vs. the Layer
This is important: the Layer’s cotton fleece absorbs moisture—doesn’t allow it to pool/run off like the Liberator Decor Fascinator Throw does. Then of course the Layer’s laminate layer is waterproof, to keep your sheets (or whatever!) dry.
So not only is The Layer cheaper, and made of sustainable materials, it’s just more convenient than Liberator Throws (which are more like velvet sheets) if you are having extra WET sex. Because with Liberator throws, you have to be careful to fold them the right way afterward (to contain the liquid), or else it’ll drip off as you’re trying to move the throw to the sink. Yech. There are also multiple reports of the Liberator Throw not really being a water proof blanket: it’s a shield blanket, but water doesn’t absorb all the way in. Note that the Avana waterproof throw blanket is the Liberator throw, the exact same product,4 and gets reviews like: “Not a sex blanket – This blanket is soft and lightweight[,] but it was bought for water absorption and protection of bed[, and] liquids run on it versus being absorbed. Very disappointed in its performance.” —By Dawn R Hicks, Amazon user
A middle ground for waterproof throw blankets is a pet blanket with “sherpa fleece” technology: these are really soft & warm. I say that the Pet Parents fleece blanket I’ve been testing the last month is “middle ground” because it creates a slightly swampier wet spot when you’re expelling a lot of fluids, for gushing sex. The fleece is super-soft and plush! I can just feel the wetness below me more than with the Layer. Since this blanket is bigger (also even cheaper, for $30), I can definitely squirt farther worry-free, ;etting my bedding stay dry no matter what, because fluids will shoot three feet in front of my vulva when I’m lying on my back really going for it with the right squirting sex toy. And also a benefit: being bigger, it and related products for “pets” are more suitable for covering a larger bed too — more like king bed size. But the downsides? I would not want to use this kind of fuzzy, raised fleece throw blanket for period sex during the most gory part of my cycle, since it’s harder to clean chunks out of the raised material. And being more damp (the inner moisture barrier absorbs fluids down into itself a bit less), it’d be harder to transport cleanly out of a hotel room if it was soaked. You would, however, need lots of water to soak through it: Mine started pooling most after a full gallon of water, and leaking off the sides when I moved it afterward (keep in mind this is like 8 bottles of drinking water, a huge amount). The gushy wet beneath:
With The Layer, of course you’ll feel damp below you, but not a full-on puddle that can roll away. Instead, The Layer is blowing me away…
My Layer-ed Experience
The first time I tested The Layer was an event. I had to see just how wet I could make it. (I truly loved being a pro sex toy tester in this moment. Hell yeah.)
Afterward, I was SO STOKED about how The Layer had performed, I literally waved my hands around in the air with excitement. While grinning like I’d inherited a small fortune from a relative I didn’t know I had.
Because I’ve been laying on bath towels for years while getting off, and they can be annoying to position. Especially if I do feel like squirting: I’m struggling to make sure I’m not soaking through too much towel fabric as I keep coming. (Because I’ll come 5 times in a row once I start, and it gets wetter and wetter.)5 The fluid absorbs into the fleece quickly, because I can’t be producing more than 4 ounces at a time, even after squirting with everything I’ve got—and really shooting outward—multiply.
And no matter what, there’s always drippage when I’m masturbating. Lube spills, a fluid-coated toy set down when I get bored and do a switcheroo, me shifting my moist vulva when positioning pillows behind my head. Creating that small wet spot. Or when I’m at the beginning/end of my period and suddenly horny AF, and that bit of blood remains.
I’ve previously reserved a few older dark-colored towels for period play. The Layer was actually conceived of as a way to prevent menstrual blood stainage — essentially, it’s a portable blanket for period sex. And it does work flawlessly for that, plus is more stain-resistant than the average bath towel. Plus, The Layer is actually comfortable enough that I can fall asleep on it. Softer and thin, versus the bulky roughness of a double-folded towel. Really, though, it’s meant to be folded up and easily put aside when you’re done playing, so you don’t sleep in the wet.
So we’ve got lube, vaginal fluids & cervical mucus, squirt, and blood covered…why not semen too? Cum stains, right?!? Let me tell you, it’s *no fun* having to figure out how to dispose of a cum-stained mattress after you split from your former live-in sex partner. (We were screwing on towels too, most of the time!) Yeah. You get the picture. 😝
These days, I have partnered sex in hotel rooms (don’t ask), and we’re not so worried about protecting their bedding—but I have encountered “the wet spot” once or twice when we were falling asleep. I’m eagerly awaiting folding my Layer up and tucking it into my suitcase for next time.
The Layer’s sizing is nice: it’s small when folded. And 40 inches diameter, to be exact, when fully spread. What that means is that: when my butt is in the middle, sunk down into my mattress, The Layer stretches from halfway up my back to right below my knee. Then I have a foot of Layer to my right and left sides.
It’ll accommodate a couple (one on top of the other) easily. It’s also wider than the short side of the Liberator Travel Size Fascinator Throw ($30 more than The Layer).
And the circular shape: I have to admit I’m kind of an “absentminded professor.” So, though I can collect data like crazy, I can’t actually figure out whether fitted sheets are facing vertically or horizontally 95% of the time when I’m putting one on a bed. Facing the wrong way, time after time. Why inconvenience yourself that way when you’re just trying to get it on? The Layer has no one correct direction, it’s always in the correct direction no matter what, and no matter how wet you get it!
And my last Layer discovery??? I got a real sex machine (finally) and now that I have a thruster that doesn’t stall out when I have it rubbing parallel,6 up and down my vulva, the squirting is intense. With a large ultra-realistic dildo fast-slapping its head against my slit, I’m (1) dripping; (2) coming a little; (3) saying, “I’m gonna have to wash this” [the Layer]; (4) and finally, creating a nice puddle on The Layer. Again, and always, 👍👍👍 for easy cleaning, no worries.
How to Clean The Layer
The Layer blanket is, happily, machine-washable (like all waterproof blankets should be!). And it can take some heat too. No doubt, cleaning is important if you’re spilling your fluids all over a blanket on the regular. Since the fleece soaks it in, you’ll want to wash it afterward if you’ve really soaked the layer, or if you’ve spilt a lot of lubey juices, cum, blood, etc. so it’s not crusty in the morning. I’d say it’s a 9 / 10 for being easy to clean.
Here’s how I wash mine:
- Scrub off any big noticeable spots, like blood or jizz, with soap and water. (The manufacturer says prewashing isn’t necessary, but gunk does stick to the fleece, so I recommend this.)
- Throw it in the washing machine on Normal.
- Put it in the dryer on Warm.
The polyurethane / 1 mil PUL side is a material that may actually be sanitized, if you’re so inclined. The Layer recommends non-chlorine bleach (less abrasive than normal chlorine bleach) if needed.7 It is safe to continue using without bleaching, as long as it’s washed periodically.
The Layer says that the blanket will withstand at least 300 machine-washes. I plan on washing mine once or twice a week, so that’s a good lifespan.
Last, the Layer is prone to getting some creases, so you can iron it on warm if you’re particular about appearance! (Me, the last time I ironed was for a wand vibrator backdrop.)
Final Thoughts
I’m gushing over The Layer. It’s so utterly useful, I almost started a new site tag: changedmylife. I still want to wave my hands in the air about how it sells for under $60. That’s awesome, because I need a spare one. (Didn’t wash my Layer after oozing on it last night? That’s fine, I’ve got an extra one for tonight!)
Because The Layer’s cotton fleece soaks up liquid so well, and the laminate layer seals it in, I think this sex blanket is 💯 a step-up from the Liberator Fascinator Throws, formerly the top name among waterproof blankets. A Liberator Fascinator Throw’s one advantage is that its “velvish” fabric is more plushy on top—but that material lets droplets (or puddles) of liquid roll away.
The Layer is more convenient if you’re getting quite wet, and especially helpful for period sex. It may not be as soft & warm as some fleece pet blankets, but it’s compact fleece is easier to clean real blood (and cum) out of. It’s also more sanitizable, and withstands machine washing at higher temperatures than Liberator products. Both kinds of blanket are made in the US. But The Layer is more committed to materials testing, and was founded (and is owned and operated) by a woman who saw a need for a better product—then created it. 🙌
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- Lubes, lube warmers, cleaning products, etc. There was that one time I contrasted dildo mounts, which are useful!
- Average urine output for a human male has been calculated at 7.44 oz. fluid ounces (220 mL) per piss; that’s half a standard water bottle’s capacity.
- Polyurethane / 1 mil PUL laminate (the underside) is often used in medical applications (medical bedding and mattress protectors) and for baby-related items like waterproof diaper linings—significant because children’s products receive a high degree of safety scrutiny, much more than sex toys do. As for The Layer’s cotton fleece, it’s organic and “manufactured with no harmful chemicals or finishes in controlled conditions in American textile mills.” The materials are certified by the US Consumer Products Safety Commission to meet standards protecting against lead and phthalates (something I didn’t even realize was an issue with fabric before this, yikes!).
- Both Avana and Liberator are part of Luvu Brands, all owned by OneUp Innovations. I repeat: Liberator Fascinator throws are Avana throws.
- Squirting is definitely NOT synonymous with orgasm: I can get off plenty hard, and repeatedly, without releasing much fluid. And I can only do it (1) when I don’t have anything in my vagina, or when (2) I’m using the Womanizer Duo, that’s a damn impressive toy. Squirting is something I enjoy occasionally, to change it up sometimes. Everyone will vary here.
- The handheld ones always do, unfortunately; they’re smaller and easy to hold, and some have good thrust, but they never have the torque of a full-size machine.
- Brands that make this in the US include Oxiclean, Clorox’s 2 Free and Clear, and Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Bleach.
- Enter the code in the second step of checkout: after address entry, before payment. Discount excludes SquarePegToys & my favorite (already $45 off!) bundle.
Consider me sold! This was so incredibly in-depth and helpful. I was getting frustrated that all of these “waterproof sex blankets” were just that: hydrophobic and nothing else. Thanks, but no thanks!
I just ordered a Layer for my husband and me! Thanks so much for the review.
How well does it work with oil lubes? I’ve found they’ve been unique in their ability to go through towels and sheets and be annoying to clean up after the fact, with multiple laundry cycles and oxy-clean required.
This is a great question!!! The backing of the Layer is a “waterproof shield” whose components aren’t really laid out well, but it’s definitely some type of synthetic material that’s not plasticky, but it’s like a polymer almost, not a fabric. So, that will block some oil better than with a waterproof fabric blanket. (Like the pet blankets I’m using most often now.) It also depends on exactly how much oil lube you’re using.
My issue with the Layer’s waterproof backing is that if washed & dried in the dryer enough times, the heat will eventually cause tears in that material; so I’d recommend either tumbling on low heat, and/or replacing the blanket every year.