Slumber Parties allow women to view and purchase sex toys in privacy of their own homes around friends. Danielle Hay is the Slumber Parties distributor for Lawrence. She began in April 2006.

A few women appear to hang on her every word, while others shift uncomfortably in their seats as she flips on the buzzing vibrators and begins passing them around for closer inspection.

The woman in front of the room, Danielle Hay, is putting on a Slumber Party ­— a gathering of women in private homes where sex toys are shown and purchased much like housewares and cosmetics at Tupperware and Mary Kay parties.

Slumber Parties — although designated to sell products — are designed to educate and empower women to take control of their sexuality, Hay said. On this particular night, Hay is empowering college-age women in Lawrence.

The home-based parties offer women a chance to view and test some products exclusive to Slumber Parties in the company of their friends rather than in a public store, where you could run into your professors.

According to the Slumber Parties, Inc. Web site, www.slumberparties.com, Kim Brecheen founded Slumber Parties in 1993, after the adult toy company she worked for failed. She began working in the industry after witnessing the overwhelming interest from female friends.

Women become distributors by being recruited by current distributors. A new distributor must purchase a starter kit to become an active in the company. A kit starts at $250. Distributors receive 40 percent off all retail purchases; with each new recruit they sign up, their discount increases.

Hay began hosting Slumber Parties in April 2006. The gig started as a summer job before Hay started medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

After a year of throwing parties, she has worked out a routine. To start each presentation she asks the women to pick designated names for the male and female sex organs.

This night, the women choose “twig” for penis and “taco” for vagina. Hay begins by showing novelties and gag gifts. Pulling out the “World’s Smallest Condom” evokes laughter from the group. Hay holds up “Peter Lipstick,” lipstick in the shape of a “twig,” one of her most popular gifts. “Peter Lipstick” sells for $5, making it one of the least expensive purchases.

She then moves on through the relaxation and romance enhancement products including products like the “Pulsa Bath,” a kind of vibrating sponge, and the “Love Swing,” designed to allow couples to achieve new sexual positions. The “Pulsa Bath” sells for $13, where as the Love Swing, one of the company’s most expensive toys, goes for $130.

“Customers are always surprised when they see products from TV,” Hay said of the “Love Swing,” which was featured on an episode of “Sex and the City”.

Hay even provides product samples for the women to try, such as “Bosom Buddy,” a lotion that increases sensitivity when applied to nipples but doubles as a lip moisturizer. A 2-ounce bottle sells for $8.50.

Hay hands out Q-tips with a touch of “Bosom Buddy” asking the more daring women to apply it to their nipples and the shyer ones to their lips.

She tells them that Slumber Parties even offers a product for those interested in recreating the whipped-cream bikini from the movie “Varsity Blues.” “Top It Off,” a non-dairy sugar free whipped topping, won’t melt from a person’s body heat, she said.

Hay reminds the women to never use real dairy products in their “tacos” because it increases the chance of yeast infections. “Top It Off” offers a yeast infection-free bikini for $11.

A small line forms for the bathroom, where Hay has placed samples of “X-Scream” and “Nympho Niagra,” the company’s two best-selling products at Slumber Parties, according to the company’s Web site. Each product guarantees an increase in arousal to get a woman’s “taco” raring to go. A 1-ounce jar of either product sells for $17.

After the intermission it’s time for the big toys — the bedroom accessories, as Hay calls them, which carry a shock value for most of her clients. “The Quiver,” a vibrator resembling a cactus, has the power to take the women’s breath away. The cactus like needles act as French ticklers, Hay says. The Quiver sells for $102.

Education is a large part of Slumber Parties according to Hay, who tells the women about four ways they can achieve orgasm: clitoral, vaginal, G-spot and the erogenous butt cheek.

For those not interested in the phallic-shaped bedroom accessories, the “Tongue Teaser” is available. The realistic, three-speed tongue costs $36.

Although men aren’t allowed to attend Slumber Parties, the women can purchase the few products available for male pleasure. The “Super Stretch,” a silicone sleeve designed to go around a man’s “twig,” offers the opportunity for the women to “take the night off”, Hay said. A night off costs $25.

Slumber Parties prides itself on confidentiality for clients, Hay said. This is why at the end of the party purchases take place in a one-on-one session in a different room.

During the private meeting a woman can try on Hay’s limited supply of lingerie. Hay offers a discount if the women will show at least one party guest the outfit. Each distributor chooses their own supply of lingerie.

Hay said her decision to become a Slumber Parties distributor wasn’t all about money. She liked the idea of educating women about their needs in the bedroom.

However, Dennis Dailey, professor emeritus of social welfare and longtime teacher of a University of Kansas class on human sexuality, had his concerns with the information provided by the company at such parties.

He said, for example, that there was only one type of orgasm but numerous ways to achieve an orgasm, contradicting what Hay said about four kinds of orgasms.

Austyn Boyett, Lenexa senior who attended a Slumber Party held by Hay, said she wouldn’t be as comfortable going to a public store as would be at a house party.

Hay recalled having a one client who had purchased a bedroom accessory from an adult novelty store but was clueless on how to use it properly until she attended a party.

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