You know how some people (notably Pharell Williams) can experience sound as literal colors? It turns out that sexual synesthesia is a thing as well, which is essentially the internal wiring that allows some people see colors or shapes during orgasm. 

Most of us don’t have that particular quirk, but it’s a good reminder that orgasm intensity is arguably variable and study-able… it’s not just a matter of “trying harder” or having the right mood lighting (though mood lighting certainly doesn’t hurt!). 

I went in search of the categories of products that actually have data behind them, a la peer-reviewed studies, etc. Because “a warming sensation” and any other bold claim on the box is generally a whole lot of buzzy jargon that’s usually not worth your time. 

Here’s the ones that are.

This Clit Arousal Serum That works Where It Actually Counts

A nationally representative study out of Indiana University’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion found that nearly 75% of women say clitoral stimulation is either necessary for orgasm or makes their orgasms noticeably better… with about a third saying they can’t get there without it. 

That’s the logic behind clit arousal serums like Epiphany’s, which a “clit whisperer” of sorts that delivers a few drops of a warming, tingling formula (built around ingredients like menthyl lactate and vanillyl butyl ether, which work on the same nerve receptors that make mint feel cold and cinnamon feel hot), applied directly where the data says it matters most.

These Arousal Gels that are Backed by science

Most “arousal gel” claims are sexy marketing copy. And NOTHING is sexier than the term “marketing copy.”

K-Y Intense is one of the few with a real study attached. A pilot trial published in Fertility and Sterility tracked 67 women using an externally applied clitoral arousal gel and found statistically significant improvements across arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction. It offers the same principle as the serum above, bringing increased blood flow and nerve sensitivity right where it’s applied via a warming-cooling-tingling gel massaged onto the clitoris before (or during) foreplay.

SKYN EXCITE is a similar product to the K-Y Gel, but it’s 50% off right now and is worth taking a look at.

These Pelvic Floor Trainers for the Muscles Actually Doing the Work

Orgasm itself is largely involuntary contractions of the pelvic floor, so it tracks that strengthening those muscles shows up in the research. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found pelvic floor muscle training improved orgasm scores on a validated sexual function scale by 1.55 points over control. That’s an independently reviewed effect, even if the researchers flagged the evidence quality as still low. 

Devices like the Elvie Trainer turn that Kegel routine into a five-minute, app-guided workout instead of a guessing game.

Not all of this evidence is equally strong, of course. Brand-funded trials and independent meta-analyses are definitely not the same thing, which is why the studies above aren’t lumped into one blanket statement of being “backed by science.” But all three of these products point at something more specific than “try harder” by focusing on where you stimulate, what you apply, and how strong the muscles doing the work actually are.

If you can’t shell out $200 for the Elvie, you might want to take a look at the Perifit Trainer, which is available at a steep discount at time of writing.