Poppers, a term used for alkyl nitrites have been around for decades and they show no sign of disappearing anytime soon. With an interesting history weaving through medical innovation and underground culture, it is now a mainstream product enjoyed by many, but not all! We have noticed that we have many new buyers in the store and thought a bit of background and helpful information might be useful, so here goes!
From birth to now.
We have to go back to around 1844 and thank a French chemist for the initial creation of the formula. His name was Antoine Jérôme Balard and it is fair to say he made the product with very different intentions than we are using room aromas for these days. It was intended for medical use. What has not changed is the name poppers. In the very beginning, these medical poppers involved breaking a small capsule made of glass which made a popping noise, and so the product name was born.
Fast forward to the 1960s. This is when the product became recreational. Especially in the big cities like London, New York and San Francisco, it grew in popularity. By this time the glass capsules had been replaced by small bottles. The euphoric effect and increased sensory perception made poppers popular, especially in the gay scene. Mainly on the dancefloor but it soon made its way into the bedroom. The combination of the expressive ethos of the LGBTQ+ community during this time and the fact the product can lower inhibitions was a match made in heaven.
Legally the product has also been through the mill but after extensive research, the government decided not to include poppers in the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, ensuring we can keep selling certain formulations.
The battle of the brands
Since the rise in popularity, it was no surprise that companies were going to fight for the nr1 brand. Certainly, in the beginning, it seemed that Liquid Gold, Rush and Jungle Juice were the more popular poppers in the UK. These days they are still up there as big brands but might not be the best sellers anymore. A new wave of hardcore brands has made their way to the forefront.
With Berlin XXX leading the pack closely followed by Power Rush, Pig Red, Fist and English. It is odd how some brands are loved by some and disliked by others. It seems that finding your favourite brand is a bit of a personal journey that will probably have some trial and error. Maybe this is best to illustrate with some customer feedback.
“I’ve been using Power Rush for years, and they never disappoint. To change it up I thought I try Berlin XXX for a change but even though they were strong I did not get the same result. Back to Power Rush, it is!”
“Berlin XXX is no joke, strong and intense. I always make sure I have a bottle at home and will take some with me when I am expecting some action.”
We must admit that not all feedback is positive. Some users have hinted it might have caused a headache and not everybody enjoys the feeling.
Fully Mainstream
In the beginning, the product was referred to as gay poppers but those days are well and truly over. If we look at our customers only, we have many straight men and women in addition to the LGBTQ+ community loving room aromas. This does make sense as the effect of the formula is the same on everybody. What is noticeable is that the manufacturers are maybe a little behind the time as a lot of brands still target the gay male audience with brands like DAD, Bears and others.
Hopefully, the above provided a bit of insight into the journey our favourite little bottle has been on. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. You can email or call us, we have a great team that is more than happy to assist you. Just CLICK HERE for more details. Whilst you are there, make sure to check out our huge selection. With hundreds of products, we are certain you will find a brand that will put a big smile on your face.
Before I sign off a little tip most of you already know. When storing poppers make sure they are in a cold dark place. If safe, a fridge would be ideal. Avoid heat and especially sunlight as those elements will speed up the evaporation of the content.
With love,
The Popper Super Shop Team.
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