Somewhere in Ames this week, women will pull up to a house and walk into a party full of their friends and a few strangers. After food and festivities, another woman will walk into the room and pass around lotion for the others to try. Then she will pass out edible lingerie and a pink vibrator — the Bubble Bunny.

Moral purists be damned — parties featuring bedroom enhancement items have arrived in Ames.

Companies like Pure Romance Parties, Passion Parties and For Your Pleasure use independent consultants to organize, host parties in private homes and sell erotic products for men and women discreetly.

April Hiatt, junior in psychology, has attended two parties thrown by friends and plans to host her own this week. Through Web sites and buyer-seller contact, parties can be booked for up to 30 people. Hiatt says she had a little difficulty locating one in Ames.

“No one talks about it,” Hiatt says.

She says she decided to go through the same company that hosted the parties she previously attended, Pure Romance Parties, in hopes of igniting a sexual revolution. Or at least a spark.

“I would like for everyone to be like ‘Sex and the City’ and be open with everyone,” Hiatt says, laughing. “Well, not like perfect strangers, but especially with your friends.”

Robert Hensley, graduate student in human studies and family development, teaches HDFS 276, a human sexuality course. He says he believes tasteful sexual exploration, like these parties, is helpful in developing sexuality.

“The more comfort and knowledge we have about our own sexuality, the better,” Hensley says. “It is encouraging to hear that people are exploring all options.”

Hensley says arguments exist that suggest parties like these are crude and are encouraging young adults to look at sex in a vulgar, animalistic way.

“I completely disagree that parties like these mean our society is becoming more crude about sex,” Hensley says. “But it obviously depends on your perspective.”

These parties are not crude at all, Hiatt says. It’s good, clean fun.

“It’s not some big orgy or anything. The same lady from Pure Romance Parties has been at all of the ones I’ve been to,” Hiatt says. “She’s really nice and informative. It’s never dirty or uncomfortable.”

These modern-day Mary Kay salespeople sell an extensive list of pleasure and romance items, instead of eyeliner and lip gloss. They also try to make the atmosphere welcoming and relaxing, Hiatt says.

“There’s usually a little bit of alcohol involved, just to loosen the older ladies up for conversations,” Hiatt says. “She sets up everything in the ‘show room.’ She’ll show you the lotions, let you try them and then it’s on to the good stuff.”

Through explanations and personal recommendations from the seller, the women are informed to make a well-educated decision.

To ensure privacy, there is a separate “buying room” so customers don’t have to share secrets with everyone in attendance, Hiatt says.

Whether ready to jump into the “Pleasure Swing” or just roll some “Dirty Dice,” the benefits are not just for the body, Hensley says.

“It’s good to have a healthy sexual knowledge,” he says.