2006 was a year of unprotected sex for me. No, not every time, but I started off the year with a fling with a slightly older man I was besotted with, who didn’t speak a word about condoms, and, in response, I didn’t either. I wanted to trust that he had some magical knowledge that somehow I was missing, that maybe the world had overturned itself and they were no longer necessary. I was wrong, and after a pregnancy panic as I searched for Plan B—this was right before it was so readily available—I escaped unscathed. Then later that year I met a guy I fell absolutely head over heels with, sure that we were destined to be together.

Beauty brand NARS is raising safe sex awareness with two new cosmetic kits that come in handy when it comes to sex. The “Safer Set” includes two NARS condoms imprinted with “PREVENTION IS THE CURE” and a popular cream stick face highlighter in Multiple in Orgasm color. The “Safest Set” includes the same highlighter and a small black book promoting abstinence that gives you a list of ways you can just say no to the boys. A portion of the sales from both products go to amFAR’s global safe sex education initiative, so whether or not you’re doing it, you’ll be looking good and doing good. NARS has a long history of uniting sex and cosmetics. Lip colors come in Promiscuous, Manhunt, and Orgasm.

“I was on tour with my dad and at every single one of his shows, they hand out condoms. I was about seven or eight and I picked up a packet and was like, “Mum, what’s this?” —Kelly Osbourne [The Mail on Sunday]

Condoms. So important—yet so not stylish. Until now! For years, condoms haven’t exactly been the next Birkin bag. Instead, condoms are what you peruse in the drugstore aisle late at night, and the big decision is whether to get Trojans or Durex. Recently, though, as safe sex has become the golden rule, fashion designers, hip artists, and condom manufacturers have begun offering up a bevy of stylish choices when it comes to rubbers. Is there really a Marc Jacobs condom? Found out that and more after the jump.

We scored a nice little quote in Page Six Magazine‘s story on “Generation Unsafe Sex”, but some of the other people interviewed left us with the question above. A half dozen or so NYC singles, as well as a Jezebel blogger and a sex educator, were interviewed about the topic of safe sex (and the fact that more and more people are not having it)—this quote, in particular, stuck out:

“Once STDs and death seemed synonymous. Today, the accepted reality is that the STDs one is likely to contract through unprotected sex are more mundane, which is underscored by the fact that so many of them are cured using the same antibiotics you’d use for a sinus infection.”

So, you know that story we’ve been chatting about lately? The one about how one in four New Yorkers with multiple partners (potentially a reflection of the rest of the country) doesn’t use condoms all the time? Well in addition to our poll(s) on the subject, I decided I wanted to pester the guys on my IM about this because I think it’s kind of easy to say to blame dudes for low condom usage—after all, they’re the ones who have to strap ‘em on either at their own discretion or because the chick they’re having sex with makes them in order to get any nookie. So do dudes leap at any opportunity to go rubber-less? Let’s find out.

Remember that poll we conducted about how often you use condoms? Well the result are in, and a whopping 46% of you don’t use condoms EVER. We were curious and wanted more info, so for those of you that don’t use condoms, please, oh please, tell us why.

Young people don’t always do act with the hormones as opposed to their brain, and a study by the New York City health department is evidence. Apparently 40 percent of New Yorkers with multiple sex partners didn’t use a condom the last time they had sex, according to a poll of 10,000 adults in the city. This in a city where bowls full of condoms are readily available at many bars and clubs. Perhaps that’s why one in four adults in NYC have the virus that causes genital herpes. The only good news is that most young adults (those under 45) with more than one sex partner use condoms, the older folks are another story. Hooray for safe sex! [AM New York]

The November elections seem close, and now the political powerhouses of John McCain and Barack Obama are getting even closer to the things that matter most to us. Both are faces imprinted on a line of condoms—but we gotta ask…who would you rather have protecting YOUR crotch? [ObamaCondoms.com and McCainCondoms.com]

Condoms, the wonder rubbers, keep the sex safe like a superhero protecting a city. But there’s such a thing as condom Kryptonite. Before you get scared of imminent doom in the bedroom, here are six tips to stop your condoms from being rendered powerless.

1. When you’re cookin’ in the bedroom, never use oil-based lubricants like vegetable shortening, cold cream, or Vaseline. In addition to being a bit greasy, they can actually damage the latex. Only use water or silicone based lubricants and slip slide away!

During Antarctica’s long winters, the McMurdo research base has a staff of only 125 scientists—but if any of them are in a position to get lucky, they won’t have to brave the cold to buy condoms. (Do they even have drugstores in Antarctica anyway?) Nearly 16,500 condoms were delivered to the base last month and will be available free of charge throughout the year. “Since everybody knows everyone, it becomes a little bit uncomfortable,” said Bill Henriksen, the base’s manager. And you thought your pool of men was small. [Reuters]

Traipsing through Europe with nothing but a briefcase of glass phalluses and a bunch of condoms, the silly and sexy team of Noah and Baron make us happy they brought along a video camera to catch all the hilarity on tape. Sent around the continent by Lifestyles condoms to talk about safe sex and cultural differences in the sack, these boys pull lovable Harold & Kumar-style hijinks as they try to cop a feel in each country.  They hang off a balcony throwing condoms and telling people to go eff themselves in Amsterdam, they ask drunken Slovaks about penis size, and they get Swedes to come out of their shy shells and talk smack.  The film shorts are like tagging along with your favorite guy friends from college as they try to get laid, but they’ll at least succeed at making you laugh.  [Ad Freak]

Cabbages and Condoms is a chain of restaurants in Thailand that also promotes safe sex, hence the word “condoms” in its name. The “cabbages” part is there because the vegetable is a staple of Northeast Thailand—and as a website about the restaurants says, “Now, if condoms could be as common and used as often, then some of the population and health problems facing Thailand could be overcome!” All the proceeds from the restaurants are used to fund social development programs of the Population and Community Development Association, which promotes family planning. I’m thinking a location in Times Square, right next to the Hawaiian Tropic restaurant/bar would do quite well. [SLI.UniMelb.edu.au via MentalFloss.com]