What we used:

Read Fifty Shades of Grey and curious about bondage? If so, we hope you enjoy the fourth and final post in our Christian Grey’s playthings series, in which Thomas restrains Lizzie with some very comfortable leather handcuffs and she does a bit of … hanging about.

Important: If you haven’t already, please read the Behind the Chintz Curtain Disclaimer. (It’s not as dry and boring as you might think, so please do take the time to have a look.)

First impressions …

Lizzie
I have a bit of a thing for the colour red, so it was probably a given that I’d like the look of these cuffs. They arrive in generic brown packaging and, I have to say, my first thought when I extract them from their plastic sleeve is that they appear to be very well made; heavier and a lot more substantial than I imagined they would be. I can’t resist giving them a quick sniff – I adore the smell of leather – and am not disappointed by their aroma!

Each red suede cuff is lined with smooth black leather and has a metal buckle, a leather strap with punched holes, and a metal D-ring (to which the accompanying chain can be clipped to secure the cuffs together) on its outer surface. A close inspection reveals that the finishing is excellent: the stitching on the cuff edges is neat and the rivets that attach the D-rings and buckle sections are firmly set. The leather is wonderfully supple and bends easily when I manipulate the cuffs with my hands – a very good sign since having something stiff or hard around the wrists isn’t a great idea if you’re going to get physical. (You don’t want restraints chaffing, cutting into your skin or affecting circulation.)

The chain that connects the two cuffs is 6 inches (15.24 centimetres) long and the two ends are fitted with clips – similar to what you’d find on the end of a leash – so that it can be attached or removed from one or both cuffs, as necessary. I think this is an important feature; if the cuffs were permanently joined together it would restrict, to a certain extent, how they could be used. If, for example, your hands were cuffed in front of you and your partner wanted to re-secure them behind your back, they’d have to take one of the cuffs off to change your hand and arm placement. With these cuffs, they can simply unclip the chain from one of the D-rings, reposition and re-clip. It also means that your partner can unfasten you in a hurry if they need to.

I’m really looking forward to Thomas putting these on me. We’ve used fabric ties and Shibari rope in the past but I suspect these are going to be much more comfortable.

Thomas
I like the look of these cuffs; most of the ones I’ve come across are black so the red makes them a bit different. They’re sturdy and well finished but I did notice the holes in the leather tongue (which the buckle spike goes through) aren’t eyeleted, so if your partner is on the heavier side they may start to tear after a while and loosen up. This is a small criticism, though, and unless you plan lots of suspensions, etc., I am sure these will last just fine.

This style of cuff is my preferred restraint as it is much less harsh on the wearer but as secure as traditional handcuffs (fur lined handcuffs are just naff and don’t really cushion the wrists – avoid!). The D-rings on them give you plenty of options in terms of how you attach and use them – chains, ropes, hooks, spreader bars and padlocks (for those who like the more secure feel) – although just a quick note: ALWAYS have a spare key if you are going to use padlocks (or lockable handcuffs) and don’t use cheap stuff (flimsy gear and keys can break). There is humiliation and then there is humiliation!

Putting them on …

Lizzie
Although we don’t plan to use them straight away, Thomas and I decide to try the cuffs on me so that we can make sure they fit and feel okay before we start playing together. (In my experience, it’s always better to sort the technical details out before you get carried away. Nothing kills the mood faster than gear hitches.) I have quite small wrists so I’m a little bit worried that the cuffs might not fit me very well. However, the ‘one size fits all’ labelling is correct in this case; I have to wear the cuffs on the second-to-last hole but they feel firm and secure, even though we leave a couple of millimetres between my skin and the inner leather lining.  I would say that these would be fine for those with wider wrists, too, as their length when laid flat is 10 inches (25.4 centimetres), which gives a pretty decent diameter – approximately 3.25 inches when the cuffs are buckled on the last hole.  Thomas has no problems doing the buckles up. It’s a very quick and smooth process: no messing about with knots or keys. Before I know it, I’m secured, although I do note one thing: with my hands cuffed in front of me and the chain at full-length, it’s possible for me to unclip the cuffs and detach them from one another. (I wouldn’t do this while playing, of course (I’m too well behaved!), but the option is there.) That said, securing the D-rings together with the same clip resolves this issue; there’s no way you can separate them with your wrists cuffed that closely together.

Thomas
These are easy to put on. Just make sure they’re wrapped securely but not so tight that they cut off the circulation (there should be a small gap between the cuffs and the wrists). If your partner’s hands go cold, start to look at all blue, begin to tingle, or feel numb, you have them too tight and you should release them immediately.

How they feel …

Lizzie
The handcuffs feel lovely on. As I mentioned earlier, they’re actually quite weighty, especially with the chain in place. I like the fact that a large section of each wrist is covered – the cuffs are 2.25 inches (5.71 centimetres) wide so you definitely feel like you have something substantial restraining you.

The road test …

Lizzie
Thomas waits approximately two days before he brings the cuffs out. He knows I am dying to use them but he makes me wait! Little do I know, he’s been doing a bit of planning. Thomas really likes to catch me off balance – he knows I enjoy sex more when I’m not in control and don’t know what’s going to happen – and he’s obviously been thinking about how to use the cuffs to maximum effect …

He starts off the roadtest by blindfolding me with the Coco de Mer blindfold we used in the first Christian Grey’s playthings post (and I’m pleased to report, he’s now got the knot tying down to a bit of an art). As before, I can see rough shapes through the silk of the blindfold once it’s in place but nothing specific; I’m intrigued when I realise he’s getting me to move away from our bed and towards the far wall in our bedroom. After a few steps he tells me to stop and put my hands in front of me. He moves away briefly and when he comes back I can hear the jangling of metal, which I recognise as coming from the chain on the handcuffs. (Finally!)

Thomas secures one wrist, then the other, and proceeds to take me completely by surprise by telling me to lift my hands over my head. There’s a bit of tugging and I get the feeling he’s attaching the cuff chain to something on the ceiling. Since we don’t have a rack with carabiners dangling in our boudoir – ala Red Room of Pain (it’s not the kind of home improvement I could easily explain to my mother or the local estate agent) I have absolutely no clue what Thomas is securing me to, but a short time later he steps away and I am left hanging by my arms. He leaves enough length from the attachment point that I can support myself on the balls of my feet with my legs apart, but even so I am extremely grateful for the cuffs; I am putting quite a bit of weight on them trying to keep my balance (whatever Thomas has tied me to is pretty solid) but the buckle system means they’re not tightening around my wrists – something that would likely happen if we tried this with rope or fabric ties – so I don’t have to worry about my circulation being cut off. Their width also means that the pressure of my weight isn’t focused on a narrow area. I am completely helpless in this position – there is no way I could unclip the handcuffs secured like this. Thomas can do absolutely anything he likes to me … and does.

I lose track of time during the roadtest but I suspect I am secured for a good fifteen minutes. Thomas checks my wrists periodically to make sure there aren’t any chaffing or circulation issues (all is fine) before finally letting me down and engaging me in other activities.

Thomas
With Lizzie, surprise is always good!

If you are going to put someone in restraints, you need to think about how you’re going to use them; there’s not much point in practicing bondage if the person you’re playing with doesn’t actually feel restricted. It kind of defeats the purpose. I like suspension from above as it means I can put Lizzie in a stressed position from which she has little control (which she will confirm is very exciting for her) but that I can easily adjust to suit her reactions. Restraining on or over a bed, sofa, chair, garden furniture, etc., is generally milder and better if you are just starting out and want to test the water.

You also need to think carefully about what you are going to attach your partner to; although you can just cuff them, it doesn’t have the same effect as fully restricting their freedom by securing them to something (solid). In any case, if you are going to suspend someone using restraints, make sure the support you plan to attach them to is strong enough to support their weight and test it with a similar weight if possible (I drilled a heavy-duty bolt into a structural beam). This is really important, as a trip to A&E in a waspie, cuffs and with a concussion from a piece of your fallen ceiling is unlikely to be a favoured memory.

All that aside, once you have your partner in position, just remember that you are in the driver’s seat and the loss of control is often the most exciting thing for the person who’s being restrained. Do everything at your own pace, don’t rush, and remember that you’re in charge for as long as your partner allows you to be. Make sure you have a safe word in place – and that you both know it – especially if you plan to ‘push the envelope’.

The verdict?

Lizzie
A brilliant set of handcuffs. They’re nice to look at, comfortable, easy to take on and off and really come into their own if you are doing something that puts stress or weight on them as they won’t tighten under pressure. I’m also a fan of the removable chain as it allows for all sorts of possibilities in terms of how your partner secures and positions you. I suspect they’ll be in service in our bedroom for a while to come. I’m now hoping that Thomas will buy me the matching ankle cuffs …

Thomas
A cracking good pair of handcuffs, so a thumbs up from me. The ankle restraints are on the way – you need a matching set after all – along with a spreader bar. (Calm down, Lizzie.)

In summary

Things we liked:

• The finishing. Well-made and lovely to touch and look at.
• The removable linking chain. You can reposition your partner with ease.
• The buckle system. Simple to get the cuffs on and off. It also prevents the cuffs from tightening on the wearer during use.
• The width of the cuffs. Allows pressure to be distributed across a reasonably wide section of the wrist(s).

Things we weren’t so keen on:

• Nothing! These are great value and loads of fun to play with.

The post Christian Grey’s playthings, part four: handcuffs appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

What we used:

The third in our series of posts on Christian Grey’s playthings, in which we review pleasure beads (a.k.a. ‘jiggle balls’, Ben Wa balls, Geisha balls) and discover that they make a bit of noise!

First impressions …

Lizzie
Nice. The packaging is very grown up and classy – not a topless porn-star in sight! There’s an outer case in white with the LELO branding on it, and inside that a heavy black cardboard box with ‘LELO’ embossed on the lid. Opening up the latter reveals four pleasure beads – two in ‘petal pink’ and two ‘powder blue’ – sitting in a moulded black plastic casing. The pink beads are encased in a flexible white sleeve (girdle) shaped like the number 8.

All the beads are made of transparent, coloured silicone and inside each one there is a small grey weight, roughly the size of a marble. (Shaking a bead causes the weight to rattle against the outer plastic sleeve but the noise it makes doesn’t seem particularly loud – more like a dull thudding.)

In terms of size, each Luna bead is 36 millimetres in diameter. The weights inside the pink beads are 28 grams each and the weights in the blue ones 37. Two of the beads (one in each colour) have loops of string attached to them to facilitate removal from the body; these beads are known as the ‘foundation’ beads. (It takes me a minute or two to work out that you don’t need the string on all four because the girdle is used to join the string-less or ‘crown’ beads to these.)

Lifting the moulded plastic reveals instruction and warranty booklets, a storage pouch and a packet of LELO ‘personal moisturiser’ (that’s lubricant to you and me).

The road test …

Lizzie
I decide to try the Luna beads by myself. To be honest, I’m not really sure how much fun it will be using them with Thomas (who has helped me review the other items in the Christian Grey’s playthings series). I know Mr Grey whips them out in the middle of shenanigans with Anastasia but to be perfectly blunt, these beads don’t vibrate so I can’t see them being that all that exciting. Call me a cynic. The instruction booklet confirms my suspicions that they’re for exercise rather than my immediate orgasmic pleasure – the introductory paragraph is all about ‘increased muscular strength’, ‘pelvic floor muscles’ and ‘elasticity’.

After cleaning the lighter beads (the pink ones) with antibacterial soap – don’t ever use cleaners with petrol, alcohol or acetone on silicone products as this will damage them – I rip open the sachet of lubricant and apply it liberally to myself, the Lunas and a bit of the bathroom floor.

Inserting them isn’t difficult and I do it standing up and bent slightly forwards (although the instruction manual suggests it’s easiest lying down) but getting them in the correct position internally takes a bit fiddling – mainly due to my inexperience. Consulting the instruction manual, I see that I am supposed to have the lowest edge of the foundation bead at least two centimetres inside me. After a bit of poking, pulling, prodding and confusing of metric and imperial, however, I get them in the right spot.

My first impression, once they’re in place, is that I am slightly weirded out by the thudding sound they make when I take a step forwards. They feel comfortable enough and my post-kids pelvic floor is holding them in place okay (hooray!) but the subtle thud the weight makes as it rolls around inside the silicone casing is audible. I get a bit obsessed with jumping up and down on the spot and running up and down the stairs to see how much noise I can generate with them. (What can I say? I’m home alone.)

After exhausting myself with all the running and jumping, I sit down at the computer to work and find that I very easily forget the beads’ presence. It’s an hour later before I remember them and decide to swap them out for the heavier blue set to see if they feel any different. (Removing the beads proves easy enough – a gentle tug on the string attached to the foundation bead and out they come.)

Although the same size physically as their pink counterparts, the extra weight in the blue beads makes a difference. They’re a bit harder to keep in place and my internal muscles have to do more work to hold on to them.

Over two hours of Luna pleasure bead action later, I’m not the least bit aroused but I do feel like I’ve given my pelvic floor a decent workout – and that can only be a good thing for my post-baby body and future encounters with Thomas.

Cleaning the beads was very easy – lots of antibacterial soap and warm water and a quick dry with a lint free cloth.

The verdict?

As a sex toy? These pleasure beads did absolutely nothing for me and I have no desire to use them with Thomas unless he tells me they float his boat. As a pelvic floor toning aid? Brilliant. They’re easy to insert and, aside from the sounding and feeling a little bit like a pinball machine, relatively discrete. I would highly recommend them to women who’ve had children and want something to help with Kegel exercises.

In summary

Things I liked:

• The quality and materials. Well made, from FDA-approved, body-safe silicone. Phthalate-free
• The packaging. It’s chic and lovely.
• Ease of use. Very simple to assemble, insert and remove.
• The effect on the pelvic floor. A great way to exercise your internal muscles, especially if you’ve had kids.

 Things I wasn’t so keen on:

• The noise. The thudding generated by the internal weights is low-level but it is audible if you listen for it.

The post Christian Grey’s playthings, part three: pleasure beads appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

What we used:

The second in our series of posts on Christian Grey’s playthings, in which we discover that crops with slightly imperfect handles are extremely flexible and feel very, very nice when applied to one’s bottom.

Important: If you haven’t already, please read the Behind the Chintz Curtain Disclaimer.

First impressions …

Lizzie
The crop arrives in a long, plain, brown box the day after I order it. Quick, prompt, discrete. I wait until Thomas arrives home from work before breaking into the packaging as we want to examine the crop for the first time together.

Some frenzied ripping of tape from the box later and we find the crop encased in a clear plastic sleeve and tagged with a Bondage Boutique swing tag on the wrist strap.

The crop itself is 27.5 inches (69.85 centimetres) long, with a red leather tab at the business end. The shaft appears to be made of a flexible plastic cane (which Thomas takes great delight in flexing and bending into a U-shape to see just how malleable it really is – gulp). A leather wrist strap is fixed immediately below the painted wooden handle and, to be honest, the latter is the only visually disappointing feature; on the crop we receive, it is slightly scratched and chipped. That said, for £14.99 I’m more than happy to live with the imperfection, especially since I’m not sure if I’m going to like how it feels when applied! (Hey, there’s a recession going on.)

Thomas
The crop looks okay but the slightly damaged handle is not the best. The business part of the crop (the leather tab) is of good quality, subtle leather and looks to be well attached and not flimsy. The handle is flexible but stiff enough so you can still have good control (and most importantly, aim).

The road test …

Lizzie
Unfortunately, we aren’t able to try out our new toy immediately after unpacking it, other than giving each other a few playful swats (real life intruded) so Thomas puts it away until we had the time to put it through its paces properly. When it does come out … I’ll be honest, I’m nervous. Full disclosure, we’ve been dabbling with impact play for a while, but have always avoided the long, thin, instruments, such as canes and, well, crops like this one. I don’t know why – I just have it in my head that the sting might not be something I can tolerate.

My worries are unfounded. To start with, Thomas simply holds the crop and runs the leather tab very, very lightly over my body to get me used to the feel of it. The feeling is absolutely delicious and the gentle teasing makes me feel much more relaxed about what is to come. And when he does eventually connect a proper blow, the feeling is different to what I’m expecting. Although the sting is quite localised, confined to the area around the leather tab, it leaves a lovely burning sensation in its wake, rather than the cutting sharpness I’m anticipating. The leather tab makes a very satisfying sound when it hits the skin, too (a sharp ‘thwack’), which only serves to enhance all the other senses and sensations that are in play.

Once he starts using the crop in earnest, Thomas continues to vary the force and placement of the blows (although keeping them to my fleshy padded parts, i.e. my bottom and thighs), intermittently stopping to rub the sting with his hand and the leather end of the crop.

All in all, the experience is a very good one, as evidenced by the fact that the crop is eventually cast aside and we became distracted by … other things.

Thomas
The crop is a nice toy to use in conjunction with a blindfold or a mask. The leather tab on the end is quite soft and so can be gently used to tease and caress parts of the body and increase anticipation before the ‘shock’ of a blow. That said, the crop works well when applied with more force as it is stiff enough so the blows can be aimed accurately – quite important as you want the tab to impact and not the stick support. Also, the tab is large enough to make this easier but not so large that it feels like you are slapping her with a fish. I would recommend a few practice whacks on yourself first to get your aim and reach right and to gauge how hard you are actually hitting. Lizzie responds very well to the crop and her reaction to some good, firm strokes with it are extremely satisfying.

The verdict?

Lizzie
I really like this crop. Really like it. For the price, I think it was well worth taking the time to experiment with and I’ve discovered I love the way it feels when applied to my skin – both softly and with more force. Would I recommend it? Absolutely, but I can see that a crop in the flesh – as opposed to on the pages of a book – won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. This is definitely one for those who like their pleasure edged with a little bit of bite and have a partner they trust to dish out the latter.

Thomas
A good item, well worth buying if your partner is up for something more intense, although it can be used very effectively in a more limited way as a tease or a implied threat to heighten the tension as a prelude to other things …

In summary

Things we liked:

• The feel. The leather tip feels delicious when stroked gently over the body and gives a very lovely localised burn when applied to the flesh with more vigour.
• Using it. It’s easy to handle and control.
• The price. Relatively inexpensive. (If you decide you don’t like how it feels, you haven’t lost a fortune.)

Things we weren’t so keen on:

• Finishing could have been better – the handle on our crop was a bit scuffed and scratched – but for the price, it wasn’t a big deal.

The post Christian Grey’s playthings, part two: the crop appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

What we used:

The first in our series of posts on Christian Grey’s playthings, in which we discover that silk blindfolds feel lovely but are very, very hard to keep in place …

First impressions …

Lizzie
This blindfold is beautiful. It’s gorgeously soft, feels wonderfully silky to the touch, and the words ‘Freedom is deciding whose slave you want to be’ are stitched in a pretty scripted font in the middle of the outward-facing panel. The Coco de Mer logo is embroidered at the right-hand end. All-in-all, very seductive and a million miles from sleazy and cheap. I’m impressed – and a bit surprised! – that Thomas has chosen this for me; it’s far sexier than a hanky or one of my pashminas, but being an average bloke, they’re exactly what I’d expect him to be wrapping around my head in place of this!

Thomas
The blindfold came in quality packaging from Coco de Mer along with several other items, none of which looked cheap or tacky, which is to be avoided at all costs if you are shopping for toys. The blindfold is of decent silk and is well made with black embroidery on one side. It has a nice look and feel and you won’t be embarrassed to whip it out (so to speak) on your partner.

Putting it on …

Lizzie
As you’ve probably gathered, I’m on the receiving end of the blindfolding. Thomas asks me to take my clothes off, kneel on the bed, and close my eyes. After a moment, I feel him climb onto the mattress behind me and, a few seconds later, the blindfold touches my eyelids. My first thought is that it feels lovely and smooth. Thomas brings the sides over my ears and starts to tie a knot at the back but, unfortunately, the silk slips on my hair as he pulls it tight, causing the blindfold to slip down my face and over my nose. I bring my hands up to help hold it in the right place while he yanks the knot a bit tighter and higher on my head. After a bit of faffing about we finally get it to stay in place.

Thomas
Tricky little beast to tie up (the blindfold, not Lizzie). It’s so smooth it tends to slide off and simple knots loosen quite quickly if there is too much vigorous activity. Now where did I put the catalogue with the masks in it?

How if feels …

Lizzie
If I open my eyes I can just make out shapes through the lawn of the fabric – the silk is very fine – but other than that, it feels good on my face. Comfortable but sexy.

The roadtest …

Lizzie
With the blindfold in position, I’m completely focussed on sound and movement because I can no longer see what’s going on; it’s very arousing. I have no idea what Thomas is going to do next or where he’s going to touch me. Unexpectedly, he grabs my shoulder, and I find myself being pushed over onto my back. I’m quite thrilled by this but, unfortunately, the moment my head hits the bed, the blindfold starts to slip. Not wanting to ruin the moment, I squeeze my eyes shut and try to yank it back up. Alas, I can’t get it back in the right spot in my supine position; I sit up and Thomas and I have another go at getting it fastened. (I’m pleased the fabric is soft because, at this point, his knot-tying is quite vigorous!) This is pretty much the pattern we follow for the remainder of the roadtest – us fastening the blindfold, getting a bit physical, and then attempting to reposition it when it invariably slips. The times the blindfold stays in place, it’s great. The times it doesn’t? Really frustrating. In the end, we give up with the repositioning and I just shut my eyes instead.

Thomas
Lizzie enjoys the sense of control the blindfold gives me; I can tell she is quite excited, and it is good to be able to surprise her when she can only hear what I am doing, but the slipping of the blindfold is a pain. We found the best way was to tie it quite high on the head (tying tighter does not help – it just slips off faster if it is not in just the right place).

The verdict?

Lizzie
Blindfolding in general? Ten points. It makes your other senses – hearing, smell, taste and touch – work that much harder. For me, the thrill of not knowing what Thomas is going to do next is a big turn-on. This particular blindfold? It looks lovely, feels lovely, and is a gorgeous gift but it’s the Devil’s work to keep in place. I think a mask-style blindfold would be a better choice for us.

Thomas
I have found blindfolding to be something some woman find very exiting. I think the loss of control, plus the element of surprise, is something that can be very erotic with the right partner. However I agree that despite the quality look and feel of the blindfold, a mask (or similar) would be better – especially where more vigorous activity is going to take place.

In summary

Things we liked:

• The look and quality. This is a lovely, well-made blindfold and a very pretty present.
• The words stitched onto the outer panel of the blindfold. Psychologically, a real turn-on.
• The feel. Once in place, the blindfold is very soft and comfortable.

 Things we weren’t so keen on:

• Slippage! It’s difficult to keep the blindfold in place once you start rolling about. Next time, we’d consider something a bit more stable; the Intima blindfold from LELO has caught our attention. It’s 100% pure silk, adjustable, shaped to fit the nose, and available in red, purple, and black.

Editor’s note: Thomas bought this item for Lizzie as part of Coco de Mer’s ‘Bound to Please’ gift set, which is, unfortunately, no longer in stock. However, a similar blindfold is available as an individual item from the Coco de Mer U.K. and you can buy it here.

The post Christian Grey’s playthings, part one: the blindfold appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.