If you tell someone that you found some handcuffs in your friend Bill’s sock drawer (why were you snooping in there in the first place?!) or that you discovered a set in the glovebox of Granny Betsy’s car, it’s highly likely that you’ll see an eyebrow raised into a hairline and an appreciative-slash-knowing smirk rather than a look of horror at the news. 

I must confess, I am intrigued by this thinking. What is it about them that makes them so palatable to so many? Do they denote an ‘acceptable’ (and please don’t for one minute interpret my use of that word here as symbolising my own personal views on what is and isn’t acceptable between two consenting adults) brand of kink? One that it is ‘okay’ to indulge in? Most people seem to think nothing of a little restraint in the bedroom – bondage by any other name would feel as sweet – even if they don’t identify as kinky. But I suspect the reaction you’d get from a vanilla individual coming across a cane or a vampire glove amongst your personal items would be rather different. (Double-take and a step backwards rather than a blasé smirk?) I wonder if it’s because handcuffs don’t, generally speaking, involve any sort of pain on the wearer’s part and are thus far less confrontational than other forms of kink, which may have some sort of marked sensation component attached to them?

Funnily enough (and despite my initial assertion), I don’t personally include ‘traditional’ handcuffs – by which I mean the metal kind you’d expect a policeman to carry and see bedecked with horrid, fake fur on occasion – as part of my on kink landscape. They are uncomfortable, dig into the skin and are, in my experience, really only good for show or roleplay. A toy or gimmick that I don’t associate with safe, fun bondage, basically. Leather cuffs or even a warm set of hands wrapped around my wrists? Now that’s a different story entirely …

Image: Houdini in Handcuffs, 1918, Bettmann/Corbis, through The New York Times photo archive

The post Kink of the Week: Handcuffs appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Sinning is fun! Come and see who else is getting up to mischief by clicking on the banner below.

The post Sinful Sunday: Shoe Whore appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Bondage! BDSM! The Beatles! And, no, that last one’s not a typo. In this joint review of The Compound, Michael and I get a bit rock ‘n’ roll. (I know, I know, I know. Just go with it.)

*Proceed with caution: spoilers ahoy-hoy

JANE’S TAKE …

Completely confused by the presence of the Fab Four in this review? Don’t worry, all will become clear as mud, I promise.

Take a sub who can’t let go (Alexis) and send her to a strict BDSM bootcamp, one that specialises in whipping bottoms into shape (pun intended):

Give her a trainer, John (not the hero), who’s hell-bent on getting results, dammit!:

Throw in John’s colleague, Paul, who’s busy writing a very catchy song called Hey Jude. Wait. No, sorry, wrong Paul (I think). Throw in John’s colleague, Paul, who sees Alexis and develops a thing for her:

Get Alexis to lust after Paul but spend 80-90% of the book being put through a whole load of unsatisfying pain play by big bad John:

Let Paul and Alexis shag in the final few pages (note the man wearing handcuffs at 0:19 seconds in this video! Bondage! Beatles! BDSM!):

This one started out with such a hiss and roar, I was expecting to be a hot sweaty mess by the time I’d finished reading it. ‘Michael!’ I was practically shouting over email. ‘This is hot! And I’ve only read the first chapter! Awesome choice!’ Er, yeah. As you may have guessed, those sentiments didn’t last:

@Michael Okay. Time out.

I’m about 90% of the way through now. And I’m ticked. I’m ticked off with John who, if he’s the Sub Whisperer everyone says he is, should know better. I’m ticked off that I’ve read most of this book and Paul is still spectating from the sidelines. Grow a pair of ben-was, dude.

The first few chapters I thought I was going to get a Roissy-style deal. Then, from the three-quarter mark, I’m suddenly reading a Mills & Boon.

And the love at first sight? You had me at flogger? Gag. (Just to be clear, I’m talking about the reflex, not saying that a ball gag would have had any bearing on the whole love thing.)

Lastly, the tying. Where is all that rope going? You know what I’m going to be drawing, don’t you? Those bondage scenes, trying to figure out exactly how our intrepid heroine is positioned.

Shutting up now.

You good?

Michael, at this point, raised a very interesting question:

@Jane: Were you like me, and waiting for Master George and Master Ringo to show up?

That was all the encouragement I needed to start going bananas with Beatles clips. In fact, there was so much singing and tapping of feet going on I forgot to draw any stick figures.

In all fairness, The Compound was perfectly acceptable from a writing point-of-view but the contrast between the heavy play and the soft love story was just too jarring for me. And I have to admit I spent a lot of time Googling and asking various online friends about some of the breast caning scenes it contained; they seemed very severe at times and I was left wondering about Alexis’s safety during them more than once.

Lastly (and this is just a general observation more than anything else), what is it with all the duplicate cover images these days? They’re everywhere! Seriously, erotica publishers are in sore need of more stock libraries to source their images from …

MICHAEL’S TAKE …

Alexis is a masochist. She really enjoys pain. But something is missing and she isn’t quite sure what that something is.

Part of the problem is that she wants more of an experience. The kind you can’t have playing in the public area of a BDSM club with other people rubbernecking. Or at least she can’t. Part of the problem is that the only Dom she has really clicked with is Arthur. Who is married. And while his wife is okay with him playing in public, the deal is no going behind closed doors.

So the opportunity comes up for her to spend some time at … The Compound (insert ominous music here and maybe an evil laugh). For a slave training operation, it actually has kind of a resort atmosphere; while some residents apply to attend, others are sent by someone they’re already in a relationship with. No one is there against their will. The point is to make the various ‘students’ better submissives/slaves/people than they were before.

Alexis is a bit of a problem child. Right after she arrives she spots the man of her dreams. And then gets assigned to someone who is anything but (Jane explains the name thing in her review). And John finds her a bit of a conundrum.

I don’t know when the dirty suspicion came to me, but after an uncounted time of lying in a heap, I suddenly knew another fact of the conditioning I was being put through – and the difference between my training and that of the others. All the hints and unexplained happenings … The bastards were building a link between pain and sexual arousal and satisfaction.

 

If that quote sounds odd for this story, that is because I borrowed it from Mind Guest by Sharon Green. The way John describes what he wants to do with Alexis at one point brought this to mind. But the funny thing is it doesn’t work. What Alexis needs is something that John and Paul (and George and Ringo) once explained:

Tickle your fancy? Click on the following links to purchase a copy.

Amazon.co.uk

• The Compound – Kindle
• The Compound – Paperback

Amazon.com

• The Compound – Kindle
• The Compound – Paperback

Kobo

• The Compound – ePub

The post The Compound – Claire Thompson appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

What we used: Pipedream Fetish Fantasy Bed Bindings Restraint Kit
From: UberKinky
Price: £25.99
Material(s): Nylon (cuffs and webbing straps), Velcro (cuffs), Metal (fasteners), plastic (buckles)
Reviewers: Lizzie & Thomas

Like the idea of bondage? Looking to tie someone to your bed? UberKinky very kindly sent us this Fetish Fantasy underbed restraint system to try out. If you’re sick of messing about with ties, scarves and dressing gown belts, it could be perfect for you. (And you don’t need a fancy wrought iron headboard, either!)

First thoughts …

Lizzie
Up until now, Thomas and I have been using a homemade bed bondage rig, which has served us pretty well over the past few years but first impressions? These Fetish Fantasy underbed restraints appear to be quite a step up. (Sorry, Thomas. That’s not a comment on your DIY skills – it’s just that this system looks so much quicker and simpler to use.)

Webbing straps; soft, detachable cuffs; quick-release Velcro … 

Thomas
I’ve looked at these underbed restraint systems in the past but wasn’t convinced they would work, so it will be interesting to see how this one performs. And there is nothing wrong with cable anchors and Japanese bondage rope tied to a bed base, so there! It may not look pretty but it does the job!

The packaging …

Lizzie
A white box with a picture of a woman in latex bound to a bed. To be fair, it does show you what’s inside but the message isn’t exactly subtle. The word ‘Fetish’ is in enormous font, too.

Thomas
The typical packaging for a bondage product, showing a model in bondage gear writhing about whilst being basically unrestrained by the restraint system. I’m not sure how easy it would actually be to get those pants off her. Maybe that’s why her arms are so free?

*Please note that the box displayed on the UberKinky website is different to the one we received for review.

The construction …

Lizzie
Five webbing straps with plastic adjustors so that you can alter their lengths (think backpack straps) connected together by metal D-rings.

The four cuffs are made of soft, spongy Nylon, have Velcro fasteners, and are connected to the ends of the webbing with metal clips (the sort you would find on the end of a dog leash) and lightweight O-rings.

Thomas
Pretty standard stuff. The ties, cuffs and links are all up to the job but are not heavy duty (the cuffs are single stitched and the O-rings slender), so I would not use them for any other bondage senerio where you would expect more weight to be placed on them. (No hanging from the ceiling, etc.!!)

The Velcro cuffs are easy to use, are secure and will not leave marks.

The only downside I can see is that the plastic turn buckles (like the type you see on camping gear) could potentially work loose if not under tension all the time, e.g. if someone is wriggling around on the bed.

Using them …

Lizzie
If you’re on the smaller side, like me, I’d say you’ll almost certainly need some help getting these underbed restraints in place.

You have to flip the mattress up, position the central strap so that it runs vertically down the middle of the bedframe (on top of the slats), and then make sure that the other four straps are placed so that two poke out near the footboard and two poke out near the headboard. (Think two capital Ys lying on their sides, foot-to-foot.) Then the mattress has to be lowered back down on top of all the webbing lengths to hold them in position. Thomas managed to do all this by himself without too much trouble, but I think I definitely would have struggled if I’d tried to do it on my own.

When it came time to place me in bondage? Folks, I have never been restrained more quickly! The Velcro fastenings meant that those cuffs were on in record time (a lot quicker to get in place than the buckled ones we normally use) and adjusting the fit was a matter of a few lightening-fast seconds. We were also able to dispense with the attaching of each cuff to our regular rope-tie system – something that generally takes quite a while. (Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to be worked over slowly – it adds to the anticipation – but there are times when efficiency is good, too.)

Once I was secured, Thomas was able to play about with the webbing tensions and stretch or release the ‘pull’ on each of my limbs as he saw fit. And this is where the soft cuffs really came into their own. The leather cuffs I normally wear for this type of bondage, although perfectly comfortable, are nowhere near as supple as the Nylon ones that come with this Fetish Fantasy restraint system. And having that soft, flexible material made all the difference circulation-wise. (I could easily have spent quite some time tied up in these without needing a break.) Similarly, straining against them during sex wasn’t an issue either. The hold of the cuffs was comfortable, even when Thomas’s movements were more vigorous.

The fact that the person in bondage can be released in an instant, repositioned, and re-clipped is a huge advantage, too. These underbed restraints give you the flexibility to turn your partner over, release an arm, release a leg, etc., with minimal hassle. You’re not locked into ‘first position’.

My only criticism? The restraints, even at full tension, still leave you with quite a bit of movement. In other words, they don’t fully immobilise the person who is tied up.

Thomas
The system is easy to get in place, easy to use, and works well if you have a smaller partner and a largish bed. Lizzie is quite petite so I can (almost) stretch her out so she is fully restrained. I say almost, as it is quite surprising how tall someone is when their arms are above their head. This exposes the one weakness of this system: that the two ties at the top and bottom can easily pull together, which reduces the effectiveness of the restraints considerably.

If you really want to hold you partner down, you will need to tie the cuffs to the sides of your bed base as well so they can’t pull in. This would make the system much more effective for taller people as well, who, at the moment, will find that either their arms or legs will be dangling over the top or bottom edges of the bed. Unfortunately, the system does not come with the aforementioned ties to do this, so back to the good old bondage rope, cables, and some DIY tying to secure the cuffs!

Any downsides?

Lizzie
As mentioned, these underbed restraints leave the arms a little too close together. If your ‘tie-ee’ is naughty enough to want to break free, and on their stomach, they may be able to do it as this underbed restraint design doesn’t allow the ‘tie-er’ to spread-eagle the person in bondage. This is more of a ‘put them on the rack’ type of restraint. However, you could probably achieve a more ‘open’ pose (bed type willing) using Thomas’ suggestion above.

Thomas
This is a simple way of adding some bondage restraints to your bed and does work well for what it is. In my opinion, this Fetish Fantasy restraint system is really a beginner’s product and would be best for those just starting to dabble with bondage.

If you are looking to really immobilise your partner, you will need something more elaborate than this but this is a good introductory system to see if you’re both ‘up for it’ (or ‘down for it’).

The verdict?

Lizzie
A well thought-out underbed restraint system that that’s both comfortable and safe. The Nylon cuffs are really kind to the skin – even when you’re straining against them – and the release clips and Velcro fastenings mean that your partner can get you free in a hurry if they need to.

I would definitely recommend these underbed restraints to those who’re just beginning to experiment with bondage. They make the whole ‘tying up’ process that much easier and more enjoyable. And they aren’t too harsh. If your preference is for more restrictive bondage, however, be aware that you’ll likely need to modify these restraints to suit your needs.

Thomas
Easy and fun to use. Great for beginners.

In summary …

Things we liked …

• The safety factor. These cuffs are extremely easy to do up and undo – and the Velcro means that adjusting them to fit smaller or larger wrists is really simple.
• A free eyemask is included with the system.
• The detachment clips. You can cuff your partner and play with them before snapping them into the system, and easily reposition them during bondage play.
• The supplied cuffs are super comfortable. Very soft and pliable, even under tension.
• Once this underbed system’s in place, it’s easy to tuck it beneath the edges of your mattress, which means you don’t have to haul the latter off the bed base and re-install the system each time you want to use it.

Things we weren’t so keen on …

• This bondage system isn’t particularly restrictive. The design allows for a fair bit of movement.
• Might not suit those who are on the taller side.

Tickle your fancy? Click here to buy the Pipedream Fetish Fantasy Bed Bindings Restraint Kit from UberKinky or, alternatively, here to see their full range of underbed restraint systems.

*Please note that this item was provided free of charge by UberKinky in exchange for a fair review.

The post Hassle-free bondage: the Fetish Fantasy underbed restraint system appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Title:

Confessions Collection Vol. 1 was one of those books that took me a bit longer to read than usual because I had a hard time figuring out what was going on at first.

London Brown, Caden Jacob Carrington the Fifth, Rhys Christos Edward Stowell, and Desniah Williams. From an outsider perspective, these are four of the youngest and most powerful people in British society. But the insider perspective is very different.

When Desniah is discovered as little girl, she can only say one word: London. Eventually, she’s adopted, but at the age of nine, something happens that turns her world upside down yet again.

The main thing I didn’t understand was the relationship between Desniah and London. I didn’t think they actually had one. I thought London was just the name that Desniah used when she was working as a call girl. But that isn’t true at all. Desniah and London are two entirely separate people. London is aware of everything that happens to them both but Desniah is not. In many ways, London does look out for her ‘other’ personality – but not in all ways.

London has a strong self-preservation instinct and she’ll act to defend herself when she feels threatened. And the person who most scares her is Rhys.

Both Rhys and Caden are firmly attracted to Desniah.

Caden is willing to accept London as a substitute. Rhys is not.

Desniah is attracted to Rhys and repelled by Caden but thinks she has a future with neither.

If there is a good way out of this, I don’t yet see what it is.

Very cerebral. I liked it, but wasn’t particularly engaged by the play scenes.

Tickle your fancy? You can buy Confessions Collection Vol. 1 by clicking on the following links:

Smashwords

• Confessions Collection Vol. 1 (London Brown) – epub, PDF, RTF, LRF

Amazon.co.uk

• Confessions Collection Vol. 1 (London Brown) - Kindle

Amazon.com

• Confessions Collection Vol. 1 (London Brown) - Kindle

Editor’s note: Confessions Collection Vol. 1 (London Brown) is an erotica – and a dark one at that – but it isn’t a ménage despite the number of protagonists. Those who are sensitive to reading about scenes of abuse should proceed with caution.

This book was provided free of charge by the author in exchange for a fair review.

The post Confessions Collection Vol. 1 (London Brown) – Leila DeSint appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

This Christmas, we have a full house. I’m even having to borrow a trestle table to fit everyone in for Christmas lunch. It’s going to be awesome. Lots of chatter, over-excited kids, plenty of Buck’s Fizz, good food and good conversation.

But once everyone’s gone home, the mess is cleaned up, and the small ones are fast asleep, I’ll be opening a few sexy presents with my OH, just the two of us. And I’m very much hoping that I’ll receive one or two things from my Christmas wishlist …

• Red Passionate Birthday Suit Suspenders from Agent Provocateur (those red ribbons are to die for – seasonal, too!)
• Lux-Me White Swarovski Crystal Riding Crop from La Belle Epoque (sparkly things are always welcome)
• Jimmyjane Afterglow Massage Candle in Grapefruit from Lovehoney (an excuse to touch each other – not that we need one)
• Kitty Gold Ouvert backless knickers from Lascivious (easy access and very, very pretty to look at)
• YESforLOV Intimate Pleasure Caress After Spanking Cream from Coco de Mer (no explanation needed)
  

And lest you think I’m completely self-indulged, rest assured that I’m on the lookout for sexy presents for my husband, too. He’s actually quite hard to buy for, but I’ve found a few goodies I think he might like …

• Truth or Dare – A Game of Passion from Amazon (an interesting alternative to Risk)
• Luxury Soft Black Bondage Rope from Bondara (since I used his good one to do the Shibari Christmas Turkey shot for Toy with me Tuesday)
• Maximus Anal Lubricant from Lovehoney (to go with the Kitty Gold Ouvert knickers above)
• Godiva Deeply Dark Chocolate Collection from John Lewis (my OH adores chocolate)

Cross your fingers for me!

Hope your Christmas shopping is going well.

The post Giving a little sexy Christmas love appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Title:

Mary Shelley meets Grey’s Anatomy meets Torture Garden.

‘Let’s experiment’ is the tagline for FrankenDom and flippin’ heck does it ever. Reading this book was the literary equivalent of walking into Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred The Fat Duck, ordering the snail porridge and, after a tentative taste, scraping the bowl clean with enough enthusiasm to chip the porcelain.

FrankenDom is by far and away one of the most original and engaging BDSM books I’ve read this year; the plot is awesomely wacky, the characters original, and the D/s relationships in play both unusual and captivating. A medical drama on crack and filmed in a Rocky Horror Show-esque dungeon, if you will. (Or more, accurately, castle Bangenschloss in Montavena.)

I’m not really sure I can give a non-spoilery plot synopsis for this book – not one that will make much sense, anyway – but I’ll do my best.

Rachel McBride, a talented vascular surgeon whose career is on the rise, is confronted with a very tempting offer. The chance to work on a highly confidential project with her ex-lover, Doctor Colin Carter, and his boss, the brilliant and charismatic Julian Kilmartin, who many view as a medical visionary. Professionally, she knows she’d be crazy to pass the mysterious opportunity up, despite a sixth sense telling her there’s some sort of catch. Personally? Let’s just say that being attracted to the two men she’d be working beneath doesn’t make her decision to participate any less complicated.

“From a professional standpoint, I’d have to be insane to pass up such an offer—I knew I has the diagnostic instincts, the surgical skills and the competitive drive to play with the big boys, and this project could be history in the making.
But from a personal standpoint, I was hopelessly outclassed and likely to make a complete fool of myself.
I’d have to be insane to accept.”

Sometimes a little insanity is a good thing and in the case of FrankenDom, it’s a bloody excellent. If you’re not wriggling around like you’re on the slab yourself whilst reading this … well. I’m not normally turned on by electrical play in BDSM fiction but I must admit, even I started eyeing up the electrical sockets in the house after reading this book. And there’s a, uh, rather well done medical scene in this novel that I think is fair to say would not likely be covered by any sort of standard health insurance. I dare you not to laugh out loud at Julian’s playbook folder-naming conventions, too – well, Rachel’s folder anyway.

Joking aside, for all its quirkiness, FrankenDom isn’t a comedy. It actually asks some pretty heavy ethical questions of both the characters and the reader. Further, the relationships it portrays – and, yes, there is more than one at the heart of this book – are not necessarily conventional. I was actually quite surprised by the dynamic that settled into place at the end of the story. (For me, the most climactic part of FrankenDom was actually in the middle, rather than at the close.)

My favourite FrankenDom moment ? Julian’s treatise on erotic pain:

“Think of your pain tolerances rather like the strings on your guitar. Each has its own perfect pitch in a given moment, but they tend to go flat between uses and you have tune them every time you play.”
.
.
.
“That magical line, where the pain is most intensely pleasurable, is the perfect pitch I’ll strive for each time we play.”

There is irresistible urge when reading FrankenDom to contrast it with Mary Shelley’s original gothic novel, to try and work out who slots in where, even though I’m not sure that we (as readers) are actually meant to. Jordan, I think I can place quite easily (!) but Julian feels like some sort of Victor Frankenstein/Lord Byron hybrid; Colin, perhaps, a melding of both Captain Walton and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Rachel? I want to say Mary herself.

One final note. This is a self-published work and a very well written one at that. However, there are some typos in the text. My personal view? The story is strong enough to make them seem like irritations rather than major annoyances.

Tickle your fancy? Click on the following links to purchase a copy.

Amazon.co.uk:

• FrankenDom - Kindle

Amazon.com:

The post FrankenDom – Robin L. Rotham appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

 

‘Er, Jane? What exactly are you doing to that turkey with my Shibari rope?’
‘Toy with me Tuesday.’
‘I’m not even going to ask.’
‘Probably best not to.’
‘Just make sure you clean it thoroughly afterwards.’
‘Salmonella’s a hard limit, yes?’
‘Don’t be cheeky.’

Who said poultry bondage can’t be sexy?

My Toy with me Tuesday entry for this week is inspired by two things: Christmas and Fifty Shades of Chicken, which I discovered a few weeks ago. Bloody hilarious.

I couldn’t decide which of these two pictures I liked the best – with holly or without – so have decided to include both. Which do you prefer?

Right, off to wash the Shibari rope before it’s contaminated any further …

The post Toy with me Tuesday: Shibari Christmas turkey appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Fifty Shades of Chicken
Source: http://www.fiftyshadesofchicken.com/

‘Pro-tip: Spatchcocked or trussed? Depends on how sarcastic your chicken has been.’

Thanks to author Andrew Shaffer (@andrewtshaffer), I am now following erotic poultry on Twitter (@50ShadesChicken) and considering buying a BDSM chicken cookbook. Clearly, I’m plucked.

Fifty Shades of Chicken by F.L. Fowler was released on 27 November and is the kinky person’s answer to white meat:

‘Fifty chicken recipes, each more seductive than the last, in a book that makes every dinner a turn-on.’

Not particularly skilled in the kitchen? More comfortable with Shibari than stuffing? Don’t panic, Fifty Shades of Chicken caters for all comers: ‘The Novice Bird’ (easy recipes for roasters), ‘Falling to Pieces’ (parts perfect for weeknight meals), and ‘Advanced Techniques’ (the climax of cooking).

‘Getting tied up shouldn’t be this hot. Clear juices flow down my thighs, yes, but my breast? Dry.’

Fifty Shades of Chicken is available from:

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.co.uk

booxl, Another Spotify for Ebooks Slated to Launch in Beta This February
Source: digitalbookworld.com

SkyInk Studios recently announced that they’ll be launching an eBook subscription service by the name of booxl. Similar to Netflix and Spotify, it will allow those who sign up to view eBooks and book apps through their eReaders and tablets.

I think this is a great idea but what really interests me is SykInk’s assertion that booxl will be a ‘multi-genre’ platform featuring ‘fiction, non-fiction, reference, education and even digital magazines and comics’.

No word on subscription pricing as yet.

Sex toy sales in Canada rise due to NHL lockout
Source: News Fix

‘Honey, since there’s no game on, can I peg you?’

It seems that less hockey = more sex. Or, rather, an increase in the use of sex toys. Apparently, Canadian retailers have seen a 15 percent surge in sales following the NHL lockout, as people look for different ways to spend their down time.

Puns abound in this News Fix article (‘a good puck is hard to come by’, ‘Ohhhh Canada!’) and the accompanying video is like an over-wrought summer blockbuster trailer, but for sheer entertainment value, it’s hilarious. And can I just say: Canada, I like your thinking!

The post Alert Me: poultry bondage, Spotify for eBooks, and horny Canadians appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

What we used: Bondage Heat Play Wax Candle in black
From: Bondara
Price: £8.50
Material(s): Paraffin wax

A burning candle is a thing of beauty. But what about all that wonderful molten wax? Lizzie and Thomas experiment with a bondage candle and discover the joys of wax play.

* Please take the time to review the Behind the Chintz Curtain Disclaimer before reading this post. Wax play carries some degree of risk and shouldn’t be undertaken without the proper safety precautions.

First thoughts …

Lizzie
Wax play. Yet another thing that’s been languishing on my ‘really want to try it’ list for what seems like forever. However, the big sex toy retailers (in the U.K. at least) have rather limited selections when it comes to wax play candles. There are a load of massage candles from the luxury brands on offer – such as the Lelo Flickering Touch and the Jimmyjane Afterglow – but trying to find nice ones for dripping on your partner isn’t particularly easy. So I was really pleased when we found the Bondage Heat Play candle on Bondara’s website; a decent size and colour, at a reasonable price.

Thomas
I have never tried wax play before; my only experience with hot wax is burning my hand with the stuff when trying to pick up a candle off the dinner table. Not particularly sensual. Given how painful a hot wax burn can be from a normal candle in a not-so-sensitive area, I had always thought pouring hot wax on your nether regions was the domain of serious masochists only. Lizzie, however, was keen and the wax candle was a low melting point type, so I thought we would give it a go.

How it looks …

Lizzie
Urgh. It’s actually quite hard to make a candle look unsexy but, somehow, the manufacturer of this stack of paraffin has managed it. This product is to be used in a sexual way. I get it. There’s really no need to show me a lady gripping her naked breast as if her life depends on it or make up new ‘sexy’ words (such as ‘sin-tilates’) to ram the message home. There’s also a bunch of copy in what looks like Chinese or Japanese. No idea what it says. I can only assume it’s not important safety information given that it hasn’t been translated.

It’s a shame that the box is so tacky, because the candle itself is actually quite nice. A lovely deep colour with more than a hint of plumy-ness to it. In fact, it’s actually dark, dark purple rather than the pure black it’s advertised to be. It smells rather pleasant, too; there’s definitely a scent of vanilla about it.

One final (and slightly concerning) point: there’s no ingredients list on the candle box. I know from Bondara’s online product description that the item is made from paraffin (a low melting point wax) but this fact isn’t stated anywhere on the packet, nor is there information about the dyes used or any fragrance details. Given that the candle is both coloured and scented, this bothers me as I like to know what I’m sticking on myself. And if you have sensitive skin or suffer from allergies, this sort of information is absolutely essential.

Using it …

Lizzie
As I didn’t get to light, tip or drip the wax play candle, I can only comment on how the hot wax felt when it hit my skin. (Thomas did all the prep for our first wax play outing and got to handle the candle during it – rhyme intended!)

Thomas positioned me so that I was standing but bent forwards with my hands gripping the back of chair. We had been playing for a little while at this point and I had seen the candle burning away on the sideboard so knew that hot wax was on the evening’s agenda. The large cloth beneath my feet was another giveaway. (Wax play makes a fair bit of mess so you want to make sure you have all surfaces in the immediate vicinity covered.)

The first drip of wax hit the small of my back and, while I was prepared for the heat, the liquidity and length of the ‘run’ came as a bit of a surprise. The low melting point meant that the hot wax had a lot of ‘trickle’ to it, and it immediately chased downwards over my skin before eventually cooling and hardening. (If you’re going to engage in wax play, it is essential that you use a candle with a low melting point to avoid burning the skin. Paraffin liquefies between 43 and 65 degrees Celsius so is a good choice for this sort of activity. Whatever you do, do not use your standard beeswax household candles no matter how expensive or organic they are.)

Once Thomas had established that I was okay with both the heat and the sensation of the wax, he became more adventurous and started moving further backwards, dripping it over my buttocks and, eventually, the top of the crease between them – at which point the hot wax ran downwards and coated my vulva and clitoris. After a little break, he had me stand up and trickled more wax over my chest and nipples.

Did I like the sensation? Yes, yes, and yes! The heat of the wax was, to me, very bearable, as was the slow cool and the tightness as it hardened. By the time Thomas had finished with me, I had a nice little buzz going on and, if I’m honest, I would have liked to have kept going with the wax play longer than we actually did. In fact, I have my fingers crossed for a very lengthy session in the future.

Removing the wax wasn’t difficult – it peeled off the skin fairly easily (although we stuck to completely hair-free areas) but it did create a hell of a mess. Stay well away from fabric and carpet as the splash factor is significant with this stuff. I should say that most wax play guides suggest a light layer of oil on the skin to avoid wax getting stuck and to assist removal but I must admit we didn’t do this. However, my skin was very heavily moisturised.

Thomas
After I lit the candle I did try it out on myself first. What struck me straight away was that it was definitely cooler than a ‘standard’ candle. It was also very, very runny, i.e. it went bloody everywhere. So towels, sheets, drop cloths (I’m not kidding) are a must, especially if you plan to use it anywhere near carpet, upholstery, linen, etc. You’ll need to fire it up early as well as it takes a while to generate a decent pool of liquid wax – and that doesn’t last long due to the previously mentioned runniness. The best tactic is to use a little with breaks in between to allow the candle to replenish. If you really want to go to town, I would recommend using two candles – or maybe even three if you want to recreate Madame Tussauds.

Once in use, it works great. Just watch out as it tends to run where it wants and that may not be where you intended it to go, so you need to try to be fairly accurate with your aim. (I would recommend some practice first to get the hang of the way the wax runs.) Obviously, it makes sense to start in some less sensitive areas (back, buttocks etc.) and work you way to more sensitive ones – slowly. Lizzie certainly had a great time with the wax, especially on her more sensitive parts, judging by her vocal response and other involuntary reactions

As a final note, Lizzie likes to have her nether regions smooth and hair-free, so clean up of the wax wasn’t a problem. If this is not your thing, however, you need to take this into account when using the wax as getting it off pubic hair could be quite tedious (as well as painful).

The verdict?

Lizzie
Wax play in general? A big thumbs up. This particular candle? Performance-wise, it’s great. I have to admit I am a little concerned about the lack of information regarding the ingredients it contains, though.

Thomas
Lizzie had a great time with this product. Just watch the potential mess and don’t use too much at once unless you have more than one candle. As a safety precaution, always be careful around naked flames; you don’t want to burn yourself or the house down. Keep an eye on where you put the candle when it is lit (it could be very easy to get distracted and then find you have set the curtains alight!) and a fire extinguisher in the house is a good idea, too. It’s also prudent to have a wet cloth and basin of water close to hand just in case you do happen to burn a sensitive area. It may not look particularly sexy but then neither is trying to explain to the doctor in A&E how exactly you managed to get a burn there.

In summary …

Things we liked …

• The look of the actual candle. A good size (four inches long, two inches wide) and a pretty colour – although the black option is actually more of a dark purple.
• The liquidity of the candle wax. Good trickle qualities.
• The heat of the wax. Not too hot.
• The price. Very reasonable.

Things we weren’t so keen on …

• The lack of instructions. To that end, if you’re going try your hand at wax play, you should absolutely do some research and safety reading beforehand. There are some good online guides available for free.
• The packaging. Tacky, tacky, tacky.
• The lack of information on the candle’s make up. Those with sensitive skin or fragrance/colour allergies should consider alternative products.
• Doesn’t come with a container or holder, so you’ll have to find something to stand or place the candle in.

Tickle your fancy? Click here to buy the Bondage Heat Play Wax Candle from Bondara.

The post Wax play: candles, love, and liquid heat appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.