11:03 am Monday, 4th August, 2014
The much anticipated and soon-to-be-released 50 Shades of Grey has erotica bookworms everywhere itching for a slice of the cinematic action and crossing each day off their calendars as they await it’s release! People who may have previously brushed off BDSM may now be looking at it in a different light and considering it for themselves. For those new to BDSM, what are some terms you may not have heard of?
Bastinado
This is a kinky punishment for those into caning and can be defined as the bare soles of feet being struck with some strokes of a whip. Avoid whips with pointed tips if you want to try out bastinado, as these are more likely to cause actual damage as opposed to just pleasurable pain.
Gag
This is a tool that a submissive will wear during play which holds their mouth open. There is a range of the types of gag available including ball, butterfly, muzzle, whitehead and panel gags. There is a lot more gags that you can find but these are some of the main options. The gag can give the submissive that extra feeling of helplessness against their dominant and are a favourite accessory for many BDSM enthusiasts. However, they should only be used whilst someone else is in the room as breathing can be difficult when worn.
Waxplay
The art of using melted candle wax to give you and your partner searingly unbearable pleasure from pain. It’s not advised to let the candle wax reach anywhere higher than 40C/104F should it be touching skin, any further than this and you’re going to get scolded. Make sure you’ve got some ice/first aid kit to hand in case of injury and prepare yourself with a fire extinguisher/some form of fire suppressant close to hand as should someone be tied down, they’re obviously going to be especially at risk of injury. When choosing candles, look for those with paraffin and/or mineral oils as these have lower burning temperatures. Done right, wax play should leave a mild reddening of the skin which will fade after a few hours, anything more than this and the wax is likely to be too hot.
Don’t be put off trying out the BDSM waters with all this talk of what to avoid. As with everything, there is going to be risks involved and a bit of forward thinking is required to ensure safety but done right it can be extremely safe and pleasurable for everyone involved!
