What’s one of the easiest ways to turn a sexy encounter into a toe-curling scene to remember? Sensory deprivation. The premise is simple: suppress one or more of someone’s senses and the others become enhanced. By manipulating touch, taste, smell, hearing, or sight you can magnify the senses left intact. Taking away your partner’s ability to see what’s coming next can net you biggest bang for your sensory deprivation buck.
Whether you’re into hardcore BDSM scenes or simply want to spice things up, blindfolds should be in your kinky tool kit. There are so many varieties and styles to choose from; they run the gamut from simple and utilitarian to all-in-one sensory deprivation tools. When assisting customers, don’t overlook the role eye cover can play in their sexy adventures. Be prepared to illustrate the variety functions and styles blindfolds come in. They are so versatile, they can be incorporated into almost any scenario.
Since most of us are so dependent on sight, it’s the most natural and impactful place to start.
Why Sensory Deprivation With Blindfolds?
Eye cover is simple but so incredibly sensual. It can instantly amp up the eroticism during a tryst for a number of reasons. Sensory deprivation allows you to disengage from typical sources of stress and anxiety. It’s a form of relaxation; similar to spas with sensory deprivation tanks, blindfolds in the bedroom block out outside stimuli and enable you to let go. It puts you in touch with your innermost thoughts and reactions. This is a side of yourself you may not experience often because you’re normally too distracted dealing with the outside world — in a sense, wearing a blindfold during play can put you in a sexy meditative state.
Sensory deprivation is also well suited for those exploring dominant/submissive power play. A blindfolded person must be dependent on their partner to navigate their surroundings. This also sets the stage for one partner to give direction that the blindfolded person must follow. Additionally, being blindfolded can put you in the very vulnerable state of having to trust your partner. This emotional dependency fosters intimacy and can make couples feel more connected. For those into BDSM, getting into this kind of headspace is an ideal pathway to psychological play.
Exploring Blindfolds
For those new to sensory deprivation it’s best to start off slowly. Only manipulate one sense to begin with. Since most of us are so dependent on sight, it’s the most natural and impactful place to start. There’s quite a variety available when it comes to simple blindfolds, mainly due to comfort factors. The Onyx Leather Blindfold is the most basic style of eye cover; the shape leaves ample room so the nose isn’t covered, and the Velcro closure makes it easy to put on and remove. The leather cover has a sexy aesthetic, plus it’s durable and doesn’t enable peeking.
Some blindfolds may irritate those that wear eye makeup, false eyelashes, or contact lenses. In these cases, something like the Frisky Deluxe Black Out Blindfold is perfect. It’s made of soft neoprene and doesn’t hug the eyelids tightly; it covers a wide area and has a nose cover that also helps keep it from slipping off.
Getting the Most Out of Blindfolds
Once you have a blindfold on, what do you do? Use sensation play to complement and enhance the sensory deprivation experience. Sensation play involves rubbing your partner’s skin with your hands or toys. It is most effective when you use opposing types of touch like hot and cold, soft and rough, or firm and gentle. Experiment with warm hands followed by ice cubes or the tips of your fingernails followed by feathers. You can even rub a Spiked 5 Row Pinwheel across sensitive areas.
Of course, you can also experiment with removing or distorting other senses, too. Add a pair of earplugs or headphones to alter the sense of hearing. Bondage restraints can restrict touch. Including these things will further intensify every caress, spank, or kiss, and those ready for advanced play can kick up their blindfold game and use more full coverage headgear.
Advanced Eye and Head Cover
The Strict Leather Upper Face Mask is considered intermediate-level gear. In addition to being an eye cover, it completely wraps around the nose as well, which makes this piece of equipment perfect for those willing to take things a little further but may be concerned with claustrophobia issues.
For those craving the feeling of serious restriction, the Blindfold Harness and Ball Gag set puts the wearer’s head in total bondage. Leather straps cross behind the head and under the chin, and they also hold a blindfold and ball gag securely in place.
The ultimate in sensory deprivation is the Strict Leather Sensory Deprivation Hood. This type of gear is usually reserved for BDSM enthusiasts. Many wearers say upon putting on this type of full coverage hood, everything changes for them psychologically. They go into a very submissive headspace and some even start to flow into subspace. This particular piece is made from soft, leather; the padded ear pockets and padded reinforcements around the mouth and eyes make the wearer feel even more disoriented. It also has leather straps with three locking mechanisms that can fit a padlock. This is the ultimate in sensory deprivation hoods.
When you’re helping customers find new toys, remind them that blindfolds can enhance any type of sexy scene. They are also perfectly suited for curious novices and experienced kinksters alike, making them an ideal upsell. Eye cover also pairs well with so many other toys and accessories. A blindfold purchased with a dildo can be the basis for a kinky adventure just as a sensory deprivation hood can make a dungeon scene larger than life. Blindfolds are versatile play tools that can be used in any way your imagination takes you.
Rebecca Weinberg is the general manager of XR Brands, which specializes in fetish and BDSM with full-spectrum product development and design to create a series of fully merchandised collections dedicated to the lifestyle.
