"Wax Play"

by Simon Stern

A basic primer on the safe use of candle wax

Many people have played with a bit of candle wax at one time or another in their lives. Maybe by putting a finger in the pool of wax at the top of a candle. Maybe by catching a drip of wax on their skin by accident. Maybe even by dripping a bit of wax on themselves on purpose. Well, it's the intentional wax play we're going to talk about here. So if you're interested in playing with wax on a partner, or even if you just want to play with some on yourself, we have a few bits of advice we'd like to pass along to get you started on the right path.

Basic Safety Tips

Make sure you keep your candles and/or crock pot on a level, stable surface. Keep ice, cold towels and a bowl of water nearby. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy. Be very careful about lingerie, as some items will melt or burn, sticking to the skin and causing serious burns. Anything with nylon, vinyl, pvc, patent leather, etc. can be a problem. Of course having your partner naked usually solves this problem. Keep your basic first aid kit handy and read up on simple burns just in case you need to handle one (competently).

Preparation Tips

Oiling the skin before waxing someone makes removal easier later. Massage oils seem to stay cooler than baby oil which gets hots under wax. Remember that if your partner is hairy you'll really want to use oil unless a painful hair removal scene is part of the plan. Test your candles to see how long they take to develop a pool of wax so you'll know how far in advance you may need to light them.

Wax/Candle Selection Tip

Use plain cheap white candles, the usual rule being "the cheaper the safer." This comes from the fact that stearine and paraffin candles cost less than beeswax ones. Paraffin melts at about 133 degrees Fahrenheit while beeswax melts at around 148 degrees. Obviously the cooler temperature provides a measure of safety. Candles with scents added, or those with dark colors (particularly metallics), are often made of beeswax and have an even higher melting point than plain beeswax does. Burning someone more severely than you intend to is much easier when you use these. Some things used to color candles are toxic and can cause blood poisoning. If you do want to play with colors see the "crock pots" section below.

Crock Pots / Fondue Pots

These are great for melting large quantities of wax all at once. The ones with temperature control knobs and dials are ideal (but check that their controls are accurate). Usually the lowest setting is all you'll need. Grocery stores and hardware stores in your area may carry bulk wax, if not then a craft store should have it. Once you have a nice pot of melted wax you can work on getting the colors you want by adding some melted Crayola crayons to the mix (these are non-toxic). Be aware that some darker colors may stain the skin for a few days. Also remember that pouring or brushing a lot of wax on someone all at once is more intense than dripping it on slowly. The sensations from this will also take longer to subside as it takes longer for the wax to cool.

Play Hints

Temperature can be varied based on the height from which you drip, drop or pour the wax. Check temperature by dropping some on yourself, using the back of your hand and your inner forearm. Ice cubes can be used to confuse a blindfolded partner, giving them cold when they expect heat. Although actually they may find it hard to distinguish between the two, particularly the longer the scene goes on. Ice can also help lift the wax off the skin later. Other removal tool ideas include using ice scrappers, fingernails and blunt knives. Areas with hair may require a (flea) comb or even a razor. You can also whip, paddle, spank or flog the wax off, but remember that the skin under the wax may be very sensitive.

Here are a couple of things you may want to try for fun. While some people use brushes to apply wax from their crock pot, one thing I like to do is to apply the wax with my own hands. If you can stand the heat, then coating your hands with melted wax and touching, stroking, gripping your partner's flesh with them creates some interesting sensations...for both of you. Another thing you may want to do is combine a short Saran warp mummification session with the waxing. Doing this at the end of a long waxing will cause your partner's body temperature to rise and it will make them sweat profusely. If you began by oiling their skin before the waxing then this will make the wax just about fall off them when you unwrap them.

Clean Up Tips

Drop cloths are a good thing. Disposable ones make things easy, but if you have an old plastic coated shower curtain liner these work pretty well too. Remember that if you get wax on clothing or cloth drop cloths you'll need to remove as much as you can before trying to clean them. Wax will clog your shower drains and your washing machine (household appliances can't consent so try not to abuse them). An iron and some wax paper, or a brown paper bag or newspaper can be used to remove wax from carpets (though stains from colored wax may remain).

Ok, those are the basics for now. If you have some "Wax Play" hints, tips or tricks to share, or maybe some stories about waxing scenes, please feel free to send them to us. We'd love to add some pages of readers' tips and tricks. You can use the comment form below or send your feedback to me at my Stern at Fetish Club address.