Say, have you heard about sensation play? Chances are, you’re already incorporating sensation play into your sex life without even knowing it! Like we always say, knowledge is power and knowledge is also sexy, so join us as we uncover the ins and outs of sensation play, and learn how to engage all of your and your partner’s senses.
What exactly is sensation play?
You know the five senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste. From the day we’re born, those five senses help us engage with, and experience, the world around us.
As we grow, our minds tend to become preoccupied and distracted with normal life happenings, and sometimes, we can lose focus on some of the sensual wonders around us. We don’t stop to smell the roses, so to speak. Making a concentrated effort to immerse ourselves in the experiences of our most basic senses can be a thrilling way to walk through the world. More to our point, focussing on all five senses can also have a thrilling effect on our sex lives.
In a nutshell, sensation play involves acts or experienced that aim to heighten your and/or your partner’s pleasure by mindfully involving some or all the senses during foreplay and sex. We’re going to delve much deeper into the details and share lots of tips, tricks and possible scenarios below. You can pick and choose which forms of sensual play you might like to try, or get inspired to try some of your own.
Just in case you’re wondering, yes, many BDSM scenarios and scenes incorporate sensual play. If that’s something you and your partner are interested in, great! However, it’s definitely possible to enjoy one without the other, and that goes both ways. If you happen to have any lingering questions about all things bondage and fetish, you can check out our article on Breaking Down Misconceptions About BDSM.
The five sexual senses: Touch
Like we just mentioned, you don’t need to use whips, paddles or pinwheels to enjoy the tactile pleasures of touch - unless you want to! Engaging your sense of touch during sex can be as simple as skin to skin contact with your partner. Touching your partner (or having them touch you) in the right place with perfect pressure could be all you need to get fired up.
To experiment with sexual touch, try envisioning a ‘map’ of your or your partner’s body. If you’re artsy, you could even draw one! Note which areas you or they dislike, so you can avoid them next time around. Obviously, great communication and open-mindedness will make the process much easier, and more enjoyable for both of you. Leave no portion of your bodies uncharted. Note whether you, or they prefer gentle teases, a firmer touch, or something in between.
Lubes and massage oils can enhance touch-based sensation play even further. For instance, oil-based lubricants let your hands glide over each other’s bodies during touch or an erotic massage. Be sure to keep anything oil based on the surface of your or your partner’s body, though. Water-based lubes and silicone-based lubes are both safe for use outside and inside the body, so they’re a great choice if you anticipate all that touchiness turning into something more.
Try out some of the following ideas to experience touch play where and how it counts.
- Using your hands: Playing involving touch can be as simple as running your hands over your partner or them running their hands over you. You can also try outercourse.
- BDSM tools and accessories: Choose from taking it slow with restraints or work your way up to more intense stim with nipple clamps, a spiky Wartenberg wheel, or even crops and paddles. PinkCherry has beginner BDSM kits to introduce you to a variety of exciting toys.
- Temperature play: You can heat things up or cool off with things you have at home, or you can warm or chill certain sex toys. It’s a good idea to test out your/their reaction to this type of stimulation with an ice cube or a warm towel beforehand. Find out more about temperature play here.
The five sexual senses: Sight
As with all senses, certain sights could turn you or your partner on or turn you off. It’s one of those senses that gets overlooked (so to speak) because our bodies are already usually the main visual feature for each other during sex.
What you do to visually stimulate your partner might not even directly relate to the act of sex itself. Creating an inviting, erotic environment can work wonders to set the scene visually. Remove clutter. Fluff up the pillows on the couch or neatly make the bed. You can add candles to the room and dim the lights to create a soft glow. It’s all about aesthetics.
Another way to play with your or your partner’s sense of sight is to take it out of the equation entirely. You can use a blindfold, or even a simple scarf to block out or hinder sight. The ‘blinded’ partner will be left in the dark, waiting with bated breath for the next sensual move. Plus, removing one sense can heighten the others, so you may find that your/their senses of touch, smell, sound and taste become more fine-tuned.
Try out some of these ideas to experience some sensual and sexy sights for yourself.
- Erotic Movies: Watching porn together or while masturbating might be just what you need to get you in the mood. Viewing with your partner also gives you the opportunity to discuss new things to try or discover what turns each other on.
- Mirrors: Watching yourself during foreplay and sex can be super exciting. Depending on mirror placement, you might be able to see parts of your lovemaking that you never could before. Yeah, the mirrors on the ceilings of those retro motels were intentional!
- Lingerie: Adorn your body with the sexiest outfits for a stimulating sight. Try something you know your partner would like, or better yet, slip into something that makes you feel sexy and confident in your own skin.
- Body Painting: Try painting your partner with body-safe washable paint or an edible paint from Shunga. Watching how they react while focusing in on certain areas can be a visual delight.
The five sexual senses: Hearing
Sound can do so much to both arouse and relax our bodies. The breathy moan of a partner or a sexy whispered wish in the ear can instantly get you in the mood, and so can music. If sexy relaxation is the goal, you can try spa music or nature sounds. If you’re after a rough and randy romp, maybe some sleazy rock will set the tone. Really, the key is to sync the music to the mood. Find music that fits the mood you’re after. If you need some auditory inspiration, romantic movie soundtracks can be a great place to start.
Another way to entice your lover through sound is by utilizing ASMR. It stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. It’s the tingly sensation you get up and down your body from hearing certain sounds. You can think of it as the opposite of hearing nails across a chalkboard. ASMR can be experienced in a combination of ways through auditory, tactile, and visual stimulation. Common ASMR triggers are whispering, slow speaking, repetitive sounds, and crisp or crunchy noises.
Try out some of the following sounds to experience the sexy side of hearing for yourself.
- Music: You can play any kind of music you desire. Choose calming sounds, like meditation tracks or nature recordings. Iconic sexy music that often comes to mind is R and B, slow jams, or 90s vaporwave. Nothing beats those sexy saxophone sounds.
- Time sex to music: If you’ve already got some favorite tunes to groove to, try timing your actions with the beat. You can thrust in and out in syncopation to the rhythm or switch things up whenever there’s a new verse.
- Whispering: Arguably the best form of ASMR, whispering produces the tingles in three quarters of those who experience this reaction. You can try whispering what you’re going to do next in their ear or softly beg them for more.
- Vibrators: They don’t just feel good in terms of touch! The gentle hum of a vibrator increasing as you up the speeds can cue up your anticipation, making you eager for more.
The five sexual senses: Smell
Smell is the sense we most associate with our memories. Certain smells are even classic – fresh-cut grass, chocolate, roses, bacon, ocean water, and coffee just to name a few. If you’re including smell in your sexual encounter, you want to make sure it’s got good associations for you and your partner.
There are a few ways you can incorporate (or remove) the sense of smell into your sex.
- Take away offending fragrances: remove any garbage and dirty dishes from the room. Relocate unclean laundry to another area. Change bedding and mop the floors. Consider steaming your carpets if they haven’t been cleaned in a while.
- Bring in good smells: You can use household fragrance products to bring in a fresh and clean scent. Try wall plugins, room sprays, or scented candles. You can even find pillow sprays to put the smells right where you need them most.
- Aromatherapy: Essential oils were all the rage just a few years ago. What you might not have heard amid all the hubbub is that they may contain properties to improve your sex life. The verdict on their health benefits is still not settled, but at least you’ll smell great if you decide to give them a go.
The five sexual senses: Taste
Certain foods and drinks are associated with increased libido (ie. horniness). These are called aphrodisiacs, and you can use them to your advantage. Some aphrodisiac knowledge is based on science, but some is rooted in cultural experiences and lore passed down through generations.
While some examples are easily attainable, like pumpkin, oysters, or chocolate, others are likely out of reach or impossible to procure, like durian or cobra blood. We’re not saying you should rush out on the hunt for these items, but we encourage you to try what is locally available, if you’d like.
Try out some of the following tastes to experience a new way to play with your food (and your partner).
- Food and drink: You can incorporate certain items into your sexual experience. Playing with chocolate syrup and whipped cream is a popular choice for first timers. You can use whatever you feel comfortable with that is body safe. Just don’t use any food items for insertion and avoid getting anything sugary near the vagina.
- Flavoured lubes: If playing with your food doesn’t sound appealing, you can try a flavoured lube. They come in many varieties and are body safe. There is really something for everyone – even those with refined palettes. You can even find multi-packs to tickle your taste buds.
- Edible massage oils: Have you ever tried an edible massage oil candle? We guarantee it’s an experience unlike any other. Try some from Earthly Body. If you’re not into wax play, try some edible massage oils instead.
Heighten your Sexual Senses with Sex Toys from PinkCherry!
We hope we’ve given you lots of new ways to tickle your fancies through sensation play. Incorporate touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste into your sex life with erotic products from PinkCherry. They’ll send all your senses into overdrive, in the best way possible.
