How to Choose the Right Toys for Sensation Play?

What Are Sensation Play Toys?

Sensation play sex toys are all the sex toys and tools that can help manipulate the body’s senses and heighten the sensory stimulation during sexual activity. These can also be used to explore a wide range of physical and emotional responses. Their aim often includes the creation of contrasting sensations like heat or cold, pressure, vibrations, light pain, and other sensations that can enhance arousal, intimacy, and overall sensory awareness.

How to Choose a Sensation Play Sex Toy?

Choosing the right sensation play sex toy should not be complex at all, but it should be a pleasurable experience where you end up with one or more toys that are perfect for you. Here are the main things to look for when shopping for sensory play toys:

• Intended sensation – the initial thing to decide is the type of sensation you want to achieve. We are talking about things like sensory deprivation, impact play, light tickling or teasing, light pain toys, temperature play, and/or electrostimulation.
• Design – then, choose the desired design based on the sensation type you want you or your partner to experience. For example, a blindfold will only restrict their sight, but a whole head mask will provide a more restrictive sensation.
• Experience level – then, consider your and your partner’s experience level. Complete beginners should focus on beginner-friendly toys that are easy to use and provide just the right amount of sensory stimulation to not be overwhelming but to be a proper introduction into the world of sensation play. Users with some experience can get more advanced toys. In contrast, experienced users can freely use all the sensory play toys at their disposal, as they are prepared for the overwhelming sensations and emotional stimulation highly advanced sensory toys and tools provide.

Main Types of Sensation Play Sex Toys

Now that we've listed the main things to know about choosing sensation play toys, we need to list the commonly used types of toys you can use for sensation play. Please note that each has its separate effects, and you can use these solo or combine them to create a heightened sensory response in your partner:

• Blindfolds – the blindfold is the primary sensory deprivation tool as it removes sight and allows the partner to focus on the other senses, as they can’t see what you are doing to them but can only feel the sensations.
• Ticklers and feathers – these are the simplest sensory toys as they bring light stimulation on the skin and the nerve endings, and these are used for sensual and erotic teasing, light warm-up, or to slowly get your partner down from the heights of pleasure.
• Pinwheels – the pinwheel or Wartenberg wheel is a spiked wheel that you roll over the skin, and it creates a sharp prickling sensation that does not pierce the skin. It helps boost the sensitivity of the nerve endings and create non-painful yet intense sensations.
• Floggers, paddles, whips, and riding crops – these impact play toys are used to stimulate a pain-pleasure response in your partner. Each type brings differing sensations and is suited for people of various experience levels. For example, the flogger, even though it looks intimidating, is suited for people with little experience in impact play, as it brings less sting and pain and more heat and pleasure.
• Wax play candles – special candles that burn at lower temperatures, and the melted wax is poured on the skin of the sub, bringing heat and pleasure. Some of these can be used for sensual massage, which can be highly erotic and enjoyable.
• Ice – ice is a simple way to provide cold sensations to the skin, which also heightens sensations and provides a deeper sensory experience. You can also use glass or metal sex toys and cool them in ice water and use them for temperature play, as glass and metal stay cold for much longer.
• Warming toys – there are different warming toys that you can use for temperature play, but you can also use any glass or metal sex toy and keep it in warm water for a while and use these to bring targeted heat to the skin and enhance the sensations.
• Electric Stimulation Toys – these can be TENS units or violet wands that provide controlled electrical pulses that deliver targeted muscle and nerve stimulation. We recommend these only for experienced BDSM practitioners, as when misused, they can do damage to the body.
• Sound and vibrating toys – you can use a tuning fork or simply put headphones on your partner’s ears and enhance auditory sensations. Sex toys like finger vibrators or small bullet vibrators can also be good for targeted tactile sensation, especially when applied to the more sensitive parts of the body.
• Oral stimulation tools – here, we are talking about flavored lubes and flavored condoms. The flavored lubes are often edible, and these come in different fruity and other pleasing flavors that enhance the overall satisfaction for both partners. You can get creative with using flavored lubes or scented massage oils and stimulate all the senses.

The Bottom Line

We outlined how to choose a suitable tool or toy for sensory play, and we listed the main types of sensation play tools. These tools are predominantly used in BDSM practices and tantric practices but are very popular in general sensory exploration. From the list above, you can note that there is a tool and toy for everyone’s tastes; you can easily tailor the experience to fit your and your partner’s level of comfort. You will find plenty of detailed shopping guides in our blog, and we invite you to check out our sex toy store, where you will find a wealth of different sensory play tools and toys, varied BDSM tools, sexy lingerie, sex furniture, and all types of sex toys.