Thanks to Fifty Shades, kink is no longer hidden safely in the closet where nobody speaks about it. Everybody knows what a safeword is these days. The best safeword we’ve heard of? “Meatloaf!” I’ll do anything for love, but I won’t do that! But despite kink’s new mainstream acceptance, it’s still spoken about with a hush and a giggle. People can still be somewhat shy to get their kink on. Fortunately, the Play With Me team are here to alleviate all fears and ease you into a kinky adventure this weekend. Or a new lifestyle!
Kink works best when everyone knows the rules, the signals, and how to come back down together afterwards. The toys are fun, but the groundwork is what makes it feel good. Look, we get it. You just want to jump in and get to the fun bit. Nobody wants the boring Occupational Health & Safety briefing right before sexy time, but trust us: a solid base is as essential as a solid knot. Listen up.
Consent Is an Ongoing Agreement, Not a One-Time Yes
Consent is the spine of healthy kink. Not the vague “we talked about it once” kind, and definitely not assumptions made in the moment. Real consent is explicit, enthusiastic, and ongoing. It’s agreed to before anything starts, checked during play, and respected immediately if it changes. And while it may sound boring, consent is actually sexy as hell.
And it’s actually quite freeing. When everyone knows the boundaries, there’s less second-guessing and more confidence. Safewords such as the traffic-light system and clear limits exist for a reason. They don’t kill the mood; they make it safer to lean into it.
Mainstream conversations around BDSM back this up. A beginner-friendly guide from Women’s Health explains that negotiated consent is what separates healthy kink from unsafe behaviour. In other words, if consent feels awkward to talk about, that’s the cue to slow down, not push through. We want to have fun. Not end up needing an hour on a therapist’s couch.
Communication Is What Makes Power Play Feel Safe
If consent is the agreement to kinky time, communication is how you keep it alive. Talking about kink isn’t a pre-game checklist. This is not a long-haul flight. It’s intimacy, and it’s awesome. An ongoing conversation about comfort, curiosity, limits, and desires is foreplay before foreplay. We get it, a little less conversation, a little more action, please, but the strongest sexual organ is the mind, so get talking about your kink. You may just be so glad you did!
Good communication sounds ordinary. “How does this feel?” “Do you want more or less?” “Can we pause for a second?” These aren’t mood killers; they’re trust builders. When people feel heard, they relax. When they relax, everything else tends to work better.
This is especially important when sensory play or power dynamics are involved. Something as simple as a blindfold changes how someone experiences control and vulnerability. A good blindfold is soft, non-threatening, and designed to heighten sensation without adding pressure. Used properly, it invites communication rather than replacing it.
A blindfolded conversation in itself may sound mundane, but it is quite the experience!
Why Learning Together Beats Figuring It Out Alone
There’s a myth that kink is something you either “get” or don’t. In reality, it’s a set of skills. Skills can be learned, practised and improved, especially when both partners are learning together. Ooh, what fun!
That’s where education comes in. Our rope bondage workshops aren’t about showing off or jumping into complicated things Boy Scouts and sailors would battle to get. It’s about understanding technique, safety, consent frameworks, and aftercare. You learn how to tie responsibly, how to read your partner, and how to respond if something doesn’t go as planned. And above all: how to have a bit of good, clean, kinky fun. Ropes are awesome, and learning the basics will open up a path to very sensual exploration in the art of erotic restraint!
For couples or beginners, our workshops remove the guesswork. Instead of piecing together advice from the internet at midnight, you get calm and practical instruction, a real hands-on experience. It turns curiosity into confidence and helps ensure that when you do explore, you’re doing it with intention rather than luck.
And also, it’s a barrel of laughs, and the most fun you can have on a Friday night.
Rope Is About Trust, Not Intimidation
Rope has a certain reputation. It can look intricate, intimate, even a little theatrical, which, well, is part of the appeal. For many, rope bondage is less about restriction and more about closeness. It’s focus, shared attention. Shibari is a work of art and turns the participants into artist and canvas.
Good rope makes that easier. Our kink-approved shibari rope is designed to feel comfortable in the hands, hold its shape, and do what it’s meant to do without surprises. Using rope made for bondage, rather than whatever happens to be lying around, removes a lot of unnecessary stress from the experience.
Rope tends to shine once people are already comfortable talking, checking in, and reading each other. When consent and communication are already second nature, rope becomes a way to slow things down and connect.
At its best, it’s not about tying someone up at all, but about choosing to trust each other with something a little more involved.
Aftercare Is How You Come Back to Each Other
When things wind down, there’s always a moment where everyone needs to reorient a bit. Aftercare is simply that pause. It’s the check-in, the grounding, the small gestures that say, “We’re good.”
For some people, it’s cuddling. For others, it’s quiet time, a chat, or just sitting together until everything feels level again. There’s no universal script. The only rule is paying attention to what the other person actually needs in that moment. Kink cannot be selfish. It’s a mutually beneficial system where partners look out for each other. That’s why it’s so awesome.
Good aftercare isn’t about doing things “by the book.” It’s about closing the loop with care. When it’s there, everything feels more complete, more connected, and a lot easier to talk about next time.
Getting Your Kink On Doesn’t Mean Going Overboard
Kink doesn’t have to be over the top or something out of a sci-fi movie to be exciting. When consent is clear, communication is honest, and aftercare is built in, exploration becomes safer and far more enjoyable. Our kink collection is there to support your journey, but the real foundation is knowing what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and who you’re doing it with. And in that regard, the Play With Me team is always here to help.
Play With Me is a trusted South African adult store with over 8 years experience and discreet delivery nationwide. Visit us in-store at Play With Me, Shop C5, The Gantry, Cnr Witkoppen & Straight Ave, Lonehill, Sandton or enjoy 10% off your first online order.