Kink Safety Kit Must Haves: Items to Carry for Safe Play

As a participant in the kink lifestyle, you should want to be seen as safe and respectable. One of the ways to embody this is to have a plan in place in case something goes wrong, and a pillar of that plan should be having a kink safety kit on hand. As the saying goes, "hope for the best but plan for the worst."

If you abide by PRICK, or Personal Responsibility Informed Consensual Kink, that means you recognize your own responsibility in a BDSM scene. And part of that responsibility, in my opinion as a professional domme, is caring for your own safety and the safety of everyone involved in the scene. Having your own safety kit and not relying on anyone else to have the essentials on hand can build confidence and security, which allows you to engage in a scene fully, let go, and have fun!

So, let’s talk about 10 important items every kink safety kit should include.

Items for Your Kink Safety Kit:

While this list definitely isn't EVERYTHING you need, these are the items I think it's imperative to include. As kinksters, what we do isn’t inherently safe but that doesn’t mean we can’t take steps to protect all scene participants.

To help ensure everyone's wellbeing, discuss allergies in your negotiations prior to play to make sure your scene partner isn’t allergic to anything in your kit!

Skin Cleanser

Every kinkster knows that kinky play can get messy. So it's essential to keep a good cleanser within arm's reach. My recommendation for this would be Hibiclens, which is a surgical skin cleanser. It is available over the counter at most pharmacies and grocery stores. The reason I like this one so much is because it kills germs on contact, bonds with the skin to kill microorganisms and bacteria even after washing up, and it protects skin for up to 24 hours. Some folks might be allergic to this, so iodine is a good alternative.

You should also have baby wipes or paper towels to wipe the skin.

Oral Antihistamines 

You might not think about carrying antihistamines, but allergic reactions can happen at any time for any number of reasons. Maybe someone is sensitive to a detergent you use for rope or the cleanser you use for your toys. Or maybe they're so allergic to pet dander they have a reaction regardless of how well you've cleaned.

Some people don’t always know that they’re allergic to something, or they might not be forthcoming with their full medical history. So, having antihistamines on hand for unexpected allergic reactions could literally be a lifesaver.

In addition to pills, you may also want to pack antihistamine cream for reactions limited to the skin.

Disposable Ice Pack

Obviously, a disposable ice pack is great in case of an injury, which can happen no matter how safely you play. But there’s another reason to have this in your safety kit. This can be a great tool to utilize in the event that someone is triggered during a scene. You can rub an ice pack along the vagus nerve, inside of the wrists, or the back of the neck to help your scene partner calm down. Ice packs can also help if someone has a panic attack or overheats.

“I remember one time I overheated in a full body mummification, and it really helped me when my partner cracked an ice pack and put it on the back of my neck. I think it meant the difference between it being a scary, panic-inducing scene and one that ended up being really great,” offered Parker Leigh, a kinkster of 14 years.

Necessary Medications

Part of thorough pre-play negotiation is to talk about health concerns, which includes any medications either of you may need. Each person involved in a scene should bring their own medications, and backup. This can include an inhaler, epipen, blood pressure pills, anti-anxiety medications, and anything else they take on a regular basis or in an emergency situation.

Needing to access a medication quickly can be an alarming situation, especially if you're not prepared. So, make sure all medications are in an easy to find and access place in your kink safety kit. Depending on the situation, it could be the difference between life or death.

Glucose Tabs or Candy

Even if someone doesn’t typically have problems with their blood sugar, anyone’s glucose level could drop during intense kink experiences. Know what low blood sugar can look like, and carry glucose tabs or candy, which are quick and easy to consume, so you can get back to your activities. Having glucose tabs or candy on hand can make the difference between ending a scene prematurely and ending when you're both thoroughly satisfied.

Pro tip: try Jelly Belly Sport Beans for a tasty pick-me-up.

Bandages

Whether it's gauze and tape or Band-Aids of varying sizes, you should always have of bandages in your kink safety kit. Wound care is of the utmost importance as a simple infection can cause a host of medical issues.

And yes, it's crucial to have bandages even if you don't think your scene will involve broken skin. You wouldn’t think so, but even a simple spanking scene can result in broken skin, and you need to be able to safely cover it to avoid infection.

Tegaderm is a great waterproof option that can be used with or without gauze underneath.

Pain Reliever

Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, Excedrin, or plain-old aspirin can help to relieve minor aches and pains as well as help with bigger injuries that may occur. Even if nothing big happens in a scene, you might still be sore afterwards, and having something to alleviate the pain within arm's reach is a good idea.

Baby aspirin can be especially helpful to have in your safety kit since it serves more than one purpose. In the event that someone starts displaying signs of a heart attack, having baby aspirin on hand can actually save their life.

Safety Shears

These might be the most multipurpose tool in your kink safety kink. Safety shears are crucial if you’re engaging with any bondage activities because they are designed to reduce the risk of accidental injury when cutting near a body. Even if you’re just cutting clothes for fun, safety shears are your best bet. They can also be used to cut any gauze or bandages needed during aftercare.

If you are playing, whether with rope or household items such as stockings or ties, you might also want to have a marlin spike or sailors tool. These help to loosen knots quickly, and they're particularly helpful when you don’t want to cut whatever is binding your partner.

Burn Cream

You might consider skipping this item if you don't normally engage with fire or electricity play, but I'd advise against it. Though burn cream is especially important if you engage with electricity or fire, it can come in handy after other types of play as well – dripping candle wax, temperature play, even a bath that's accidentally too hot.

Be intentional about the type of burn cream you choose. Some can include antibiotic properties, silver sulfadiazine, and other antimicrobial agents. Silver sulfadiazine is used to prevent and treat infections in burns specifically. You may also want to have dressings specifically for burns that help keep the area cool and moist, which aids in healing. I would recommend TermaBurn Aloe Wraps.

Emergency Contact Information

What if you passed out and your scene partner didn’t know who to call? That's why it's essential to have all the info for an emergency contact written down on a piece of paper in your kink safety kit.

In this day and age, it's tempting to just rely on your cell phone to provide that info, but there are plenty of reasons why this isn't the best choice. The primary reason being that if your phone is passcode protected or uses Touch ID, your scene partner won't be able to get into your phone if you're unavailable. So, go old school, and write that info down.

If you're worried about anonymity, this info could be kept in a sealed envelope in your kit, and you can just hope it never has to be opened!

Using your kink safety kit

Your kink safety kit should be easily accessible during the entire scene. Anyone should be able to find your kit and grab whatever is needed at a moment's notice. Any bag or case will do, as long as it's easy to open and well-organized.

Making sure your kinky experiences are as safe as possible will not only help to build a positive reputation in the community, but also keep your partners coming back for more! And that's what we all want, right?