Whether it’s actual wax play or a massage oil candle that melts down to then get poured all over, I really love wax play. So when The Sex Shed sent me the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes candles to review, I was very excited! I haven’t tried these candles before, but I’ve tried a fair amount of other wax play candles and I was looking forward to having an excuse to make a bit of a mess.
Despite the amount of wax play I’ve done, this is somehow my very first review of a wax play toy! I’m excited to share one of my personal kinks with ya’ll, so let’s get this fire started.
About the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes Candles
Available with two different color schemes, the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes are a set of three taper candles designed specifically for body use. In your choice of Pastellines or Passionettes color schemes, the candles arrive individually wrapped in plastic inside of a lightweight cardboard box. The candles are 8″ / 20.32cm long with a .75″ / 1.9cm diameter. The Make Me Melt Stripes are striped candles rather than the original Make Me Melt line, which features single color candles. The stripes allow for more color experimentation for those who like color play just as much as they like wax play.
The candles are made with 100% paraffin wax, which is body safe and had a melting point between 115-154F / 46-68C. Paraffin wax has a lower melting temperature than some other types of wax, and is often used by spas and salons to help hydrate and soften the skin.
My History of Wax Play
Despite the fact that I’ve never talked about wax play here on my blog, I love wax play. It’s not a content category that has historically made me money, so it is primarily a kink that I enjoy off camera. It’s also one of the few kinky play activities that I enjoy both topping and bottoming for! For me, wax play is like getting a delightfully warm massage. The way the warmth runs down my body is relaxing and I can feel my muscles loosen with every drip over my body. It’s sensual, it’s erotic, and it’s relaxing.
My journey with wax play is a long one, though it didn’t start as anything sexual. Growing up, I didn’t live in a candle house. My dad and I both suffer from scent triggered migraines, so there weren’t any nicely scented candles making the house smell any particular way. I did, however, love candles and I learned how to make my own unscented candles pretty young in life. My mom bought me a candle making kit, and she also had candle making molds. I also saw fancy candles being made in candle shops on a trip I took with my Girl Scout troop. I was never bothered by the heat of making candles, sometimes using my hands to create designs while wax was still warm, sometimes just playing with the warm wax in my hands.
Over the years, wax play eventually did become erotic for me. One of my first kink scenes with a couple I used to play with was wax play. I’d participate in wax play at dungeons and kink events, both private and public. I’d had partners drip, drizzle, and even pour wax all over my body. I did the same to other partners, to clients, to friends. I did it on camera, I did it off camera, I did it as foreplay, I did it during sex, I did it as a standalone activity.
The point is: I’ve done, and still continue to do, a lot of wax play.
With all that wax play though, I needed to do some learning along the way. My broke college student years led me towards the prayer candles that I could find at any pharmacy or department store in America. Allegedly, those didn’t burn as hot, so they were “safe” to use. Now that I’m much older and a little less broke, I now know that not all wax is created equally, and much like other sex toys, not all wax is body safe.
Wax Play Safety
Wax isn’t going inside of your body, so it doesn’t matter if it’s safe or not, right? Wrong! Different types of wax burn at different temperatures and there may be additives that aren’t safe for skin contact, such as fragrance or dyes. You should only use wax that is specifically designed for body contact, such as the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes.
After choosing the right type of wax play candles, you should start by testing the wax on yourself before you test it on anyone else. In my opinion, this should be standard with any type of BDSM or kink play, because knowing how it feels on yourself will give you a better understanding of how your play partner feels. That understanding leads to better dominance, better sadism, and just better play time overall.
For wax play specifically, before you start to play with your partner, you need to understand how close or far you can hold a candle to give the sensation you’re trying to achieve. And every wax play candle is a little bit different. Testing a candle on yourself will help give you this understanding!
Unless you’re very experienced, you should try to keep wax away from genitals and sensitive areas. I also recommend avoiding hairy areas as much as possible, but this is more for the clean-up rather than safety. Avoid open wounds and eyes as well. Don’t drip wax on someone’s genitals who has never tried the specific candle you’re using, as a burn on the genitals is no joke.
As with any kink play, make sure your partner has a safe word and/or non-verbal gesture, and keep a first aid kit and a water bottle nearby. Because you’re literally playing with fire, I also suggest having a fire extinguisher nearby and keep the curious cats out of the room.
You should also take time to understand the boundaries of where your partner is ok with having wax dripped on. For example, I do not want wax dripped onto my feet because the removal of it is just far too ticklish and after relaxing so much, I don’t want that sensation when I’m vibin’.
Also, make sure you’re checking in with your play partner regularly! Wax play may not be as flashy as flogging, it may not be as dangerous as breath play, but a good top/dominant/sadist is a good communicator before, during, and after any kink play.
The packaging for the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes candles suggest that you should hold them at least 36″ / 91.4cm away from skin to allow time for the wax to cool. The Sex Shed’s product page suggests holding the candles 18-24″ / 45.7-61cm away from skin.
How to Have Fun with Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes Candles
Ok, sorry, one little thing before the real fun! Make sure that you have a drip-safe surface of some sort before you play. Maybe that’s a towel or a specific sheet/blanket, maybe that’s a mat of some sort that’s your designated wax mat. I don’t recommend using your normal bedding, as wax play can get messy. Whoever is receiving the wax play is going to sit or lay on that towel, sheet, blanket, or mat, so make it a pleasant surface for them… or don’t, for the sadists reading this.
I’m a big fan of Setting The Mood when it comes to kink, especially if I’m playing at home. Dim the lights, maybe turn on colorful lights, and put on a good playlist. Light some other, non-wax play candles, and do your best to transform your space from where you live to where you play.
One of the things I like to do with sensation play, such as wax play, is to incorporate other sensations. I suggest grabbing them before you start playing so you’re not leaving your play partner alone. Perhaps some ice for a fun hot/cold experience, or feathers or soft scarves to run along their skin. You can pair wax play with penetrative sex, bondage, impact play, sensory depravation, and many other types of BDSM. Sensory depravation may sound extreme, but putting a blindfold on your partner isn’t as extreme as you may be thinking.
Your space is transformed, you’ve got extra toys set out, you’re ready, they’re ready… then what? It’s time to light the candle(s)!
With the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes candles, you’re likely going to be hand-holding them a majority of the time that they are lit. They are quick and easy to blow out and relight, though! Once you light them, there’s not a great way to set them down, unless you happen to have candle stands/holders for tapered candles. If you do have a candle stand, you can place the candles in those to free up your hands a bit (think a less extravagant candelabra), or even to act as an accessibility tool to make holding more comfortable!
These candles are on the more intense side of wax play, as they burn fairly hot and the drips feel a bit more stingy than some other wax play candles I’ve used. They also burn fairly quickly, so you may find yourself blowing them out and relighting them as needed, depending on what else you’re incorporating in your scene.
As the candles begin to melt, drip the wax over their body. You can try to create patterns or designs on your partner’s body with the wax. You can use multiple candles at once. You can penetrate them in time with the wax drips. You can drip it on different parts of their body. Have fun! Experiment! Wax play is playing, and playing should be fun.
Now, this next suggestion is going to come down to you or your partner’s heat sensitivity, but you could hold the candles slightly closer to their body when dripping. As the person that I am, I tried dripping the candles on myself as close as I could handle and as far away as my short arms would allow. The closer the candle to my skin, the more intense the burning sensation. I suggest testing this before actual play time begins and keeping note on what distance they prefer and where. For example, my back and breasts can handle more heat than my thighs.
Speaking of heat sensitivity, if you are heat sensitive and don’t tolerate heat well, I would suggest skipping wax play during the warmer times of year. I no longer have air conditioning and I don’t tolerate heat well, so I don’t use the candles on my body on days that it’s hot outside. Someone with AC may not have this problem, though.
Pro Clean Up Tips for the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes Candles
Apply a gentle, unscented body lotion or body oil prior to having wax dripped, drizzled or poured. This should help make removing the wax much easier. From personal experience, oils seem to work better than lotions with my skin, but a thick lotion works well for my wife. As an added intimacy bonus, you can incorporate that into your wax play as a sexy massage first.
Don’t just throw the towel, blanket or sheet into the washing machine when you’re done! And don’t just jump into the shower while you’re still covered in wax. You’ll end up with a drain clogged by dried wax either way. Take time to remove the wax from the body as best as you can, then use a hair dryer or hand-held steamer to warm and loosen the wax from whatever surface got splattered from the dripping.
If you don’t lotion or oil your body prior to wax play, you may be able to use body oil after the scene is done to help loosen and remove the wax. This is a great activity to do together, incorporating a massage as part of aftercare. Plus, it’s really hot when a play partner cleans you afterwards.
If you’re into knife play, you can use a knife for removal by gently, carefully running a knife parallel to the skin, under the wax to help lift it off. Knives aren’t for everyone, so make sure you check with your play partner before using this method though! Some companies sell resin knives that aren’t sharpened, which could also work without making your partner anxious or uncomfortable.
My Experiences with the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes Candles
Here’s where I confess that despite all the wax play that I’ve done over the years, I’ve never tried Icon’s original Make Me Melt wax play candles. The originals or these wax play stripes. I’ve tried candles from some indie shops that make them, I’ve tried prayer candles, I’ve tried wax formulated for manicures/pedicures and other spa services. The only other mass produced wax play candle I’ve tried was a massage oil candle, which I’d argue is far more sensual than these candles.
Because, wow, these candles are more intense than I expected! I, admittedly, did not read the warning on the back of the box that says they should be held a minimum of 36″ / 91.4cm away from the body until after the first time I tried them. Oops! The intensity of the candles did lessen as the distance between the burning end and my skin increased, thankfully.
The candles burn pretty nicely though. They’re not wide enough to create an excess of melted wax to then pour over someone, which some people may like more than other. The width of the candles means that I got more of a steady-ish drip rather than a drizzle or a pour, because the candle is burning downwards only. There’s minimal extra wax around the wick, so it’s harder to drizzle but you may be able to get it!
Drips aren’t my favorite sensation when it comes to wax play, and these candles really highlighted that to me. Drips give a quick sharp burn sensation, whereas a drizzle feels more relaxing as the heat rolls down, and a pour as the most relaxing sensation.
I like the taper candle design of the Icon Make Me Melt candles more than I expected. I’ve never tried tapers before, and I was a bit worried that I’d want to put them down and would feel like I couldn’t or shouldn’t. The width of the candles is a big benefit here, because I could blow out the candle, put it down, then relight it when I was ready to get back to the wax. I didn’t have to sit and wait for the wax to heat up after relighting, which worked really well for me during a few different experiences.
Previously, I’d tried a number of votive candles that had little pour spouts and wider amount of wax around the wick. Votive candles are easier to put down to let the wax melt and accumulate for drizzling or pouring, which prolongs the length of a scene. They’re also nice for refilling, but I don’t know any brands that sell body safe candle refills, so I’d suggest expecting a small project out of refilling on your own. Taper candles, like the Make Me Melt candles, are faster and easier to blow out, relight, and get back to playing with quickly. That gives them more flexibility in terms of play time duration without ever having to wait. All of the wax melts as the flame gets closer, so the drip can be a very consistent, constant one if held at the right angle.
Pros:
- body safe candles that melt at low temperature
- each candle comes individually wrapped so they don’t melt together in transit
- affordable option for the curious minded or the experienced players
- wax melts quickly
- easy to blow out and relight multiple times throughout a scene
- 2 different color schemes
- great for experimenting with color play and wax play
- intensity can change depending on distance from skin
Cons:
- drippy sensation isn’t for everyone
- can be messy and challenging to clean up
- hard to make a consistent drizzle with
My Final Thoughts on the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes Candles
I was pretty skeptical about taper candles prior to testing the Icon Make Me Melt Wax Play Stripes, and after using them, I’m happy to report that my skepticism was misplaced. The drippy sensation wasn’t my favorite, but the wax feels nice as it hardens on my skin. I didn’t notice any skin staining, though I did have some redness from the heat that went away fairly quickly (less than 30 minutes). With a price tag just below $20, I think they’re a good option for those interested in or curious about wax play.
If wax play sounds like something of interest to you, then I’d suggest grabbing a set of these candles. They’re affordably priced, easy to use, and a great introduction to wax play. Even as someone who is fairly experienced with wax play, I’m overall happy with them and I’m glad that I got to try a candle shape that I may have otherwise skipped over.
Ready to get some of your own? Please use my affiliate link to purchase!
I was gifted this wax play candle set by The Sex Shed as part of an affiliate collaboration. I earn a small commission from purchases made with my affiliate link, which powers my blog and helps me continue finding toys that may work for you!
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