From butt play basics to advanced anal techniques, our guides explain which anal sex toys are best, how to use them safely and how much fun you can have with them.
Step 1: Choose Your Toy
There are so many ways to enjoy anal sex toys that it can be a little intimidating trying to pick one out for your first time.
We recommend trying out a set of anal beads to start with; their progressive sizing is perfect for anal enthusiasts who are just starting out, and they'll last you throughout your whole anal journey. Make sure to keep the retrieval loop or the last two beads outside of your body for safe removal when the time comes.
Another potential starting point is with a small sized butt plug. Look for a butt plug with a tear drop shape or slim, tapered tip that gradually increases in girth. Your butt plug should either have a flared base thats's much wider than its neck (and preferably wider than its widest point) or a T-bar shaped base to prevent unwanted travel.
Step 2: Get clean
With your butt's day job being what it is, it doesn't take a genius to work out why anal exploration takes a little extra prep to make sure you're freshly washed. Being clean isn't just for hygiene or common courtesy for a partner – knowing that you're squeaky clean down below helps you (as the receiver) relax and enjoy the experience more, too.
For most people, being clean is as simple as making sure you’ve been to the toilet that day (so there’s no poop waiting to evacuate) and having a good wash in the bath or shower prior to using your toy or playing with your partner.
If you’d like to take extra precautions, you can also use an anal douche to flush your anus about 45 minutes before play.
Step 3: Don't forget the lube
Unlike the vagina, the anus does NOT self-lubricate. This means that you MUST use lube when exploring any kind of anal penetration. There are no ifs, ands or but(t)s about it! We recommend using a water-based anal lube.
Not only is a water-based lube compatible with all sex toys and condoms, but an anal-specific formula is thicker, cushier, and longer-lasting than regular lube for better comfort and pleasure.
Step 4: Get warmed up
No, we don't mean jumping jacks (though it probably wouldn't do you any harm). Warming up for anal play means starting with small, shallow penetration before moving onto something larger and deeper, if you should choose to do so.
When you're ready for penetration, use that same well-lubed finger to slowly and gently explore. This helps relax your anal muscles and get them ready for penetration, should you decide to move onto something larger. A lot of people like to use a small, tapered anal toy at this stage.
Step 5: Toy around
Playing with an anal toy can be extremely pleasurable on its own, and using one doesn't necessarily mean that anal sex will follow. Explore the full range of anal toys at your disposal, such as butt plugs, anal beads, anal probers, prostate massagers and anal vibrators, to really discover what you like.
If you're struggling to insert a toy to its full depth (and you'd like to) a top tip is to add more lube, and bear down slightly (yes, as if you were on the toilet) and lightly press on the base of your toy. Just remember that the best toys for beginners have a tapered tip and slender girth, and ALL anal toys should feature a flared base to prevent over-insertion.
Step 6: Annnd relax (post-play tips)
If you've climaxed whilst wearing an anal toy (particularly a butt plug) the muscles in this area will have just contracted.This means you'll need to wait a moment or two to allow the muscles to relax again before removing your toy. You may find that adding another splash of lube helps your toy slide out more easily.
If you've prepared properly and have been to the toilet prior to play, then it's extremely unlikely that you'll encounter any mess. However if you should find anything ‘new’ on your toy, don't fret it. Poop is an occupational hazard of anal play and that's just a fact. Give yourself and your toy a good clean, and move on.
The Ultimate Guide to Butt Plugs
The Ultimate Guide to Butt Plugs
Butt Plugs are one of the most recognizable sex toys, yet often missing from the average sex toy drawer. These small but mighty, missile-shaped wonders target one of the most sensitive erogenous zones in the body, yet continue to be misunderstood and underutilized.
We're here to set the record straight on 1) How to use a butt plug 2) Which styles of butt plugs are most popular and best for different bodies and 3) What butt plugs can be used for. Let's dive in!
Lube, lube, lube and more lube...
Unlike vaginas, anuses do not self-lubricate, so it’s even more imperative that you use a thick, anal-friendly lubricant when you’re using a butt plug. No matter what kind of plug you’re playing with or what size it is, lube is an absolute must.
The type of lube you use will depend on the material your butt plug is made of plus your own personal preferences, but a good quality water-based anal lubricant should be compatible with any butt plug you own. Lubricant offers easy insertion and pleasurable glide, which enhances anal pleasure.
Get clean
With your bum's day job being what it is, it doesn't take a genius to work out why anal exploration takes a little extra prep to make sure you're clean. Being clean isn't just for hygiene or common courtesy for a partner – knowing that you're squeaky clean down below helps you (as the butt plug wearer) relax and enjoy the experience more, too.
For most people, being clean is as simple as and having a good wash in the bath or shower prior to using your plug. You can apply warm soapy water to your finger and lightly insert past the sphincters to clean the area. If you’d like to take extra precautions, you can try an anal douche with warm water to flush your anus about 45 minutes before you’d like to enjoy your butt plug. Giving yourself some time between douching and play can help avoid any unintended mishaps.
Warm up and start slow
Knock before entering is a great rule of thumb. Your anus is rich with nerve endings and stroking the area externally with a well-lubed finger can help relax the sensitive erogenous zone. When ready, apply a little pressure to the anus. If your body is ready you will feel the anus relax and invite you in. Some light penetration with the same finger (or rimming if you're playing with a partner) can prime your body to receive a plug. It never hurts to climax before inserting a butt plug for extra relaxation.
Cover your plug in a thick, anal lubricant, then position yourself comfortably, either bent over on all-fours (aka doggy-style), on your back with a cushion under your butt and with your legs spread, or squatting over the plug on your feet or knees. Slide the plug inside, making sure to pause if you experience discomfort so your body can adjust to the new sensations.
Explore
Once your plug is in place, you should feel a sense of fullness. Butt plugs are a popular sex toy because they stimulate hard to reach nerve endings and will stay in place during any kind of play. You can engage in sex with your partner—either PIV or oral sex—masturbate with your favourite vibrator, play with your nipples or do just about anything that stimulates you.
Depending on your anatomy inserting a butt plug, can have a range of benefits. the amount of space in the pelvis is reduced and as a result the vagina feels tighter. This can really change up the sensation of penetrative play. Butt plugs can also reach the prostate in some cases, depending on the size and shape, and can apply pleasurable pressure to prostate to enhance orgasm.
At climax, orgasmic contractions around a butt plug feel more intense, and stimulate the nerve endings around the anus that usually get overlooked.
If you've climaxed whilst wearing your plug the muscles in this area will have just contracted. This means you'll need to wait a moment or two for your muscles to relax before gently pulling on the flared base to remove your toy.
Why do People Use Butt Plugs?
Still curious about butt plugs, but don't understand why to use a butt plug instead of, say, your hands, a partner's appendage, or some other style of toy?
The beauty of this intrepid little toy is that it's shaped to fit your body and more than happy to help you explore the pleasures that lie beyond your backdoor.
Butt plugs come in different shapes, sizes and materials, so which one's best for you will depend on your experience, anatomy and what kind of sensations you're after. Butt plugs are hands-free, meaning once you insert them they are designed to stay in place while you focus on other erogenous zones and activities. Plugs offer a feeling of fullness and pressure on the sensitive parts of your backdoor while you engage in other activities - they're basically like getting a bonus hand or partner into the mix. Butt plugs can create that extra layer of sensation to enhance the other sensations you're exploring.
All anal plugs have a tapered base, which makes them safe for play. The sphincter muscles in the anus can contract involuntarily as you become aroused, which creates a pulling sensation. Toys without a tapered base are not safe to play with as they can get pulled into the body. Butt plugs can give you peace of mind that your toy will stay in place while you focus on your pleasure.
Some butt plugs are curved with an angled, contoured bulb to stimulate the prostate, or P-spot. Some even vibrate, and come with remote controls which can add an exciting element to couple's play.
Butt plugs are a simple, versatile toy that can enhance pleasure for all bodies.
Penis & Vagina Owners
Why do vagina owners use butt plugs?
Using a butt plug can make all kinds of sex feel more pleasurable for vagina owners (and their partners).
A butt plug creates more pressure on the back vaginal wall, increasing the level of sensation experienced during penetration – whether from a dildo, vibrator or a partner.
The anus is also the 2nd highest concentration of nerve endings in the body (second only to the clitoris). Butt plugs create a pleasurable feeling of fullness in the rectum as well as pressure on the nerve rich anal opening, which can enhance any type of stimulation to other erogenous zones in the body.
Why do penis owners use butt plugs?
It could be said that penis owners are actually wired to enjoy anal penetration. The prostate is an incredibly sensitive gland that feels especially good when stroked. The prostate is located about two to three inches up on the anterior (front) wall of the anus.
You may have heard about prostate milking, and it’s true that prostate stimulation can create intense orgasms and/or ejaculation.
Butt plugs with extended reach and ergonomic design target the prostate with deep internal massage, some even feature vibration for added stimulation.