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Picture the scene: the lights are dimmed, the candles are lit - and someone pulls out the silky satin restraints.

If you and your partner have decided to make your BDSM debut, then congratulations are in order! It’s great that you’ve found someone else who is on your wavelength and is up for some sexploration - it's a great way to keep things fresh and exciting.

What could kill the mood slightly, however, is if you tie up your lover and then stand there staring awkwardly, while your lover lies there and just stares right back at you (also awkward).

Before you whip the handcuffs out, the best thing to do is plan your scene together. Planning will help clarify what sort of play turns you both on, what activities are off the cards, and what your safe word will be.

But exactly how do you plan sex, and keep it sexy? Here's 7 things to do with your partner (ranked from mildest to wildest) now that you've got them tied up.

Here at Lovehoney, we talk about foreplay A LOT (and for a good reason too!).

Much more than just some sexual appetizer that you quickly wolf down before the main course, foreplay is a crucial part of experiencing great sex.

Foreplay gives both your body and mind a chance to become fully aroused. This mounting anticipation means that when it's time for the main event, you'll be champing at the bit!

We hear about general foreplay tips all the time, but we ask you, dear reader – where's all the helpful advice on incredible anal foreplay?

Although it is literally located in the rear, when it comes to foreplay tips, the butt is sometimes being left behind. Well, we won't stand for it, so here are eight of the best anal foreplay tips. Bottoms up!

Lots of you wanted to know what the relationship between a Dominant and a submissive partner is really like, so we reached out to sex blogger and queen of kink, Cara Sutra, to tell us more.

The world of Dominance and submission holds a dark allure while remaining an enigmatic mystery to many. How does a Dom/sub relationship work? Can you just dip your toes into kink or do you have to become a permanent member of the BDSM scene?

Couples often experience surprising benefits to their relationship when sampling the world of Dominance and submission, and it’s not all kinky spankings and bondage cuffs. Full surrender of control, and acceptance of that control, can be a defining bonding experience for your relationship.

Exploring new kinky adventures together will be a sexy shared secret. Plus, the mutual trust required for such intensely erotic play may lead to a stronger attraction to your partner than ever before.

There's no need to feel daunted by the thought of trying out a Dom/sub relationship. Discover the beauty of a relationship which thrives on an exchange of power between partners.

Ian Kerner, PhD, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist and nationally recognized sexuality counselor who specializes in sex therapy, couples therapy, and working with individuals on a range of relational issues.

Ian is regularly quoted as an expert in various media, with appearances on The Today Show, The Dr. Oz Show, and NPR.

He lectures frequently on topics related to sex and relationships, with recent presentations at New York University, Yale, Princeton and the Ackerman Institute.

Ian is the New York Times best-selling author of She Comes First (Harper Collins), which is the best-selling sex advice book of the last decade and has been translated into more than a dozen languages.

In addition to being a Clinical Fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT), Ian is certified by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists and is also a member of the American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA).

Find out more about his work at iankerner.com.

A recent medical study in the US has changed the direction of intimate pleasure for women, demonstrating that super-strength orgasms may be available in real life, not just the movies.

Conducted by neuroscientist Dr Nicole Prause, founder of sexual biotechnology firm Liberos, the purpose of the scientific study was to test the effectiveness of the updated happy rabbit® versus manual stimulation.

19 women to date, with an average age of 31 and a wide range of racial and age diversity, have been tested. Each of the women visited the lab twice under strict lab conditions – once to use a happy rabbit® vibrator, and the other to masturbate using their hands.

And what did Dr Prause discover?...

Every time I come out as pansexual I have received comments like ‘Pfft, that’s not a real thing’, ‘So… you’re bi?’, ‘PANsexual?! Do you like pots too?’ or ‘What, you’re hot for Peter Pan?’.

Trust me, I’ve heard it all.

Even though I did have a huge crush on Jeremy Sumpter as a child and a non-stick frying pan does make my heart flutter, these remarks make me eye-roll so hard that in the moment, I choose to label myself as bisexual instead.

After talking to some other pan-pals, I know my experience is pretty common.

So, I’m here to shine a light on pansexuality, we’ll explore its definition, how it compares to other sexualities and I’ll give a bit of an insight to what it means for me to be pansexual.

Wands are fantastic for delivering super-intense pleasure to all your external hot spots. And, thanks to their incredibly powerful vibrations, they're great for giving sensational and soothing body massages.

But, did you know that wands can also work their magic with anal sex? That's right, wands have their place in your backdoor artillery.

Read on for the top tips on how to enhance anal foreplay and sex with a rumbly massage wand.

Newton's third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

And while double-ended sex toys probably didn't play a role in Sir Isaac's extensive research, they are a prime example of classical mechanics in action (bet all this physics talk is getting you hot and bothered, isn't it?)

What many people don't realize is that toys with double penetration features aren't just for couples – they're perfect for solo play too.

Think about it. We've been blessed with multiple erogenous zones, so why not light them all up at the same time?

So whether you're riding solo or bringing in a pocket-sized guest star to your couple's play, here are five top-of-the-range sex toys that can double your fun.