15 Ways to Explore Breast Play

Chests, nipples, and breasts are all erogenous zones, but honestly, they don’t get the attention they deserve. Some people like to engage in breast play in pursuit of nipple orgasms, but even during foreplay, breast and nipple play can feel awesome. Nipple stimulation and breast massage can even help increase vaginal lubrication and relax the pelvic floor muscles, which is pretty nifty. Like any other part of your body, exploring what feels good for your chest (and your partner’s breasts, too!) is a process, and there’s no one thing that feels good to everyone. So, to jumpstart your exploration, here are 15 ways to try out breast stimulation and play. (And remember, these techniques can feel good for people of all genders, sexualities, and body types, whether or not they have a full and pillowy chest!)

1. Use nipple clamps

Nipple clamps may seem intimidating, but really, they’re just tools to help increase sensation in nipples. Sure, you can make it a little kinky and use them as part of consensual BDSM pain play, but nipple clamps don’t have to be painful. Opt for a pair that is adjustable (like this set from Sportsheets) so that you can increase or decrease the pressure as much as you want. I don’t recommend wearing nipple clamps for extended periods of time, though—try following a 10 minutes on, 5 minutes off schedule.

2. Add a drop of lube

Lube is the universe’s gift to all of us—and it’s not just for your genitals! Adding a drop of lube before intense nipple-rubbing or massage can add just the right amount of slipperiness.

3. Try out wax play

Wax play is a great way to bring temperature play into the bedroom, especially when paired with a blindfold. Opt for candles that have been designed specifically for wax play; they’re designed with breast sensitivity in mind, so they’re less likely to have additives that can further irritate your skin. Plus, being able to choose the wax also means you can choose the melting point, so you can opt for something that burns at a lower temperature. Remember, nipples and chests are sensitive, so don’t pour straight from a burning candle – take your time! Blow out the flame and wait a minute or two for the wax to cool down a bit.

4. Show them off in a harness

You’re hot AF and you know it. While many of us think of harnesses as tools for strap-on sex, there are also plenty of harnesses designed for chests of all shapes and sizes. Chest harnesses can be sexy as heck, and like lingerie, they help to accentuate what you’ve got. Feeling confident helps increase your sexual arousal and pleasure, so wearing things that make you feel good really does matter.

It doesn’t all need to be about grabbing, pinching, and sucking – a light touch can be just as pleasurable.

5. Chill things out

Grab some ice from your freezer or pop a pair of nipple clamps in the fridge for 20 minutes! Either way, brief periods of cool temperatures can increase sensation. If your nips start going numb, it’s time to give them a break and bring them back to room temperature.

6. Incorporate a sensitizing product

I recommend exercising caution when using sensitizing products on your clitoris or the rest of the clitoral area (always test them on your inner forearm first in case you have a sensitivity to it), but they can be great to use on your nipples, too! This can be especially helpful for folks who have limited sensation in their nipples, whether from surgery or just because it’s how their body is. Try Sliquid’s O-Gel or Foria’s Awaken Arousal Oil.

7. Wear nipple pasties

Nipples can be super-sensitive, and some folks may prefer to leave them untouched. That doesn’t mean you can’t decorate them, though! Fun nipple pasties can be combined with a chest harness, lingerie, or be worn on their own. They also make a great addition to a striptease.

8. Use an ultra-light touch

It doesn’t all need to be about grabbing, pinching, and sucking when it comes to stimulating nipples and breasts. A light touch can be just as pleasurable. Using your mouth, fingertips, or a toy like a feather tickler, focus on using super-light pressure on the nipples or breast overall. That soft touch can amp up the anticipation—and the sensations.

9. Try out a two-armed vibe

Two-armed vibes that are designed to look like tuning forks are great for indirect stimulation and a “stroking” motion, thanks to the gap between the arms. So, if you want a massaging sensation along with vibrations, these toys could be great options to try out. Because they tend to have motors in each “arm,” the sensation can be incredibly intense. Try out Le Wand’s Deux or Crave’s Duet. (And if you want to try vibrations but don’t want to buy new sex toys, bullet vibrators like Kip can be great for nipples, too!)

Some types of bras feature strategic cut-outs, open cups, or sheer designs so that can help you feel hot and confident.

10. Massage them

Chest massage can be incredibly relaxing and arousing, with or without massage oil. Plus, it can help ease painful swelling from lactation and breastfeeding, or menstruation. If you are lactating, a fair warning: Chest massage can make milk happen. Use the heel of your palm to apply firm pressure starting at the outer part of the breast, moving inwards. As you get closer to the nipple, slowly ease up on the pressure. You can also try a firm circular motion or the “Spock hand” around the nipples. To do the Spock hand, separate your fingers so that your ring and pinky finger are together and so are your middle and index fingers, with a “V” space in between. This applies some extra indirect pressure.

11. Pay attention to the neighboring areas

Engaging in breast play doesn’t mean that you have to exclusively pay attention to the nipples and areolas. Give the surrounding area some love, too! Lick and touch between them; kiss, bite, and suck underneath them; run your hands over and around them.Expand your exploration, too; even the armpits and ribcage have many nerve endings and can be erogenous zones.

12. Try out lingerie

Lingerie is for people of all genders and body types, and it’s one tool that can help you keep your boobs in the game without ever laying a hand or tongue on them. Some materials, like loose satins and silks, can feel tantalizing against your skin. Some types of bras also feature strategic cut-outs, open cups, or sheer designs so that can help you feel hot and confident.

13. Practice rope bondage

Like using a chest harness, certain rope ties can accentuate the chest. Partnering with someone for a rope session requires a foundation of trust and communication, so this can be a particularly intimate act.

14. Jack off with them

You might call this “titty fucking,” I call it jacking off. Tomato/tomahto. Whatever you call it, this sex act involves stimulating one’s genitals using someone else’s chest. If you’re going to try this out, I highly recommend adding lube. Any type will work, but I recommend an oil-based lubricant for a super long-lasting and slick feel (but you can’t use oil-based lubricants with latex barrier methods). Palm Grease from The Butters is a great option here. There are a lot of different ways to jack off using someone’s chest, and it’s something you can do using a biologically attached cock or one that’s been strapped on. Play around with a few different techniques and see what feels best for you and your partners. You might use your hands to jack off onto their chest, or maybe you’ll push their breasts together and thrust between them, or maybe they’ll use their breasts as an add-on during a blowjob, a hand job or genital stimulation. The options are endless.

15. Use your mouth

I could write a whole separate article about how to use your mouth on a chest, but let’s do a quick overview. You can use your mouth for biting, nibbling, sucking, licking, flicking, and kissing someone’s chest; each creates different sensations. You can use your tongue with flat, broad pressure, or point it and use it to flick, or you can use it to swirl a nipple in your mouth. Or, excitingly, you can use your mouth for all of the above in some combination! Just make sure to drink plenty of water and put some lip balm on for extra softness. Sex is a full-body experience, so the next time you’re getting sweaty in the sheets, try paying some extra attention to your chest. You might just find a new thing that you love.