Adventures in self degradation and humiliation

I thought for my first post I’d take on a topic that’s cheap, easy, and incredibly accessible. Body writing is something that anyone can do, you just need a writing instrument and some imagination. Effective body writing is all about choosing the right instrument, the right body parts, and the right message. This article is focused on the writing instruments, I’ll give a description of each then at the end I’ll give some personal suggestions.

1) Washable Markers - anything you’d confidently give a toddler to use.

These come in lots of rainbowlicious color choices, a variety of thicknesses, and are great for a short temporary play session since they come off with some scrubbing. So long as you’re prepared to scrub vigorously if needed (this should be rare) this is the safest option to avoid detection. The downside? If you’re looking to read your writing as you play then any sort of wet play is out of the picture and you’ll want to be mindful of any sweat or drooling plus contact that may cause smearing during your session. ALSO if you were to fall asleep or have it on you under clothes you may be dealing with little color clouds on your clothes or touching body parts. In my experience washable from skin does not always equal washable from clothes.

Recommended use: For relatively clean sessions that happen shortly before a shower. It’s a good safe first step (directly before a shower) for beginners though. Spring for ones that at least have a brand name, even if it’s a lesser known one.

2) Ink pens - everyday writing tools.

Pens come in a variety of types and colors, but for writing on skin I recommend felt tip pens most highly, then roller ball, then gel pens. Felt tips will dry fairly quickly and have an ease of writing on most surfaces. Roller balls will not have the ease of use, but will dry quicker than gel pens to prevent smearing. Gel pens I find can be quite fickle in writing ease and tend to take a bit of time to completely dry. Any common pen will smear on skin when wet leading to the same issues as the washable markers, however not all pens will come off cleanly. Also pens will have thin lines, which I personally find less than ideal. However, if you want to try and get cute or fancy with the details then pens can help if you want to elevate yourself to a form of art.

Recommended use: For relatively temporary use, especially if you want to add on details. Test washability before using it in visible places.

3) Permanent Markers - similar to sharpies, make sure it’s non-toxic.

These also come in a wide variety of colors and can be purchased individually in most office supply stores. Most of these are alcohol based, which is why they stay longer than water based markers. If you let the ink dry and set for a bit, these are more ideal for messier play session or long term effect though in some cases they can still smear. Keep in mind that if you choose to use these for long term play, there is a chance that some of the marker can rub off on clothes the next day. Generally I’d suggest springing for name brands which isn’t usually a stretch on the wallet, especially if you’re getting one or two. They stay on longer and tend to smear less in my experience.

HELPFUL TIP! Since these are alcohol based, if you get in a jam where you need to remove the writing fast (or at least minimize it) then use rubbing alcohol (I’ve had the best luck using a cotton swab/ball for removal). Rubbing alcohol is cheap, safe for external use, and is a good addition for medicine cabinets anyways. Be prepared to have a bit of patience even with this method though.

Recommended use: For longer term play time and more durable for messier play sessions. For discreet players, keep it where you can cover with clothing if need be.

4) Lipstick/Mascara - a sexy alternative that comes in lots of shades.

So for make up newbs (I’m only at or just above beginner in make up knowledge) not all lipsticks and mascara are created equal. For our purposes the main difference lies between regular and long lasting/waterproof. Long lasting makeup is becoming more and more common nowadays and are less likely to smear, but I tend to find smearing of lipstick pretty inevitable (and sexy) during a play session. Using lipstick instead of a pen or marker can add an extra layer to the fun - it’s always fun to imagine scenarios where someone has just gone through your purse for it and let’s face it, smeared lipstick has more effect than smeared marker. I’ve also learned that it’s tempting to say “oh, but it comes off of lips in the course of a day, it’ll come off my skin easily!” but be warned! Those thoughts can lead to a very panic themed scrubbing session. I personally get lipstick for body writing at dollar stores though I find the same variety in ease of removal in higher end lipsticks I’ve been given as well, so it's doesn't seem to be a cheap vs. expensive trend.. Always test first!

Recommended use: When you want more of a role play feel. Be prepared for smearing and test how easy it is to take off before play.

5) Body paint - literally designed for this, but more expensive.

There are a lot of body and face paint options out there, though I’ve always been too broke to try any of them. Honestly I feel there are cheaper and more humiliating things to use than these too if you’re just going to write things like “slut” and “whore” across your body. But there are benefits to body paint too! They are designed for skin first of all, and depending on the quality, they can be quite waterproof until you’re ready to take it off. If you have skin allergies there are hypoallergenic varieties out there as well that may suit you. You can also get really artistic with these if you’re so inclined (time to try out that tramp stamp?). And not to be discounted, a lot of various kink play is about using what you have. Maybe you dressed up for Halloween and have some left over, it would be a shame to have it go to waste! Here again, washability will be on a test basis.

Recommended use: If you have some left over or have skin conditions use according to directions. You can also get artistic with these as some are designed for shading and some are more liquid and applied with brushes.

6) Water-based paint pens - emphasis on water-based.

For these you’ll have to make a venture to an arts and crafts section or store. Several brands make these and they range in price from a dollar or two per pen to 15 or 20 dollars per pen if you’re getting artist quality. You’ll also notice as you purchase these that there are sometimes water-based paint pens (also sometimes called poster paint pens) and oil-based paint pens.

AVOID OIL-BASED PAINT PENS. Not all of them, but several oil-based paint pens use xylene which can be harmful if absorbed through skin, especially with prolonged exposure! There are some oil-based paint pens that are labelled non-toxic, but usually durability between the water-based and oil-based on skin is minimal and to me not worth the risks.

Okay, so now that I’ve gotten the PSA out of the way, let’s look at water-based paint pens. Still ensure that the pen you get is non-toxic at purchase or before use, but these come in lots of colors and can be pretty water resistant. These pens will often produce clean lines though may need a minute to fully dry. Usually the paint will be thinned with water, but sometimes other chemicals may be irritating to your skin, so as always test on a small patch first, you can also also test durability at the same time. Different brands will work differently. 

HELPFUL TIP! If you find yourself scrubbing like a mad woman to get it off your skin then stop and grab some baby oil. This is a trick I wish I had known long ago, but basically baby oil is mineral oil and fragrance, so just rub a little over the paint then it should wipe away easily in a matter of minutes!

Recommended use: For longer term play sessions and for better durability. Always make sure you test your materials first!

Safety Concerns!

Body writing is physically a very low risk activity. Test new things on a small area first to make sure you don’t have any adverse reactions - if something itches or produces a rash stop using it immediately and wash it off! Only use materials that say NON-TOXIC or are designed for use on skin. If you’re looking at something strange research consequences first. Mentally body writing can take a toll. Make sure that you practice self-care after any degradation session. Depending on how you write, you may require different levels of after-care, which is VITALLY IMPORTANT. If you find yourself not bringing yourself up after a session of going down please stop doing sessions and work on improving your self-esteem/self-worth/mood before you try again. If it keeps happening, maybe try something else entirely.

The First Step

So you’re just getting started, maybe you’re scared or nervous, what do you do first?

My personal venture into this, I was super paranoid about not being able to wash it off and just kinda of wanted to know how it felt. So if you’re in a similar mindset I’m gonna suggest you do what I did: use lip balm. Plain, uncolored, unflavored, unscented, basically a stick of petroleum lip balm feels close enough to lipstick but leaves only a slightly shiny spot on your skin. It doesn’t carry much visual impact, but if you close your eyes and pretend someone’s writing on you it can give you a good idea if this is something you want to move forward with or not.

If you’re bolder of have some time to wash up, choose a writing instrument you have at hand (ensuring it’s non-toxic) and give it a whirl! I usually use my tits as my canvas.

Next Steps

If you decide to move forward, for discretion try it out with a washable marker or lipstick in an area that will be covered by clothes - breasts, chest, and stomach area are popular, though thighs are also fair game and if you can manage clear words on your back, that’s fun as well. You’ll get lots of practice writing upside down with this kink. The more you play, the you’ll find your list of words growing as well and usually find some favorites!

As a precaution you may decide to do what I did and wait until you know you’re not going to leave the house the next day to advance a step up so you at least have 12 hours to panic and try and remove whatever remains.