Listening Lovers April 2025

What's New?

Easter is almost here, whether your hunting for eggs, your first toy, or just want to add to your collection, we've got you covered! We've recently brought in over a hundred new goodies like pastease, strokers, dildos, pumps, plugs, and more! We can't learn about all of them here, but you can check them out in-store or here on our website under the new arrivals section. Plus, take a peek at what's coming soon!

This month, we're excited to introduce two fantastic new additions to our BDSM lineup: the Florence Collection and the Venice Collection. Both are crafted with bonded leather for that chic, high-fashion vibe. You can mix and match by grabbing each piece separately or go all-in with our limited edition BDSM bunny bundles to snag a 15% discount on the whole set, plus get a gorgeous Shibari rope for free! Each set is hand wrapped with the Shibari rope in a bunny-inspired design. These bundles are on sale from April 7th to April 14th while supplies last! The Florence Collection comes in blue, black, or white and includes wrist cuffs, ankle cuffs, a blindfold, a ball gag, a flogger, and a collar with a leash. The Venice Collection has a similar style, featuring shiny iridescent metal parts. It comes with wrist cuffs, ankle cuffs, a blindfold, a ball gag, and a collar with a leash.

New Kinks & Fetishes

To submit your questions and thoughts please submit an email to info@ftloi.net 

What’s the most talked-about kink and fetish this month?

What is edge play?

Trying out kinks can be super exciting, especially when you stumble upon new ones to explore. Edge play can be many different things but in general it is any sexual activity that comes with an inherent safety risk, whether that be a physical or mental risk. There are tons of different things that fit into edge play, and while some are more popular, it doesn't mean they're necessarily safer—just that they are more well-known than others.

Some common examples of edge play activities include things like fire, wax play, breath play (aka choking), and more. These activities all come with some safety risks, which can be part of the appeal. What is important to understand is that there's no completely "safe way" to engage in edge play. If you're going to experiment with risky activities, make absolutely certain you do your homework first. Talk it out and ensure everyone's on the same page. Researching the risks involved with each activity, figuring out how to minimize them, and having a safety plan is extremely important before getting into any edge play activity. A good starting point is understanding the acronym RACK.

What's is RACK? RACK stands for Risk Aware Consensual Kink. In simple terms, it’s about making sure everyone involved understands the mental and physical risks of the kink they’re considering, and everyone is enthusiastically on board with it. You need to be aware of things that might go wrong at the moment, possible long term effects (like scaring), mental stress, and any emergencies that could happen. These should all be talked through thoroughly before jumping into any kind of edge play. Whatever you're planning, if there's any risk, everyone should be clued in, know how to steer clear of trouble, and be prepared for what to do if something happens to go wrong, even if you think you are sure you know what your doing.

Having a safety plan is strongly recommended and means before you and your partner(s) engage in a new type of activity, you agree on a word or action that if said/or acted upon would indicate to stop everything immediately. When deciding on a safe word you want to choose a word you wouldn't use during sex, something that will be unmistakable if heard. You could use safe words like pineapple, airplane, or jellyfish, the choice is all yours. Also, during some edgy play activities you might not be able to talk, so then it's important to have a clear, agreed-upon safe signal to stop play right away. The important part is that the word/action gets the attention of everyone so that everything stops and is able to check in and communicate with each other. So, in additional to clear, pre-established boundaries also have a safety plan before engaging in any activity.

You might wonder, why someone would engage in these activities given their risks? Consider edge play similar to skydiving. Some individuals are passionate about it, while others wouldn't consider boarding the plane. Skydiving carries risks—you might land safely or might experience injury (or even death). Despite these high risks, people still choose to participate. This dangerous excitement is part of what can make edge play so intriguing! While it might not be everyone's go-to thrill, for some it's the ultimate adrenaline rush. For many others, they are fascinated and drawn by the power exchange it involves.. You might find that edge play is a kink you enjoy occasionally, or perhaps it's a fetish you can't resist incorporating into your regular sex life. Whatever your kinky preferences, as long as everything is safe, sane, and consensual, your exploration journey can lead to even more fun and exciting experiences!

Staff Stars

If you've ever stumbled into FTLOI, you might have been dazzled by the sheer awesomeness of our superstar employee, Veronica! With her take-charge attitude and a natural flair for leadership, it was a no-brainer to crown her the head of our security team! She's like a multitasking wizard, juggling a bajillion projects at once—you'd swear she's secretly living in the store. Whether she's sashaying in lingerie, trying out new wigs, or mastering the art of Shibari ties, she's the poster child for hard work.

Naturally, Veronica can't just clock in and out like the rest of us mortals. Oh no, she's busy moonlighting as a part-time wizard, nose-deep in spell books, all while plotting her grand plan to become the ultimate soul keeper. With her Pisces energy, she’s always inventing quirky ways to collect souls that no one will miss—like a spiritual recycling program! If she locks eyes with you, brace yourself for a shiver that'll race down your spine. Pro tip: Don't stare too long! We're absolutely ecstatic to have Veronica on our team! Her magnetic charm is bound to attract countless souls!

Sasha Says

To submit your questions and thoughts please submit an email to info@ftloi.net 

This month’s top question from you!     

When and how do I clean my toys?

Whether you just got your first toy or are adding to the ever growing collection, getting a new toy is always exciting. Besides making sure to charge it, one of the first things you should do when you get home is give it a good clean! You might think, "It's brand new, no one's used it, so it's clean." You're right, no one's used it yet, but remember, sex toys are made in factories. Sure, each factory has its cleanliness standards—maybe the workers wash their hands or wear gloves—but your toy has still been handled by someone at some point. Whether they're making it or checking its quality, at some point, someone else has touched it.

After washing your toy for the first time, how can you tell when it's time to clean it again? Each toy comes with its own instructions, which will also guide you on the best way to clean and maintain it. A useful way to consider this is to treat your toys like your socks and underwear. How frequently do you wear and wash those? You should clean your toys after each use.

If you neglect to clean your toys, you could encounter several problems. The material may begin to deteriorate, they might develop lingering odors, and you could even risk an infection. Your body naturally hosts good bacteria, which is completely normal, but if your toys aren't clean, bad bacteria could reproduce or the toy could collect pet hair, dust and other things from the environment. You certainly don't want any of that entering your body, do you?

When cleaning your toys you might consider using a toy cleaner instead of using soap and water, and that's perfectly acceptable. Neither is superior to the other since they both achieve the same goal: a clean toy.

 So, how do you pick the right cleaner? Toy cleaners come in different types like wipes, sprays, and foams. There's no one-size-fits-all; it's all about what works for you and what you prefer. All toy cleaners come with instructions and are pretty easy to use, just make sure to clean the whole toy, getting into every nook and cranny. You want to make sure every part is clean.

Some toys, like certain strokers, dildos, and plugs, don’t have any mechanical components and you can wash them in the sink with unscented antibacterial soap and water without a worry. However, if you’ve got a toy with mechanical parts, you’ll need to be a bit more cautious. Below are some tips, but always take a look at the instructions to be sure exactly how to care for your toy.

• For battery-operated toys, make sure to remove the batteries first and close up any openings so water doesn't get in. You can still use soap and water to clean them, just be careful not to let water into the battery compartment.

• Some toys have something called self-healing skin. These toys are charged with a prong that goes through a layer of material, making them splash-proof but not submersible. Go ahead and use soap and water on these, but be sure to keep water away from the charging point to prevent any leaks into the hole!

• Lastly, there are toys that charge magnetically. These are typically waterproof with no holes for water to sneak in, so use soap and water without worry.

Keeping your toys clean is super important and incredibly quick to do! Fresh toys not only feel amazing but also help prevent any pesky irritations or even infections. Each method works like a charm whether you use soap and water or a toy cleaner. Don't forget to pay attention to every little detail when cleaning, so they're all set and ready for you next time.

We hope to help you and your partner(s) learn, grow, and enjoy together. Please submit your questions and we would love to be able to help answer them! Check back next month to see if others are wondering the same.

XOXO~Sasha