The Best Massage Candles and Dripping Wax for Kinkier Foreplay

Sex is all about the drip. Have you seen our quarry of luxury dildos and CBD lube? Drippy. Peeped Betony Vernon’s erotic jewelry? Lowkey drippy. Honestly, amongst all our favorite foreplay props, it’s the sexual wellness items that feel a little more incognito—versatile, even—in their design that we love the most. We’re hot, lazy, and forgetful people, and we don’t always remember to put our BDSM riding crop in the closet before hosting dinner. 

That’s where sex candles come in. People have been dripping, splattering, and massaging candle wax onto each other’s bare skin for as long as they’ve had kinky urges; look at literally any 17th-century, candle-lit Dutch painting with panting lads (hornyyy) and tell me otherwise. 

On one end of the sex candle spectrum, there are traditional waxy bois designed for the pure joy of a little BDSM temperature play drip; on the other, you’ll find a burgeoning range of bougie massage candles by sexual wellness brands such as Maude, LELO, and JimmyJane for every aesthetic and sensory profile. Want to lather your partner with a CBD-infused candle wax? Done. In search of a massage candle with notes of eucalyptus and sandalwood? Easy-peasy.  

Whether you’re just dipping your fingers into BDSM or you want to add even more sensuality to your pre- and post-sex experiences with a hydrating massage candle, we’ve curated the absolute best sex candles for lighting your fire. 

Wax play can refer to any kind of kinky candle activities, but dripping wax candles are for BDSM temperature play (a hot drip on your lower back, for example) and not a body massage. “Hot, hot, HAWT!” one reviewer writes about this set by Doc Johnson, “[the] red, purple, and black candles are a great color choice for the perfect sexy mood, and they’re easy to hold. They’re simple enough that they don’t stand out—no one would ever know they’re sex candles.” 

You can even find dripping wax candles on Amazon. This duo by MANFLY has over 580 reviews on the site, with reviewers writing that they burn hot, but “[also] burn well and slow.”  

Maude’s minimalist designs and quality engineering have been a game-changer in the sexual wellness industry. Plus, its co-creative director is Dakota Johnson, the aesthetic Queen of Disliking Limes herself; if you’ve seen her Architectural Digest home video tour, then you know the brand will be chic. Maude has already mastered the art of the elevated massage candle with its line of flickering fantasy objets, and the latest addition to its skin-softening jojoba oil blends is Candle No. 3, with notes of eucalyptus, sandalwood, cassis, and Haitian vetiver that bring a subtle but earthy aroma to any room (or massage). I love mine so much, I have a hard time not lighting it just for ambiance. 

CBD and sex go together like sesame noodles and chile crisp, and  Lovehoney’s CBD-infused massage candle is a best-seller. Not only is it Leaping Bunny certified (so, cruelty-free and not tested on animals), but it also includes extracts from rosemary and lavender, the aromas of which are well-known to help some folks unwind. Pair that with the ability of CBD to help relax muscles, and you’re golden. 

Melony’s massage candle caught our eye with its trusty spout—who doesn’t love an even pour?—but it truly made our hearts flutter with its enthusiastic reviews. It earned a 4.5-star average rating on Amazon from over 250 reviews, with one fan writing, “I have to give you fair warning when using this candle. [It] increases the potential risk for baby-making!!!” They describe the scent of the candle as “peacefully enjoyable,” with just a whiff of piña colada, and praise its ability to burn for a whopping 19 hours. “I dimmed the lights, and played some Sade while my SO and [I]… used this on each other.” 

If you’ve heard of the luxury Swedish sexual wellness brand LELO, chances are you’ve also drooled over its high-tech blended-orgasm vibrators and cult-fave condoms. Luckily, the highly aesthetic brand has also bestowed us with a massage candle worthy of a Viking king massage; It’s made from all-natural soy wax, shea butter, and apricot kernel oil, and comes in three different aroma options with unique, sultry scent combinations such as black pepper and pomegranate and vanilla and crème de cacao. Don’t forget to hit up its 40% off summer sale on your way to the checkout line. 

Who knew Sunday Riley made sex candles?? The skincare brand is famous for its glowy face serums, and now it’s venturing into sexual wellness with this shea butter, honey- and sandalwood-scented massage candle aptly named “Come Upstairs.” Don’t mind if we do. This is the perfect example of a Sexy Time candle that could live totally incognito on your bookshelf. 

We like to think of the gilded drip on this Neom candle as a design flex, as well as an invitation. Neom is a British wellness company that prioritizes aromatherapy in its range of relaxation products, and its signature sex candle combines a touch of citrus scent with jojoba seed, rapeseed, and sweet almond oil to provide your skin and your sense of smell with a zesty, refreshing experience.

Here’s an idea: take home JimmyJane’s glass disco ball dildo, and use it as a massaging wand for the luxury intimacy brand’s massage candle. It has a 4.6-star average rating on Amazon, with one reviewer saying it's worth the price tag for its musky scent of red tobacco and the soothing addition of aloe vera. “This candle smells like heaven. I [even] use it to put on the ends of my curly hair.” 

This massage candle is very vampiresexual in its aesthetic. The brand takes its namesake from Kiki de Montparnasse, who was one of the greatest creative personalities and muses of 1920s Paris; you know Julia Fox’s violin tattoo? It came from Kiki. In addition to its handy spout, this candle brings the intoxicating smell of Japanese lotus flowers into the mix of its vegan, coconut- and soybean-oil wax blend. 

Now go forth, and wax poetic to your boo. 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.